Situation: The debut of Amazon’s Treasure Truck in the retailer’s hometown of Seattle met with widespread public approval and interest. As the first step in a nationwide rollout, Amazon planned to debut its mobile selling platform in a dozen new markets across the country. The business team’s goal was to generate substantial foot traffic on the launch day in each market as a method of creating word of mouth and consumer attention in order to sustain long-term interest. I was charged with realizing this goal through a target market media relations campaign that would generate widespread awareness of the program in two of the biggest markets: Houston and Dallas.

Houston Chronicle

Planning and Implementation: Knowing that a time-specific event can risk losing media attention due to the unpredictable nature of the news cycle, I arranged to have B-Roll video and stock photography shot of the Treasure Truck to use as collateral for broadcast outlets unable to make the actual launch event. Next, I secured embargoed stories in the Houston Chronicle and Dallas Morning News on the Treasure Truck launch that hit two days before the debut date and served as Texas consumers’ first notice that Amazon’s newest innovation would be rolling into their neighborhoods.

On the morning of Treasure Truck’s Texas debut, TV assignment desks in both Houston and Dallas were aggressively pitched, resulting in camera crew visits from five of the eight network affiliates in both markets coming to the Treasure Truck launch location to interview Amazon staffers. A further two affiliates used the previously produced B-Roll for readers on their evening newscasts. And, the Houston Chronicle and Dallas Morning News both sent reporters to the event to continue coverage of the Amazon arrival.

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Because we also wanted to reach consumers who had not had the chance to come to the Treasure Truck debut, but might be inclined to visit it in the future, I continued pitching during the week after launch, locking down additional coverage in the Dallas Business Journal, the Fort Worth Star Telegram, and half-a-dozen neighborhood blogs.

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Evaluation: More than five million impressions were secured over a 10-day period in Houston and Dallas and Treasure Truck’s debut in both cities were sold-out by the end of the business day. During the next several months the momentum was sustained, with both markets continuing to see steady and record-setting crowds.