Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants
Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants Lansing Launch Campaign
Goal: Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants, a restaurant known for its upscale casual dining and in-house winery experience, planned to open its first location in Lansing in February 2025. Cooper’s Hawk sought to create meaningful community connections, generate pre-opening buzz and ensure a strong turnout for its preview events.
Research:
Bellwether began by analyzing the Lansing media landscape, political and business leadership ecosystem, and influencer scene to identify the most impactful touchpoints for community engagement. Research focused on:
- Local and regional media outlets (print, digital, radio and broadcast)
- Key community stakeholders: elected officials, chamber leadership and hospitality partners
- Influential Lansing-area leaders, content creators and media personalities
- Comparable restaurant openings in the region for earned media benchmarks
Action Plan & Communication Overview:
Time Frame
January–February 2025, with primary campaign activation occurring January 7–February 7, 2025.
Strategies
- Build strong local relationships by engaging civic and business leaders.
- Secure advance media coverage and day-of visibility through proactive pitching.
- Use strategic events (mock lunches, ribbon cutting and VIP night) as anchors for earned media and stakeholder involvement.
- Leverage local personalities to amplify reach on social media.
Tactics
- Developed and distributed:
- Opening day press release
- Ribbon cutting media advisory
- Run-of-show and speaking remarks
- Researched and compiled contact lists of:
- Local VIPs and elected officials
- Influencers and media figures
- Local hotels and businesses for branded drops
- Organized and supported multiple events:
- Friends & Family Mock Lunches (Jan. 30–31)
- Ribbon Cutting & VIP Preview Night (Feb. 1)
- Grand Opening Day (Feb. 3)
- Coordinated with Michigan State University to feature mascot Sparty at the event
- Conducted personalized media and stakeholder outreach
Evaluation:
The campaign exceeded all set goals and delivered measurable impact:
Media Results
- Seven total media mentions
- Estimated reach: 1.2 million
- Coverage highlights included:
- Lansing State Journal feature story and video tour
- WITL, WJIM FM and 92.9 FM coverage
- High-engagement social media posts from regional media personalities
Event Results
- VIP Night: Fully booked with more than 250 influential attendees and engaging influencer content shared across social media during the event
- Mock Lunch Services: 60+ guests across two days, used for staff training and early exposure
- Ribbon Cutting: Featured speakers from the Lansing Chamber, Ingham County, and Township leadership, with attendance from the Lansing Mayor and state senators.
