Case Study
Public Relations
Rhinos Provide Breakthroughs Amid Chaos of Hurricane Matthew with Smart Thinking and Teamwork.
With the first major hurricane the east coast of Florida had seen in 2016 well on its way, Sachs Media Group was faced with the challenge of positioning its insurance-related clients as the authorities on storm recovery information and the subsequent claims process. The challenge was compounded by limited cellphone service and power in the areas that were being hit and in the line of the Hurricane Matthew.
Using an aggressive Twitter outreach campaign to reporters in the field covering the destruction of Hurricane Matthew, Sachs Media Group garnered prominent coverage from multiple print, digital and broadcast media outlets for both the Florida Association of Insurance Agents and People’s Trust Insurance. We immediately deployed a senior staff member to the areas hit hardest by the storm to walk news crews through the destruction and showcase the People’s Trust Insurance unique recovery model. We hosted a media conference call that garnered the attention of statewide reporters and resulted in numerous stories about how homeowners could better navigate the often complex claims process.
Sachs Media Group jumped in with a plan of action during Hurricane Matthew, working tirelessly to make sure PTI’s unique recovery process was featured in the media for precisely what it is – simply a better way!— Amy Rosen, Chief Marketing Officer, People’s Trust Insurance
We organized, planned and recruited a reporter from Jacksonville’s Florida Times-Union newspaper -- with a daily circulation of nearly 100,000 -- to ride along with the Rapid Response Team after Hurricane Matthew had passed. The story, which ran as the front-page centerpiece, told the positive story of PTI’s unique recovery model after a disaster like this one.
WFTV Channel 9 caught up with a PTI policyholder in Ormond Beach, where a giant oak tree had fallen on the roof of his home. A RRT spokesman at the site shared with viewers what they should do if something like this happened to them: Call the insurance company first and file a claim.
First Coast News accepted our offer to ride along with the Rapid Response Team after Hurricane Matthew had passed. Together, they responded to a policyholder’s home with a tree on the roof. A RRT spokesman shared with viewers what’s typically covered under a homeowner’s insurance policy and offered insight into what kind of damage the team had seen.
We successfully pitched a reporter from the St. Augustine Record, who wrote an article featuring insights from FAIA member insurance agents, positioning them as the experts on navigating the complicated claims process after Hurricane Matthew.
After the media conference call, FAIA was positioned as an expert in a consumer-focused post that offered advice to homeowners after the storm. “Florida Association of Insurance Agents president Jeff Grady reinforced the advice to call insurance companies or agents first in a conference call Monday morning.”