Students Win PR Competition

By Leah Aulisio-Sharpe ’22, July 2, 2020
A team of Ithaca College students conjured up an award-winning marketing and promotions plan for Ithaca’s Wizarding Weekend.
Woman holding a paper

Wizarding Weekend was a popular downtown attraction.

(Photo by: Alison Chilton '17)

Wizarding Weekend was a popular downtown attraction.

(Photo by: Alison Chilton '17)

Coming up with a winning public relations plan for an event is a challenge even in the best of circumstances. Devising a plan that encompasses traditional promotion and a complete rebranding is even more difficult.

As part of associate professor Arhlene Flowers’ capstone Public Relations Lab, integrated marketing communications majors Caroline Anson ’20, Chloe Landau ’20, and Joey LoPiccolo ’20 were tasked with promoting the 2019 Wizarding Weekend, a Harry Potter-themed festival held in downtown Ithaca. But the event’s ongoing legal issues meant not only did they have to generate excitement for the 2019 festival, but they also had to evaluate it for promotional opportunities in 2021, when it will be rebranded the GorgeKeep Festival of Magic.

Having to essentially devise two entirely different plans simultaneously, it’s no wonder their work was recognized. The trio won a PRism Award — the highest honor — in the Student Program Awards/Events & Observances category from the Rochester chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. The awards recognize complete public relations programs and tactical elements incorporating sound insights and analysis, planning, execution and evaluation.

“The team really enjoyed promoting and developing strategies for rebranding the festival. I was impressed with how they were able to use their abilities to shine and deliver high-quality work.”

Associate professor Arhlene Flowers

The team’s PR plan included creating promotional materials and providing media relations and social media coverage for the 2019 event.  

But the bigger challenge was the rebranding of Wizarding Weekend into the GorgeKeep Festival of Magic. FanUnity, the company responsible for the event, with whom the students were collaborating, was sent a cease and desist letter by Warner Brothers, which owns the rights to the Harry Potter franchise, prohibiting the festival from making any references to the Harry Potter series.

“Having a cease and desist on our hands really restricted a lot for us,” said LoPiccolo. “Not only did it provide a continuous veneer of stress for the FanUnity executive board, it also placed restrictions on our promotional ideas.”

The team was able to overcome those restrictions and create innovative promotional strategies, such as recruiting a member of the college’s drone squadron to get aerial shots of the event to use in applying for future grants.

“My greatest joy is knowing that our team really worked for this honor. While, it’s nice to earn an award, I’m happier that I was able to represent Ithaca College and gain some recognition for the school.” 

Joey LoPiccolo ’20

Their attitude in the face of these hurdles was also an asset.

“These students established a positive and harmonious working relationship among themselves and with the client,” said Flowers. “The team really enjoyed promoting and developing strategies for rebranding the festival. I was impressed with how they were able to use their abilities to shine and deliver high-quality work.”

The students were grateful for the support provided by Flowers throughout the course.

“Professor Flowers definitely deserves an honorary teammate recognition, '' said LoPiccolo. “She was a fountain of knowledge and an endless source of help.”

For LoPiccolo, the award itself was less important than what it signified.

“My greatest joy is knowing that our team really worked for this honor,” he said. “While, it’s nice to earn an award, I’m happier that I was able to represent Ithaca College and gain some recognition for the school.”