C-StoreMaster, a national distributor of convenience store products based in Huntsville, Ala., broke ground on a distribution center in fall 2020. REED had to navigate pandemic policy changes and other novel challenges to produce a flawless event during an unprecedented time.
Community impact doesn’t require crowds.
Raise community awareness and positive perception of the project with a curated invitation list and an impressive event with well-thought-out details.
In lieu of crowds, our team got creative to make this groundbreaking unique and to share news of the project with Huntsville residents. We invited government officials from the state of Alabama and the city of Huntsville, C-StoreMaster leadership and its partners to attend and speak. Attendance was limited due to restrictions, so managing the guest list was a top priority for our team.
We designed and distributed invitations, developed a comprehensive run-of-show, printed signage, drafted scripts and managed set-up and break-down for the ceremony. We also ordered fun branded items like cookies and hard hats.
To improve community awareness of the project, we invited TV reporters on-site during the event and managed interview opportunities for C-StoreMaster leadership. After the event concluded, high-quality photos were distributed to tell the groundbreaking story to print and digital reporters, and several outlets ultimately picked up the story despite not attending the event in person.
While C-StoreMaster would have preferred to host a high-traffic event, this curated celebration set the foundation for a successful opening of the new distribution center and built buzz in the Huntsville community. Since the groundbreaking, our team has coordinated hard hat tours and will host a grand opening in 2022.