Checking in at The Countrypolitan, Nashville’s Historic Boutique Hotel
REED collaborated with The Countrypolitan to elevate the hotel’s unique brand, emphasizing its renovated spaces, on-site restaurant and amenities. The REED team crafted a strategic media relations plan that emphasized authentic local partnerships, targeted well-respected Nashville food and lifestyle media, and encouraged on-site visits to help reporters truly experience the space and brand.
In order to grow The Countrypolitan’s presence among Nashville locals, we focused on coordinating partnerships with other beloved local brands, specifically those rooted in history and music. REED coordinated partnerships with The Loveless Café and Carter Vintage Guitars, two beloved Nashville brands.
Through the partnership with Carter Vintage Guitars, The Countrypolitan was able to offer a recording session at the Carter showroom in Nashville for the winner of their inaugural Songs from the Countrypolitan songwriting competition. The brands also cross-promoted the competition, multiplying the eyes on the exciting opportunity.
Through the Loveless Cafe partnership, The Countrypolitan created Loveless biscuit pancakes to be served exclusively at its dining concept, utilizing Loveless’s iconic biscuit mix and beloved fruit preserves for The Countrypolitan’s daily brunch menu. This gave The Loveless Cafe a touchpoint closer to the city and tied back to The Countrypolitan’s historic Nashville roots.
To ensure media had a well-rounded understanding of the hotel and restaurant, we focused on intimate in-person media visits to the hotel to get the real guest experience. Whether it was a table for a live music show, a dinner reservation for one of Chef Bressler’s imaginative meals or a historical tour of the building, we tailored our approach to each journalist.
INSIGHT:
To position a hotel as a go-to destination for both visitors and locals, establishments should create offerings that genuinely engage the community—such as hosting distinctive events, featuring live music, partnering with local businesses and tastemakers and making the most of their spaces. While Nashville is celebrated for its live music, great food and vibrant bar scene, locals crave experiences that go beyond the typical. The rich history of the building and the authentic roots of Countrypolitan music offer a distinctive connection that resonates deeply with guests and locals alike.
STRATEGY:
To promote The Countrypolitan’s signature events, such as Armadillo Wednesdays and Country Swing Night, as well as special experiences like Chef’s Table: A Field and Fork Experience and the Songs from the Countrypolitan songwriting competition, REED focused on engaging the local community. The team positioned the restaurant and bar as the perfect spot to start or end a night out, emphasizing hyper-local events and partnerships with Nashville businesses to strengthen brand recognition among locals.
ACTIVATION:
REED submitted the hotel’s events to local calendars and pitched and invited local media to the hotel’s Armadillo Wednesdays, a free songwriter night hosted every first Wednesday of the month, and Country Swing Night, featuring free lessons for dancers of all backgrounds and experiences.
Rooted in Nashville and inspired by the bounty of Middle Tennessee, REED also pitched the hotel’s chef’s table, a weekly dining experience celebrating traditional Southern flavors with a bit of flair. Each week, Executive Chef Michael Bressler would create a multi-course surprise menu guided solely by what was in season from local farms, gardens and purveyors, including heirloom vegetables and heritage meats. These efforts resulted in a Local On 2 cooking segment, along with multiple visits from local food and restaurant writers, including Nashville Lifestyles, for their fall issue’s “Cravings” section.
Lastly, REED pitched the hotel’s Songs from the Countrypolitan, a songwriting competition for aspiring artists to tell a story inspired by the hotel’s unique history and country music’s “Nashville Sound,” in partnership with Carter Vintage Guitars, a connection REED helped facilitate. This resulted in a NewsChannel5 on-site segment, as well as coverage in music trade media outlets. To round out the competition, REED also pitched the winner.
While these efforts comprise the bulk of REED’s work, the team also coordinated a multitude of additional opportunities, including preparing for the hotel’s appearance in a Today in Nashville drink-making segment for the Fourth of July, coordinating multiple media visits through the NCVC and establishing a partnership with Loveless Café.
RESULTS:
With a goal of 4-12 pieces of media coverage, REED garnered 29 pieces of media coverage, reaching over 310 million people.