Gambel goes to Disney
Over the course of the last three years, Walt Disney’s Imagineers have visited the Historic New Orleans Collection (HNOC) numerous times to research the city’s rich history for the new ride, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. As a thank you for the time, energy and commitment to making the ride as authentically New Orleans as possible, Walt Disney invited HNOC to participate in a special preview event prior to the ride opening to the general public. As one of Gambel’s longest-tenured clients, I was honored when they asked us to accompany them on the trip.
Sitting in the terminal at MSY at 5 a.m., I was drinking a much needed coffee and catching up with some familiar faces – Amanda Frentz from HNOC, New Orleans & Company’s Chief Marketing Officer, Mark Romig, WGNO’s rock star reporter, Kenny Lopez and one of the best content creators in the city, David Mora (aka DavidNOLA). We compared itineraries, talked about the dozens of visits Disney and the Imagineers have made to New Orleans to research elements for the new attraction and, most importantly, agreed that we were excited to see the culmination of the collaboration in the new ride.
Once we arrived in Orlando, the whirlwind of a multi-day jam-packed itinerary began. The first night, HNOC joined hundreds of Black influencers from around the country, a New Orleans press core as well as dozens of organizations for a private party in EPCOT’s new CommuniCore Plaza. While there, we had a chance to catch up with more familiar faces like Alice Glenn, Executive Vice President at New Orleans & Company and Tifferney White, CEO at the Louisiana Children’s Museum. The following evening, we converged for a sunset soiree with live music, Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen and local celebrities like Drew Brees and Cam Newton. Together we enjoyed a night of celebration and a chance to finally experience the ride itself.
Coming out of the Disney vortex, I spent most of my plane ride home thinking about the value of investing in long-term public relations. As I mentioned, HNOC is a long-tenured Gambel client going back to the founding of the agency 15 years ago. The well-established partnership has allowed us to build a sustained message and create a deep penetration of brand awareness over the years. HNOC also recognizes the value of long-term public relations strategies that create lasting impact for years to come, like a relationship with Walt Disney.
By definition, public relations fosters open communication and meaningful interactions, it establishes trust, builds loyalty, tells your story and ensures your stakeholders feel valued and connected to your mission. These things don’t happen overnight; it takes time and investment to create a consistent and strategic public relations effort for lasting impact. At Gambel, we strive to build those authentic relationships with everyone we partner with so we can, in turn, create strategies that bring transformational outcomes to our clients.