Situation

Under contract to structurally correct and waterproof Madame John’s Legacy in a historically correct manner, Ehlinger & Associates principal Perrin Ehlinger uncovered evidence of the original building design and recommended changes. Misunderstandings among local preservationists led to negative publicity, culminating in a story on NOLA.com and in The Times-Picayune. Ehlinger engaged Gambel Communications to set the record straight.

Strategy

The project’s goal was to advance the Ehlinger solution to the building project. The campaign’s success would be measured by securing a second article, correctly reflecting the architect’s findings and recommendations, the value it would have to preserving the historic structure and the wind, water and rot issues it would resolve.

Gambel Communications’ strategy focused on re-engaging the initial reporter and securing interest in understanding the project on a broader scope. The project’s key messages outlined the five areas of concern on the property, the specific findings Ehlinger and his team found that necessitated changes to the initial plan, and the reasons Ehlinger’s plan should prevail (preserving national historic designation and resolving longstanding water intrusion issues).

Utilizing those key messages, Gambel Communications brokered a dialoge with the reporter and invited him to tour Madame John’s Legacy with Perrin Ehlinger. The reporter immediately expressed interest in returning and agreed to discuss the opportunity with editorial leaders. Through a series of scheduling issues including a high profile trial to which the reporter was assigned, Mardi Gras (which made visiting Madame John’s in the French Quarter ill-advised), and severe weather, the Gambel Communications team stayed focused on following up with the reporter. Eventually, the reporter and a staff photographer met Gambel Communications and the Ehlinger & Associates team at Madame John’s Legacy for the walk-through, interview and photo shoot. A few days later, the follow-up story ran introducing Ehlinger’s findings, theories and recommended solutions. 

Results

With the publishing of that follow-up story, Gambel Communications achieved the desired pivot in the news coverage away from preservationists’ misunderstandings to the accurate key messages that define what Ehlinger discovered and recommended about Madame John’s.