In early 2021, the Adirondack Sports Council and its Organizing Committee for the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games contracted with Baker Public Relations to begin promotion of the Games by highlighting a mascot design contest. After a successful contest and a months-long design process, the Games returned to Baker Public Relations to introduce the mascot to the world in a dynamic event at the Schenectady Curling Club. Enlisting the help of an audio-visual design company, amateur curling athletes and even a Baker Public Relations employee to wear the mascot suit, the event was a smashing success and drew four target local media outlets to compete in a curling contest with new mascot Adirondack Mac the Moose.
“The dedication of Baker Public Relations’ team was so impressive, we made them our agency of record in April 2022,” said the Games’ Communications and Media Director Jon Lundin. “After that, the Baker team’s ability and doggedness to draw media to our stories near and far was impressive and outstanding.”
Upon gaining the contract, Baker Public Relations proposed an eight-month media and public relations effort to promote the 2023 Games, including a media ski day in Lake Placid with journalists attending from as far away as Buffalo, New York; an Adirondack Mac ice cream giveaway in downtown Albany, New York and at a local TV news station; public unveilings and packaging of the competition medals in Alfred and Rochester, New York; distribution of the Games’ key sponsor to outlets including Yahoo! News, the Associated Press, International Business Times and others; successful promotion and participation in the FISU torch relay in markets across New York; and organic media pitching resulting in key placements in the New York Post, Sports Travel Magazine, Vermont Outdoors, Vermont Ski & Ride, The Berkshire Eagle, Adirondack Foothills Business Daily and others.
The Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games eventually exceeded its adjusted goals for ticket sales, and was labeled an international success by observers from the Adirondacks, New York state and overseas.
“Thanks to Baker Public Relations’ hard work and persistence, we scored media hits in Buffalo, Rochester, Albany, Saratoga Springs, rural New York, the states of Vermont and Massachusetts, and the lucrative New York Post which is read nationwide,” said Lundin. “We remain thrilled with the Baker team’s persistence and patience in promoting the Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games.”
A full accounting of media events and results across New York state is listed below.
March 23, 2021 – MASCOT DESIGN CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT
Event: Promote the mascot design content
Scope: Distribute news release announcing the contest
Venue: None
Media Haul: North Country Market
Adirondack Daily Enterprise: https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2021/03/contest-launched-to-design-mascot-for-university-games/
Sun Community News: https://suncommunitynews.com/news/87807/mascot-contest-announced-for-lake-placid-2023-world-university-games/
Lake Placid News: https://www.lakeplacidnews.com/news/local-news/2021/03/23/contest-launched-to-design-mascot-for-world-university-games/
Central New York Market
My Little Falls: https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/news/local-news/2021/03/contest-launched-to-design-mascot-for-university-games/
CNY Central: https://cnycentral.com/news/local/cuomo-announces-lake-placid-2023-world-university-games-design-competition
Southern Tier Market
WNBF News Radio: https://cnycentral.com/news/local/cuomo-announces-lake-placid-2023-world-university-games-design-competition
November 17, 2021 – MASCOT REVEAL
Event: Unveiling Adirondack Mac
Scope: News conference, A/V-heavy intro dance and curling expo with Adirondack Mac
Venue: Schenectady Curling Club, Schenectady N.Y.
Media Haul:
Albany Market
WRGB CBS 6: https://cbs6albany.com/sports/content/adirondack-mac-challenges-local-media-in-curling
Spectrum News 1 Albany: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2021/11/20/learning-to-curl-at-the-schenectady-curling-club
The Daily Gazette: https://dailygazette.com/2021/11/17/friendly-curling-match-with-media-members-held-to-introduce-mascot-of-2023-fisu-world-university-games/
Times Union: https://www.timesunion.com/news/article/Meet-Adirondack-Mac-New-York-s-new-mascot-16627817.php
January 19, 2022 – MEDIA SKI & TOUR DAY
Event: Media Familiarity Tour in Lake Placid
Scope: News conference, free ski opportunity, tour of renovated Olympic venues
Venue: Village of Lake Placid, Whiteface Mountain, Mt. Van Hoevenberg, Olympic Ski Jumping Complex, Herb Brooks 1980 Arena, Speed Skating Oval
Media Haul:
Buffalo Market
WIVB-TV News 4 Buffalo: https://www.wivb.com/news/lake-placid-preparing-to-host-2023-winter-world-university-games-with-brand-new-facilities/
Albany Market
The Daily Gazette: https://dailygazette.com/2021/03/09/ski-lines-world-university-games-planning-moving-ahead/ *AND* https://dailygazette.com/2022/03/22/ski-lines-world-university-games-set-for-january/
Spectrum News 1 Albany: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/capital-region/news/2022/01/25/athletes-train-for-next-year-s-world-university-games
Plattsburgh/Burlington Market
WCAX-TV Channel 3 News: https://www.wcax.com/2022/01/19/lake-placid-preparing-sustainable-facilities-23-fisu-world-university-games/
August 25, 2022 – MEDALS UNVEILED
Event: Hosting media for unveiling of competition medals
Scope: Media tour of medal fabrication process
Venue: Alfred University
Media Haul:
Rochester Market (also aired in Buffalo, Binghamton, Albany & Syracuse)
Spectrum News 1 Rochester: https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/human-interest/2022/09/08/the-science-behind-the-world-university-games-medals-created-at-alfred-university
WHEC-TV News10NBC: story aired three times (clips delivered to Jon Lundin)
Elmira/Jamestown Market
Olean Times-Herald: https://www.oleantimesherald.com/news/state-union-alfred-u-has-hand-in-unique-world-university-games-medals/article_a642f4f6-ce3f-5c66-bd7d-4a49c0579ca1.html
September 13, 2022 – HYDRO-QUEBEC SPONSORSHIP NEWS RELEASE
Event: News release distribution for Hydro-Quebec Sponsorship
Scope: Newswire paid distribution
Venue: None
Media Haul: Online only.
Yahoo!, Yahoo! News and Yahoo! Sports: https://yhoo.it/3WUU2SH
Associated Press: https://apnews.com/press-release/globe-newswire/sports-canada-quebec-climate-and-environment-3d6d3bf738071144054c4e2f137d235e
International Business Times: https://bit.ly/3WTWclD
Boston Herald: https://bit.ly/3A7FGVb
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: https://bit.ly/3Eq1fTA
WENY-TV Elmira: https://bit.ly/3tok2bw
List of other statewide & national websites previously provided to client.
September 22, 2022 – FISU FLAME U.S. DEBUT & HYDRO-QUEBEC
Event: Bringing the FISU Flame to NYC, debuting Hydro-Quebec sponsorship
Scope: News conference, ceremonial unveiling and reception
Venue: Pier 45, Manhattan N.Y.
Media Haul: None
October 13-19, 2022 – PRINT INTERVIEW FOR NY POST
Event: Media Interview about attending Lake Placid 2023 FISU World University Games
Scope: Freelancer Linda Laban – interview with Andrew Weibrecht and ORDA
Venue: Completed via phone and email
Media Haul: Publication in New York Post on January 6, 2023
October 13-14, 2022 – FAM TOUR W/ VERMONT SPORTS & VT SKI & RIDE MAGAZINE
Event: Media Familiarity Tour in Lake Placid
Scope: Tour of renovated Olympic venues
Venue: Village of Lake Placid, Whiteface Mountain, Mt. Van Hoevenberg, Olympic Ski Jumping Complex, Herb Brooks 1980 Arena, Speed Skating Oval
Media Haul:
Northeast Market
Vermont Sports magazine: 4-page article published November 2022
VT Ski & Ride magazine: 5-page article in “Holiday Edition” published December 2022
October 28, 2022 – ROCHESTER REHABILITATION MEDAL PACKAGING
Event: Showcasing packaging of competition medals in Rochester
Scope: Media tour of medal packaging at Rochester Rehabilitation
Venue: Rochester Rehabilitation, Rochester N.Y.
Media Haul:
Rochester Market
WHEC-TV News10NBC: https://www.whec.com/top-news/rochester-facility-is-making-the-medals-for-the-international-university-sports-federation-winter-games/
WHAM-TV 13WHAM News: https://13wham.com/news/local/rochester-rehabilitation-center-employees-help-make-medals-for-world-university-games
WROC-TV News8: Story aired twice (clips delivered to Jon Lundin)
Spectrum News 1 Rochester: Story aired 20 times (clips delivered to Jon Lundin)
WXXI-AM/FM Radio: https://www.wxxinews.org/local-news/2022-10-31/employees-at-rochester-rehabilitation-center-help-prepare-medals-to-be-awarded-at-the-fisu-world-university-games
December 5-6, 2022 – FAM TOUR W/ BERKSHIRE EAGLE & FOOTHILLS BUSINESS DAILY
Event: Media Familiarity Tour in Lake Placid
Scope: Tour of renovated Olympic venues
Venue: Village of Lake Placid, Whiteface Mountain, Mt. Van Hoevenberg, Olympic Ski Jumping Complex, Herb Brooks 1980 Arena, Speed Skating Oval
Media Haul: Publication in Berkshire Eagle on January 7 and Foothills Business Daily on December 8
December 12-16 – FISU FLAME RELAY IN ALBANY
Event: FISU Flame Relay stops in downtown Albany
Scope: Running of torch, news conference, skating on Empire State Plaza rink, flame handoff inside NYS Capitol
Venue: Empire State Plaza, New York State Capitol
Media Haul: Albany Market
WTEN-TV Albany
Previewing the torch relay: https://vimeo.com/781831077
Full story on Albany event: https://vimeo.com/781835669
Same on WXXA-TV at 10pm: https://vimeo.com/781842829
Spectrum News – every market statewide
Torch relay and sustainable torch profile (all afternoon and evening): https://vimeo.com/781835345
WNYT-TV Albany
Torch relay, early coverage: https://vimeo.com/781836227
Torch relay, late coverage: https://vimeo.com/781841205
WRGB-TV Albany
Torch relay (news reader): https://vimeo.com/781840442
Torch relay (sports reader): https://vimeo.com/781842043
Central New York Market
WWNY-TV Watertown
SUNY Canton student experience (short VOSOT): https://vimeo.com/781835935
SUNY Canton student experience (long PKG): https://vimeo.com/781842043
Rochester Market
WHEC-TV Rochester
Torch relay coverage (ripped from state feed): https://vimeo.com/781832112
Southern Tier Market
WBNG-TV Binghamton
Torch relay (ripped from state feed): https://vimeo.com/781840820
December 14-19 – FISU FLAME RELAY IN NEW YORK CITY
Event: FISU Flame Relay stops in New York City and Medal Ceremony Jackets Unveiled
Scope: Running of torch, news conference, unveil medal ceremony jacket, skating on [TBD] rink
Venue: TBD
Media Haul: None.
January 6 – Sports Travel Magazine
Event: Organic media pitching
Scope: Virtual interviews with Jim McKenna and Mike Pratt, podcast recording
Venue: N/A
Media Haul: Article in Sports Travel Magazine published on January 6 with supplemental podcast episode released same day.