Challenge:
Founded in 1955, HOK is a global architectural firm that specializes in planning, design, sustainability and delivery solutions for buildings and communities. While the HOK brand is strong across the globe, it has wavered in the Denver market due to entering, exiting and re-entering the market over the years. In late 2010, the firm renewed its focus in building a strong brand in the Denver market and enlisted the help of dovetail solutions.
Strategy:
Because HOK is a relationship-driven firm, it was less interested in media placements and more interested in a strategic plan that focused on extended community involvement and strategic alliances. These relationships would help HOK keep a finger on the pulse of projects in the early stages of development and connect its principals with influential individuals who could deliver work to HOK over the long term. Despite HOK’s initial concerns, we successfully made the case for positioning the firm and its executives in key media to help support the broader campaign. Our efforts focused on showcasing innovative HOK projects that established the firm as an innovative shop that professionals in the industry should know. Our strategy included the following elements:
- Land media coverage that promotes HOK as an industry thought leader
- Land media coverage profiling specific HOK projects
- Land consistent news briefs announcing new hires, promotions and community involvement efforts, to maintain HOK’s visibility within the community
Results:
In addition to winning coverage for the firm in strategic publications such as the The Denver Post, the Denver Business Journal and the Colorado Real Estate Journal, we facilitated important relationships with public and private entities, many of which have resulted in project wins.
HOK expanded its relationship with dovetail solutions, selecting us to represent them in both Denver and Chicago.