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Case Studies

MELODY’service has designed campaigns for corporations, small businesses and non-profits. Whether it’s a community-based campaign, PR for a conference, a corporate campaign or crisis PR, MELODY’service has achieved results for its clients.

Case History #1: Roseland Community Hospital

Mission: To conceive and implement a community-based health outreach campaign targeted to African American males.

MELODY'service conceived and executed a winning campaign designed to attract black men to the Hospital's free prostate cancer screening exam. The firm designed a low-budget/high impact advertising campaign that augmented the public relations effort. Nearly 500 men came out for the test. This number far exceeded the original goal of 100 and was a testament to the power of the campaign and the focus on the message. Most important, the screening turned up nearly 50 cases of prostate cancer.

Through the clarity of the MELODY'service-conceived message many lives were saved and a target market became more health conscious.

Case History #2: Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

Mission: To generate awareness and excitement for a community-based garden program while cementing the company’s brand as a good corporate citizen.

Ben & Jerry's contracted MELODY'service to promote a series of unique inner-city gardening programs. MELODY'service devised several news pegs and feature angles to attract media exposure.

The effort yielded tremendous visibility. At the press kickoff where the first seeds were planted, TV, cable, radio and newspapers captured the interaction between Ben & Jerry's executives and inner city children as they jointly planted the seeds for this novel program.

The effort generated feature story coverage in the Chicago Tribune and extensive write-ups in the business sections of major area and regional newspapers...surpassing Ben & Jerry's expectations.

Case History #3: Dr. Mae Jemison

Mission: To create positive media and community buzz around Dr. Jemison’s autobiography with the aim to sell books.

MELODY'service was contracted to handle the PR in various markets for Dr. Mae Jemison's book tour for her autobiography: Find Where the Wind Goes: Moments from My Life.

MELODY'service set up book signings at key bookstores and contacted major organizations in these markets to set up signings. This was augmented by a PR blitz that saturated print, TV and radio, which helped drive sales.

Melody McDowell personally contacted major bookstores in each market, worked with each venue and worked with various contacts to assure that each signing was a sales triumph. She also identified key organizations and impact leaders to sponsor book signings and handled all details for the events. Ms. McDowell accompanied Dr. Jemison to each market where she was greeted by long, enthusiastic lines of book buyers.

Dr. Jemison hailed the MELODY'service effort as "awesome" and later contracted the firm to be her Public Relations Firm of Record.

Case History #4: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

Mission: To generate awareness of Alpha Kappa Alpha’s national conference through daily management of the PR operation.

The overarching objective was to cement the sorority’s brand as a service organization whose members are among the most committed, prestigious women worldwide. MELODY’service was contracted to handle public relations for Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s national conferences in Washington D.C., Detroit Michigan, Dallas Texas and Orlando Florida.

MELODY’service mounted a media campaign that generated substantial media attention. Additionally, the firm established relationships ahead of time with key media outlets and parlayed this early outreach into a steady stream of media hits during the conference. The firm manned the press room and disseminated daily news briefings and identified newsworthy events where media was directed to cover.

Additionally, MELODY’service handled editorial duties and worked with a volunteer network to create a daily newsletter that highlighted daily events and captured other high points of the conference. MELODY’service worked with a local printer to produce the newsletter and worked long hours producing an interesting and stimulating publication that generated positive buzz.

The media effort required MELODY’service to be at the host city for ten days and earned the firm acclaim for its laser-like focus, and for creating a media apparatus that resulted in unprecedented media coverage that cemented AKA’s brand as the global power that it is.

MELODY’service presided over the PR operation for the Sorority’s conferences in St. Louis and San Francisco. Most notably, we handled PR for its Centennial Boule in 2008 where we attracted exposure from CBS (network), USA Today, the Washington Post, New York Times and all major network affiliates.

In setting to these assignments, we now deploy social media and all of the platforms in penetrating the media landscape.

Case History #5: Chicago Black McDonald’s Operators Association

Mission: To coordinate a celebration/tribute for a new member of McDonald’s Board of Directors .

MELODY’service was charged with coordinating an event that would pay tribute to John Rogers, Jr., a new addition to the board of McDonald’s Corporation.

While the client worked with numerous agencies, the BMOA opted to use MELODY’service for this event. From concept to clean up, MELODY’service handled all details including overseeing invitation design, mailing, decorations, working with the venue, creating an aura that would impress but not overwhelm, and working with a committee.

MELODY’service won high praise for the unique Commemorative Souvenir pass-out that was created and overall accolades for a job exceptionally well done.

Case History #6: Minority Business Committee of the Chicago Minority Business Development Council

Mission: To create, edit and coordinate the production a professional newspaper.

In 1985, MELODY’service was initially retained to be the editor of Chicago’s Minority Business, the agency’s official newspaper. MELODY’service drew from its writing talents and editorial skills to create a template that combined news, interesting features, member profiles and other newsy nuggets. Most important, the firm set a deadline and adhered to it.

The paper has evolved into a much-anticipated publication that has earned awards and high praise. MELODY’service was the editor for over 18 years...certainly testimony to the firm’s excellence.

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