Multiyear PR Program for Nonprofit Attraction Billings Farm & Museum

Located in Woodstock, VT, the Billings Farm & Museum (BFM) is a 150-year-old operating dairy and agriculture farm that offers interactive and educational exhibits for visitors. When Redpoint came on as PR agency of record in early 2020, our job was to raise awareness for the attraction locally, regionally, and – to the extent possible – nationally. And while the pandemic forced a change in our marketing strategy, it didn’t change our job.

Throughout 2020 and 2021, despite the attraction’s numerous closures and openings based on ricocheting state guidelines, we shepherded a strong, proactive media relations effort for BFM.  The results during that time reached nearly a half billion people across broadcast, print, and online media.

Key to this success was creativity, flexibility, ingenuity…and FREQUENCY.  We pitched new angles to the media every few weeks, always giving them a fresh reason to feature or include BFM in a story.

We collaborated closely with the BFM team to stay in lock-step on their evolving operations, promoting take-home/pick-up/virtual activities during closures, and safe onsite activities during openings.  We put BFM on and ahead of pandemic and quarantine trends, like virtual learning/experiences, home cooking, gardening, and the public’s desire for seeing cute animals and longing for a simpler time.

Compelling pitches that were crafted and shared with media included (for example):

  • Introducing “Norman the Lambassador,” with a precious smiling photo of the farm’s newest baby lamb during the height of the pandemic in Spring 2020.
  • Bringing Draft Animal Week and Baby Farm Animal Celebrations online for a virtual experience.
  • Promoting “Activities to Go” kits and virtual classes for kids.
  • Instruction on gardening and produce canning for novices.
  • Outdoor consumer events like the Pollination Celebration and the return of the Sunflower House (in collaboration with nearby Woodstock Inn & Resort).
  • Holiday celebrations, seasonal activities, and “places to take the kids.”

Resulting PR coverage has been incredibly strong for this nonprofit attraction, with more than 300 editorial placements in just two years.  And while a deep focus on targeted media within a two-hour radius of the attraction, many of our pitches scored national attention as well.  In addition to the features shared above, stories also appeared in outlets such as Thrillist, The Boston Globe, Condé Nast Traveler, Travel & Leisure, The Points Guy, Burlington Free Press, Forbes, AARP The Magazine, Reader’s Digest, Boston Magazine, Country Living, PureWow, New England Today, Boston.com, and a ton of critical local/regional news and parenting media.  Also check out our Spring 2020 media highlights, which kept media interest high while the attraction was completely closed due to the pandemic.