CASE STUDY:
Santana Row
San Jose, CA







Objectives

  • Strengthen branding of FRIT as the leading visionary/developer of Main Street mixed-use projects
  • Position Santana Row as “the” retail development in the country for both high-end and traditional anchor tenants based on singular Silicon Valley demographics
  • Secure strong community, trade, retail and residential “buy in” of this cutting-edge urban neighborhood

StrategY

  • Educate San Jose community, development industry and targeted media re: FRIT’s vision of a redefined main street urban development
  • Transition local community opinion re: beloved, outdated “Town and Country” strip mall to thriving, world-class, destination neighborhood
  • Generate consistent, ongoing media (2 years) to support leasing efforts and build momentum toward grand opening
  • Integrate all PR efforts with multiple marketing agencies (Maestri, Corsi Carter Israel, S. Peterson Productions, FRIT in-house corporate communications, FRIT’s in-house/contractor leasing agents, etc...)

Tactics

  • FRIT/Property Positioning
  • Media announcements/updates at 2 ICSC conferences
  • Ongoing trade & national news & lifestyle media relations re: FRIT, Santana Row & other main street properties including New York media tour & desk-side briefings
  • Facilitation of participation/speaking engagements at ULI & other trade meetings & conferences
  • Corporate media training
  • Community Relations
  • San Jose community newsletter to update residents on planned construction, final design
  • Special community groundbreaking/demolition event to additionally celebrate a generation-spanning “Town & Country” family mall site
  • Ongoing community direct mail/newsletter updates
  • Management & leverage of environmental issue (successful relocation of a protected burrowing owl)
  • Ongoing facilitation/involvement of city officials, community groups & other San Jose opinion leaders
  • Leasing Support
  • Targeted media relations to appropriate retail trade publications
  • Special FRIT events at ICSC in Las Vegas & New York (retail leasing)
  • Marketing Office (San Jose) grand-opening event re: residential leasing
  • Ongoing lease announcements
  • Ongoing direct mail campaign (copywriting/general input)
  • Input/copywriting on select marketing materials
  • Pre-Grand Opening Momentum
  • Ongoing local, national & trade media relations (multiple categories)
  • Staggered media tours of model/marketing office, hard-hat tours
  • Input into main Santana Row website
  • Community partner facilitation with Junior League, local lifestyle/business magazine publishers
  • Promotion of select anchor tenants to leverage retail trends

RESULTS

Coverage in the following: 

  • New York Times
  • Wall Street Journal
  • Gentry Magazine
  • Shopping Center World
  • Shopping Center Business
  • Washington Post
  • NPR
  • Commercial Property News
  • Real Estate Forum
  • Inman News Features
  • Portland Business Journal
  • Shopping Centers Today
  • Women’s Wear Daily
  • Smart Money Magazine
  • Silicon Valley Business Journal
  • San Jose Magazine
  • San Jose Mercury News
    • Multiple articles w/in Bay Area
  • San Francisco Chronicle
  • KNTV-TV, evening news
  • KPIX-TV, evening news
  • Real Estate Northern California
  • Oakland Tribune
  • KCBS-Radio
  • Silicon Valley Magazine