The ROI of PR: How to Earn Media Mentions & Build Buzz on a Budget


Paid ads can get you a click, but a great story gets you credibility. In this session, we'll demystify the world of public relations and show you how to generate media attention for your restaurant brand like a pro! You'll learn to think like a journalist and craft compelling narratives that news outlets, bloggers, and local influencers actually want to cover.

We'll provide a step-by-step playbook for building buzz, including:

  • Crafting your story: Identify your restaurant's unique angle—is it your chef, a new menu item, a community initiative, or a brand-new concept?
  • Building a media list: Discover the free tools and simple hacks to find the right journalists, bloggers, and influencers to pitch.
  • Writing a winning pitch: Learn how to create a concise, compelling email pitch that gets opened and acted upon.
  • Leveraging your earned media: Learn how to amplify every media mention you get across your social channels, website, and in-store.
Presenters
Ladd Biro
Founder & Principal
Champion
Ladd Biro is the proud founder and leader of the best damn PR & Digital Media agency in the business. Prior to launching Champion in 2002, he cut his marketing teeth at American Airlines as Director of Worldwide Sales Promotion, then served as Senior VP of Marketing & Member Communications with the National Association of Manufacturers in Washington, DC. He is a strategic thinker, brand builder and hands-on team leader. An award-winning publicist, Ladd was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing and is a two-time national Fantasy Football Writer of the Year.
Cherryh Cansler
VP of Events & Publisher of FastCasual.com
Connect Media
Cherryh Cansler is VP of Events for Connect Media and publisher of FastCasual.com. She has been covering the restaurant industry since 2012. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, The Kansas City Star and American Fitness magazine, among many others.
Hillary Frei
CMO
Handel's Homemade Ice Cream
Hillary Frei is an American marketing executive who has led some of the country’s most iconic and enduring consumer brands including Cheerios, FAO Schwarz and Handel’s Ice Cream. Trained in finance with a passion for brand building, Hillary is a full stack marketer with an outstanding track record of revenue growth. She attended Georgetown University, where she graduated with an honors degree in Finance. Hillary began her marketing career at consumer-packaged goods giant General Mills in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she worked for six year and managed several brands, including Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Cereal, Chex Mix, and Progresso Soup. Since General Mills, Hillary has lead marketing department across of variety of sectors including fashion, hard good, toys and restuarants. She was previously the CMO of Wetzel's Pretzels before assuming her current role of CMO of Handel's Ice Cream.
CJ Ramirez
EVP of Marketing
Dog Haus
C.J. Ramirez has been a critical player in Dog Haus’ success since 2013, aiding the brand’s mission to elevate American classics into chef-driven culinary creations. Dog Haus has since expanded from its Pasadena, Calif., base to more than 75 locations across 20 states, including 50+ brick-and-mortar restaurants. Using his wealth of knowledge in designing branding strategies that build strong corporate identities, C.J. oversees high-performing creative, marketing and technology teams at Dog Haus that deliver growth through innovation for the brand and its franchisees.
Presented by