Case Studies

Noodles & Company and Linhart PR leveraged August’s National Zucchini Day as an “ownable” holiday and created a promotion where guests could substitute Zoodles for classic noodles for free and without the usual upcharge. By launching a media relations campaign around the vegetable-inspired “holiday” and Noodles promo, Linhart PR secured coverage in national, trade and local outlets, helping drive awareness and trial. The biggest win: a Guinness World Record attempt on the TODAY Show for the most zucchinis spiralized by bicycle (which Noodles engineered and dubbed the “Zoodler”).

A Colorado energy company sought to position itself as a highly engaged and responsible operator that works collaboratively with local residents, stakeholders and organizations, as it planned projects and navigated the state and local permitting process. A community outreach plan and related strategies resulted in stronger engagement, increased understanding of the project, and greater dialogue with stakeholders.

An investor-owned utility needed to build support for its proposed transmission line project, through increase community education and engagement, before beginning the permitting process.

Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. – managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff – tasked Linhart PR with amplifying its summer grilling marketing campaign that promoted beef as the top protein of the season. Using a strategic, multi-pronged approach, Linhart PR drove national news coverage in top-tier outlets, reaching more than 7.3 billion consumers with beef recipes and tips.

As COVID-19 spread across the country in early spring of 2020, a multi-unit restaurant chain tasked Linhart PR with helping it quickly pivot to an all off-premise model, while driving consumer awareness of safety initiatives, loyalty sign-ups to encourage frequency, and restaurant transactions overall. Using a strategic, aggressive national media outreach approach, Linhart PR drove coverage in top-tier media outlets, reaching nearly 2 billion consumers, stakeholders and guests with key messages.

Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. – managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff – was looking to promote beef as part of a healthy diet, while also telling the stories of cattle ranchers who work hard to help feed families across the country. Through creative storytelling, tailored pitch development, and strategic media targeting, Linhart PR – Beef’s national PR partner – secured a significant national feature story with messages on the health benefits of beef from the perspective of a cattle rancher that was ultimately amplified to the tune of 1.8 billion media impressions.

To tackle the challenge of climate change, Colorado Gov. Jared Polis pledged during his 2018 election campaign to help the state reach 100% renewable energy by 2040, with aggressive targets for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction from power generation.

To build a more loyal and trusting consumer base, Chipotle Mexican Grill tasked Linhart PR with generating local news coverage of the brand’s documentary-style TV and digital campaign — “Behind the Foil” — which featured eight employees from across the country and offered a behind-the-scenes look into the brand’s kitchens, food preparation processes and farming partners. Linhart PR developed and executed a three-pronged media strategy to secure print, online, broadcast and influencer coverage emphasizing the brand’s commitment to real ingredients and cooking techniques. The result? Thirty-three placements boosting Chipotle’s relevancy and customer loyalty in local markets.

A mid-sized investor-owned utility providing electric and natural gas service in eight states sought to help its customers manage electric and gas bills during the winter by improving energy efficiency and using less energy at home. Linhart PR helped the company reach customers across four states in the major communities it serves with multiple company-authored articles offering tips on energy efficiency and reducing energy use.

Boulder, Colo.-based Chocolove premium chocolate partnered with Linhart PR to drive brand and product awareness for its limited-edition Valentine’s Day offerings in advance of the chocolate-centric holiday. Using an approach that targeted both media and influencers, as well as new and existing Chocolove fans, Linhart PR drove national and local news coverage, as well as influencer shares, reaching millions of consumers with messaging on what distinguishes Chocolove from other chocolate brands.

Colorado’s Front Range region has been deemed a severe violator of federal air quality standards by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with one of the worst seasonal ozone problems in the U.S. A Colorado oil and gas producer sought to help its employees become part of the air quality solution with tips on how to reduce personal pollution contributions, while educating them on the many steps the company takes to reduce carbon emissions and ozone pollution, through an electronic employee bulletin distributed weekly during ozone season.

In order to evolve the Horizon Organic brand beyond the dairy aisle, Horizon introduced new center-store products, including Macaroni and Cheese. Linhart PR planned and executed a "surprise and delight" program to drive awareness and trial of the new Mac and Cheese products.

Johns Manville (JM), a Berkshire Hathaway company and global building and specialty products manufacturer, is a world leader in delivering building material solutions that address the market’s evolving needs and challenges. When codes called for more energy efficient buildings, JM stepped up with products to address these needs. Linhart PR helped JM communicate the product solution and construction standard.

Laura’s Lean Beef created a range of recipes – think nachos, burgers with a variety of flavor profiles, a meatball sub and more – to demonstrate how a great-tasting, game-watching party doesn’t have to be full of fat, calories and artificial ingredients. Linhart PR executed an integrated traditional and social media program for Laura’s Lean Beef to push out the football campaign messages and new recipes to the target audience in all the places they like to receive information and news.

Stantec asked Linhart PR to help promote its role as lead technical designer of the third set of locks for the Panama Canal. The challenge: How do you bring one of the world’s largest transportation projects down to size and share the innovative design requirements of this engineering marvel?

Dine Brands turned to Linhart PR to assess the effectiveness of its systemwide internal communications with team members and franchisees. Linhart PR developed and conducted a multi-phase communications audit that included in-person senior executive interviews, team member focus groups, one-on-one interviews with field team members and franchisees representing both IHOP and Applebee’s brands, and an assessment of existing communications-related surveys and key communications vehicles.

For Meyer Natural Foods, parent company of leading natural, organic and grass-fed protein brands, Linhart PR created a targeted, social content strategy, including paid programs, that outperformed almost every relevant food industry social media benchmark for effectiveness, efficiency and engagement.

In partnership with Linhart PR, Laura’s Lean – an industry leader for its all-natural, vegetarian-fed and antibiotic-free protein options, including ground beef – launched a social food influencer campaign to generate beautiful, engaging recipes and photos, and expose new consumers to the Laura’s Lean brand during times when people are thinking about grilling beef.

Since partnering with LPR, Verlasso has earned the coveted “Good Alternative” buy ranking from the Monterey Bay Aquarium® Seafood Watch® program and benefitted from positive news stories in outlets like USA Today and Food & Wine; engaged with sustainability, nutritionist and celebrity trainer influencers; and landed several new retailers and chefs.

For more than two decades, the United Health Foundation has compiled national data to create a comprehensive, state-by-state assessment of the country’s health. The "America’s Health Rankings" report includes a wealth of data, but translating its findings into an actionable, consumer-friendly format had proven difficult. To help relay the report’s findings, UnitedHealthcare turned to Linhart PR to succinctly share the health-ranking data in a way that would resonate with a variety of audiences.

GOED -- the global organization representing EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids -- asked Linhart PR to communicate the heart health benefits of EPA and DHA clearly, concisely and credibly to its key consumer audiences.

In an effort to drive retailer traffic, encourage product trial and boost product sales to kick off the new year and healthier resolutions, Earthbound Farm, the country’s largest grower of organic produce, coordinated a “cart buy” program. Grocery shoppers in four markets were surprised by having their entire grocery cart purchased by Earthbound Farm, and Linhart PR helped drive consumer awareness and media coverage around the cart buys.

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers needed to quickly build brand awareness due to the chain’s aggressive growth plans and increasing competition. Linhart PR combined the popularity of cooking shows, the brand’s family audience and America’s love of gourmet burgers to develop the national Kids’ Cook-Off – a competition that generated year-after-year big news and business results.

GOED -- the global organization representing EPA and DHA omega-3 fatty acids -- asked Linhart PR to communicate the heart health benefits of EPA and DHA clearly, concisely and credibly to its key consumer audiences.

As part of a well-rounded, integrated communications program for Verlasso salmon, Linhart PR created Currents, a bi-monthly e-newsletter featuring high-quality content, carefully crafted to meet the company's strategic goals. Topics included fresh takes on the Verlasso difference, interviews with retailers and chefs using Verlasso, sustainability trends and updates, and recipes from notable chefs and foodies.

Denver’s Bike to Work Day encourages metro-area residents to park their cars in favor of bike transportation for one day each year. The event offers an opportunity to connect with the city’s business community in a fun, engaging atmosphere outside the traditional confines of a meeting room. Since bike commuting and cycling align with United Healthcare’s mission of helping people lead healthier lives, Linhart PR recommended and supported the company's participation in Denver’s Bike to Work Day for seven consecutive years.

Pizzeria Locale is a fast-casual, contemporary pizzeria in Denver. Linhart PR was tasked with generating news of its guest chef events though traditional and influencer outlets to boost restaurant sales, visibility and fundraiser participation.

Linhart PR developed and executed a multi-pronged and award-winning approach to combat misperceptions, manage misinformation and educate audiences about Verlasso’s sustainability practices to help drive online engagement, sales and media coverage.

For the Laura’s Lean natural proteins brand, Linhart PR led a dramatic revamp of Facebook and Instagram.The relaunch resulted in off-the-charts growth in engagement and impressions, while driving more than 13,000 consumers to the brand’s e-commerce store in just four months.

Verlasso salmon earned the coveted “Good Alternative” buy ranking from the Monterey Bay Aquarium® Seafood Watch® program, making Verlasso the first and only ocean-raised farmed salmon to receive this ranking. Linhart PR spread the word about this new ranking to overcome long-held, negative stereotypes about farmed salmon and convince target audiences that Verlasso salmon is a thoughtful, healthy, sustainable and delicious choice.

When a “swipe fee” regulation capped the amount bigger banks could charge retailers for debit card transactions, two-thirds of big banks nationwide eliminated free checking to help recoup this lost revenue. But FirstBank – Colorado’s largest locally-owned bank – decided to keep checking free to maintain its commitment to “do what’s right for customers.” It asked Linhart PR to help raise awareness of its decision among current and potential customers.

Linhart PR expanded Verlasso's owned online channels to effectively tell its story -- that not all farmed salmon are created equal and Verlasso salmon is a delicious, sustainable option for fish lovers. Verlasso also established itself as a sustainable aquaculture thought leader and source for food news.

To drive awareness for its new zucchini noodles that were a first among fast-casual restaurants, Noodles & Company was hungry for one of the biggest challenges in PR - national broadcast coverage – and they tasked Linhart PR with securing it.

Employers Council is a leader in providing expertise in all areas of employment law, human resource consulting, training, and surveys. It gives employers the resources needed to build and maintain profitable organizations. Tackling current events and workplace issues through media stories helps Employers Council reach new organizations and meet its business objectives. Linhart PR leveraged Employers Council experts to showcase perspectives and tips for managing any office productivity impacts of March Madness via interviews with radio, print and television media in Denver, Colorado Springs and Fort Collins.

GOED, the global organization for EPA and DHA omega-3s, needed to inform consumers, and especially adults most at risk of heart disease, about the findings of a new research study on the positive impacts of omega-3s on heart health. Linhart PR developed and executed a robust social media campaign to promote the new research, ultimately reaching nearly 220,000 consumers and driving high levels of engagement with the study-focused content that exceeded industry standards.

Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner. – managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff – tasked Linhart PR with helping to quickly re-strategize and pivot PR plans to ensure that amid a saturated pandemic-focused news cycle, beef remained top-of-mind for consumers in a culturally relevant, but also helpful and informative, way. Using a multi-faceted, spokesperson-driven media approach, Linhart PR drove national news coverage in top-tier outlets, reaching more than 200 million consumers with key beef messages, recipes and tips as the country sheltered at home in spring 2020.

Corporate social responsibility and community involvement are core values for Devon Energy. With extensive operations in the Northern Rockies, Devon strives to be an integral part of the region and the communities where it operates.

GOED, the global organization for EPA and DHA omega-3s, seeks to educate consumers on the importance of EPA and DHA and increase consumption of EPA- and DHA-rich foods and supplements. Linhart PR developed a social media strategy around four key moments throughout the year that would resonate with consumers and communicate the importance of EPA and DHA, ultimately beating the set Facebook engagement goal by more than 130% and earning Linhart PR a PRSA National Bronze Anvil Award in the Facebook Engagement category.

In recent years, the convergence of increased oil and gas activities and growing communities along the Front Range has elevated the need for community engagement and education on the steps oil and gas operators are taking to protect public health and the environment.

Athletes of all kinds have long been fans of Chipotle’s real food, often fueling pre- and post-performance with their favorite burritos and bowls. As a result, “Real Food for Real Athletes” is a focus area for the brand. So, when a female professional soccer player surprised a youth soccer club team eating at her Cincinnati Chipotle, the Chipotle PR team tasked Linhart PR with inviting local media to capture the moment. The results: 34 local event stories and an experience for youth soccer players that will last a lifetime.

Amidst COVID-19, Chipotle Mexican Grill sought Linhart PR’s local market media expertise to secure coverage of its digital channel growth, as evidenced by the opening of the 100th drive-thru digital order pickup Chipotlane, and plans to hire 10,000 new employees to staff the new Chipotlanes opening in key markets nationwide. Linhart PR secured 75 stories in cities across the U.S., building brand and Chipotlane awareness; communicating digital growth and new ways to conveniently access Chipotle’s real food; and encouraging job seekers to join the Chipotle team and enjoy world-class benefits.

With nine new restaurant openings in Dallas-Fort Worth in a compressed timeframe, Chipotle Mexican Grill tasked Linhart PR with securing local news coverage of the restaurants to build awareness and drive traffic and sales. Linhart PR strategized and executed a three-pronged media outreach approach to secure print, online and broadcast news that not only highlighted the individual restaurant openings, but also told the larger story of Chipotle’s growth in the region. The biggest win: Linhart more than doubled its goal by securing 25 stories.

Pre-pandemic, Chipotle Mexican Grill and Linhart PR teamed up to make Chipotle a holiday hero with its new catering program, perfect for feeding large groups during the holiday party season. Linhart PR proposed, planned and executed a creator program to generate buzz about catering and encourage people to give it a try. And it worked: 27 creators posted more than 70 times about Chipotle catering as a delicious meal solution during the hectic holidays.

After relocating its headquarters to Newport Beach, Calif., Chipotle Mexican Grill called upon local market PR agency Linhart PR to assist in generating positive media coverage of the brand’s first-ever float in the New Year’s Day Rose Parade. By offering pre-parade interviews and tapping into traditional media outlets, Linhart PR secured 45 stories and more than 76 million impressions in key outlets like the L.A. Times and O.C. Register.

A Colorado-based geothermal technology and development company was the first in the United States to produce geothermal energy at an oil well site using private funding, demonstrating the potential of geothermal energy as a reliable, abundant energy source in an all-the-above energy approach, while helping to reduce carbon emissions. Linhart PR helped the company prepare for and announce the successful pilot project results, generating targeted news coverage of the pilot and helping build relationships with reporters at key national and local outlets; distributing seven stakeholder marketing emails averaging an open rate of 15%; and creating messages and materials for the company to leverage in storytelling across multiple mediums.

To help Graebel Companies, Inc. reach global C-suite and business decision makers with on-brand content about topics relevant to that target audience, Linhart PR planned and developed a paid thought leadership series with the Financial Times. The three partner content articles Linhart PR created in partnership with Graebel and the Financial Times earned nearly 3.5 million marketing impressions and more than 4,700 page views, while highlighting the value of talent mobility to global companies.

Linhart PR built brand awareness and customer loyalty in New York City for a well-known fast-casual burrito restaurant chain by building relationships with local reporters and securing a steady cadence of positive news coverage. Using a media relations approach rooted in what New Yorkers care about – news that directly impacts them, celebs and athletes and on-trend announcements – Linhart PR exceeded coverage goals, securing nearly 170 stories in the market in one year.

As part of its demand-side management program, a Colorado utility sought to help its natural gas customers gain more control over their bills year-round through energy conservation — using less energy -- and energy efficiency — getting more from the energy used at home or at work. A contributed content campaign with practical tips for customers resulted in widespread coverage across the state, overcoming the hurdle of shrinking newsrooms.

To help older adults with hearing loss understand how cochlear implants can benefit their health and overall wellbeing, Cochlear partnered with Linhart PR to create media buzz around brand advocate Lou Ferrigno’s visits to Orlando, FL and Phoenix, AZ, during which he shared his hearing journey at hearing health events and clinic visits. Through strategic, targeted local media outreach, Linhart PR secured more than 78 million earned media impressions across both markets, educating seniors about hearing loss and treatment options, while amplifying the business impact of the activations.

Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. – managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff – collaborates with national PR firm partner Linhart PR to share stories of how beef is raised and by whom. Together, the team identified North Carolina-based Marvin Frink, a U.S. Army veteran turned cattle rancher who found PTSD healing through agri-therapy, his term for the emotional and psychological benefits of tending to his animals. Drawing upon its creative storytelling and national news-making experience, Linhart PR developed a tailored media outreach approach around Marvin’s inspiring story that allowed his unique journey and care for his beef cattle to truly shine in a People feature.

Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. – managed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff – is on a mission to position beef as the top protein for summer grilling season. As Beef’s national consumer communications partner, Linhart PR was tasked with securing national news coverage during summer grilling season that highlighted beef’s affordability, versatility and flavor, making it the ideal protein for summer cookouts amidst high inflation. By keeping a close pulse on the news cycle and utilizing insights from a research survey that brought summer food preparation trends and shopping behaviors to light, Linhart PR crafted a series of tailored media pitches matched to specific news outlets that ultimately led to impactful national coverage that provided consumers with guidance on how to prepare delicious, cost-effective summer meals for any occasion with beef.

After years of success bringing the benefits of organic dairy products to a broader segment of consumers, a leading producer of private label milk and butter for many of the largest U.S. retailers faced several existential threats. These included heightened regulatory scrutiny, class-action lawsuits and an activist campaign led by an organic dairy policy group. After turning to Linhart PR for crisis planning and response, communications strategy and advocacy support, the company was able to overcome the threats, preserve key customer relationships and begin strengthening its reputation for commitment to animals, people and the planet.

Safe Rx, a mission-driven organization committed to fighting the opioid epidemic with its locking prescription vials, partnered with a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in Ohio – ground zero for the opioid epidemic -- to increase medication security for its MAT (medication-assisted treatment) programs. The FQHC pharmacy dispensed medication to MAT patients in the vials for protection from pilfering and misuse, and Safe Rx turned to Linhart PR for help spreading the word to other pharmacies who could replicate the program.

Safe Rx, a mission-driven organization committed to preventing drug abuse, misuse and accidental poisonings with its award-winning locking pill bottles, turned to Linhart PR to generate media coverage that increased brand awareness and understanding of the product and how it can protect the family medicine cabinet – the No. 1 source for teen drug abuse.

Know Labs, a leader in breakthrough technology for medical grade diagnostics and disease prevention, sought to build visibility, credibility and differentiation among investors, health care professionals and potential strategic partners for its non-invasive diagnostic technology. Linhart PR led earned media strategy, securing more than 115 articles over a two-year period.

Linhart PR helped a national commodity promotion board elevate its crisis preparedness by developing and presenting a crisis simulation exercise requiring collaborative decision-making in real time, by members of the cross functional team who would be charged with managing an actual crisis. The exercise met its goals by building alignment in support of the crisis plan, establishing the PR team as the organization’s crisis experts, and uncovering opportunities to improve the plan and better align with industry and value chain partners.

An accounting firm asked Linhart PR to define its marketplace differentiators and services in order to help leaders further expand relationships with clients, pursue new business relationships, and attract and retain top talent.

A family-owned regional commercial insurance brokerage turned to Linhart PR when its CEO, a fourth-generation leader, was indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice on insider trading charges and sued by the Securities & Exchange Commission. Linhart PR developed strategies for communicating with employees, investors, customers and the news media, and served as company spokesperson.

A worldwide environmental engineering and strategic consulting firm wanted to increase visibility for expertise in one of its key practice areas – hydropower.

An independent oil and gas producer with offshore platforms near the site of the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill and well pads at other sensitive sites in Southern California engaged Linhart PR to update its crisis communications plans, messages and template materials, and to provide realistic crisis response training and simulation exercises for the CEO and senior leadership team.

MWH Constructors, a global project delivery company with a focus on water and energy, was pursuing more construction management-at-risk (CMAR) contracts – a delivery method that can help clients save money and time while ensuring quality work on large-scale infrastructure projects. The CMAR approach is especially beneficial for municipalities that need to upgrade aging infrastructure but face budget shortfalls or other financial constraints.

A leading global franchisor of real estate brokerage services turned to Linhart PR to help its executive leadership team – many of whom were new to their positions – feel more confident in telling the corporate story to varied audiences, including brokers/agents, employees, investors, prospective franchisees and media.

San Joaquin Valley College, Inc., which oversees SJVC, a long-standing private college with 15 campuses throughout California, agreed to acquire another higher education institution that aligned with its career-focused programs and high-quality, regionally accredited education. SJVC, Inc. leaders wanted to ensure staff, faculty and students at both colleges understood the positive nature of the transaction, while managing any media and industry questions

A national multi-unit restaurant chain asked Linhart PR to help its subject-matter experts and executives more clearly articulate and confidently deliver their brand story to media.

Following serious flooding events in and around north Denver, the City and County of Denver committed to an ambitious stormwater infrastructure program, known as Platte to Park Hill: Stormwater Systems. The complex program was made-up of four projects that will provide critical flood protection, increase neighborhood connectivity and public spaces, and improve water quality and existing infrastructure for current and future community members in the community. Linhart PR was engaged to help earn national recognition for the program in the engineering, design, constructional and municipal government communities.

An investor-owned utility wanted to position itself as a renewable energy leader and support clean energy and economic development for communities in its service territory.

An investor-owned utility in the Western U.S. sought to defend its franchise in a key part of its service territory, after municipalization advocates pushed for a government takeover of the utility’s assets.

GOED – the global organization for EPA and DHA omega-3s – asked Linhart PR to help educate consumers about the differences in the types of omega-3 fatty acids and potentially help drive more consumption of these important nutrients. Using an interactive decision tree infographic, Linhart PR exceeded consumer engagement goals and beat industry averages with a strategic social media campaign.

Following an acquisition, an oil and gas producer sought to begin a dialogue with a host community where it hadn't operated previously while positioning itself as a responsible energy company committed to going above and beyond and incorporating COVID-19 health safeguards for public engagement.

To launch its new Caulifloodles — a cauliflower-infused rigatoni — national fast-casual restaurant chain Noodles & Company tasked Linhart PR with driving awareness and trial of the new menu item to bring back lapsed guests, attract new ones, and increase the frequency of current guest visits. Using a two-pronged campaign approach that balanced earned and paid media, Linhart PR exceeded all objectives and reached key audiences with a variety of high-quality news placements about the new noodle.