Nickerson, a full-service branding, marketing, and PR and communications agency, announced its receipt of a Stevie Award, Bronze for “Communications or PR Campaign of the Year – Covid-19 Related Information”. The award is in recognition of Nickerson’s creative public relations campaign, “Open for Business”, for Stillwater Restaurant and Food Network’s Chopped Gold Medal Games Champion Chef Sarah Wade. Located close to South Station in Boston’s Financial District, Stillwater serves comfort food with a twist along with fancified classics and fresh cocktails. Stillwater ranked number 7 on Boston Magazine’s top 15 new restaurants list in 2019.
Nickerson’s “Open for Business” campaign was designed to position Stillwater as THE place to go for takeout in Boston, establishing Chef Wade as a resource for “comfort food” that people could count on while also providing an expert voice for local restaurants. Nickerson also positioned Wade as a shining example of a restaurant owner doing whatever she could to remain successful by serving those around her amid the shutdown.
“When the pandemic started, we doubled down to meet the needs of our client/partners, always working to meet their goals, as a true extension of their team,” stated Lisa Nickerson, CEO and Founder at Nickerson. “While other restaurants were trying to figure out how to stay afloat, Chef Wade inspired our team with her determination and hustle. It was our privilege to support Chef Wade with such a successful PR campaign and we’re thrilled that the Stevie Awards judges recognized our team’s efforts.
Just prior to the Covid-19 crisis, Stillwater was enjoying its first year in business. Nickerson had orchestrated the successful launch having secured numerous key press hits in addition to their being named Top New Restaurant in Boston. When word of a lockdown began, Stillwater changed their business model and Nickerson pivoted their communications strategy. from March to December of 2020, Nickerson secured more than 40 top-tier press hits in local and national media for Stillwater and Chef Wade, including numerous television appearances, a full page cover picture and feature in the Boston Business Journal, along with stories in Eater, Boston Globe, Thrillist, Boston Magazine, and Forbes. The full list of secured hits for the Stillwater “Open for Business” campaign can be found on the Nickerson website via an ongoing blog post, Stillwater Runs Deep.
“What stood out about Nickerson’s submission for this campaign was its total reach and multiple different angles that were deployed to garner great media exposure for Stillwater and Chef Wade”, said the Stevie Awards Judges Panel. “It is clear the agency was thoughtful, put passion into the project, and was committed to building a long-term relationship with Chef Wade.”
Nickerson’s “Open for Business” strategic PR campaign for Stillwater was the brainchild of Nickerson founder and CEO, Lisa Nickerson. For the Stillwater campaign, Lisa leveraged her longstanding relationships with TV, print, and online media, as well as influencers and bloggers, to make the campaign a success.
The Stevie Award, Bronze for 2020 “Communications or PR Campaign of the Year – Covid-19 Related Information” continues Nickerson’s reputation for providing client/partners with outstanding, award-winning work in PR, communications, marketing, and branding.
