SITUATION:

On Wednesday, August 16, 2006, New Orleans played host for the world premiere of the HBO-Spike Lee documentary film "When The Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Parts."  More than 8,000 people attended this premiere event at the New Orleans Arena.  The documentary film focused on Hurricane Katrina and its devastating effects on the New Orleans area. Special VIP invitations were mailed, and the event attracted national celebrities, including Al Sharpton, Kanye West and Harry Belafonte. In addition, top HBO executives, Mayor Ray Nagin of New Orleans and other prominent public officials attended the event, which garnered national and international headlines.

The Ehrhardt Group was hired by HBO to help coordinate on-site arrangements; invitations; credentials; pre-event, day-of and post-event media opportunities, including a dinner with Spike Lee and local and national media executives; and a press conference attended by more than 100 local, regional and national media.

THE EHRHARDT GROUP:

• Introduced Spike Lee and HBO executives to local, regional and national media.
• Generated news media interest in the premiere event.
• Implemented a multi-faceted media relations campaign that included:

RESULTS:                 

• The HBO documentary premiere event received placement in more than 200 local, regional and national print and broadcast outlets.
• Extensive media coverage included national networks, such as NBC, ABC, CNN, MSNBC, and national print publications, such as New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Newsweek, Time and USA Today.

HBO executives were pleased with their largest-ever film premiere, which attracted more than 8,000 patrons and more than 100 media organizations.

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