Case Study

CLIENT: Samet Corporation

TACTICS: Media Relations

STRATEGY: To garner at least one major national story between June and August that showcased Samet’s initiatives to bring more women into the construction industry.

OUTCOMES: Secured significant media coverage through CBS with 4.45 million total impressions nationally and positive feedback from both clients and CBS producers.

Historically, the construction industry has been dominated by men, and because of this reputation, it has struggled to attract and retain women, resulting in a significant gender disparity. Nationwide, women make up less than 10% of the construction workforce, but at Samet Corporation, an innovative full-service general contractor and real-estate development firm, women make up 20%. Samet requested our help in garnering media awareness about the significance of women in construction. The workforce crisis has had significant implications on the construction industry, with the demand for construction projects surging, but the supply of skilled labor decreasing.Women are needed in the construction workforce now more than ever.

With the help of Samet’s marketing and leadership teams, we gathered primary research regarding past media partnerships that we could utilize as a part of a national media push. We reached out to local, North Carolina-based CBS affiliates, as their Raleigh station had just run a story about needs in the construction industry. We also gathered secondary research statistics from the client, assessing what sets them apart from competitors and what to emphasize in future media pitches. We set our targeted audiences as national media outlets, potential new clients, and key stakeholders within Samet. Our team also filmed, edited, and submitted various B-roll footage to supplement our pitches.

In order to establish Samet as a key leader in the Southeast for equality in the construction field, we hoped to garner at least one major national story between June and August that would showcase Samet’s initiatives and invite women into the industry. When reaching out to CBS, we provided current statistics regarding women in the industry and referred the station to female leaders from construction companies in Charlotte. We shared our pitch with other local CBS affiliates in hopes of having the story passed up to CBS National. We then went on to work with producer, Nic Cutrona, and reporter, Nancy Chen, to highlight the work being done by Samet.

These strategies proved effective, and all our goals were met. CBS Evening News, Reporter Norah O’Donnell, covered our story on August 31, 2022, broadcasting to 4.45 million total national viewers. CBS also posted the story on their Facebook, which received over 70 engagements. Samet shared their high satisfaction and even received multiple phone calls of congratulations. The CBS producer also shared positive feedback and emphasized that Norah O’Donnell was thrilled with the story. We did all of this while staying within the client’s budget.

Not only did Samet Corp get some great exposure, but we managed to showcase some incredible women in the construction industry who will hopefully inspire the next generation of the workforce. There’s no power quite like girl power!