P.R. Firm Gives Cape May Bang for Its Bucks

CAPE MAY — The Sherry Group, the public relations firm contracted by the city’s Tourism Commission, reported it produced 73 million consumer impressions about Cape May worth about $303,000 if the city would have had to pay that amount for advertising coverage.
Greg Sherry, president of the agency located in Morristown, gave a report to the commission of its first 90 days of service on Wednesday, Oct. 15.
He based the value of the media impressions on actual advertising rates such as one eighth page ad in the New York Post being worth $15,000.
Sherry Group Account Supervisor Melissa Hoistion said that figure didn’t include the media coverage when Cape May was named in a Forbestraveler.com story two weeks ago as one the 20 prettiest towns in America. Sherry said his firm capitalized on the recognition and reached out to numerous media outlets.
The New York Post picked up the story including quotes from Cape May Mayor Edward J. Mahaney Jr.
Sherry said his objectives were to develop working relationships with Cape May non-profit organizations and businesses. He said he wanted to schedule visits from the media and arrange media tours for writers.
The Sherry Group has worked with the Nature Center of Cape May, Mid Atlantic Center for the Arts, Historic Cold Spring Village, South Jersey Marina, Weddings by the Sea and with two innkeepers for inclusion in travel stories.
He said his firm has quickly become a primary source for overall travel stories related to Cape May.
Sherry said he has arranged for more than 10 media visits to Cape May including the NY Daily News, Steppin Out, Travel Weekly, Gonomad.com and Patricia Schultz of “1,000 Places to See.”
“ We estimated there are 250 travel media within 250 miles of Cape May,” said Sherry.
He said his firm was dialoguing with 100 writers to get them to the city to write stories on topics such as great getaways and great summer resorts.
Sherry proposed a press tour for 30-35 writers November 21-22 to spur “Christmas in Cape May” coverage.
Commission member Robert Steenrod said the city could ask residents to decorate their homes earlier this year, so the town would look like Christmas when the writers arrive.
Sherry said he was working to generate press stories on each of the aspects of Cape May: weddings, romantic getaways, nature/birding, special holiday events and family traveling.
Steenrod said Cape May needed lots of publicity in hard economic times. He suggested a tie in with the New Jersey Motorsports Park’s Thunderbolt Raceway in Millville that is drawing 20,000 to 25,00 people per event.
Steenrod talked of “race widows” that would like something else to do while their husbands watch the races. He said he would talk to a bus provider about providing transportation.
Commission member Dagmar Chew suggested the city also look to reach the budget conscious travelers and highlight package deals from innkeepers and restaurants.
Hoistion said the Frommer’s Web site had a top 40 list of budget travel packages on which Cape May could be included.