July 2011 - Parks & Recreation - 55

Mascots served as " celebrities "
at Chandler, Arizona's, Day of
Play event-drawing more than
4,000 people.

and celebrity engagement opportunities. " We have hundreds
of relationships to manage already-and we are looking for new
ones-and it takes a lot of work, " he says. " Recognize that these
[celebrities] will not be beating our door down, so you have to
go out and find them. "

Out of this world
Even when you think you know how a celebrity relationship may
go, it may sometimes surprise you. Mukri wanted to partner
with the organization Shane's Inspiration-not just for the amazing work they do to install accessible playgrounds, but also for
the organization's celebrity relationships. Instead of just one or
two celebrity engagements, the two groups have partnered on
at least 20 playgrounds throughout the city of Los Angeles.
In San Francisco, Stanford University would annually hold its
spring intersquad game at Keyzar Stadium in Golden Gate Park.
The game brought a lot of publicity to the park itself. But Bransten took it to a new level, and asked some of the football players
if they'd help at an event with kids at a nearby recreation center.
They agreed and the community benefitted from the opportunity to play football with seasoned athletes.
And remember that Carlsbad T.R.U.S.T. video with Bill Walton? Although Calarco developed that program for use just in his
own city, because of the exposure largely created by Walton's
involvement, it is now in use throughout cities across California.
Calarco says he likes working with celebrities and says in
the end, they are just like the rest of us. " It is a chance for people
to make a statement about the things they value... like parks and
recreation. " 

	

Making the pitch
Not everyone has celebrities on speed dial to help at any turn. You
may need to create a " cold pitch " to get someone onboard. Liam
O'Mahony, information specialist in Chandler, Arizona, has a background in public relations and shared his tips for eliciting a response
through a cold pitch.
■■

■■

■■

■■

■■

■■

Educate them up front about your programs or parks. He suggests sending them information not just about your general
department but also lesser-known specialty programs that
may appeal to them.
Create an event brief. Outline the day's schedule as much as
possible-will you need them for the entire time period or just
a portion of it? How will they interact with the public and what
will they be doing? Explain the event as you see it unfolding,
and you can make changes at the celebrity's request.
When reaching out to a professional sports organization, work
through the public or community relations department. Be sure
to talk to someone there to find out about any specific procedures you may need to follow when submitting your pitch.
Make sure you follow up and close the loop. Perhaps the celebrity will not be able to participate this time, but if you keep the
contact it could pan out in the future.
Be persistent but polite. Most people interviewed for this article cited a time frame of at least a year to engage a celebrity.
Remind your contact that you are patient and flexible and willing to wait for the right opportunity.
Grab a good luck charm. It can never hurt.

www.NRPA .ORG

J U LY 2 0 1 1

Parks & Recreation	 53
July 2011 - Parks & Recreation

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July 2011 - Parks & Recreation
