Prior to the 2014 February event, our team planned and executed a press event at the Austin City Limits-Live Moody Theater where Mrs. Royal was joined by members of the DKR Fund Board of Directors and Advisors, including Ben Crenshaw, Eloise DeJoria and Ava Late, as well as members of the scientific community, to announce the grant process and share details about the Ben-Willie-Darrell Links & Lyrics event.
R&R Partners’ Austin team drafted and produced news media materials, approached targeted outlets and obtained extensive media coverage, managed and distributed media credentials, selected and managed a house photographer, supervised the red carpet, and coordinated and oversaw pre-event media interviews with Darrell Royal’s widow, Edith, Ben Crenshaw, Eloise DeJoria, and Legacy Council Executive Committee members. In addition, R&R Partners secured a sponsorship for the event with Austin Woman and ATX Man of AW Media.
A sold-out crowd gathered for the event at ACL’s Moody Theater. In attendance were hundreds of friends, former athletes and supporters from around the state committed to honoring Coach Royal and making a difference in the battle against this debilitating disease. The evening created a hopeful note, raising an astounding $1,050,000 dollars to help advance the research and care for those fighting Alzheimer’s disease.
Media coverage secured by R&R Partners for the event included numerous print, broadcast, and online placements resulting in over 30 million impressions and nearly $560,000 in earned media, including event coverage by Austin’s ABC-TV, NBC-TV and FOX-TV affiliates and several local radio stations. Print publications included the Austin American-Statesman, Austin Way Magazine, Tribeza, The Society Diaries, Houston’s and Dallas’ Paper City, Horns Illustrated, Culture Map, Westlake Picayune, L Style G Style Magazine, Austin Fit Magazine, West Austin News, Austin Woman and ATX Man magazines. The event sponsorship with Austin Woman and ATX Man had an added value of over $8,500.