Cincinnati Enquirer partners with local restaurants to celebrate TV fame
Ideas Blog | 02 August 2015
You can’t deny the commercial success of the hit Food Network programme Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, hosted by Guy Fieri. Each episode highlights eclectic restaurants and undiscovered gems in neighbourhoods across the United States.
During a recent trip to Cincinnati, Ohio, Guy Fieri was so impressed by the Over-the-Rhine (OTR) neighbourhood’s many dining options that he decided to dedicate an entire episode to the unique local haunts that make the area so special.
National TV viewers were introduced to Over-the-Rhine restaurants in an episode called “One Street Wonders.” The description:
"This trip, Guy heads to Cincinnati to three righteous restaurants, all sitting pretty on one street. First, Guy visits a funky pub where a husband/wife duo dishes out all kinds of creative hot dogs and sammies (sandwiches). Then, Guy gets a taste of Europe with a Belgian spot cooking up waffles and beer cheese pretzels. Finally, Guy travels to a Southwestern spot serving up short rib tacos and a yummy chicken torta."
To celebrate the airing of the show, The Enquirer partnered with several OTR restaurants to host a community party. Entry into the event was free and food/beverage tickets were available for purchase. The Enquirer's food critic Polly Campbell (@BeingPolly) served as emcee at the event that featured a DJ, a raffle (including “skip the wait” passes for the always crowded OTR restaurants), a photo booth and, of course, amazing food and drink served by each of the three restaurants that appeared on the show.
These pop-up restaurants featured many of the selections that were showcased on the OTR “One Street Wonders” episode.
Attendance to the event exceeded expectations with more 1,000 people braving inclement weather to be a part of the excitement at Rhinegeist Brewery. The event also helped the brewery boast its largest crowd since its 2013 opening.
But the Rhinegeist wasn’t the only local business to benefit from the turnout. The Enquirer photo booth helped gather more than 500 leads that can be used as touchpoints to acquire new subscribers.
Click here and here to read stories about the filming of the show and to view the event photo galleries.