One result of the evaluation of the good example of the ALT/BAU network - the housing agency Chemnitz - was that the agency should increase its public relations work in order to make its activities more visible in Chemnitz.
New publicity campaign
In response to this recommendation, the agency developed a publicity campaign in October under the headline "New life for old houses". As a first step, illuminated posters with this motto could be seen throughout Chemnitz for a week at the end of October. To officially launch the campaign, the agency used the "International Day of Cities" on 31. October.
In doing so, the agency followed its own advice given to ALT/BAU partners when International Day of Cities was celebrated network-wide for the first time in 2019.
- “Put up a banner on at least one “iconic” building you are working on.
- On 31 October, invite a representative of the city and the press to meet on site (and have an idea what to talk about).
- Do a (press) interview (or something comparable) and document it (video, press article).
- Publish it or have it published.”
The invitation to the 2020 press conference in Chemnitz was a great success for the agency. Extensive articles appeared in four different newspapers. Several interested parties and potential buyers subsequently contacted the agency. Among those interested was a former resident of the house who is now a city council member in Chemnitz and wants to participate in the ULG in the future.
Contact was also made with a journalist who is interested in the history and development of the city of Chemnitz and also wants to report on interesting agency objects in the future. The success was possible because a real "iconic" building was presented. Today it looks very unremarkable, but behind the simple facade there is a colourful history with former well-known owners. For example, the famous "Münchner Hofbräuhaus", an institution for fans of Bavarian beer, operated a restaurant with a beer garden in this building in the 1920s – 1940s.
Many buildings that will be presented in the future as part of the campaign "New Life for Old Houses" do not have such a colourful history. But there are also interesting aspects in their development.
So what does the campaign look like in detail?
At regular intervals, a banner will be attached to a building in Chemnitz ideally on a busy street. The selected buildings are or were supported by the agency and can be assigned to the categories finished refurbishment – under construction - buyer/user wanted including fresh ideas to be implemented. At the time the banner will be attached to the building, an article appears on the agency's homepage about the special features of the building and to what extent the agency was involved in its development. In addition, a press release about the corresponding current campaign building is sent to media representatives.
In any case, the "International Day of Cities" will also be used again for public relations in 2021 and beyond, as this date now seems to be established in Chemnitz.
Further steps in intensified public relations work
As soon as the pandemic situation allows again, an information event for a Chemnitz property owners' association is planned. In addition, an information event for the employees of the various offices of the Chemnitz city administration is also planned. The evaluation had revealed a lack of understanding of the aims, distribution of tasks and goals of the agency within the city administration. These gaps in knowledge are to be filled to achieve a faster and better communication and cooperation with individual staff members.
Day of Cities 2020 and the ALT/BAU Network
The network partner cities of Rybnik, Turin and Constanta also participated in the International Day of Cities in 2020. In Rybnik, a future building of the newly created Rybnik Housing agency was decorated with the huge banner from last year. On the occasion of the Day of Cities, URBAN LAB TORINO invited visitors to discover their new headquarters, where the three sections #past#now#soon provide insight into projects since the 1950s that will determine the future face of Turin. The ALT/BAU team in Constanta celebrated the Day of Cities with the opening of the virtual exhibition “Interwar Peninsula”. The architect Radu Cornescu takes the viewer on a journey through times as modernist buildings in Constanta were built.
The motto "New life for old houses" is of course available to all ALT/BAU partners for their future public relations work.
Thank you URBACT!
The success of "Day of Cities" event and the development of the new outreach campaign would not have happened without URBACT. Thank you!
