Case Studies

KGPR Clients have more than 80 years of Collective Experience on Their Side

For many years Karl Gentles, and now KGPR, has helped companies protect and advance their corporate reputation through strategic communications and public relations strategies. Let your company benefit from our expertise … put KGPR to work for you. Contact us for a full copy of each case study.

Corporate Practice |Economic Development| USAA  & The Greater Phoenix Economic Council

The Challenge: Integrating USAA into Greater Phoenix on Multiple Levels.

When military insurer USAA purchased over 575 acres of land in North Phoenix for its Western Region Headquarters the media and political speculation was rampant. The interest was due to the fact that the then-anonymous project would be the largest corporate expansion in Arizona history. Developing and managing a highly sensitive media and communications strategy was a top priority. The goals of which were to protect USAA’s privacy during efforts to identify and acquire the land and then, once the official announcement was made, position the company as a top-tier corporate citizen and employer.

The Challenge: Creating Visibility for Greater Phoenix and its member companies and cities, and municipalities.

While at GPEC,  KGPR managed more than 50 confidential relocation announcements including USAA’s expansion to Phoenix and placed over 85 stories in top‐tier national and international media outlets.  To create greater awareness of the region as an attractive corporate relocation place, KGPR organized more than a dozen inbound and outbound media missions targeting reporters from France, Germany, London, Japan, and national outlets resulting in stories appearing in The Economist, London, Times, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Yomiuri Shimbun, Agence France Presse, Barrons, Kiplingers Personal Finance, and Business Week. Results included more than $3.8 million in advertising impact and $700,000 advertising equivalency. Contact us for more.

Corporate Practice | Reputation Management | Government Relations | Fisher Sand and Gravel

The Challenge: Changing the Perception of a Company’s Brand.

.When Fisher Sand and Gravel, a leading national aggregate processing company, was faced with extensive government, community and public relations challenges stemming from a South Phoenix asphalt plant, they knew their corporate reputation and carefully crafted brand faced significant opposition. Environmental activists and neighbors sparked outcries of injustice, permitting and other issues continued with the City of Phoenix, air and water quality violations with the County and State, a blizzard of negative media coverage, and legal challenges looming on the horizon. Contact us to learn more.

Media Practice | Visibility | Bank of the West

The Challenge: Gain visibility for a Bank of the West Checking Account.

How would a bank attract any attention to its Spring Checking Account Campaign? After all, every bank on the planet has a checking account and a “spring sales campaign” so what would make this one different? Well, it had an innovative twist to it, and you guessed it, it worked.  Bank of the West’s Turning Bread into Toast campaign resulting in more than 20 million media impressions in national and regional publication including Brand Week, Advertising Age, The Paul Harvey Show, and about 25 others. Contact us to learn more.

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  December 2011 - Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust has named its 11th class of five Piper Fellows, including KGPR President & Back to School Clothing Drive Executive Director Karl Gentles, a leader that work daily on the frontlines to improve quality of life for people in Maricopa County’s diverse communities. Through the Piper Fellowship, these dedicated nonprofit leaders will participate in self-designed professional development sabbaticals to further strengthen their skills and bring new knowledge back to the organizations they lead and serve.

  November 2011 --- February 12, 2012, marks a major milestone for KGPR as the agency celebrates five (5) years of delivering successful public relations counsel to a variety of clients in Phoenix, San Francisco, Houston and elsewhere.

  October 2011 -- KGPR Client Mayo Clinic and the Coalition of Blacks Against Breast cancer won top honors at the 2011 Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure taking home the award for organization with the most cancer survivors and largest nonprofit/community group team!

  July 2011 - KGPR Client Back to School Clothing Drive topped 10,000 kids served and over $1.8 million dollars of new school uniforms, outfits, and school supplies distributed during the annual New Clothes New Beginnings Distribution event in Phoenix.

  June 28, 2011 -- As the city of Phoenix prepares to host the 82nd MLB Midsummer Classic, Bank of America, the Official Bank of Major League Baseball®, is celebrating with the spirit of giving back and teamwork by inviting the community to “Give like an All-Star” and join the bank in its support for local schoolchildren in need. Donate school supplies at one of 120 Valley banking centers.

  June 2011 -- KGPR has added Kahala to its growing client list. One of the fastest growing franchising companies in North America, Kahala Corp is a privately held corporation dedicated to the franchising, development, and marketing of quick-service restaurants. Kahala brands include Cold Stone Creamery, Samurai Sam, and Blimpie among their franchises. KGPR will provide public relations services to help grow their brand in identified markets.