General Growth Properties:
RiverTown Crossing Mall

Year:
2000

Sector:
Retail Development

Service:
Copywriting

In Grandville, MI, developers were putting pieces in place to build the newest regional shopping mall to come to the area in over 20 years. There was just one hitch: 30 acres of land adjacent to the site were zoned for industrial use. It would take a public vote to rezone the land for retail development, thereby optimally positioning the mall on the site for better traffic flow, parking, and preservation of nearby wetlands.

But rumors and misinformation ran rampant. A so-called “citizen’s group,” CARS (Concerned Area Residents Speak), distributed typewritten newsletters on goldenrod yellow paper to alert residents of the dangers of the project and misinforming them that their “no” vote” would halt the entire development. Once the public relations team I was working with discovered that CARS was, in reality, a competing mall, we went into high gear.

I developed the slogan, “Make a Good Mall Better.” Yard signs with the phrase began popping up all over the area. Print multi-page newsletters were mailed to voters, outlining the project scope, community benefits, and detailed maps. Endorsements from leading citizens sealed the deal.

The result? Citizens voted to rezone the land, the mall was built in a better position, and the retail corridor flourished.

One more thing I named the mall: RiverTown Crossings.

One last thing: The campaign won an ICSC Global Award for public relations campaign.