Louisiana Children’s Museum ‘ages up’ press conference

Written By Alicia Vial

Situation

In New Orleans, the Louisiana Children’s Museum (LCM) is a beloved institution. For 40 years, it has served children from birth to age 8, fostering learning and play through exhibits that have become emblematic of growing up in the Crescent City. Their CEO embarked on a listening tour across Louisiana, talking with school administration, families and local leaders. Informed by that work and the New Orleans Youth Master Plan (a roadmap for youth development supported by the City), she concluded that the Museum would “age up” to expand access to students through high school. Thanks to her vision, the Museum received a transformative $2.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc., the largest non-capital gift in its history, that would establish a mentorship program, serving almost 500 teens across six cohorts and an 800 sq. ft. permanent exhibit – Character Connects Us.

Strategy

The strategy was not only to share the news, but to re-introduce the Museum to the public as a driver of youth development for all ages, without diluting 40 years of brand equity as a cherished early childhood attraction. Gambel Communications planned a celebratory press conference that served to maximize attendance by elected officials, community leaders and the media and allow LCM to educate key stakeholders on the award. Influential voices would secure public support and maximize media coverage.

We created a detailed internal event plan including guest list strategy, vendor recommendations, invitation language, venue logistics, speaker packets, digital media kit, FAQ document and cohesive talking points to anchor the campaign, as well as internal and external run of show documents. The program featured confirmed speakers from the Office of the Governor and Office of the Lt. Governor, with attendance from the Mayor’s Office of Children & Families and the Mayor’s Office of Cultural Economy.

Pre-event media strategy included development of a state-wide media list, as well as a plan for thoughtful, targeted local outreach to media through an embargoed press release with the goal of securing timely feature coverage. The program paired government officials with museum leadership and youth voices, including a student jazz ensemble and high school graduates of LCM’s pilot mentorship program.

On-site media included FOX 8, Axios, The Times-Picayune and the Advocate, as well as Hispanic outlets Telemundo and Viva NOLA . After the remarks, we facilitated guided floor walks for b-roll, facilitated one-on-one interviews with speakers and youth participants and distributed asset folders for same-day newsroom use. We also secured photo and b-roll to accompany a statewide distribution of the press release. LCM amplified coverage through owned digital channels, including a website announcement, social media post and eblast to members and subscribers, driving secondary discovery.

Results

In the weeks surrounding the press event, outreach generated more than 29 stories with a potential audience of approximately 48 million. We secured a front-page Metro feature in The Times-Picayune, while FOX 8 aired feature packages through the evening of the press conference and the following morning. The announcement cycled hourly on WWNO morning news and earned digital exposure in Biz New Orleans and New Orleans Magazine, with Telemundo and Viva NOLA extending reach to Hispanic audiences. Collectively, all four local TV newsrooms carried the story after the event.

Post-event analysis showed 100% message alignment across all placements regarding character education, workforce development and community investment themes, and positioned the Museum within the bigger context of the city’s youth development needs. Anecdotal reports from LCM leadership also showed strengthened engagement from the board of directors, follow up meetings secured with lawmakers and a total shift to positive staff buy-in.

Momentum continued beyond the press conference through strategic follow-up engagement, resulting in additional features in Biz New Orleans magazine, New Orleans Magazine, CityBusiness and sustained digital coverage.

The campaign transformed a simple grant announcement into a community milestone. By leveraging the special event format to create coalition-building opportunities among government, tourism and education sectors, we generated awareness and stakeholder buy-in that continues supporting LCM’s mission now and for generations of children in the future.  

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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