Diamond PR shares what makes its resort client so stellar

For Diamond PR, its best client shines brighter than the Puerto Rican sun.

Its client, San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino, won the 2012 PR Daily Award for Best Client of the Year.

The San Juan Marriott is the firm’s oldest client. Julian Cable-Treadwell, the director of marketing at the resort, plays a prominent role in what makes the relationship so special.

“There is rarely an idea, no matter how wacky, that Julian will say ‘no’ to,” says Robin Canfield, of Diamond PR. “The only questions that must be answered are, ‘Is it worth the money and effort?’ or ‘What’s the ROI?’”

Cable-Treadwell’s expectations are reasonable, but “also challenge the Diamond team to constantly up our game and stay at the cutting edge of public relations,” Canfield says.

Here are three “wacky” ideas that Cable-Treadwell said yes to:

• Vloggers in Paradise: The first-ever, industry-defining video-bloggers-only press trip challenged vloggers to make a video—however they chose—on-site in Puerto Rico in 48 hours. The only stipulation was that the videos needed to incorporate the resort. The San Juan Marriott hosted the six vloggers and created a custom video editing room in one of its meeting spaces. Once the films were edited, the event ended with a viewing party that the resort hosted for locals, hotel guests and visitors.
• Journalists in the Recession: Knowing there would be no immediate return, the San Juan Marriott hosted a group of currently unemployed freelance journalists to visit the resort and have fun. What was the ROI? They knew that the trip would cement strong and lasting relationships with the journalists. As expected, the journalists became employed and the articles on the Marriott flowed.
• Ellen DeGeneres’ 12 Days of Christmas Giveaways: Most clients would balk if their PR firm came to them with an opportunity that would cost upwards of 800 room nights. When an opportunity arose to be featured on “Ellen DeGeneres’ 12 Days of Giveaways,” instead of immediately turning down the opportunity because of the cost (an audience-wide vacation giveaway for more than 400 people), Cable-Treadwell asked, “What’s the return? How can we make it work?”

Congratulations, Diamond PR and the San Juan Marriot. Here’s hoping you two can celebrate