Port Authority of Kansas City, Missouri

Tate Gibson Communications works with the Port Authority of Kansas City to communicate to enhance its overall reputation and communicate with key audiences regarding two of the largest economic development opportunities in Kansas City: the transformation of Richards-Gebaur into an intermodal freight gateway and the proposed 55-acre mixed use development on Kansas City’s riverfront. Tate Gibson initiates and facilitates public participation for the Port Authority through media relations, community outreach and public meetings.

Since beginning work with the Port Authority, Tate Gibson has assisted the authority in rebranding itself as an organization – creating a new logo, business essentials, web site and newsletter, implementing a vigorous public outreach strategy, including dozens of public meetings and intense media relations with more than 100 local and national media hits in 2005 and 2006.

Swope Community Builders/The Shops on Blue Parkway

Tate Gibson Communications has partnered with Swope Community Builders to promote and ensure the success of The Shops on Blue Parkway. The culmination of a thirteen-year plan, The Shops on Blue Parkway offer first-rate services and high-quality products to Kansas City residents. With more than 250,000 square feet of Class A retail space and an investment of more than $100 million dollars, The Shops on Blue Parkway have been recognized with a Cornerstone Award from the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City. To date, ten tenants are serving an estimated 58,000 residents and 1,000 employees within a three-mile radius, and more than 200,000 annual visitors to Swope Health Services.

Tate Gibson coordinated several high-profile special events at The Shops, including a grand re-opening and a Christmas toy drive. Tate Gibson launched an intense advertising campaign, which included radio, billboard, print, outdoor, transit and theater advertisements. The campaign focused on increasing visibility of the development and creating and supporting a culture of belonging among neighboring residents and businesses.

In addition, Tate Gibson spearheaded community and media relations activities. Tactics included employee message training, outreach to SCB employees through e-mails highlighting weekly specials, developing story ideas, a secret shopper plan and a visit from well-known radio personality, Tom Joyner.

As a result, of TG’s intense marketing campaign, The Shops on Blue Parkway have doubled their weekly visitors from 8,000 to more than 15,000 and the average transaction has increased by 30 percent. The retail center also attracted three new tenants within the past six months.

Greater Kansas City Community Foundation

In early 2005 the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation commissioned a Blue Ribbon Task Force of nationally-recognized leaders in higher education to conduct a study of higher education in the metropolitan area and the role it can and should play in the future of our community.

The end result was intended to be a report to help guide business, philanthropic, civic and government leaders as they identify funding priorities and help to strengthen higher education in Kansas City. Mid-way through the process, the task force chair testified before a reform commission appointed by the Governor of Missouri.

Tate Gibson, while working for another communications agency, developed background materials on the Blue Ribbon Task Force, task force members, task force objectives and the study methods. Relationships with key reporters were leveraged in order to mitigate fall-out from a UMKC faculty-led misinformation campaign. The faculty regularly disseminated information to faculty groups that criticized the task force members and incorrectly threatened that UMKC would be removed from the University of Missouri system. The agency met regularly with the client and key community leaders in order to gauge public perception of the effort, identified media opportunities and crafted op-eds to maintain support.


Regular media articles (more than 60) appeared in local publications as well as surrounding regional media. A representative of the Blue Ribbon Task Force or member of the Community Foundation staff was always quoted and this resulted in largely balanced stories. Several radio and television interviews featuring Blue Ribbon Task Force members also aired that served to educate wide audiences. The task force’s report was positively received and several positive editorials were written to promote it. More than 500 individuals attended open meetings and public hearings regarding the Blue Ribbon Task Force study and its findings. Media coverage and information provided on the community foundation’s web site provided key information all throughout the process.