Jessica Lawlor is a senior public relations major at Temple University, graduating in May. She is the president of Temple’s PRSSA chapter. Jessica is currently searching for public relations positions in Philadelphia and New York City. Connect with her on Twitter, LinkedIn or check out her website.
Last weekend, I had the opportunity to attend a wonderful and informative public relations event in Philadelphia. Drexel University’s PRSSA chapter was selected by PRSSA National to host a regional activity called Bizarre PR.
One of the sessions featured Gwen Kaminski, Laurel Hill Cemetery’s Director of Development & Programs. Laurel Hill Cemetery is a historic landmark in Philadelphia and Kaminski has spent her four years there turning it into a tourist destination for those visiting Philadelphia.
When I walked into this session, I was thinking to myself, “How the heck do you promote a cemetery?” I honestly had no idea, but after the session, I was so impressed by the creative things Kaminski and the others at Laurel Hill do to draw tourists and Philadelphians alike into the cemetery.
The cemetery was founded in 1836 and has a ton of history with famous Philadelphia names buried there.
Kaminski explained that the cemetery used guerilla marketing to attract people to the site. In 2008, signs throughout the city declared “Here Lies No One..What A Waste of Pefectly Good Stone” with a link to the cemetery’s site. Another interesting example of guerilla marketing is this toaster oven which was tossed into ponds and fountains all over the city with the warning on it saying “For an easier way to get to Laurel Hill Cemetery visit theundergroundmuseum.org.” Clever campaigns like this brought people to the cemetery in droves. 
Through innovative and exciting programming, Kaminski has made the cemetery a family-friendly tourist destination. During October, the cemetery celebrates Halloween with a bone scavenger hunt for children, complete with a create your own gravestone arts and craft activity.
The cemetery also hosts a Rest in Peace 5k run. Because Laurel Hill is a non-profit organization, they raise money through a foundation and host a black tie Gravediggers Ball each year, along with a silent auction. The cemetery even offers free tours that you can listen to using just your cell phone.
Now, the legendary Harry Kalas, long time announcer for the Philadelphia Phillies rests at Laurel Hill Cemetery and Kaminski hopes that he will bring in a new audience for the cemetery: sports fans. Kalas’s grave is set in between sets of chairs from the stadium and fans are invited to come have lunch or share a drink with Kalas. Just last week, the new exhibit opened and two outdoor TV screens were available for fans to watch the Phillies game at Kalas’s grave site. Kaminski noted that this is why Laurel Hill Cemetery is special. It’s not just a cemetery; it’s a place where the living can connect with the deceased by sharing a picnic or a sunny afternoon.
Kaminski said in her presentation, “Visiting a cemetery is not at all bizarre.”
After this session, I was seriously inspired. If you can come up with a clever, funny and eye-catching campaign for a cemetery, you can certainly do it for anything!
