Courtney Mazzella, Champion PR, on Leveling Up Your Restaurant PR

Restaurant PR is one of the most competitive and fast-moving sectors in communications. Grand openings, influencer buzz, local community engagement, and crisis management all collide in an industry where every detail matters.In this episode of The PR Podcast, I speak with Courtney Mazzella, Vice President of Client Services at Champion, one of the largest restaurant PR agencies in the United States.Courtney joined Champion in 2011 as one of the agency’s earliest team members and has spent the past 15 years helping grow the firm into a national leader in restaurant communications. She works with brands across the country on grand openings, local store marketing, media relations, influencer engagement, and crisis communications.In our conversation we explore:• What makes a restaurant grand opening truly successful• Why local marketing and community engagement are critical for new locations• The evolving role of influencers and social media in restaurant PR• How restaurant brands navigate crises and reputation challenges• What it takes to build long-term client relationships in agency life• Why hospitality brands succeed when they become part of the communityWhether you work in public relations, marketing, hospitality, or simply love the restaurant industry, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at how restaurant brands grow and stay relevant.The PR Podcast is a show about how the news gets made. We talk with great PR people, reporters, and communicators about how the news gets made and strategies for publicity that drive business goals. Host ⁠⁠Jody Fisher⁠⁠ is the founder of Jody Fisher PR and works with clients across the healthcare, higher education, financial services, real estate, entertainment, and non-profit verticals. Join the conversation on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ at @ThePRPodcast.Courtney Mazzella🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/courtneymazzella/?hl=en🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneymazzellaChampion🔗 website: https://championmgt.com🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/championmgt🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/champion-managementThe PR Podcast 🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThePRPodcast/🔗 Twitter: https://x.com/ThePRPodcast1🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprpodcast_/🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theprpodcast?