The fall of my senior year at WVU’s Reed College of Media started me on a path with BrandJRNY that will always stick with me. As a member of the fall team, we were eager to begin the research that would eventually lead to change in Point Pleasant with new creative imagery, such as the new logo, slogan, color scheme, as well as visual and digital advertisements. After visiting Point Pleasant and getting to know the community members, I realized I needed to see this campaign through to the end. What could have been a one-semester commitment turned into two semesters because of the passion I have for this project.
Hi, my name is Adrianne Uphold, and I’m the PR and Media Relations Director for the #BrandPointPleasant project. For anyone who needs to catch up on the work BrandJRNY has been doing for Point Pleasant, check out the fall 2019 recap video that showcases the work the team has done with Point Pleasant.
We started this semester with an immersion trip to Point Pleasant. This trip was intended for the BrandJRNY capstone, and the BrandJRNY Storytelling teams to learn about the history of the town, become familiar with the community, and promote the upcoming brand launch. As soon as I drove around the bend by Krodel Park, a wave of emotions from last semester came rushing over me. It was like I was visiting a family member that I hadn’t seen in a while.
One of my jobs as PR and Media Relations Director was to promote the Brand Launch during this trip. I traveled around town and visited local businesses to pass out fliers and talk with community members. I had several people recognize me from working with BrandJRNY last semester. A few gave me hugs and stated how excited they were to see the new brand. I can’t even begin to describe how great it was to hear that people were excited to see the work we had been doing for the last seven months.
At the end of our trip, we stopped at the Point Pleasant High School that Friday night for the big basketball game. With the crowd chanting for the boys on the court, it felt like the entire town was there to support the team. I’ve never seen a community so focused on supporting a high school basketball team. I was surrounded by people who only wanted to see the best of Point Pleasant, and that made me feel more immersed in the community than ever before.
Thank you, Point Pleasant, for letting me get to know your culture, community, and town. I can’t wait to come back.
My name is Adrianne Uphold— but you can call me Adri. I am the public relations and media relations director for BrandJRNY’s Point Pleasant Project. I’m probably hanging out with my toothless cat, Salem. Follow me throughout our journey — @adriiaanneee.