Turning Empty Seats into a National Media Moment

Newsjacking & Earned Media
Written By Alexis Melendez

Summary

During the pandemic, opportunities for attractions like Madame Tussauds to generate national earned media were limited. When New York announced expanded indoor dining capacity, I recognized an opportunity to newsjack the moment and put the brand at the center of a timely cultural conversation.

I developed the creative concept behind a partnership with Peter Luger Steak House, filling empty tables with Madame Tussauds wax figures of New York icons including Jon Hamm, Audrey Hepburn, Al Roker, and Jimmy Fallon. Working closely with Peter Luger, our studio team, and my PR Manager, we transformed a routine news event into a nationally covered campaign that generated more than 20 media placements, including TMZ, People, the Today Show, Good Morning America, Fox News, and USA Today, earned a Saturday Night Live mention, and even prompted Jimmy Fallon to visit the restaurant to meet his own figure.

The Challenge

During the pandemic, Madame Tussauds faced a difficult PR environment. Attractions were operating under restrictions, visitation was down, and there were few opportunities to generate the kind of national earned media the brand had historically relied on.

When New York announced increased indoor dining capacity, I recognized an opportunity to newsjack a timely moment. While every restaurant had the same reopening update, I saw a chance to position Madame Tussauds at the center of the conversation with a creative partnership that journalists would actually want to cover.

The challenge wasn’t simply creating publicity. It was finding a culturally relevant story that would put the Madame Tussauds brand in front of a national audience.

Strategy

Rather than issuing another museum announcement, I looked for a news story we could become part of.

The reopening of indoor dining created the perfect opportunity. Everyone was talking about empty restaurant seats, but no one had a visual story that captured the moment. I developed the concept of filling Peter Luger’s dining room with Madame Tussauds wax figures, transforming a routine news event into a memorable cultural moment.

The campaign was designed to be instantly understandable through a single photo. I intentionally selected New York-centric figures, including Jimmy Fallon, Al Roker, Jon Hamm, and Audrey Hepburn, giving local and national outlets a story that felt relevant to their audiences. By embracing the surreal humor of the pandemic rather than avoiding it, we created imagery that reporters wanted to publish and audiences wanted to share.

My Role

Creative Concept & Partnership Development: Developed the campaign concept and partnered directly with Peter Luger to bring the collaboration to life, ensuring the activation felt authentic to both brands while supporting the restaurant’s reopening story.

Creative Planning & Logistics: Selected the featured wax figures alongside our studio team and coordinated transportation, installation, and on-site placement to create natural, media-ready scenes throughout the restaurant.

Press Strategy: Developed the story angle, messaging, and visual assets that formed the foundation of the media outreach. I partnered closely with my PR Manager at Merlin Entertainments, who leveraged existing media relationships to secure national and international coverage.

Campaign Execution: Managed cross-functional coordination between Peter Luger, Madame Tussauds’ studio team, and internal stakeholders to ensure the activation executed seamlessly and generated strong visual content for press.

Results

20+ media placements, including national broadcast (Today Show, GMA, USA Today), entertainment trade press (Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter), and major outlets (People, Fox News, New York Post, Insider)

International pickup, including Univision, the Toronto Star, and the Washington Times

A Saturday Night Live mention, putting the stunt in front of a late-night audience

Direct talent engagement from Jimmy Fallon, who visited in person and shared it on his own socials, something no paid campaign can buy

What I Learned

I’ve found that the best PR ideas usually start with a simple question: “What are people already talking about?” The indoor dining announcement gave us an opening, but it was the unexpected partnership that made the story memorable. It’s a mindset I’ve carried with me ever since, always looking for opportunities where a brand can naturally join a larger conversation.

Alexis Melendez

Marketing Leader | Brand Strategy · Integrated Marketing · Revenue Growth | Consumer, Experiential & Cultural Marketing

https://heyalexismelendez.com
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