“Resort Vibes in Mexico”

It’s not much to go on, but that’s what ownership wanted to inform the food, the space, and the marketing.

Starting from scratch is both an opportunity and a challenge. It gives us the freedom to create something original, unbound by legacy constraints, and to make a strong first impression with clean, professional marketing. But it also means building everything from the ground up. Without an existing reputation or customer base, gaining traction can be difficult.

Still, the open canvas invites bold thinking. With smart planning and creative execution, we can turn this fresh start into a standout brand and lay the groundwork for lasting success.

Public relations is often misunderstood. It is not just about getting media coverage or attention. At its core, PR is about shaping perception, building credibility, and creating momentum through intentional storytelling. For Arenas, we used PR as a launch strategy rather than an afterthought.

Here is how we leveraged it effectively:

• Defined the narrative early. We set the tone by deciding how and when our story was introduced to the public.

• Issued a timely press release. This allowed us to connect with local media, food bloggers, and community influencers while also sharing key information on social channels.

• Supported SEO from the start. Our press release included relevant keywords and backlinks, helping Arenas gain early visibility in search results.

• Generated word-of-mouth. A clear, consistent message gave people something to share and talk about before opening day.

PR, when used with purpose, complements marketing and SEO. It gave us a running start at a time when we had no existing customer base.

Our social strategy was intentional from the start. We chose to focus on Instagram and Facebook for two key reasons: budget constraints and content control. While TikTok offers the highest probability of virality, the unpredictable nature of its algorithm was not something we wanted to rely on. In our view, chasing trends and short-lived attention spans can easily derail a focused brand strategy.

Instead, we prioritized quality over virality. We invested in high-end photography and video that could be used across platforms, repurposed through Canva, and remain relevant well beyond a single post. These assets gave us visual consistency and longevity, allowing us to build a polished and professional identity that audiences would remember and trust.

We have plenty of thoughts on TikTok and how to approach it strategically, but we save that conversation for our one-on-one 30-minute sessions, which you can book at the link provided below.

As part of our launch plan, we also partnered with local food influencers. Their authentic engagement and community reach helped amplify Arenas with the right audience, without sacrificing the brand integrity we worked hard to establish.

It may seem strange to discuss food third in a restaurant case study, but we’ve learned that what people often remember most is how they were treated. How the space made them feel, how their needs were met, and how effortlessly everything came together. Of course, the baseline is non-negotiable: the food must be good and professionally presented. But feelings shape memory, and that emotional connection directly influences how people talk about the food later.

That understanding guided key decisions in our marketing strategy. From the start, we prioritized sentiment tracking and guest feedback, not as damage control, but as relationship-building. Restaurants are run by people, and people make mistakes. We needed systems in place to catch missteps early and make things right quickly.

Before opening day, we ensured our Google Business and Yelp profiles were fully built out, and our website included a dedicated “Review Us” landing page with links to every major platform. We paired this with in-house assets: table tents highlighting current specials with QR codes linking to the review hub, and branded visuals on in-restaurant TVs featuring food photography, videos, and review prompts. Every touchpoint reinforced two things: our attention to detail and our desire to connect.

Whether you are building something new or looking to refine what you have, we show up the same way every time. Our 30-minute consultation is free, and it is a real working session. No fluff. No sales pitch. Just a focused conversation built around your goals.

We ask good questions, listen closely, and give you honest, actionable advice. We will review your setup, highlight opportunities, and share tools, resources, and strategies you can use right away. If we end up working together, great. If not, you still leave with something useful.

Book your free 30-minute session and let’s see what we can build together.