“Tim Rogers stepped into the picture and saw the vision. Not only the story but the needed conversation it could start to help shape every generation's "Coming of Age."”

- Steve Umberger

Objective: 

Drive awareness of the Aldersgate Continuing Care Retirement Community’s (CCRC’s) brand and actionable support its mission-minded messaging “Naturally Invested In Community.”

Overview:

Aldersgate is a nonprofit CCRC which has been a compassionate advocate of elders for more than six-decades. Despite being a visionary in what is today a booming industry, the brand has had low name recognition. Equally, the senior population in Charlotte – projected to grow from 115,000 in 2010 to almost 250,000 by 2030 – has lacked the leadership dedicated to earn Charlotte designation as a World Health Organization Age Friendly City in preparation for this inevitable spike. 

A big part of Aldersgate’s mission is to be recognized as the industry voice and leader in quality of life issues for our elder population. “Traditional” brand-building tactics involve paid and new media. Certainly that was part of the Strategic Plan. But with Tim Roger’s steady guidance, the Leadership of Aldersgate was prepared to do something a little untraditional and take a bold risk. Enter stage right: An unprecedented collaboration with Playworks to produce the musical – “Lunch At The Piccadilly” – positioning it to do more than entertain. It was to be the catalyst for much needed community conversations about aging. 

Challenges:

No proof of concept. Director Steve Umberger had been crafting a musical production based on Clyde Edgerton’s novel, “Lunch At The Piccadilly” for more than 10 years. It was his passion to facilitate a first-class independent production at an Actors’ Equity Association level to perform three weeks to a packed house at Booth Playhouse at Blumenthal. A tall order that would take a visionary partner. He pitched the idea to another CCRC and was turned down. But Tim recognized the potential and opportunity. However, would the Executive Leadership and Board of Directors of Aldersgate? This sponsorship would be a sizable financial investment of an untested venture. Would the community of Charlotte be ready? And would they even care? And then there was timing. Steve Umberger and Playworks had seven months to deliver his decade-long dream. Running parallel, Tim had to create and implement a multi-faceted Strategic Plan that ultimately underpinned the business proposition of the Aldersgate investment. It had to pay off.

Outcomes:

  • With a run period from September 17, 2015 to October 4, 2015, “Lunch At The Piccadilly” was seen by 3,228 patrons at 17 performances. 

  • Non-paid publicity included features in Charlotte Magazine, QNotes, Charlotte Observer, WFAE/Charlotte Talks and two live appearances by Steve Umberger and Tim Rogers on WBTV news. Publicity reached readership/listenership of an audience of 1,050,000. 

  • Community talk backs were conducted after six “Lunch At The Piccadilly” shows to discuss the themes on aging and get the conversation started among a multi-generational audience. More than 200 audience members participated. 

  • The production was used as a basis for creating education and outreach programs that were used to extend the play’s reach. This included a collaboration with members of the Charlotte Folk Society to form Heart to Heart, Knee to Knee – a community-based initiative that takes song cycles and storytelling out to retirement centers to strengthen intergenerational connection and focus attention on seniors. 

  • Aldersgate planned and hosted a “Community Conversation: A Coming of Age” forum featuring a guest panel of thought leaders from AARP, UNC Charlotte College of Health and Human Services, LeadingAge and President/CEO of Aldersgate, Suzanne Pugh. This was the first in an ongoing series to drive Charlotte’s effort to become a World Health Organization Age Friendly City. Approximately 100 industry professionals were in attendance for the inaugural half-day event. 

  • Food insecurity on the eastside of Charlotte is a problem that especially impacts the elderly population. It’s a difficult conversation that requires action. In partnership with PACE (Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly), Aldersgate is delivering healthy meals to vulnerable seniors living on the eastside.

  • The big story is in the bottom line. Residential inventory at Aldersgate ticked up from 89% to 98%. For the Executive Leadership and Board of Directors of Aldersgate, that’s Proof of Concept. 


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