Emley Design Group - EDG

For those of you who plan and execute special events for clients – you can imagine the “excitement” and extra last-minute activity this announcement created: “Lisa Rinna — actress, ‘Dancing Queen,’ model, host, author, and entrepreneur, and known to many as Billie Reed on Days of Our Lives, and Taylor McBride on Melrose Place, is coming to Fort Wayne this week!”

Rinna arrived on Thursday, October 7, for a VIP reception with sponsors and other VIP “Friends”, and then spoke at the Francine’s Friends “Lunch with Friends” luncheon on Friday. Rinna replaced Carrie Ann Inaba, who was unable to keep her commitment due to another opportunity.

The good news – this last-minute change created additional buzz and media “opportunity” all week long, especially when Lisa Rinna was presented with a cardboard cut-out of her husband, Harry Hamlin, at the VIP reception at the Fort Wayne Country Club. Rinna was supposed to be accompanied by her husband, Harry Hamlin, most notably of L. A. Law fame and the newly premiered Harry Loves Lisa, a docu-soap series. But at the last minute, Hamlin needed to return to Los Angeles.

EDG came up with the idea to present Rinna with “flat Harry” at the VIP reception. Genuinely delighted, Rinna immediately “tweeted” to her followers how great Francine’s Friends and Fort Wayne as a community was, and photos and updates were also posted immediately on FrancinesFriends.org and its Facebook page.

The mission of Francine’s Friends is to make early detection of breast cancer available to every woman in Fort Wayne and northeast Indiana.  The Francine’s Friends Mobile Mammography Coach travels to various community and business sites to bring mammography screening to every woman, including those who might otherwise not have access or appropriate insurance. In 2010, the coach made its 1,000th site visit, and as of December 30, 2010, over 13,716 women have been screened and over $610,000 to cover the cost of mammograms has been raised through this annual fundraiser. Emley Design Group developed initial identity and branding program for Francine’s Friends in 2005 and its blog in 2010, and helps promote and produce its annual fundraising event in October each year.