The call that PR professionals dream of came not once, but twice — on the same day. Two different TODAY Show producers had given E&V Strategic Communications the green light for segments airing the same morning: a breaking news story on train safety following the Hoboken disaster, and a cooking segment featuring local chef Matthew Register’s North Carolina pork belly hash. National breaking news and Southern cuisine, simultaneously? Challenge accepted.
With no time to craft new strategies, the E&V team leaned on instinct, persistence, and thorough groundwork already laid with both clients.
For the train safety segment, the team had mere hours to source a train yard, secure a safety expert, and coordinate with NBC’s Jeff Rossen for the breaking news coverage. Every phone call, every connection, every resource had to be maximized without delay.
Meanwhile, the culinary team prepared for Southern Smoke BBQ’s moment with Al Roker, meticulously planning every ingredient, utensil, and talking point needed for a flawless food demonstration.
“These moments don’t allow for strategic planning — they demand execution based on preparation that happened long before opportunity knocked,” noted the team as they coordinated these parallel productions.
The team transformed a nondescript rail yard into a broadcast-ready educational set for the safety segment, coordinating complex permissions and safety protocols overnight. By dawn, they had created the perfect setting for both pre-recorded segments and live morning shots during the coveted 7 a.m. hour.
Simultaneously, they assembled a television-worthy food station where North Carolina-raised pork belly and sweet potatoes would shine under studio lights. Every detail was managed — from ingredient prep to camera angles — ensuring chef Matthew Register could confidently showcase Southern cuisine alongside TODAY Show veteran Al Roker during their three-and-a-half-minute segment.
Before most Americans had finished their first cup of coffee, E&V had successfully executed two flawless TODAY Show segments for two very different clients.
“Can’t thank you enough for all you did to make yesterday’s and today’s shoots happen. I appreciate all the last-minute effort to pull off such an important piece. The story was very well received, and that is in large part due to all your efforts.”
–NBC News Producer
What might seem impossible to most — managing two national television segments in a single morning — became a testament to preparation meeting opportunity, proving that sometimes the most impressive PR work happens before the cameras ever start rolling.
