The vision for SALT at Our Kaka‘ako was a lofty one. It would be a new kind of center for shopping, dining and gathering within an urban core community that previously lacked cohesion and a sense of place. It would be the first commercial real estate and shopping center in Urban Honolulu. Owned by Kamehameha Schools, SALT at Our Kaka‘ako burst onto the scene in 2017 as Honolulu’s most vibrant hotspot of urban life. Behind the dynamic and successful launch was our 6 Pillars Marketing (6PM) team, putting to work the marketing pillars that define who we are as an agency.
In 2016, 6PM was chosen to launch SALT at Our Kaka‘ako, following our across the board success with the historic launch of Hale‘iwa Store Lots, also owned by Kamehameha Schools. In two short years, SALT at Our Kaka‘ako would go on to win the prestigious Shopping Center of the Year (SCOTY) award, presented by the International Council of Shopping Centers, in 2018. Today, 6 Pillars Marketing is the marketing agency of record by both Colliers International and Kamehameha Schools for SALT at Our Kakaʻako.
In preparation for the launch, the first order of business was to introduce SALT as a brand within the arts district of Kaka’ako, while also working with each new tenant on its unique opening. Some of the first tenants we assisted included Moku Kitchen, 9Bar and Village Bottle Shop & Tasting Room.
Shortly after launching the first of the new tenants in the SALT at Our Kakaʻako complex, our team was tasked with planning and producing the public Grand Opening Launch of SALT at Our Kaka‘ako in June 2017. The multifaceted event was strategically held on the same day as Hōkūleʻa’s return to Hawai‘i after a historic voyage around the world. The successful launch event, produced exclusively by 6PM’s integrated marketing services, helped to reinforce SALT’s position as a vital member of the Kaka’ako community.
The 85,000 square-foot commercial real estate center now houses an array of locally owned restaurants, retail stores, and special events catering to a growing urban community in the heart of Honolulu. SALT at Our Kaka’ako serves as an embodiment of Kaka‘ako’s evolution from an industrial, residential neighborhood to a flourishing community that celebrates arts and innovation, and founded on the spirit of entrepreneurship.
After 6PM executed a successful launch of the SALT at Our Kakaʻako brand and grand opening event, our team was invited to develop marketing plans to draw local kama‘aina and visitors to the center. We continue our work at SALT, with its award winning reputation solidified as a Shopping Center of the Year, creating and implementing a variety of innovative programming and events. 6PM has also been an important partner to SALT’s management team as it addresses the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, with enhanced client relations, crisis communication, social media management and livestream video and virtual events.
To launch SALT at Our Kakaʻako and establish its brand, 6PM crafted press materials and distributed them to various statewide print, digital and broadcast media as part of a comprehensive integrated marketing and public relations campaign. Our team also aggressively employed advertising, social media, experiential marketing, digital marketing and event management to build momentum and grow the business.
Through the use of innovative marketing tactics, we helped to transform old perceptions and convey Kakaʻako as a dynamic and vibrant urban community, one that is highly appealing to the modern consumer. 6PM continues to work alongside Kamehameha Schools to solidify the SALT brand and capture top-of-mind awareness among its key audiences.
6PM Tactics Employed: Marketing, advertising, strategic marketing, digital media, social media, social media reporting and analytics, web development, video production, live streaming video, public relations, crisis communications, community relations, branding, graphic design, event creations & production, entertainment, special events, grand opening launch campaign, photography, drone videography, experiential marketing, tourism marketing, promotions, tenant relations and Hawaiian cultural program development.
A true testament to the success of the 6PM-driven launch campaign was when Salt at Our Kakaʻako was awarded the prestigious Shopping Center of the Year (SCOTY) award by the International Council of Shopping Centers, only two short years after our work began there.
6PM’s marketing & advertising expertise was fundamental to SALT’s successful launch and continuing growth. Our unmatched marketing strategy highlighted SALT’s future vision of an all-encompassing cultural center that emphasizes education and innovation. Through sponsorships, product placement, and endorsements, 6PM established the property’s credibility as a cultural gathering place, while also positioning it as a truly unique travel, dining and shopping destination.
In addition to marketing the property itself, our team also collaborates closely with SALT’s various tenants to help promote their business and drive traffic. Through experiential marketing services, 6PM supports food & beverage and retail tenants with pop-up events in SALT’s common area event space. These promotional tactics help to forge critical customer-merchant relationships.
Our skilled team of writers, photographers, videographers, artists and conceptual designers continues to showcase SALT through an ongoing integrated marketing campaign. Through the creation of memorable, cost-effective ad campaigns, 6PM has successfully solidified SALT’s leadership role in Urban Honolulu.
Through 6PM’s public relations outreach, SALT at Our Kakaʻako has been featured on the covers of prestigious local publications and major broadcast stations, in addition to numerous digital outlets, print magazines and TV programs in the continental United States, Japan, Australia and other countries.
Our coordinated campaigns have secured more than $2 million in earned media and publicity value for SALT at Our Kakaʻako, including television, radio, print, digital, social media, and event promotions. We continue to provide support for the center’s growth through management of SALT’s public relations and communications.
In March 2020, COVID-19 started impacting the world and Hawaiʻi in unprecedented ways. With safety and health as its top priority, the 6PM team took action based on mandates issued by local and national government agencies. SALT’s crisis communication and messaging during the pandemic aimed to provide timely information to the center’s followers and fans, tenants and community, and management and ownership. In fact, unlike many local and national shopping centers, there were no gaps in SALT’s social media services as the public health situation grew larger in scope. 6PM worked closely with tenants and management to keep vital communications flowing during this critical period.
As the pandemic persists, the 6PM Team continues to provide SALT at Our Kaka’ako the following strategic marketing services:
6PM’s response to the pandemic is a clear example of how our full-service agency stands ready to effectively respond to the unexpected and continually strive for excellence on behalf of our clients, despite the most challenging of circumstances. Our team of marketing professionals is proud of the work accomplished to keep SALT relevant and connected while many other businesses simply closed their doors and went dark.
At 6PM, creativity and productivity never shut down.
Due to SALT’s local, national, and international pedestrian traffic, 6PM’s graphic design team was tasked with creating eye-catching, elegant designs to appeal to diverse audiences. With our uniquely tailored graphics, 6PM created a memorable brand identity for SALT’s customer facing programs, including on-site signage.
Using traditional and modern graphic design techniques, we created:
The importance of engaging video content cannot be overstated. 6PM understands that today’s consumer gravitates to visual presentations and has produced and streamed hours of exciting SALT content, including:
As the COVID-19 situation in Hawaiʻi escalated and stay-at-home orders were issued, 6PM responded to this challenge with innovative solutions. As traditional large-scale events were canceled across the state, 6PM promptly developed, branded, planned and produced the SALT Livestream weekly series, shifting its focus and pivoting its event planning strategies to virtual events for people to enjoy while at home.
6PM provided SALT with virtual event services that included:
The successful production of live stream events at SALT provided the public with a sense of connection and community during a time of uncertainty. These events allowed people to stay in touch with SALT and its tenants without leaving the safety of their home.
6PM has expanded the SALT at Our Kakaʻako social media platforms to more than 20,000 followers on Instagram and more than 11,000 fans on Facebook. Eye-catching and relevant daily posts keep SALT’s audience and visitors engaged and informed on the latest promotions, events and relevant news at SALT at Our Kakaʻako.
6PM’s team understands the importance of customer engagement and responds to all comments and messages on social media in a thoughtful and timely manner. This high level of service keeps the community and customers accurately informed and engaged.
With a vision of SALT as “the future of Kaka’ako,” 6PM knew that digital marketing — the future of marketing — was a perfect fit. Our experts took charge of:
From surfing and hiking to snorkeling and kayaking, healthy living is deeply rooted in Hawaiʻi’s culture. To appeal to customers with such deep-seated and emerging values, 6PM partnered with SALT’s health-related tenants, including Infinity Movement Studio, Happiness U, Orangetheory Fitness, Lanikai Juice and Juicd Life Health Bar, to execute events that encouraged a healthy and active lifestyle. 6PM conceptualized and executed fun and engaging events, including:
In addition to events centered on personal fitness, SALT produced events designed around Hawaiʻi’s love for food, family and friends. Islanders are passionate about celebrations, dining, sports and culture. Along those lines, 6PM designed and produced the following events:
Taking note of Hawaiʻi’s values of family, community, and environmental awareness, 6PM aimed to incorporate a sense of ʻohana while also educating Hawaiʻi’s youth to mālama i ka ʻāina (respect and care for the land) through events and outreach. We also welcomed other local, national and international groups to SALT to share their stories, values and roles in redefining Urban Honolulu. 6PM produced events and outreach including:
The official public Grand Opening Launch of SALT at Our Kaka‘ako, which also celebrated the Hōkūleʻa Homecoming, marked a significant milestone for the center. Thousands attended the spectacular event, demonstrating SALT’s impact on Urban Honolulu.
6PM planned, promoted and executed the activities and programming at the SALT grand opening. It featured award-winning entertainers including Kupaoa, Waipuna, Kapena, Kimié Miner and Taimane; merchant promotions; and recognition ceremonies for the artists who created SALT’s acclaimed murals and Hōkūleʻa crewmembers. The event drew large attendance and garnered extensive pre-event, post-event and event day publicity.
6 Pillars Marketing:
The wide array of successfully executed events at SALT resonated with the Kakaʻako community as well as other Hawaiʻi residents and visitors. These events have been instrumental in making SALT a favorite gathering place for locals and tourists alike.
