By Elizabeth Efird
Business Background
WCHL is a Chapel Hill-based radio station and news site that primarily serves the Carrboro and Chapel Hill areas. For more than 60 years, WCHL has been one of Orange County’s go-to sources for local news, Tar Heel talk and UNC sports updates.
The Problem
In 2018, WCHL-Chapelboro began working with 1893 Brand Studio to increase the amount of lifestyle content on its website.
The Strategy
To increase the range of content promoted on WCHL Chapelboro’s website, 1893 Brand Studio proposed the creation of two monthly articles to go under the Town Square section of its website that includes special features and community member spotlights. Every month, staff members select and profile two businesses that we have not previously featured, producing an in-depth article for each subject.
The Solution
1893 Brand Studio’s first piece of monthly content, “Made in NC” features a local maker or crafter from the greater Chapel Hill area. The second monthly article, “Flavor of the Month,” highlights a restaurant or food service from the area, usually one that’s new to the community.
To implement this strategy, members of our Storytelling and Campaigns teams conduct interviews with individuals and businesses to craft features spotlighting the work that these businesses do within our community. We also include a variety of photos and suggested social media posts with our content.
This fall, the Brand Studio has covered local coffee shop Perennial, Italian eatery Grata Cafe and Latin-Asian fusion restaurant Lucha Tigre in the Flavor of the Week feature.
In October, the Made in NC feature highlighted UNC-Chapel Hill junior Aiyana Woldu who started resin-based home decor business, Tsanai Tingz, during the pandemic. The November piece featured UNC alumna Marina Fela-Castillo’s side-hustle turned full-time hand-crafted business, Pintamar.
