How Strategic Storytelling Brought Cassia Back to Auckland's CBD
Great PR is about more than getting people talking. It's about knowing which stories to tell, when to tell them, and how to keep the conversation going.
When Rise & Shine was tasked with raising awareness for Cassia's long-awaited move into its forever home at 58 Albert Street, we knew there was a brilliant story to tell. The challenge? We had two restaurant openings to promote in just a matter of months, and we needed to make sure both had their moment in the spotlight without one overshadowing the other.
Two openings, two distinct stories.
Following the devastating Auckland Anniversary floods in 2023, which destroyed Cassia's original Fort Lane restaurant, owners Sid and Chand Sahrawat relocated their much-loved contemporary Indian restaurant to SkyCity while working towards a permanent new home.
But when their SkyCity lease came to an end in June 2026, the purpose-built, two-level restaurant on Albert Street wasn't quite ready. The creative solution was a 10-week residency at Ozone in Grey Lynn, with Ozone operating as usual by day and Cassia taking over the space each evening.
For Rise & Shine, this presented an interesting PR challenge. We needed Aucklanders to know where to find Cassia during its temporary residency, while protecting the much bigger media opportunity that would come with the opening of its spectacular new home just two months later.
Our approach was a carefully considered, two-stage media relations campaign, using strategic storytelling and our established media relationships to give each opening its own distinct narrative.
First, we introduced Cassia's residency at Ozone, leaning into the unique collaboration between two celebrated Auckland hospitality brands. Through targeted media outreach and one-on-one dining experiences with key food journalists, we secured coverage across Viva, Sunday Star-Times, Urban List and Lazy Susan, keeping Cassia front of mind while teasing the exciting next chapter still to come.
Then, as Cassia prepared to return to the heart of Auckland's CBD, we shifted the narrative from a creative temporary residency to a much-anticipated homecoming.
A homecoming worth celebrating.
Cassia 3.0 was a different story altogether. A spectacular, purpose-built, two-level restaurant, a refreshed menu, three private dining rooms and a significant investment in Auckland's city centre.
We knew the story was bigger than a restaurant opening. This was about resilience, reinvention, and Sid and Chand's commitment to bringing Cassia back to the city where it all began.
Leveraging our longstanding relationships with New Zealand's leading food and lifestyle media, we secured standout editorial opportunities that brought this story to life.
Among the highlights was a coveted Viva cover story and double-page feature profiling Sid and Chand Sahrawat, sharing the journey behind Cassia's return. We also secured a glowing 19/20 review from renowned food critic Jesse Mulligan, with coverage spanning print, online and social, including his first-ever video restaurant review.
These were two particularly significant editorial wins, showcasing the new restaurant while telling the deeper story of the people, passion and perseverance behind it.
To celebrate the opening, Rise & Shine hosted an exclusive media and influencer launch event, bringing together some of Auckland's leading food, lifestyle and hospitality voices for a first look at the new space.
The evening gave guests the opportunity to explore the impressive restaurant, experience the new menu and reconnect with one of Auckland's most celebrated dining destinations.
The result was a wave of organic social coverage, with guests sharing their experiences and showcasing Cassia's new home to their audiences, creating excitement and conversation around the opening.
Beyond the launch event, we continued developing editorial angles and story ideas, ensuring the story continued well beyond opening night.
The results?
Over the course of the campaign, Rise & Shine delivered:
20 earned media features across print, online and EDM, including the Viva cover story and Jesse Mulligan's 19/20 review.
162 pieces of organic social coverage, including 25 Instagram posts, and 137 Stories.
Over 5.17 million in estimated combined reach across earned media and social coverage.
$416,055 in total PR value generated.
But beyond the numbers, the real success was in the storytelling.
By giving each opening its own distinct narrative, we were able to generate meaningful coverage for Cassia's temporary residency without exhausting media interest ahead of the main event. Instead, each chapter built on the last, culminating in a significant wave of publicity for Cassia's permanent return to Auckland's CBD.
It was a campaign that demonstrated the power of professional storytelling, strong media relationships and knowing how to make the most of every PR opportunity.
Most importantly, we made sure Aucklanders knew where to find Cassia throughout its journey, and gave them plenty of reasons to book a table at its spectacular new home.