PR PLAN Goals: Create awareness for the presidential election debate set to take place on June 20, 2016 Generate exposure for the Fairfield University name and mission on a local and national scale Objectives: Sell out the debate within 3 weeks of putting tickets on sale publicly (350 seats) Gain media coverage from 2-3 major, national outlets prior to, during or after the debate Increase traffic to the Fairfield University website (and subsidiary sites) by 50% leading up to the debate Increase traffic to official Fairfield University social media accounts by 75% leading up to the debate Strategies: Engage with the media through the promotion of the school s esteemed officials and through purchased advertising methods Push the debate online through Fairfield University outlets (web & social media) Promote Fairfield s dedication to education through special events engaging the debate with the school Communication Tactics: Television, Radio & Media Outlets o Draft & disseminate press release detailing the debate (detailed above) Media Relations team member(s) draft release Run through departments PR & Marketing/Communications teams for edits and revisions Media Relations team sends out release via e-mail o Create & disseminate media kits detailing the university to media outlets General background Information on Fr. von Arx, University President Facts and statistics regarding the school, student body and faculty Include accolades, awards and other special recognition Pictures of campus Information and pictures regarding the Quick Center for the Arts Compiled by Media Relations team Run through PR & Marketing/Communications teams for edits and revisions Media Relations team sends out kits through via e-mail & print copies to media contacts o Pitch interviews with professors as expert correspondence/commentary to established media contacts
Create & disseminate media kits on backgrounds of various professors as part of pitch Dr. Kurt C. Schlichting (Political Campaigns, Public Opinion & Research Methodology) Dr. James Simon (Political Campaigns & Political Communication) Dr. Jocelyn Boryczka (Chair of Politics Department) Dr. Janie Leatherman (Professor of Politics & International Studies) Rev. Jeffrey P. von Arx, S.J. (University President) Media Relations team preps all potential experts on interviews and talking points Media Relations team identifies possible media contacts that might run the interviews Media Relations pitches interviews to media contacts through e-mail & inperson interviews (if applicable) Media Relations schedules interviews as necessary o Create and run :30 second advertisement on various TV stations Local: NBC Connecticut, WTNH, News 12 Connecticut, NBC New York National: PBS & CNN Work with Media Center to conceptualize, design & create Media Relations team contacts identified TV stations to set up advertisement agreement and space Media Relations team sends out finalized advertisements to stations digitally (e-mail, cloud sharing, upload service, etc. may change based on outlet) o Create and run :15 second advertisement on various radio stations Local: WCBS 880, WEBE 108, WICC 600, WOR 710, WNYC National: Associated Press Radio, Business Talk Radio Network Work with Media Center to conceptualize, design & create Media Relations team contacts identified radio stations to set up advertisement agreement and space Media Relations team sends out finalized advertisements to stations digitally (e-mail, cloud sharing, upload service, etc. may change based on outlet) o Create and run print advertisements in various newspapers Local: Hartford Courant, New Haven Register National: New York Times Work with graphic designers to conceptualize, design & create Media Relations team contacts identified newspapers to set up advertisement agreement and space Media Relations team sends out finalized advertisements to newspapers digitally (e-mail, cloud sharing, upload service etc. may change based on outlet) o Host and orchestrate 30-minute media period with candidates prior to debate Public Relations maintains list of media outlets who reserve spot
Media Relations & PR teams work together to organize space in lobby Media Relations & PR teams work with managers from each candidate campaign to inform them of the ground rules for the media period (phone, e-mail, etc.) Media Relations & PR teams send out ground rules and background information for media period to outlets via e-mail (directions, confirmations, etc.) Media Relations & PR teams monitor media period Print Materials o Create and post fliers advertising the debate Campus: Barone Campus Center, residence halls, academic buildings, library, etc. Downtown Fairfield and surrounding areas Work with graphic designers to conceptualize, design & create Print out 1,000 fliers Members of Marketing & Communications team post fliers in designated areas o Share a digital version of the debate flier on digital board system throughout campus Work with graphic designer to create digital copy of flier Marketing & Communications team sends poster to digital board system o Create and disseminate small debate postcard advertisements to all Quick Center for the Arts subscribers Work with graphic designer to conceptualize, design & create Print out 2,000 postcards Purchase the necessary postage Deliver postcards to shipping/mailing service o Create and post a banner advertisement across the Quick Center for the Arts building entrance Work with graphic designer to conceptualize, design & create Send to print at printing service Put in work order with Maintenance department to hang banner Web Communication & Social Media o Release and sell tickets exclusively online through the Quick Center for the Arts website (subsidiary to Fairfield.edu) PR team works with Quick Center for the Arts box office to create online posting PR team reviews all information on posting and approves o Include promotional graphics regarding the debate on the Fairfield homepage Marketing & Communications team sends digital versions of advertisements to webmaster for posting o Create and maintain a separate page under the Fairfield domain strictly dedicated to the debate Basic information, directions, timeline of evening, FAQs, etc. www.fairfield.edu/presidentialdebate Linked to graphics on homepage
Work with webmaster to register domain Approve all information and content that will be included on page Work with webmaster to launch page o Use #DebateFU across all social media channels on all posts Facebook, Twitter & Instagram Snapchat used explicitly for promotion to students o Create and release periodic posts reminding followers of the debate Include basic information (time, date & candidates) Links to website for more information PR team creates posts including links PR team schedules posts with social media scheduling service (Hootsuite, Buffer, etc.) o Create and release a 5 video series teasing the debate via social media outlets Release of each video is periodic leading up to the debate Small sound bytes and interviews with university members on debate Work with Media Center to conceptualize, design & create Aid Media Center in setting up interviews for footage on particular days PR team uploads videos to YouTube & Vimeo PR team releases videos across platforms on scheduled days o Promote a ticket giveaway to followers 2-pack of tickets to a random follower on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram Secure tickets for giveaway from Quick Center for the Arts box office PR team schedules posts promoting the giveaway with social media scheduling service for scheduled days (Hootsuite, Buffer, etc.) PR team monitors and picks 1 follower per platform as winner o Actively tag PBS accounts on all platforms in debate posts o Follow, monitor and tag pertinent accounts for content they share regarding the debate; share those posts as necessary Clinton, Trump & Rubio Media outlets covering the debate Share suitable posts from users posting with #DebateFU PR team monitors timelines and pertinent accounts daily PR team monitors #DebateFU daily PR team monitors keyword searches daily o Create countdown graphics using images pertinent to the debate Release over the month of June All departments sort through photo databases and decide on 20 images Work with graphic designers to put text over photos PR team schedules these posts for release with social media scheduling service (Hootsuite, Buffer, etc.) o Create behind-the-scenes posts in days leading up to the debate, and during the event itself Share across all platforms consistently Tag individuals, organizations and outlets as necessary
PR team creates master schedule of all preparations set to take place around campus on days leading up to the debate by contacting pertinent departments PR team monitors all preparations around campus for debate and shares interesting posts across all platforms o Actively post across all platforms consistently before, during and after the debate Pictures, videos, quotes, etc. Monitor and provide feedback to those who mention an account, use #DebateFU or post using Fairfield keywords Set up centralized command post in Quick Center for the Arts Social media management committee keeps eye on all accounts, mentions, etc. Keep crisis response team on standby o Create recap posts for all platforms in the days following the event Monitor feedback from those sharing experiences on social media All departments compile information, pictures, videos, etc. from debate PR team creates posts for platforms PR team schedules these posts for release with social media scheduling service (Hootsuite, Buffer, etc.) o Create and release a recap video of debate in the days following the event Include footage from the debate, interviews with audience members, behind-the-scenes footage, etc. PR team informs Media Center of various events taking place during the debate of which to capture footage Members of PR team ask audience members for interviews before and after debate Work with Media Center to design & create video PR team uploads video to YouTube & Vimeo PR team releases video across platforms on scheduled day o Create and disseminate e-mail surveys to those in attendance to gain feedback and information on their experience E-mails compiled into mailing list from ticket purchases All departments collaborate to create questions for survey Register with a survey management system to create survey PR team compiles e-mail addresses of all ticketholders PR team sends out survey links via e-mail Events o Student Viewing Party & Panel (Detailed in next section) o VIP Reception (Detailed in next section) Budget: Television, Radio & Media Outlets o Media kit prints - $5,000 o Local TV advertisements - $72,000 :30 second advertisement run over 4 channels for 6 days, 3x a day during primetime
o National TV advertisements - $450,000 :30 second advertisement run over 5 days, 3x a day during primetime o Local radio advertisements - $43,000 :15 second advertisement run over 4 channels for 6 days, 3x a day o National radio advertisements - $90,000 :15 second advertisement run over 2 channels for 6 days, 3x a day o Local newspaper advertisements - $18,000 Standard, 1/8 page colored advertisement run once a week for 5 weeks (Sundays) o National newspaper advertisements - $250,000 Square third colored advertisement run once a week for 5 weeks (Sundays) Print Materials o Fliers - $2,000 o Postcard advertisements & postage - $3,000 o Banner advertisement - $500 Web Communication & Social Media o Video series production - $14,000 o Recap video production - $8,000 o Graphics & visual content production - $3,000 o Survey management system - $2,000 Special Events o Stags for the Future: Presidential Election Debate Viewing Party & Panel - $30,000 o The Presidential Reception - $300,000 TOTAL: $1,290,500 Timeline: October-November 2015 Gather PR, Marketing & Communications, and Media Relations departments to brief them on the awarding of the debate to Fairfield University Assemble committees for promotions, event planning, social media management, etc. Assemble crisis response team from different departments across the university o Brief each department representative on overall plans for the debate o Create a crisis response plan o Create crisis response templates for easy dissemination to media Draft press release for debate Create media kits for university and expert professors o Identify what established media contacts to pitch for interviews with Media Relations department Begin video production with Media Center o TV and radio advertisements o Teaser video series Begin graphic designs and print material designs o Graphics for web and social media content
o Fliers, postcards, banner Compile Quick Center for the Arts subscribers mailing list Compile list of pertinent social media accounts and begin following them (if not already) Register and design subdomain for debate with webmaster Begin planning 2 supplementary events December 2015 Release information regarding the debate to media via press release & university media kit o December 4 Launch debate subdomain for debate Post press release to Fairfield website Share news of debate to all Fairfield social media platforms (including #DebateFU) Pitch interviews with expert professors to identified media outlets via media kit e-mails o Based on results, schedule interviews closely to the debate Post fliers and digital advertisements across campus Post debate graphics to Fairfield website homepage Create post-debate e-mail surveys to be sent out to those in attendance Mail out debate postcards to Quick Center for the Arts subscribers December 2015-January 2016 Run TV, radio and newspaper advertisements o December 27-January 15 January-February 2016 Open ticket sales exclusively online through Quick Center for the Arts website o January 4 Release video #1 from series on social media platforms o January 4 Post banner advertisement across the Quick Center for the Arts building entrance Release video #2 from series on social media platforms o February 19 Perform general social media management o Release 6-8 posts sharing debate info with #DebateFU, tag pertinent accounts, engage with followers March-April 2016 Release video #3 from series on social media platforms o March 11 Release and conduct ticket giveaway promotion to followers on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram o March 21-23; 1 winner per day Release video #4 from series on social media platforms o April 15 Perform general social media management
o Release 6-8 posts sharing debate info with #DebateFU, tag pertinent accounts, engage with followers May 2016 Release video #5 from series on social media platforms o May 20 Check-in with media contacts and outlets expected to attend the debate o Re-pitch idea of interviews with expert professors to identified media outlets via media kit e-mails (schedule as necessary) Perform general social media management o Release 6-8 posts sharing debate info with #DebateFU, tag pertinent accounts, engage with followers June 2016 Begin countdown to debate postings on social media platforms o June 1-20 Compile e-mail addresses of those in attendance into mailing list for post-debate survey Create and release periodic behind-the-scenes posts in days leading up to the debate o Tag individuals, organizations and outlets as necessary Monitor social media traffic 24 hours prior to the debate o Mentions, accounts using #DebateFU, account using Fairfield keywords Capture footage from entirety of debate day for recap video o Media sessions, behind-the-scenes footage, events, audience interviews, etc. Actively post and monitor social media accounts closely entirety of debate day o Pictures, videos, quotes, etc. o Provide feedback to those who mention an account, use #DebateFU or post using Fairfield keywords o Tag individuals, organizations and outlets as necessary Host and orchestrate 30-minute media session 2 hours prior to the debate Host and conduct 2 supplementary events to debate o Student Viewing Party & Panel o VIP Reception Create and release recap posts on all social media platforms in days following event o Monitor feedback from those sharing experiences on social media Create and release recap video of debate in the days following the event Send out post-debate survey to those in attendance via e-mail July 2016 Compile and analyze results of post-debate survey Compile and analyze statistics regarding website hits and social media impressions/engagements Compile and analyze media clippings (interviews, articles, social media interaction, etc.) Conduct a post-mortem and debriefing for all those involved on the PR, Marketing and Communications and Media Relations teams
Audiences: Students o Engage school s top clients in an event that will surely have a stake in their future o Emphasize the importance of education in conjunction with politics, and other major areas within our society Alumni network o Show sense of pride in the Fairfield name for being chosen to host the debate o Emphasize that alumni efforts have helped to bring the university to where it is today Local & regional community o Target audience for ticket sales to the actual debate o Emphasize the weight of this event, and how it may never happen again so nearby o Emphasize that Fairfield is a top school in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions, as evident by their being chosen to host such an event National community o Target audience for media viewership o Show Fairfield s uncanny ability to host and provide a great venue for an event of national importance to the future of our country