Question: Message Strategies: Proposals For years, a controversy has been brewing over the amount of junk food and soft drinks being sold through vending machines in local schools. Schools benefi t from revenue-sharing arrangements, but many parents and health experts are concerned about the negative eff ects of these snacks and beverages. You and your brother have almost a decade of experience running espresso and juice stands in malls and on street corners, and you'd love to fi nd some way to expand your business into schools. Aft er a quick brainstorming session, the two of you craft a plan that makes good business sense while meeting the financial concerns of school administrators and the nutritional concerns of parents and dietitians. Here are the notes from your brainstorming session:
? Set up portable juice bars on school campuses, offering healthy fruit and vegetable drinks along with simple healthy snacks.
? Off er schools 30 percent of profi ts in exchange for free space and long-term contracts.
? Provide job training opportunities for students (during athletic events, etc.).
? Provide detailed dietary analysis of all products sold.
? Establish a nutritional advisory board composed of parents, students, and at least one certifi ed health professional.
? Assure schools and parents that all products are safe (e.g., no stimulant drinks, no dietary supplements, and so on).
? Support local farmers and specialty food preparers by buying locally and giving these vendors the opportunity to test market new products at your stands.
Your task: Based on the ideas listed, draft a formal proposal to the local school board, outlining your plan to offer healthier lternatives to soft drinks and prepackaged snack foods. Invent any details you need to complete your proposal.