Your individual Final Project for Advertising and Public Relations is intended to showcase the analytical and creative public relations skills you've learned in MAR342. This project can be an exhibit in your senior portfolio presented to prospective employers upon graduation.
Requirements:
- Five-page public relations plan outline
- Three (3) creative communication pieces that reflect both the client's needs and a variety of public relations writing proficiencies.
Getting Started
Select an organization that you would like to work with to develop an advertising and public relations mini-campaign.
Arrange a meeting with the person who oversees the organization's public relations or marketing. For a small organization, your contact might be the business owner or program director. Determine a direction for your campaign that includes a substantial media relations component. Then, as needed, meet with your organization contact(s) in order to complete the assignment (including collecting biographical or operational details for news releases, feature stories or printed materials).
Campaign Plan
Begin by outlining the core elements of a campaign plan. Choose tools for your project that best serve the client's needs. Completing a PR Planning Matrix might help organize your thinking. Then, outline your proposal document. Flesh out details of the narrative as you work with the client. The final product should be a readable, hard-hitting sales document directed to your client (not the instructor).
Key parts of your written should include:
- Executive Summary -- A very brief overview of the recommendation that includes an incisive problem or opportunity statement. Explain why action is needed and the consequences of inaction. (Suggested length: one-half page)
- Situation Analysis -- A narrative that provides additional details and builds upon your Executive Summary. Highlight key facts that especially shaped formulation of your recommendation. Include other details only as needed to make your case. (One-half to one page)
- Organizational Goals -- List outcomes the client would like to attain (or ought to strive to attain).
- Communication Goals -- List outcomes to be achieved by the campaign itself -- stated in terms of awareness, attitude change or actions, as applicable.
- Action Strategies/Recommendation -- Advise client about whatever steps need to be taken by the client (related to organizational identity, policies, practice, etc.) prior to the launch of the campaign in order to maximize its effectiveness.
- Audience/Publics -- Name 1-4 target groups to which the campaign will be directed. (Bulleted list. Include an optional paragraph to comment about any of these groups, if required.
- Communication Strategies - An explanation of the key messages or themes to be communicated. Also list key media, channels or tools you recommend. IMPORTANT: You should list as many activities as are needed to achieve the stated goals and objectives. However, you are only required to produce three of these (see below) for purposes of the assignment.
- Evaluation -- Include a paragraph about how you recommend your efforts be evaluated. Your assessment should be grounded in the goals and objectives you specified and relate to the activities you recommend.
NOTES:
--Your program plan should be single-spaced, with double spaces between paragraphs.
--Title your paper: Advertising and Public Relations Proposal for [Name of Client]. List your name below. Since the document is short, a separate cover sheet is not required.
--You may include your PR Planning Matrix as an (optional) exhibit.
- (Optional component) Tactics -- Include a consolidated three-column chart that lists tasks, timetable (period when the task will be performed or deadline) and staff assigned. List yourself for each task you will perform.
- (Optional component) Budget -- Separate section should summarize the estimated costs to carry out the campaign. For each activity, list the staff time or staff fee and anticipated out-of-pocket expenses. Then provide a subtotal for each activity and a grand total for all costs associated with the activities you outlined. Calculate staff cost (staff fee) by estimating the number of hours required to complete each task, then multiple that number of hours by a billing rate -- $15, $20, $25, $30 or $35 an hour. Use your best estimate for out-of-pocket expenses. Be sure that the figures add up correctly.
Creative Components
The creative components you create are the most important part of the assignment. You should plan to produce three creative pieces (or sets of pieces). Here are examples of reasonable options in terms of creating materials (or sets of materials) that are comparable in terms of their complexity or the time required to complete them:
- One or two news releases (total 2-4 pages) -- Stories should be different types of releases.
- Major feature story (2-3 pages) -- A profile, backgrounder, history, trend story, case study, etc.
- Public service announcement, or PSA, for TV with text included in plan (for not-for-profit organization) uploaded to YouTube. Provide a link in PR plan.
- Video news release uploaded to YouTube -- Assume a 30 to 60-second narrative (include description of PSA with visuals, plus B-roll, additional footage, etc. in your PR plan)
- Audio news releases (2 versions) -- Record the story if you wish and upload to iTunes as a podcast. You can also provide your recording by listing a Web site link on your script in your PR plan.
- Media interview package -- Pitch letter, an outline of questions for an interviewer, and a Q&A sheet. (The latter illustrates how key talking points might be covered in an interview.)
- Package of press kit ancillary materials -- Fact sheet(s), Bio, Backgrounder(s), and/or 3-4 photo concepts and captions
- Two-page newsletter* -- Complete text (including headlines, body copy and photo concepts and captions).
- Brochure* -- Suggest 6-panel 4x9-inch brochure or a 4-page 8.5x11-inch brochure (including copy, art concepts, photos and captions, if applicable)
- Printed ephemera -- A package consisting of a poster, a 8.5x-11 inch flier and a smaller printed piece (such as a handbill, door hanger, table tent, leave-behind or tray liner) -- Although using the same graphic usually would be appropriate, the copy of these printed pieces should be different.
- Advocacy package -- A position paper on an issue relevant to your client and a complementary direct mail letter package or a newspaper ad presenting the same talking points in an appropriate format.
- Speech -- Script for an 8-10 minute talk before a constituent group (about 4 double-spaced, typewritten pages).
- Web site or blog design concept or redesign. If you create a simple web site or blog for your organization, you may upload any of the above components.
Other options for format and creative elements (your choice)
- Create a presentation on Google docs (you can share link to Google doc) or a PowerPoint or Prezi(should have at least 7 slides)
- Create a podcast (audio recording) using Utterli
- Create a blog on www.blogspot.com or www.wordpress.com
NOTES:
- Online tools such as Web sites, blogs, videos, and social networking pages are valuable tools and can be incorporated into your plan and your delivery.
- Print materials (brochures, newsletters, etc.) can be produced using any publications software (even MS Word). Print materials will be graded based on the on the appropriateness, organization and quality of the copy--not design or layout skills beyond the principles discussed in this class.