integrated marketing communications plan“we’re the web presence company™. our specialty is...

Integrated Marketing Communications Plan Inspiring Millennial Professionals to be the change they wish to see by donating $50 million to the American Red Cross Prepared by:

A: 60 West Broad Street Suite 98 Bethlehem, PA 18018 P: 855.627.4608 (toll-free) July 22, 2013 American Red Cross Campaign Proposal Copyright ©2013 CONFIDENTIAL

simpatico* Interactive I July 22, 2013 I simpaticointeractive.com I 2

American Red Cross Campaign Proposal Copyright ©2013 CONFIDENTIAL

60 WEST BROAD STREET, STE. 98 • BETHLEHEM, PA 18018 1-855-627-4608 • WWW.SIMPATICOINTERACTIVE.COM

Executive Summary .........................................................................................................................................3

Opening Letter ..................................................................................................................................................4

About simpatico* Interactive ...........................................................................................................................5

Untangling the Web ............................................................................................................................................6

Press Release ...................................................................................................................................................7

Background ......................................................................................................................................................8-16

ARC History .......................................................................................................................................................9

Community Outreach .........................................................................................................................................10

Financial Review & Current State of Donations .................................................................................................12

Competitive Landscape ......................................................................................................................................14

Challenges & Opportunities ...............................................................................................................................15

Target Audience ...............................................................................................................................................17-25

Primary Young Urban Professionals ...............................................................................................18

Secondary Current Red Cross employees, volunteers & constituents .................................................25

Tertiary Media & Other Organizations .............................................................................................25

Brand Perception, Positioning & Personality ................................................................................................26-36

Brand Perception Online Survey ........................................................................................................................27

Current Marketing Efforts ...................................................................................................................................28

The Effect of Current Marketing Efforts on Brand Positioning ............................................................................32

Four Traits of New Brand Positioning for Millennials ..........................................................................................34

New Brand Positioning Statement ......................................................................................................................36

SWOT Analysis .................................................................................................................................................37-41

Prioritization Chart ..............................................................................................................................................40

SWOT Summary ................................................................................................................................................41

Integrated Communications Strategy Statement ..........................................................................................42

Creative Brief ....................................................................................................................................................44

Focus Group .....................................................................................................................................................46-48

Focus Group Findings ........................................................................................................................................47

Media Plan & Creative Executions ..................................................................................................................49

Internal Communications Plan........................................................................................................................65

Integrated Media Flow Chart ...........................................................................................................................69

Evaluation & Measurement Plan .....................................................................................................................71

Budget ...............................................................................................................................................................78

Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................81

References ........................................................................................................................................................83

Appendix A ......................................................................................................................................................90

Appendix B .......................................................................................................................................................99




The Mission & Challenge The American Red Cross is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, and one of the largest nonprofits in the United States. Through a commitment to relieving suffering as a result of a personal or national crisis, the Red Cross has built its brand to be the one of the single most trusted names in emergency response and blood donation services. Their focused directives internally have given the Red Cross a respected reputation externally. But, despite the effective communication in tough times, the American Red Cross’s communications strategy has aged with its donor base. It’s time to change that. The following 12-month Integrated Marketing Communications Plan expands upon the Red Cross’s historical efforts, and integrates all channels, including interactive/digital marketing, out-of-home marketing and social and mobile marketing to strengthen the Red Cross brand and increase monetary donations among the largest and most powerful generation to ever come of age – the Millennials. During this campaign, $50 million in donations will be raised from the target audience through a fresh, inspiring and connected array of platforms, products and enhancements to existing programs. Who Are We Talking To? The main focus of this campaign will be male and female Young Urban Professionals, aged 22-35, living in urban centers throughout the United States. How Will We Achieve This? Through Better with Red messaging promoted via print/digital advertisements, social and email marketing, live events, press releases, sweepstakes, a major national partnership, through the dedicated employees and volunteers, and through the current Boomer donor base – the Millennials’ parents. A Vision for the Future The Better with Red campaign provides the Red Cross the means to evolve their core mission’s external messaging beyond disaster relief to include their other public services. It leverages the robust chapter network in its implementation. In addition, it addresses Millennial trends toward responsible giving and conscious consumerism. Millennials want to have a positive impact on their communities and society, but currently have no established or majority donation preferences. The Red Cross will establish that preference. The integrated approach of this campaign means that all aspects of internal communication and external marketing work together to achieve these goals. The objectives, strategies, tactics and results will strengthen the American Red Cross’s place in the U.S. market, and provide the blueprint for winning this powerful cohort for years to come.

60 W. BROAD STREET, STE. 98 • BETHLEHEM, PA 18018 855-627-4608 • SIMPATICOINTERACTIVE.COM

Ms. Peggy Dyer Chief Marketing Officer

American Red Cross 2025 E St. NW

Washington, DC 20006

July 22, 2013 Dear Ms. Dyer, On behalf of simpatico* Interactive, I want to thank you for the opportunity and the consideration of the attached proposal for an integrated marketing communications plan. We are eager to help you and your team increase monetary donations among 22-35 year-olds over the next year. Your challenge is: to engage young urban professionals in meaningful and compelling ways, so they will donate outside of disaster and crisis times. Our solution is simple: to create a dynamic, interactive and integrated approach to engaging this target audience, building the Red Cross a new generation of loyalty. We will do this through traditional and non-traditional means, integrating tools and platforms across multiple channels, so your target audience will get to know the American Red Cross on a personal level that currently does not exist. simpatico* Interactive comes to you with over a decade of new media experience serving various industries from engineering to the arts, helping both for profit and nonprofit organizations tell their stories in meaningful ways. Specializing in usability and ecommerce, simpatico* is the web presence company – meaning we help your current donors, volunteers, employees and potential supporters find you, no matter where they surf or search. I will call you at the end of this week to discuss the proposal in detail, answer any questions you may have, and to discuss next steps. I look forward to speaking with you then! Thank you again for the opportunity, and we look forward to working together. Best regards,

Jill Whiskeyman CEO & Founding Partner simpatico* Interactive




simpatico* Interactive 60 West Broad Street

Suite 98 Bethlehem, PA 18018 484/275-0595 (local)

855/627-4608

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Date: May 1, 2011 Bethlehem, Pa. – simpatico* Interactive (http://www.simpaticointeractive.com), a digital marketing agency, opened for business in the 60 W. Broad building in downtown Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. A business’s breath, its very life, lives online. Your customers, clients, patrons or donors rely on the web for information about your brand. In just a few short years, more people will access your business online than anywhere else. The sheer amount of tools, sites, platforms and networks available to business’ today can be overwhelming. But we untangle the web™ for your business. Each thread in the web is a new opportunity, overlapping with the next. But it doesn’t have to tangle you up. simpatico* Interactive builds custom integrated marketing programs that weave your business goals into the fabric of your web presence. Simply put, the web is the way. With a simpatico* built plan, the people you want to talk to won’t just hear from you – they’ll experience you, converse with you and build a lasting relationship with you online and off. Its founding partners, Steve and Jill Whiskeyman, have been employed in virtually every sector of the media industry: broadcast, newspapers, publishing, magazines, consumer packaging, email marketing, social, SEO, eCommerce, usability, interface design, and mobile marketing. They’ve worked with businesses local and global—businesses as small as start-ups, and as large as the Fortune 100. “In the agency world, there are lots of small teams of 20-somethings. But there aren’t many that have the credentials that we do,” said Jill Whiskeyman. “We’re the Web Presence Company™. Our specialty is crafting unforgettable digital media and deploying it online wherever it benefits you most,” Steve said. simpatico* is proud to be working for clients across the spectrum, from playwright to engineering firm, from a private medical practice to a yoga studio, in healthcare, nonprofits and the arts. We help businesses, large and small, untangle the web™. Contact: Jill Whiskeyman/CEO Email: [email protected] Website: http://simpaticointeractive.com

http://www.simpaticointeractive.com/

http://simpaticointeractive.com/




Since 1881, the American Red Cross has dedicated its services to the people of the United States and around the world – acting as a beacon of hope in times of crisis and disaster. Founded by Clara Barton after hearing about the Swiss-inspired Red Cross network during a visit to Europe, “she campaigned for an American Red Cross and for ratification of the Geneva Convention protecting the war-injured, which the United States ratified in 1882” (Our History, 2013). In 1900 and 1905, the first two charters were ratified, and to do this day, they set “forth the purposes of the organization which include giving relief to and serving as a medium of communication between members of the American armed forces and their families and providing national and international disaster relief and mitigation” (Our History, 2013). Through the first and second World Wars, ARC continued to grow both its donation and volunteer base. And after WWII, the Red Cross’s first civilian blood program began (Our History, 2013). Since that time, the ARC brand has become synonymous with blood donation and disaster relief. But that is not the whole of the Red Cross’s work. The supporters, volunteers, and employees of the American Red Cross provide compassionate care in five key areas (Our History, 2013):

› People affected by disasters in America

› Support for members of the military and their families

› Blood collection, processing and distribution

› Health and safety education and training

› International relief and development

Clara Barton, Founder Photo courtesy: NPS, n.d.




Part of the reason that ARC has become synonymous

with blood donation and disaster relief is because of the exceptional reputation the organization has built worldwide. As the supplier of more than 40% of the blood and blood products in the United States, ARC has moved beyond just collection, branching out and improving the safety, education and services surrounding blood donations (Our History, 2013). And Since 2006, the Red Cross has teamed with FEMA to help government agencies, local communities and organizations plan, coordinate and provide food, shelter and family reunification for people affected by disasters (Our History, 2013). Several major national disasters and crises have defined the Red Cross in the 21st century. In the early 2000’s, 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina became two major milestones in the Red Cross’s disaster relief story. In the minutes, hours and weeks after the attacks on New York, Pennsylvania and Washington, DC, the Red Cross stepped up and helped 52, 217 people heal and recover, and although not every person affected could be aided, the Red Cross strived to ease the burden and pain for countless families through its domestic program and through the international component, the 9/11 International Family Assistance Program (9/11 Response and Recovery, 2006).

During and after Hurricane Katrina, the Red Cross

provided 1,400 evacuation shelters, served over 450,000 evacuees more than 68 million meals and provided direct assistance that allowed more than 1.4 million families the ability to purchase groceries, clothing, diapers and other essentials (Hurricane Recovery Program, 2013). While many criticisms were leveled about the preparedness of the

organization during the relief efforts, mainly dealing with the questionable allocation of the nearly $1 billion raised after the hurricane, the Red Cross took steps to add more trained volunteers to local chapters, and to be more transparent about where and how the raised money would be used going forward (Associated Press, 2005).

In the fall of 2012,

the Red Cross proved it learned lessons from the Katrina relief effort, and again stepped in when Superstorm Sandy destroyed many beach communities along the East Coast and damaged cities from Washington, DC to Boston. Forming key partnerships, like that with the Shinnecock Indian reservation on Long Island, the Red Cross provided support and relief quickly, while respecting the cultural diversity that makes America unique and prosperous (Diverse Partnerships, 2013). Cruz Ponce, head of the relief efforts during the storm

ARC 9/11 Relief and Recovery efforts Photo courtesy: Red Cross, Dallas Chapter, 2011

Red Cross aids families of the Shinnecock Reservation in Long Island, NY after Superstorm Sandy I Photo courtesy: Red Cross.org,2013




said, “It really helps to have Red Cross present and visible even before disasters occur and equally helpful to partner with others in order to expand our reach. As we provide services – whatever they are – it’s important that we form a lasting impression of a Red Cross that respects tribal culture” (Diverse Partnerships, 2013).

These efforts demonstrate the commitment, compassion and connectedness the Red Cross has to the citizens of this country, and to those around the world. Year-round donations help the Red Cross prepare and plan for future crises or disasters, and also fund the various non-relief programs the organization sponsors. Responding to over 70,000 disasters per year, from wildfires and hurricanes to house floods or individual/family traumas, the American Red Cross provides critical services for individuals, families and other organizations (American Red Cross, 2013). In addition, they have many non-disaster services, which include, but are not limited to:

› First aid training and certification

› Water safety & lifeguarding

› Babysitting

› Home safety training

› Disaster and emergency preparedness training

“The American Red

Cross prevents and

alleviates human

suffering in the face

of emergencies

by mobilizing the

power

of volunteers and

the generosity of

donors.”

(Source: American Red Cross

2012 Annual Report)




For Fiscal 2012, revenue totaled $3.17 billion, while operating expenses came out to $3.35 billion (2012 Annual Report, 2013). With three main areas of revenue: contributions, revenue from products and services, and investment incomes, the Red Cross did not raise more than they spent, and posted a loss for the year. According to the Annual Report, this was due to “spending from contributions we received the previous fiscal year, combined with a one-time expense for the Red Cross pension plan” (2012 Annual Report, 2013). The charts below break out the financials for Fiscal 2012:

ARC’s Sources of Financial Support Source: American Red Cross 2012 Annual Report




Compared to 2011, when the Red Cross ended the year with $3.5 billion in operating revenues, the 11% decrease in 2012 is worrisome; however, it doesn’t necessarily indicate a critical issue (2011 Financial Results, 2011). The organization recognized needing to spend out of previous year’s contributions and dip into the fund for pension purposes. Internal management, in conjunction with the Board of Governors, guided the overall investments of the revenue carefully, knowing they were coming off of a strong 2011, posting a $71 million operating surplus. For the purposes of this proposal, only donations/contribution levels will be analyzed, which for 2012 topped out at $670 million (2012 Annual Report, 2013).

No doubt a struggling economy is still top-of-mind with the American people, as seen throughout the 2012 national election cycle. In addition, Gen Y professionals face unemployment rates above 7% and according to Bloomberg, “the nation’s younger workers have benefited least from an economic recovery that has been the most uneven in recent history” (Smith, 2012). This will continue to be a factor when considering how to increase monetary donations among a generation facing the slowest economic recovery in American history. As seen in the online survey conducted in May 2013 (Appendix A), “Budgetary concerns or limitations” was the most predominant reason that respondents do not give more money to their charity/nonprofit of choice.

For 2013, it’s imperative that monetary contributions increase, not only to recover the

loss from 2012, but to help prepare the Red Cross for future disaster and crises situations of all sizes. The target market, 22-35 year-old young professionals, see the value in donating to worthy causes, and are very likely to give to causes they believe are working toward a greater good – especially at a local level. The Red Cross needs to leverage their 500+ local chapters to get young people involved and engaged in the programs they offer, and give them a reason to give. Building brand equity among this target audience can pay dividends going forward. According to Harris Interactive, the American Red Cross is the most familiar nonprofit organization, and earned the Non-Profit Social Service Brand of the Year accolade for 2012 (2012 Harris Poll Non-Profit EquiTrend® Study, 2012). Senior Director of Public Affairs and Policy Research, Michele Salomon said, “Everyone knows American Red Cross and has

0

84.62

3.85

11.45

0

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Lack of time

Budget concerns or limitations

Currently unemployed

Don't know enough about theorganization

Not interested in donating

What is the main reason you do not donate money more often?

Percent response




great respect for the organization. It's the kind of organization you are thankful is working to provide so many needed and important services. Americans give the organization high marks for Familiarity, Quality, and Donation Intention" (2012 Harris Poll Non-Profit EquiTrend® Study, 2012).

To continue to earn high marks among this cohort, and turn donation intention into actual donations, the competitive landscape and Red Cross’s position in it must be understood. According to Forbes, the American Red Cross ranks 5th overall in U.S. Charities for 2012 (Barrett, 2012). The top four represent the largest competition on a national scale. They are highlighted below:

› United Way: The nation’s largest non-profit, with over 1,300 local affiliates collected $3.9 billion in 2012 (Barrett, 2013). Notable Marketing Tactic: Automatic payroll deductions through thousands of companies and corporations (accounts for over 90% of total fundraising)

› Salvation Army: The perennial runner-up, the organization is technically a church, but is far better known for its worldwide aid efforts, which were helped along by the $1.7 billion raised last year (Barrett, 2013). Notable Marketing Tactic: Christmas season fundraising outside major retailers, and retail thrift shops provide physical presence throughout the year.

› Catholic Charities: The umbrella organization of all Catholic nonprofits brought in $1.6 billion in gifts in 2011 (Barrett, 2013). Notable Marketing Tactic: Boast that nearly 90 cents for every dollar raised goes to helping people and keeping their programs running, which is more than any other nonprofit in the country.

› Feeding America: The relative newcomer to the Top 5, the charity works through over 200 local food banks and raises $1.1 billion in donations, mostly food goods (Barrett, 2013). Notable Marketing Tactic: Partnered with many celebrities and received a lot of PR exposure via morning shows, talk shows and other media outlets – specifically The Rachael Ray Show and The Chew (both ABC daytime talk shows) have been huge supporters of Feeding America food drives/fundraisers.

These national nonprofits all face a similar environment – tough economic times mean

more people in need and less people to give. But they have all weathered the recession fairly well, with the United Way, Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, along with ARC remaining in the top five charities for the past several years. But that’s not to say it’s been an easy feat. While 2011 saw a 3.9% overall increase in charitable giving among American households, a Mashable survey showed that 65% of Americans polled said they expected to contribute the same amount as the previous year (Charitable Giving Statistics, 2012 & Sniderman, 2011). And it looks like they were right. While 2012 charitable giving increased 1.7%, human services, healthcare and international affairs organizations all saw small decreases year-over-year, according to a Blaubaud Idea Lab market research study (MacLaughlin, 2013).




Combine this with the fact that the American Red Cross faces competition from thousands of small charitable organizations, churches and local government programs, the full challenge is realized. The National Center for Charitable Statistics cites over 1.4 million registered nonprofit organizations in the U.S. alone, but few have the reputation, history and resources of the American Red Cross (NCCS, 2013).

Social service organizations continue to find it difficult to raise money in light of a tough economy and increased large-scale emergency situations. From natural disasters to terrorist attacks, the Red Cross is increasingly in need of a steady flow of monetary gift donations. According to ARC, 51% of the direct mail donor base, 26% of the online donor base and 46% of volunteers are aged 65 or older (Young Professionals Strategy, n.d.).

It could be assumed that the economy would be a significant challenge. But that doesn’t seem to be so. The issue is not the spending power of the cohort – they spend about $200 million annually – but rather it’s what they spend their money on (Kerwin, 2012). AdAge predicts that by 2017, Millennial’s will be outspending their parents, the Baby Boomers (Kerwin, 2012). Forbes says that the generation wants to be heard and they say “that more than half [of Gen Y consumers] say they would take a pay cut to work somewhere that is positively changing the world, 59% say that a company’s ethics and practices are important in deciding what brands to buy, and nearly one-third make it a point to buy from brands whose values are similar to their own” (Kessler, 2012). One of the key challenges for this campaign is to engage a younger audience, aged 22-35, of urban professionals through the Baby Boomers who dominate the nonprofit sector currently. Difference in styles, attitudes and communication methods will be a key to unlocking the power of the Millennial donor. But from primary online research, the main driver of “wanting to help someone in need” crosses generational barriers, and remains one of the strongest calls to actions for the American Red Cross (Blood Facts & Statistics, n.d.).

Three factors are important to both the donor and the organization, and provide some competitive edge when vying for donations from this coveted audience.

Charitable

Commitment,

Fundraising

Efficiency

Donor

Dependency


Let’s look at these factors in detail:

› Charitable Commitment: “This figures out how much of a charity’s total expense went directly to the charitable purpose (also known as program support or program expense), as opposed to management, certain overhead expenses and fundraising” (Barrett, 2012). This is important to a target audience that is very optimistic about their individual influence, and is passionate about wanting to make the world a better place (Kessler, 2012).

› Fundraising Efficiency: Millennials love to use technology to make life easier and more efficient. So, when they decide to give money, they want to ensure that the maximum amount is going towards the cause. The national average is 91%, meaning it costs 9 cents to raise $1, and so this campaign will strive to match or beat that average (Barrett, 2012).

› Donor Dependency: This measurement strives to tell donors what the organization actually needs from them immediately. “The average for the list is 84%, meaning that the typical charity was able to bank 16% of donations for the future” (Barrett, 2012). This campaign will strive to match the average, and the campaign messaging will address the need for preparedness and planning for future critical needs and disaster relief efforts (Barrett, 2012).

The opportunity outweighs the challenge, and throughout the following sections a

detailed look at the target audience, what drives them to give, and the integrated and interactive touchpoints needed to compel them to join the Red Cross family will be discussed in detail. Engagement is the key to action with this audience. Championing consumerism for a cause will increase the donor base, the monetary donations and begin to foster a new generation of Red Cross advocates.




There are 86 million Millennials in the United States, and the sheer size of the group has caused cities to implement massive efforts to keep their Millennial populations intact (El Nasser, 2012). This giant cohort will serve as the primary target for the ARC Integrated Marketing Communications plan. Their potential spending power and social influence are unmatched, and they represent the largest opportunity for the Red Cross in the coming years.

MILLENNIALS-AT-A-GLANCE: CONFIDENT. CONNECTED. OPEN TO CHANGE.

Main Dimension Segment Breakdown Geographic Metropolitan Areas Cities throughout the U.S.,

specifically on the Coasts (i.e. NY, DC, Boston, LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Miami)

Density Urban Demographics Age Cohort 22-35 Gender Male and Female Race White/Caucasian (primarily);

Hispanic, Asian, African American (secondary)

Life Stage Adult Birth Era Gen Y/Millennials Household Size 4-6 Residence Tenure Rents or Owns Socioeconomic Household Income $50,000+ Education Bachelor’s Degree or Greater Occupation High managerial, professional

or executive, creative Psychographic Personality Engaged, ambitious,

extroverted, tech-savvy, trend-dependent, family-centered, independent

Values Family/community-oriented, status-driven, money conscious, highly motivated

Product/Service Benefits Sought Ease of use, safe, socially conscious

Needs Value-for-price, safety guarantee, convenience, efficiency

Source: Wright, 2006




“Millennials are more tolerant than adults in other generations on a wide range of nontraditional behaviors related to marriage and parenting” (Millennials, 2010). In favor of legalizing gay marriage by 50% and 36% margins compared to Boomers and Gen X’ers respectively, this generation shows tolerance, but strikingly similar family values compared to generations older than them (Millennials, 2010). “In many of their lifestyle choices, Millennials are not much different from adults of other generations. And it’s often their ideology or socioeconomic status, rather than their age, that drives their behaviors” (Millennials, 2010). This means that there might not be as many barriers to influence from older generations as previously assumed. The younger end of the cohort believes that society will benefit from mothers and children working outside the home, while the older end skews much more negative on these topics (Millennials, 2010). Where only 62% of Millennials say their parents were married during their life, compared to 71% of Gen X and 85% of Boomers, Millennials view marriage as a positive influence on society (Millennials, 2010). But are much more willing than other generations to redefine what traditional marriage means, in favor of gay and interracial marriages (Millennials, 2010). With only 3-in-10 living with both parents during their life, this seems to have had little effect on the overall view of marriage. And while this generation showing signs of marrying later in life (only 21% of currently married), this tends to be associated more with time spent in higher education and career demands, rather than attitudes or perceptions about marriage itself (Millennials, 2010).

“According to RCLCO, 77% of Generation Y plans to live in an urban core” (Garner, 2012). This is because “downtowns typically have concentrations of both public spaces and so-called ‘third spaces’ such as coffee shops, taverns, and restaurants that provide opportunities for networking and the sharing of ideas. Downtown agglomerations of people engaged in similar industries or occupations also provide a critical mass for knowledge-spillovers” (Analysis, 2007). Realtors have noticed this trend among their Millennial first-time home buyers, as well (Garner, 2012). Equal numbers of males and females within this cohort are purchasing homes, mostly single family homes due to the affordability and home prices (Builder, 2010). 18% of these purchases were in urban centers (Garner, 2012), and 65% of those purchases are from individuals that “are younger than 35, with married couples making up a solid majority. Families with kids, both single




parents and couples, also predominate. But that still leaves a significant subset of solo home buyers” (Builder, 2010). Fewer than 20% of new homebuyers earn more than $100,000 annually, with one-third making between $50,000 and $75,000 per year (Builder, 2010). White/Caucasians still dominate the buying environment; however, Latinos are entering into home ownership faster than any other ethnic cohort (Fox News Latino, 2011). According to the 2010 U.S. Census, “Hispanic homeownership increased from 45.7 percent to 47.3 percent over the past 10 years, rising sharper than overall minority homeownership” (Fox News Latino, 2011). Necessary home lawn and garden care will extend to this group, who is known to be family-oriented, often with several small children in the household.

In a survey conducted among new homebuyers, practicality, frugality and family-oriented sentiments dominated. “Strong majorities agreed with statements such as, ‘Spending time at home with my family has become more important to me;’ ‘I’m spending money more cautiously now;’ and ‘I’m not going out as much, so my home is more important.’ And 94 percent agreed with the statement, “I don’t want to stretch my finances too much when buying a home” (Builder, 2010).

_________________________________________________

This cohort is active in the community, with the generation logging more community service hours than Gen X and the Baby Boomers combined. “Community service is part of their DNA. It's part of this generation to care about something larger than themselves,” according to Michael Brown, CEO of City Year (Stone, 2009). That call to something larger than themselves manifests in their everyday life. According to Pew, 57% of Millennials volunteer at least once within a 12-month period, more than any other generational cohort (Millennials, 2010). And the access they’ve had to the Internet has highly influenced their attitudes and perceptions towards corporations. Their eco-leaning tendencies come more from acceptance than from social activism.

Their preferences for environmentally friendly

products are notable, though. “In large numbers, they say they’re willing to spend $1,000, $5,000, or even $10,000 for energy upgrades (efficient windows are a popular choice, followed closely by high-performance HVAC and extra insulation). Far fewer say that they would spend money for




‘green’ upgrades such as recycled content or sustainably produced materials” (Builder, 2010). Visa notes that Gen Y consumers “value the opinions of strangers online as much or more so than they do those of immediate family and friends” (Baskin, 2012). Millennials often consult communities and groups of trusted sources before purchasing, so “successful branding starts with campaigns intended to develop understanding and consensus on the subjects related to their business activities” (Baskin, 2012).

They also tend to hesitate when making large purchases. However “while Gen Y consumers tend to delay traditional large purchases, they often do so in lieu of large expenditures on life experiences, such as travel or graduate degrees” (Baskin, 2012). They carry more debt than their parents, and see money as a tool and nothing more (Baskin, 2012). They are considerably less money motivated than Gen X, but that is in part because they sometimes benefit from wealthy Boomer parents (Baskin, 2012). However, they are quite money conscious, not easily swayed by traditional or emerging media. A lack of reliable disposable income, and how to overcome that, will play a big part in the strategy to engage and encourage this audience to donate. _________________________________________________

Gen Y consumers are highly engaged online and are native technology users. “Technology for them isn’t just embedded in their lives…it makes their communities part of every moment. Tech is therefore an exception and not necessarily a benefit, and it means automatic payments and subscription models are popular with this cohort” (Baskin, 2012). Mobile is a huge contributor to these trends, with 66% of them owning smartphones, compared to 53% for Gen X and 28% for Boomers (The State of Mobile America, 2012).

“More than one in four Gen Y respondents (29

percent) say they check their smartphones so constantly that they lose count” (Cisco, 2012). In addition, their usage of social media tools outpaces every other major advertising cohort. 91% share their locations publically via Facebook and/or Four Square (Walter, 2012). 40% visit Facebook more than 10 times per day, the majority of those being on their smartphone or tablet (Walter, 2012). 58% say they use Twitter “all the time,” and 76% spend more than an hour daily on Facebook (Walter, 2012). Despite these facts, 73% of Gen Y consumers said they only consider someone they hang out with in the real-world a “friend,” but admitted




that social media plays an important role in their day-to-day decision and purchase making (Walter, 2012).

Despite this connectedness, “Gen Y is the hard-to-

reach but free-spending generation” (Horovitz, 2002). USA Today says the smartest marketers have stopped trying to reach this generation in a mass way (Horovitz, 2002). And because of that approach, for the past decade, this cohort has become increasingly expectant of personalized and customized experiences. “This generation values individuality, as long as they’re still considered part of the group,” but they are considerably less concerned about portraying an image seen as ‘fake,’ compared to the previous generation (Nahai, 2013). The need for convenience and efficiency continually manifest themselves in this generation’s driving influence of ecommerce growth, and 80% of those surveyed by simpatico* said they would prefer to donate via a website (Appendix A, 2013). _________________________________________________

According to Forrester’s Social Technographic profile

generator, 70% of this cohort identifies as Joiners and 79% are Spectators (Forrester Social Technographics Tool, 2013). While they tend to be highly engaged online, social incentives will be needed to help move them from prospect to donor. _________________________________________________

As noted earlier, Millennials log more volunteer hours than any other generational cohort. Volunteerism is a large part of many school curricula, and plays a big role on many college campuses throughout the country. Increases in crises times and natural disasters have spurred continuous volunteering, and according to the onlinr survey conducted by simpatico* over a two week period in May 2013, the “desire to help someone in need” was the most important motivating factor in deciding if to donate.

But don’t assume that this generation will give just

because an organization has a social media presence. According to a 2010 Millennial Donor Study, over 2,200 Millennials were polled about their giving habits. “The results of the survey show a generation definitely connected by technology and social media, but more inspired to give and volunteer by personal engagement and human connections. These results would suggest that nonprofit organizations seeking to tap into this new generation of donors will need to




redesign their solicitation and engagement processes, treating these new givers more like their older peers in an effort that will not deliver a quick return on investment but will reward the organization over time” (Millennial Donors, 2010).

Nearly all respondents said social media was an

important day-to-day activity, but they identified in-person interactions (91% said they were likely to respond) and email (93% say they prefer this method) as the leading ways they wished to be contacted about donation opportunities (Millennial Donors, 2010). Nearly 72% don’t need to volunteer for the organization before they donate, but 86% want to know details about the organization and what the donations will be used for prior to donating (Millennial Donors, 2010). To find out what that work involves, they are likely to go to the web first with 86% saying they would perform a Google search, while only 17% said they would ask someone or contact the organization. However, 74% said they would interested enough to find out more if they were asked to donate by a friend or family member, while co-workers only had that kind of influence 37% of the time. When asked if they would act as ambassadors for an organization, 71% said they would communicate with family and friends about the ways to be involved and the work that was being done (Millennial Donors, 2010). _________________________________________________

“Millennials want to make it clear that they should not

be taken for granted, and can play an important leadership role, even if they can’t commit a lot financially right now,” according to the Millennial Impact Report (Charitable Giving, 2012). 75% of Millennials donated money to causes in 2011. 90% of Young Professionals say they are interested in the Red Cross (Young Professional Marketing Strategy, n.d.). To accomplish this, we need to expand the relationship of the deeply engaged 1% to begin to foster positive brand awareness and top-of-mind status.

Recently, an online survey was conducted with the

target audience in the greater Philadelphia metropolitan area. Below are some of the key findings from this research:

› Young Urban Professionals would prefer to donate either online or in-person, and do not prefer social media as a fundraising tool.




› Young Urban Professionals have a favorable opinion of the American Red Cross, with 70% of Millennials responding favorably.

› Young Urban Professionals are more passionate about giving to a cause, and would be more willing to buy a product that benefits the American Red Cross.

_________________________________________________

Parents and other family members, kids, volunteers,

social networks, search engines, associates/co-workers, media.

_________________________________________________

Image and status-driven, but frugal and socially

conscious team players, they would rather spend discretionary money on activities or entertainment (creating an ‘experience’), so value is important. But they are not opposed to giving of time or money to worthwhile causes they are educated about or are involved in. The welfare and safety of their children, pets and community is priority, which manifests in their commitment to local community service and causes.


ARC prides itself of education and brand stewardship throughout its 550 local chapters

and around the world. With over 500,000 volunteers and 30,000 employees in 187 countries, there are no better brand advocates than the ones on the front lines (What We Do, 2013). These individuals embody all major audiences, from Board of Directors to local chapter management to Millennials and Boomers alike; their effect is real and lasting. And their influence on this campaign cannot be underestimated. If they are not excited about this, no one else will care to get involved either. Staying within budget and maximizing impact largely depends on this group’s buy-in to the overall strategy and tactics.

Brand enthusiasts. They are the “real” people bringing the message, services and products into their local neighborhoods and around the world. Their work is a testament and a reflection of the organization, and their vast networks of contacts make them the perfect brand advocates for this campaign.

Peers, managers, volunteers, Board of Governors,

families and friends.

For employees, job security and pride is important. For volunteers, feeling good about the work they’re doing, and feeling rewarded for the time they’re giving, is crucial. They all want to be seen as valuable members of their families and communities.

The media and other organizations, competitive and otherwise, always serve as a

peripheral audience to any campaign. Reliance on the media to talk about the campaign and influence public opinion is always considered. Competitive intel will be used throughout the planning and execution process to encourage a positive, efficient and profitable result.




A 16 question online survey was conducted by simpatico* among 22-35

year-olds in the Philadelphia metro area to gauge perceptions and attitudes toward the American Red Cross, as a supplement to the secondary brand research conducted. The survey was open from May 25 to June 8, 2013.

The survey garnered 49 responses with 65% of them from female participants and 35%

from male participants. The key findings are below:

The responses were used as part of the brand image and positioning research in the

following sections. See Appendix A for complete list of questions and responses.

75% of Millennials have a favorable

opinion of the American Red

Cross

Online, 25% would be likely to donate to the American Red Cross without prompt in the next 12 months

• 39% would donate as part of an event or a fundraiser

• 32% would donate under the influence of a family member or friend

Half of Millennials said they would be more willing to purchase a product that benefited the Red Cross

• 70% of respondents said they would have the same opinion of Red Cross, regardless of what they might do




Telling the stories of the American Red Cross in meaningful ways has been attempted

through a variety of means, in multiple platforms and campaigns throughout the organization’s history. Current marketing efforts combine print, television, digital, social and mobile marketing to reach donors, volunteers, supporters and those who their services could help most. All aim to increase awareness of the organization and the work it’s doing, so donations of time and money can continue to provide valuable goods and services to the people they serve.

As a nonprofit, ARC utilizes Public Service

Announcement (PSA) ads to boost donations, increase awareness and manage their reputation. In 2012, their Storytellers campaign launched a series of PSA’s like the ones below. “The ads, which tell the stories of people across the country, show the entire scope of the organization’s work: blood collection and supply; support to America’s military families; help to vulnerable communities around the world; disaster relief; and health and safety training and education” (News & Events, 2012).

Red Cross PSA

Photo courtesy: 2012 Annual Report




In conjunction with the PSA’s, several TV ads were released. “The Red Cross enlisted 300 storytellers—people helped by the organization’s five lines of service—and gave them cameras, film and one task: tell their Red Cross stories” (News & Events, 2012). The results were powerful firsthand accounts of the ways in which the Red Cross touches the lives of countless Americans, from all walks of life and in all parts of the country. Several feature the beneficiaries of the services saying “Thank you” to those who donated, and encouraging the ongoing support of the Red Cross and the programs that helped them.

_________________________________________________

Through display banners, search engine optimization and websites, the Red Cross encourages monetary donations and ongoing support for its programs and services (Disaster Relief Web Banners, 2013). Mainly during times of need, the calls to action surround a specific event, crisis or movement that demands attention and resources. Recently, a set of Storytellers banners were released for raising monetary donations in non-crisis times (see below). In addition, they have an Online Donation Program that allows companies, organizations and individuals to raise money for the Red Cross.

_________________________________________________

In keeping with their commitment to partnering with brands and organizations that support their mission, the American Red Cross has several social media campaigns that help raise money for their programs. Good Search, Social Vest, Shopkick, and Social Vibe all give money to the Red Cross when users download, install or utilize their online

Red Cross Disaster and Storytellers Web Banners Photo courtesy: RedCross.org, 2013

http://american.redcross.org/site/PageServer?pagename=gen_visitor_donation_program&JServSessionIdr004=vu0x3pa3j1.app296b




tools. In addition, Red Cross has a presence on Facebook (527k likes, 2013), Twitter (978k followers, 2013), Pinterest (1.7k followers, 2013), Google+ (245k followers, 2013), YouTube (12k subscribers, 2013), and their blog (blog.redcross.org, 2013). The reach of these tools begins to expose a new level of social engagement with the donors, employees, volunteers and potential supports of the organization.

In addition to their social presence, ARC has also made an effort to use social media to coordinate and aid in relief efforts. Launched in 2012, the Digital Operations Center helps manage volunteer programs and coordinate response efforts during disasters, particularly when victims may be without or unable to reach many forms of communication. “The Digital Operations Center demonstrates the increasing importance of social media in emergency situations. The launch of a Digital Volunteer program will help Red Cross respond to questions and information from the public during disasters” (Clolery, 2012). The Center was founded in partnership with Dell (Clolery, 2012). _________________________________________________

In recent years, the Red Cross has implemented mobile apps and tools that allow individuals and organizations to access important information, learn about the Red Cross, donate, and stay up-to-date with disaster relief resources. For example, after the Japan Tsunami, the Red Cross used its iconic logo as part of a mobile QR code (fitting, since QR codes originated in Japan nearly a decade ago) campaign to raise money for affected families and communities (Hirasuna, 2011). When Sandy hit, the Red Cross put a text messaging campaign in action to raise money for relief efforts.


The American Red Cross’s brand positioning has

evolved over time. As one of the nation’s top humanitarian organizations, their positioning has often shifted to best fit the needs of the times. However, ARC has attempted to carry several core values into their market positioning: capable compassion and comfort in times of crisis.

To do this, they have utilized the revamped version of

the button. The iconic button symbolizes “the personal participation of volunteers, employees and supporters in the Red Cross mission. This new identity is designed to appeal to both long-time Red Cross supporters as well as an entirely new generation of volunteers and donors, who are eager to show their affiliation with the organization” (American Red Cross Unveils New Brand Identity, 2012).

This hasn’t gone far enough, though. For the Young

Urban Professionals, the values they portray have been seen as good qualities being carried through in good work – as referenced by the 70% favorable opinion of the American Red Cross. But there is a distinct lack of personal connection for this audience to the reach of the Red Cross’s work. The bulk of the donations, as they see it, go toward running blood drives (29% of online survey responses) or helping those affected by national crises or natural disasters (54% of online survey responses). Very little, as far as they are concerned, goes to helping those in their communities, their networks, their lives – whether near of far. It’s not a matter of needing every campaign to be close in geography, but rather to champion causes close to their hearts.

71% of survey respondents say the main reason they donate money to a nonprofit is “a desire to help someone in need.” This is consistent with the background research conducted on this target audience, and it begins to reveal the places where the most difference can be made. In research published in the Journal of Marketing Research, it is shown that “an important aspect of a brand’s position…is how similar or different the brand is perceived to be compared to other brands in the same category” (Sujan & Bettman, 1989, p. 454). When looking at the competitive landscape, the ARC brand elements come into play. “Brand elements, sometimes called brand identities, are those trademarkable devices that

Memorability

Meaningfulness

Likability

Transferability

Adaptability

Protectability




serve to identify and differentiate the brand” (Keller, 2008, p. 140). For ARC, building the literal cross as a solo representation of the brand took time, and many iterations of it have graced the pages of magazines, newspapers, TVs and online over the past 130+ years. All of Keller’s criteria – memorability, meaningfulness, likability, transferability, adaptability, protectability - for selecting brand elements have been exercised, leading to natural brand extensions, expansions and partnerships across the ARC’s storied history (Keller, 2008).

While the Red Cross has successfully created their brand elements based around these criteria, they have not adequately communicated the greater brand image to this target market. Where the Red Cross sees relief and aid for those affected by a mass of everyday crises/disasters, Millennials see big picture, high-profile events – and while they care about those events, they feel a level of disconnect with the overall call to action. Creating the brand personality and communicating brand image are two of the hardest goals to accomplish. Essentially it’s trying to communicate experience, without dictating that experience. And experience is held and protected by consumers/donors. It’s personal and individual, and it’s incredibly difficult to communicate a personal message through a mass advertisement. But “a well communicated image should help establish a brand’s position, insulate the brand from competition, and therefore enhance the brand’s market performance” (Park, Jaworski & MacInnis, 1986, p. 135).

To accomplish this, the IMC strategy and the recommended tactics will serve to protect

its image as the national hero in times of crisis, but it will expand that positioning to portray it as a champion of the everyday American – and the causes that touch their lives.




According to the current ARC Brand Standards (2012), the Red Cross brand is

authentic, straightforward, engaging, confident and visionary. The tone is described as uplifting, empowering, inviting and personal. The Young Urban Professional, while relating to some of these attributes, do not connect with the current Red Cross message. Because of this, simpatico* is recommending that the IMC campaign focuses on these four traits to attract a new generation of donors:

1. Inspiring (from Uplifting): To uplift means temporary buy-in, but to inspire means

actionable change and long-term attention. 15% of the online survey respondents said they couldn’t recall the nature of the last Red Cross communication they encountered. 83% said it either focused on blood donation or disaster relief. The reality is, because of the current marketing language, it would be unlikely that potential donors could identify anything else without seeing it again. The combination of the lack of compelling content and lack of visibility is contributing to low Gen Y donation levels. In a time when everyone is an author and publisher, it’s not actually the individuals that have the power. It’s the organizations “that have the greatest opportunity to create valuable content that makes an impact on people. Smart organizations are doing it now. More will come” (Linn, 2013). The time is now for the American Red Cross. It’s time to tap into the target audience and drive their actions through compelling content that shows, doesn’t tell, the life changing stories of the Red Cross and its work in their neighborhoods and around the world. The audience is impressionable, and with little to no long-term relationships built with organizations, it’s time to begin a relationship with them (Slaughter, 2009).

2. Dynamic (from Empowering): As the target market research showed, the need to effect change is a top priority for Millennials. That cannot be achieved without being dynamic, and allowing the target to see the fluidity and drive that keeps the Red Cross the world’s largest humanitarian network. Today, the Red Cross is seen as making a difference to victims. But what about everyday people? The campaign will focus on expanding the perception of change happening as a result of Red Cross work, big and small. “A desire to help someone in need” overwhelming came out on top in the online survey as the key motivator for monetary donating. CNBC published a feature on Millennial traits and said, “Millennials want to donate to charities, save the world. Really” (Wee, 2013). Nothing in the current ARC arsenal adequately taps into this big emotional driver.

3. Inclusive (from Inviting): “The Millennial Generation is by far the most analyzed, most marketed to and most intriguing generation to date. It is a generation that is comprised of individuals who are extremely ambitious and not only have high expectations for themselves, but also for those around them including their friends, families, communities and brands” (Millennial Cause Study, 2006). As a result, they have developed a strong social conscience that’s amplified by




technology (Millennial Case Study, 2006). Brands wanting to impact them need to impact their communities, online and offline. As previously mentioned, Gen Y consumers are notoriously cautious about large purchases. Frugal yet open, it’s an oxymoron on paper, but a great opportunity if exploited. For a segment of the population that relies heavily on peer recommendations, influence can build and expand quickly. Getting a hook in their communities, through communications pieces as well as real people (friends, family members, volunteers, etc.) is the key to getting buy-in.

4. Accountable (from Personal): The way to a Millennial is through a cause. “94% of Millennials find cause marketing acceptable, with 53% buying a product that has benefited a cause over the last year. Equally, a company’s support towards social or environmental issues has influenced where 87% of Millennials will work and where 79% of them will invest” (Petrusa, 2010). In addition to these statistics, 14% of survey respondents say that American Red Cross could “care more about the issues that matter to me” and 21% say they could “offer more local events” as ways to improve opinion of the organization among 22-35 year-olds. All of that adds up to a generation wanting to be accountable for their influence, and want the brands and organizations they support to share in that accountability. This trait will help center the Red Cross in the work it does, so as to avoid any issues of unclear donation practices.

The ability to disseminate inspiring content and to effect change in communities support

the idea of driving donations for a cause – and be accountable to the people that help make it a reality. This allows the Red Cross to protect and foster their disaster relief and blood drive roots, while growing new branches into areas of interest and passion among the most powerful, yet untapped market in the United States. The American Red Cross, through this IMC campaign, will begin to evolve their brand image to

one that is…




(Source: Brand Standards, 2012)

Be a part of a life-changing

experience

When emergencies

strike, the Red Cross mobilizes

the power of volunteers and

the generosity of donors to alleviate

pain and human suffering

When you rise up to meet the challenge,

everyone's lives are changed,

including your own

Be a part of a life-changing experience

You don't have to wait for an emergency to strike to help someone in

need

Red Cross makes it easy for you to experience life-

changing moments every

day in your community and the around the

world




In order to strategize and prioritize the target audience findings, competitive insights and brand assets from a strategic standpoint, the following SWOT analysis is presented for the American Red Cross’s internal use. A SWOT analysis helps provide the structured analysis needed to determine the strategic approach to increasing monetary donations among Young Urban Professionals.

The following strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats represent the key elements that will drive the IMC campaign. To see the graphical representation of the following complete SWOT Analysis, please see the next page.

Long history Strong mission with established values

Recognized as a premier emergency response organization Robust volunteer base with active local chapters, many of which are in urban centers

Nationwide reach Positive perception among Millennials

High earned public trust

ARC advertising not effective among Millennials Negative perception of how ARC funds are allocated

No excitement or engagement in brand personality among Millennials Lack of everyday visibility among Millennials Work seen as “from afar” among Millennials

Lack of recruitment among Millennials at local and national level

Millennials are passionate about making a difference in the world High percentage of Millennials live in urban centers that often benefit from Red Cross services

Minimal competition for Young Professionals among nonprofits Millennials trust brands that openly communicate with them/have high visibility

Millennials are more likely to purchase something that benefits a cause

Millennials are ‘busier’ and more stressed than other generations Some competitors make donating easier (i.e. payroll deductions, on-campus volunteerism, etc.)

Budgetary limitations and concerns are top reasons Millennials don’t donate more money No current disaster or critical need

Millennials’ frugality/hesitation to make discretionary purchases




To determine what elements have the greatest impact on the IMC campaign, the

following prioritization analysis, using a scale of 0 (low) to 3 (high), is presented:

Prioritizing the SWOT

Harm if not addressed

Benefit if leveraged

Cost to ARC Total

Strengths › Long history 0 1 1 2 › Strong mission & values 0 3 2 5 › Premier ER organization 0 2 2 4 › Robust volunteers in metros 0 3 3 6 › Nationwide reach 0 3 3 6 › Positive perception among

YP’s 0 3 3 6

› Trustworthy 0 2 3 5 Weaknesses

› Ineffective advertising 3 0 3 6 › Negative perception about

donation allocations 1 0 2 3

› Dull brand personality 2 0 2 4 › Lack of visibility 2 0 2 4 › Lack of personal effect 3 0 3 6 › Lack of local recruitment 2 0 2 4

Opportunities › Passion for making a

difference 0 3 3 6

› High % of YP’s living in major metros

0 3 2 5

› Minimal competition for donations

0 1 2 3

› Trust easily earned through communication

0 2 2 4

› Purchasing for a cause 0 3 3 6 Threats

› Busy & stressed 1 0 1 2 › Ease of donating to

competitors 1 0 1 2

› Budgetary limitations 3 0 3 6 › No current disaster 2 0 2 4 › Lack of discretionary

purchases 1 0 2 3




Looking at the prioritization chart, the following IMC campaign will focus its marketing communications strategy and tactics on the areas where opportunity and needs overlap. In doing so, the American Red Cross can expect to: LEVERAGE THEIR MOST FORMIDABLE STRENGTHS:

› Its positive brand perception among Young Urban Professionals… › Strengthened by its nationwide reach… › Through its robust and large network of volunteers

TO MITIGATE THEIR MOST CRITICAL WEAKNESSES:

› Its ineffective advertising that results in… › The lack of personal effect the organization has on its potential Millennial donors

TO CAPITALIZE ON THEIR MOST PROMISING OPPORTUNITIES:

› Millennials’ passion for making a difference in the world, and their willingness to… › Make purchases that support or proceed a cause

TO COUNTER THEIR MOST CRITICAL THREATS:

› The budgetary limitations of Millennial professionals

These elements portray a target market willing to donate, and more able to do so than they think. They can make a difference, and the American Red Cross will not only show them how, but will provide the most attractive and worthwhile ways of doing so through innovative communication, by creating a personal experience and giving them something worthwhile in which to invest their self and their money.




Client: American Red Cross Project: IMC Campaign Why are we advertising? To raise $50 million in monetary donations over 12 months. Who are we talking to? To 22-35 year old Young Urban Professionals. What do they currently think? The Red Cross helps those in need, but I can’t afford to make a difference with my limited funds. What would we like them to think? I can help someone in need easily through the American Red Cross. My donation is the key to making positive change happen in my community and around the world. What is the single most persuasive idea we can convey? Making a donation is easy, takes less than 30 seconds, and makes a lasting impact on their community and the world. No other organization does as much good as the American Red Cross. Why should they believe it? Because the Red Cross is the largest humanitarian network in the world. They respond to over 70,000 crises each year in the US neighborhoods alone, most of them being for individuals or families. What is the personality we want to portray? Respected and connected. Inspiring, yet grounded. Youthful and spirited. In-touch with the community, with a pulse on the world’s heartbeat. Are there any creative guidelines? Red (CMYK: 0,94,98,0) and white are the ARC colors, as designated by the organization, and should be used throughout the campaign. The Button logo family, as designated on page 23 in Brand Standards, is to be used for all non-disaster communications. Alternatively, the Classic logo family can be used in marketing pieces where it is more appropriate to the design. Mobile banners (120x20, 168x28, 216x36, 300x50 pixels), SEM/text ads, web banners (250x250, 120x90, 468x60 and 160x600 pixels), 4-color full page and half-page print ads, mobile app, responsive website, social media, :30 and :60 radio and TV spots, guerilla digital and interactive pieces, recyclable direct mail and promotional materials will be needed.




On July 9, 2013, six Millennials (three male, three female) aged 22-35 gathered at the

Usability Lab at simpatico* Interactive’s studio and participated in a 90 minute focus group centered around their opinions, attitudes and perceptions of the Red Cross, in addition to their feedback regarding some of the creative executions for the Better with Red campaign.

Focus Group Participants I Bethlehem, PA I July 9, 2013

Erin B. Female, 22 years-old, Administrative Asst. Chelsea G. Female, 30 years-old, Business Analyst › Scot W. Male, 26 years-old, Financial Planner

› Becky B. Female, 34 years-old, Office Manager › William G. Male, 35 years-old, Army Veteran › Steve T. Male, 26 years-old, Graphic Designer

The first part of the focus group centered around their attitudes toward the Red Cross.

The key findings are below:

All had a favorable opinion of Red Cross

Will: "They helped me when my Dad got sick and I was in Afghanistan."

Chelsea: "I took CPR and First Aid Training from the Lehigh Valley branch. Everyone was so nice."

Scot: "They're the first ones in when an emergency strikes - no matter where it is."

Impact of donation and lingering negative perceptions about

organization's size did come up.

Erin: "I heard they used 80% of Sandy donations to pay their employees."

Will: "I don't hear anything from our local chapter. But the Regional Director gets paid like several hundred thousand dollars."

Steve: "I have no idea where to go if I even want to give to

the Red Cross."

This resonated with all the participants, and they all acknowledged they'd want to do more, but don't know how. It wasn't just Red Cross specific. It was for any organization. They were unanimous that NO ONE is trying to talk to them currently, but they really do want to be involved.




Next, eight creative executions were presented and the group reflected on each, what it meant, how it could help them get involved and what (if anything) they would change. See Appendix B for the complete Moderator’s Guide. Some of the key findings that were used for the revised creative executions are:

› “I love the idea of a Summer Series. That’s something that really speaks to

me, and the poster reminds me of all that cool, crafty, hip stuff I see on Pinterest.” –Chelsea

› “$25 is absolutely reasonable. I think you could even get $40 or $50 depending on the music act you book.” – Scot

› “I don’t totally get the ‘rose-colored dream’ thing. It needs to be featured more heavily on the site as a contest. I want to know what it’s all about.” - Steve

› “I want as many ways to vote [for the Rose Colored Glasses campaign] as possible. I like the texting. I feel like I would do that if I saw one of the videos or heard one of my friend’s entered.” – Erin

› “Agree with Erin. It gets charged to my phone bill, so I don’t have to worry about having the money on me right that minute. “ – Will

› “It would be cool if the Red Cross used the microsite to give me updates or alerts about emergencies. Maybe they could do event notifications, too?” – Becky

› “I want to talk to a real person. That’s why I like these Summer Series events.” – Scot

› “You should definitely use a sports guy for this [ESPN ad].” - Erin › About the M&M’s ad: “I love this. This is so happy, and joyful. And everything

else they [Red Cross] put out is so serious.” – Erin › About the M&M’s ad: “This is a great idea. And it’s easy then. You get candy,

instead of just a line on your receipt like some other charities do at grocery stores.” – Will

› About the M&M’s ad: “I would feel less guilty about eating M&M’s!” – Becky › About the M&M’s ad: “More worth it than other offers, in my mind.” – Steve

Some general creative and marketing tips gathered from the session, include:

› Events give the Red Cross a new, active, positive face. This makes it seem like the Red Cross wants to be involved in the community.

› Summer Series could be expanded to sports/fitness events with different challenges and tournaments (like Color Run, Tough Mudder, etc.).

› Sweepstakes are great ways to get Millennials to give up info, but it has to be easy to enter.

› They wanted to connect locally to people, the branch and they wanted their experience with all the pieces to reflect that local focus.

For the last part of the focus group, simpatico* asked participants to anonymously write a newspaper headline about what they just saw (the ads, microsite, etc.). A few of the headlines:

› “A Red New World: The American Red Cross Takes a Fresh Approach toward Promoting a Positive View through its Summer Series Events”

› “The Red Cross’s youth movement has gone viral!” › “Red Cross local events coming to your community!” › “The Red Cross is targeting a younger crowd, and needs my donation.”




Raise $50 million in monetary donations among Young Urban Professionals (22-35 year olds) over a 12-month period (September 2013 through August 2014). To achieve this marketing objective, simpatico* proposes the following media plan. In media planning, reach, frequency and continuity are mixed to create the optimal environment for desired results (Laisemon, n.d.). This plan carries the integrated strategy through a core idea into each of the touchpoints, and throughout all of the communications to Millennial professionals, as well as the ARC’s current employee, volunteer, management and donor base. Expanding upon the “Club Red” initiative (Young Professional Marketing Strategy, n.d.) already being used to engage Young Urban Professionals, the core message for this IMC campaign is:

The Better with Red Campaign sets out to accomplish three Communications Objectives that work together to achieve the Marketing Objective of $50mm in monetary donations. The three Communications Objectives are:

1. Reach 80% of Millennial professionals living in urban centers at least 5 times per month over the 12-month campaign in an interactive and participative way; to encourage involvement, engagement and sharing with their family, friends and communities.

2. Increase American Red Cross brand awareness by 15% in first 6 months, and 25% by the end of 12 months, for two of the top non-national disaster/blood-related services: individual/family aid and safety preparedness. Raise 40% of goal ($20 mm).

3. Achieve 50% top-of-mind donation preference for American Red Cross among Young Urban Professionals in 6 months with at least 25% of target donating more than once within 12-month period. Raise 40% of goal ($20 mm).

Media Plan Budget Summary

Media Type Budget Social Media $1.4 mm › Broadcast Media $1.2 mm

› Digital & Mobile Media $1.4 mm › Direct/Outside of Home/Guerrilla $2.0 mm




Reach 80% of Millennial professionals living in urban centers at least 5 times per month over the 12-month campaign in an interactive and participative way to encourage involvement, engagement and sharing with their family, friends and communities. Targeted Cohorts: Young Urban Professionals, Current Millennial Donors

Rationale: “For the effectiveness of a media plan, and the media choices within that plan, to be evaluated, a common method of measurement must be used. One of those forms of measurement is reach and frequency” (Importance of Reach, 2005). Reach is the first step in effecting change and action among this target. The tactics skew heavily digital, as this is the battleground for Millennials’ attention. Current Millennial Donors play a key role in recruiting prospects, and also represent the 1% of highly engaged brand advocates. Since Millennials rely heavily on the influence of others online, that 1% will be used heavily to drive and disperse the message amongst their varied yet qualified communities.

Tactics:

› Facebook campaign – Post 2-3 times daily about “Better with Red” events, news, offerings and contests going on throughout the country. Sponsor 20 ads per month geographically based on other tactics.

› Twitter campaign – Post 2-3 times daily about “Better with Red” events, news, offerings and contests going on throughout the country. Sponsor 20 ads per month geographically based on other tactics.

› Instagram campaign – Employees, volunteers and internal marketing will provide 1-2 images/videos per day about the impact of the “Better with Red” campaign.

› #BetterWithRed hashtag campaign on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – The public will use the hashtag to submit feedback, questions, images, and videos about how the Red Cross is making their life better, changing their community and helping those in need. Ask several celebrities who have supported Red Cross in the past to help get the hashtag trending, including: Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Jackie Chan, Heidi Klum, LL Cool J, Demi Lovato, Eli Manning, Darius Rucker and others from the Celebrity Cabinet (2013). Feature the Celebrity Cabinet members on the BetterWithRed.com microsite. Leverage the retweets and shares to build momentum – the hashtag will be featured prominently in many other digital assets. To minimize endorsement costs, celebrity sharing will be the extent of their involvement.




Creative Execution: Social media (Facebook) cover photo

› FourSquare Better with Red Check-In Challenge – Over half of Millennials get vigorous exercise daily at a fitness club or gym, and 91% of them share their location check-ins via FourSquare publically, so a sweepstakes is a great way to leverage both of those behaviors to draw awareness for Red Cross (Abraham, 2011). Users who check-in to health clubs, schools, fitness centers, etc. that use Red Cross services (first aid training, babysitting services, lifeguard training…) will be entered to win one of (5) $2,500 Visa Gift Cards. In addition to posting a complete list of participating spots on the microsite, and getting the Red Cross button to be visible at all participating locations within the FourSquare app, table tents like the one to the right will be used at the locations to promote participation. Creative Execution: Check-In Challenge table tent (right)




› Pinterest campaign – Post 1-2 inspirational photos or quotes per week about helping in the community, safety preparedness or other Red Cross services. In each image and caption, have a bit about how Red Cross makes these things possible and how to get involved. Link to Better with Red microsite. Since Pinterest’s Rules of Etiquette don’t support blatant self-promotion, this is a good way to touch Millennials without hard-selling, which is their preferred method of learning about a brand (Schultz, 2011).

› :15 and :30 commercial (TV, YouTube and Hulu) – Even though only 17% of Millennials said a TV ad prompted an action/purchase, for ARC, it's about brand building (Abraham, 2011). And, for this audience, a pulsing strategy will be used, which is where the brand is "woven into the story line - not too overt, not too in your face," which is proven to increase brand retention by as much as 8 to 10% (Daye, 2010). 90% of Millennials use up to three connected devices at any time daily (Sterling, 2012). Because of this, the Better with Red spot will be featured on traditional TV for the first nine weeks of the campaign, and then a mash-up of the 5 videos from the national finalists for the Rose-Colored Glasses Contest will be placed on popular video streaming sites like YouTube and Hulu during the national vote period to encourage voting (which requires a donation). Creative Execution: Script for :30 Better with Red General Campaign Spot

Shot # Shot Type Duration Description

1 Image reel of

cityscapes

through rose-

colored glasses

:04 Narrator: If you could change the world, would you?

2 CU: Millennial

Male –

Caucasian

:02 Jake: I would.

3 CU: Millennial

Female –

Spanish

:02 Natalie: I would.

4 CU: Millennial

Female –

African

American

:02 Brandon: I would.

5 CU: Millennial

Females –

Caucasian

:03 Jess & Jill: We would.

6 MS: City skyline :02 Narrator: So, let’s be better.

7 LS: Cast sitting

together talking,

laughing

:03 Narrator: The American Red Cross shares

your passion for making your communities




8 CU: Natalie

smiling, playing

with kids

:01 Text on screen: happier,

9 CU: Brandon

teaching swim

lessons

:01 Text on screen: healthier,

10 Image: light

breaking over

city skyline,

rose-color goes

away

:02 Text on screen: safer, (fades out and is

replaced by…)

Text on screen: better. (fades out)

11 Various shots of

Millennial cast

doing good in

their community,

wearing Red

Cross apparel

:03 Narrator: Better has never been so easy.

12 Blank screen

with American

Red Cross button

logo centered

:05 Text on screen: To make a difference in your

town, visit BetterWithRed.com to get

involved or text BETTER to 90112 to donate

$10 to the Red Cross.

Free gift when you donate today.

Life is #BetterWithRed

Creative Execution: Sponsoring a show on Hulu




› Digital & Mobile ads – Millennials are connected constantly. So, digital and mobile ads will be created for their apps and websites of choice, like ESPN.com, Pandora Radio and on other various lifestyle and shopping websites (see Integrated Communications Flow Chart for complete list of publications, websites and mobile apps), which represent popular digital outlets among 22-35 year olds according to a Flurry Analytics study released just this month (Perez, 2013).

o Banner ads – typical static banner ads to appear on websites and mobile sites o Home screen blowout– above the fold experience, where the Red Cross will

have large pop-out advertisement on sites like People.com, ESPN.com and HuffingtonPost.com

o Companion ad – where the video spots can be embedded, a companion banner ad will appear to the right or left. When video is finished playing, the companion ad will remain

Creative Execution: Digital ads (home screen blowout & mobile banner)

Focus Group Finding: All participants saw value in using a Celebrity Cabinet member to raise awareness and participation for the Rose-Colored Glasses Contest. In this case, Eli Manning was used in a homepage blowout ad for ESPN.com.




Increase American Red Cross brand awareness by 15% in the first 6 months, and 25% by the end of 12 months, for two of the top non-national disaster/blood-related services: individual/family aid and safety preparedness. Raise 40% of goal ($20 mm). Targeted Cohorts: Current Boomer Donors, Red Cross Volunteers, Red Cross Employees, Young Urban Professionals

Rationale: Almost all cohorts are targeted for this objective because awareness is a top down effort. Empowering from within is key to building a positive brand image on an individual basis. “Your employees can collectively play a major role in spreading the word about your brand” (Whitaker, 2013). The mix of internal, out-of-home and guerilla tactics connect the Red Cross to everyday life, and is as critical a touch point for current employees/volunteers, as it is for Millennials. Current Millennial donors will be key to recruiting some new prospects through the Club Red events and through social media. From employee training and buy-in to word-of-mouth influence of current Baby Boomer donors, achieving this objective will be through combined efforts throughout the entire organization and beyond.

Tactics:

› Mailer to current Boomer Donors – Engaging and motivating the huge Boomer base is of utmost importance to building awareness and preference among Millennials. “The research we gathered for The Millennials showed that Millennials (those born between 1980 and 2000) are strongly connected to their parents. We cited how important family is to this generation. Indeed there is not a close second in importance. Family was deemed really important in life by 61 percent of the Millennials. The second most important factor was friends, at only 25 percent” (Rainer, 2013). Because of this connection, there is actually no one better suited to bring the Millennials into the Red Cross family than their parents and family. The mailer serves to direct vital information needed to do this direct to the Boomer parents. It will highlight upcoming events geared towards their kids, like the “Club Red” events, and also social media because, despite common perception, Boomers are very active online like their kids. “78 percent report using the internet, and those that do spend an average of 39 hours a month online. So while print-based initiatives are still the top option for direct marketing campaigns directed at Baby Boomers, marketers would be remiss in not also adopting digital options. [Marketers should] move more dollars into digital media and start connecting with boomer consumers online—and then [use] the traditional media that we know works as support around those campaigns” (Direct Marketing, 2012).




Creative Execution: Mailer postcard

› Club Red Events – Sponsor Summer Series concerts and events in all major metro areas with active Club Reds. Tickets are $25 and all proceeds benefit the local chapter. According to Scarborough Research, 71% of American adults drink alcohol socially, and of that 71%, 27% are Millennials between the ages of 21-34 (Lyday, 2013). “Social drinking gets you connected with people, ideas and culture” (Lyday, 2013). While these events won’t promote alcohol consumption in any of the marketing pieces, offering it at the events is a great way to increase proceeds in a responsible way. Local events like these connect to this cohort in many ways, allowing them to link Red Cross to being in touch with their social life, which current ARC marketing tactics do not achieve. In addition, it allows them to influence the Red Cross as much as the Red Cross will influence them. It’s an easy way to do good, and one that still gives them value for their donation. It convinces them that attending will make a difference in their local community, which will speak to them and their attitudes toward donating/purchasing. It also provides a great setting to recruit new members for the local chapters, and allows current Millennial and Boomer donors to create an environment that reaches this cohort in a positive, experience-driven way. The Club Red Summer Series will be promoted via posters at local hangouts, through social media and press releases.




Creative Execution: Poster

Focus Group Finding: This event series had the participants really excited, and it’s the piece that generated the most conversation. Everything after they saw this related back to an event opportunity, a way to expand the program and even a list of great cities in the summer. All in all, this added the touch of personal and local they were looking for in a charitable organization, especially one the size of the Red Cross.




› BetterWithRed.com microsite – The microsite will act as the hub of the campaign’s communications. From the online survey, we know that the donation medium of choice is a website (Appendix A). The Focus Group confirmed this (see Focus Group Findings). So, the responsive microsite will act as the desktop, mobile and tablet optimized site, and will be the means of collecting donations, in addition to providing a schedule of events, safety tips, stories and other relevant information. Millennials are active online on multiple devices. A responsive design means there is no need to build multiple versions of the website or an app. We can achieve the same results with one simple application, making it the single most cost-effective and lasting asset of the campaign. Creative Execution: Home page mock-up




› Club Red bus station takeovers – Create mini-first aid/safety stations at bus stations in eight major cities (New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Seattle, Portland, Miami, Dallas and Chicago). Demonstrate how Red Cross helps everyday people, like themselves, prepare for personal emergencies. Offer free safety planning guides, email sign-ups, mobile text message alerts (severe weather, natural disaster helplines, dedicated Better with Red microsite landing page to donate). Use all social media outlets to encourage discussion, post pictures, and gain exposure for the Red Cross non-disaster/blood donation services. “Blending the offline guerilla marketing tactics with social media makes it seamless. A guerrilla campaign can get a good bump from a digital push. This allows it to share metrics like CPM/CPC and CPA" (Patel, 2012). Creative Execution: Bus station skins

Focus Group Finding: An app came up a lot in the discussion, but the participants felt like they would want to be offered an all-in-one disaster/emergency center. And they trust the Red Cross to provide it, given their excellent reputation and experience. The Bus Station Takeovers are an interactive and viral way of getting out that those resources already exist.




› Email campaign to current employees/volunteers – “How a business communicates with staff and stakeholders is also an important part of its core strategy. In companies both large and small effective communications can motivate and involve employees and stakeholders – and poor communication can alienate them” (Cox, 2008). This campaign will aim to keep the internal staff and volunteers apprised of events, contests, social media efforts and everything to do with the Better with Red campaign. The brand messaging efforts will be addressed in the next section, Internal Communications Plan.

› “Better with Red” employee/ volunteer giveaways – To get the word out of the office and onto the streets about the campaign, employees and volunteers will be rewarded for engaging in the programs and chosen at random to receive promotional products, like t-shirts, water bottles, bags, etc. “Empower them by giving them some branded promotional items that they can give out to people in their various communities. People will appreciate it. Promotional products have had a long and successful history of increasing awareness and building up the trust of a Brand. Because they are so varied in nature, even the smallest of business can take advantage of this marketing resource, as can medium and larger enterprises” (Whitaker, 2013). Again, this tactic is specifically helping to achieve this communication objective. Overall internal objectives will be discussed in the Internal Communications Plan. Creative Execution: T-shirt example (all promo items can be used at events, too)




Achieve 50% top-of-mind donation preference for American Red Cross among Young Urban Professionals in 6 months with at least 25% of target donating more than once within 12-month period. Raise $20 million in donations. Targeted Cohorts: Young Urban Professionals

Rationale: The target is being reached and engaged. Now, the donation preference needs to be established. Brand equity plays a major role in determining preference (Keller, 2008). According to the American Economic Review, “brand capital evolves endogenously as a function of consumers’ life histories and decays slowly once formed. Brand capital can explain large and long-lasting advantages to first movers. Brand preferences play an especially important role in categories with high levels of advertising and social visibility” (Bronnenberg, Hube & Gentzkow, 2012). The Red Cross will be a first mover in terms of aggressively courting Millennials – outside of employer-sponsored payroll deduction programs. For this reason, the brand equity needed to establish preference and repeat donation will be established by the end of the campaign, with the intention to breed a new generation of loyal donors.

Tactics:

› Better with Red "Rose Colored Glasses" video campaign – User-submitted video contest that has Millennials "put on" rose colored glasses and tell us what they want - out of life, work family, the world. How they would "do good" in their community if Red Cross donations could sponsor their idea to make life in their community “Better with Red.” Using the microsite, text campaign and social media, contestants ask for family, friends and others to sponsor their project by giving a donation to the Red Cross. At the end of the submission period, the top grossing 5 videos will be put in a national campaign, where pledging donation “votes” begins again. The overall winner is announced and their project is sponsored by the national Red Cross. This tactic serves as an inspirational and deeply personal way of engaging the audience. The Red Cross has had issues in the past with appearing to fund their organization first and their causes second. This takes the message to the street that when the Red Cross says they unleash the power of their donors, it’s true. To the core. All cohorts watch video online, and this is a unique offering that will be the first of its kind in the nonprofit world. A truly distinct tactic, many of the smaller tactics use this contest as the rallying cry to help the Red Cross make life better no matter where you are, exploiting the audience’s desire to help someone in need on many levels. It also establishes easy donation methods and drives traffic to the places (i.e. the microsite) that will serve the organization long-term for collecting repeat donations.




Creative Execution: Launch ad

› M&M’s Product Partnership – Promotional red-only bags of M&M's. Half of each bag’s proceeds goes to the Red Cross. This tactic is a practical way to maximize reach and effect change on an ongoing basis. In a sense, it’s a revenue stream for the Red Cross throughout the campaign. AdAge reports that M&M’s, the second most popular candy in the world, sold over $3.4 billion worth in 2012, with $2.3 billion of that in the U.S. alone (Schultz, 2012). It’s enjoyed by every cohort, and it’s visible and well merchandised at retail, making it a great and easy way for Millennials to do good, while still enjoying one of their favorite candies. It also has mass appeal, with M&M’s Red character the most popular of all, and he offers a great emotional and psychological reminder to keep the Red Cross top-of-mind. In addition, this piece adds youthfulness and joy to the campaign, something that resonated deeply with the Focus Group (see Focus Group

Focus Group Finding: While this initially posed some questions, the participants liked the idea of a user-generated contest. They think the messaging will play a big role in the success of the contest. While they wondered “how could the Red Cross make my town better outside of a disaster?,” they left feeling like the Red Cross would garner very positive results from putting the power of the donation in the peoples’ hands.




Findings). A partnership can be a huge undertaking, especially in the context of a larger campaign. Because of this, budget is set aside specifically for this tactic, and to lessen overall costs, a social media partnership with Mars® will be struck, as well as plans to support the product with in-store displays and POP, a :15 commercial spot and digital advertising. Retail merchandising will be handled by Mars® with the Red Cross’s review. Creative Execution: Social media, print and/or digital ad

Focus Group Finding: This tactic got the most enthusiastic response, but part of that was due to the familiarity of the product being sold. All participants showed interest in wanting to support the partnership immediately, proving that this could be a long-term strategic partnership and a donation revenue stream for the Red Cross.




Leveraging internal momentum and gaining employee and volunteer buy-in maximizes the campaign’s efforts and stretches the impact of each marketing dollar allocated toward it. The Red Cross already utilizes email as an important part of its internal communication strategy. simpatico* will expand upon that strategy, since employees and volunteers are used to being communicated with in that way. There are many benefits to using email as a primary communication tool (Cox, 2008), including:

› Maintain consistent branding and ensure all communications are "on message." › Target specific groups with specific messages › Simplify the process – everything is done from one location. › Cut costs of communication, such as printing, phone calls and faxes. › Set up coordinated timed rollouts of the communication, which is particularly

important with time-sensitive material. › Easily empower regional offices at a local level. For example, ARC has branches all

over the country; email will provide communications from headquarters and can also include space for regional/local messaging.

› Evaluate the impact of the communications at a central or local level.

Building brand awareness to effect action is the greatest opportunity this internal communications plan can achieve. The Red Cross has an amazingly rich history that has contributed to an internal culture. Every external touch point should be a reflection of and, in this case, an evolution of that long-established culture. By helping to make the Red Cross’s unique story their own, current employees and volunteers are more likely to buy-in to and act as advocates for external marketing programs (6 Tips for Building Brand Culture, 2011).

In addition to the tactics described in the Media Plan, these additional objectives will be included in the Better with Red campaign:

Increase Red Cross donations by 100% in the 600 local chapter cities/towns. Raise remaining $10 mm of goal. Targeted Cohorts: Board of Governors, Red Cross Regional Managers, Red Cross Chapter Presidents, Red Cross Employees, and Red Cross Volunteers

Rationale: Inspiring people to donate takes top-down effort. Regional Managers most often receive the main communication from headquarters in Washington, D.C, so they are the first point of contact when a new national campaign is launched. The idea is to set up the local chapters for success, both within the chapter and externally as they begin to implement some of the larger campaign’s local tactics – like bus station takeovers, Club Red events, etc. It will also require individual employee and volunteer buy-in, so tactics are implemented to put donation into action at this level, where brand ambassadors can be leveraged to build momentum for the national campaign.

Tactics:

› Better with Red Email Templates – Create and send HTML and text-only (mobile-optimized) email templates for use by the regional managers and local chapter presidents. These templates will be used both in internal communication, as well as by




the chapters when communicating with their local volunteer base. This is an expected process for internal communications, so this will be adopted easily by all regional and chapter offices (Organization Hierarchy, Management Structure, Communication Methods, 2012).

› Better with Red Intranet Takeover – For the duration of the national campaign, a takeover of the Intranet homepage will be implemented. This will serve as the hub of the internal communications, and employees can go there whenever they need to know something, download resources for their chapter, and check the donation meter to see how close the organization is getting to its $50mm goal. “Utilizing tools like intranets can provide a central place for all employees to find out the latest on current promotions. Instruct employees to visit the company intranet daily or weekly to learn about the latest” (6 Tips for Building a Brand Culture, 2011). All email communication will link to the intranet, and it will also monitor the progress of the external campaign.

› Rose Colored Glasses Storyteller Program – In preparation for the external Rose Colored Glasses contest, an internal contest will be sponsored by headquarters. Each of the 600 local chapters will be sent a small handheld recorder, and will be expected to submit a video that features employees and volunteers offering their hopes and dreams for the Red Cross and the world. They can offer ideas for the Red Cross national headquarters to implement, and headquarters will select 5 winning chapters. All chapter videos will be posted to the Red Cross Intranet site. Each winning chapter will get a professional video produced that can be used for promotional purposes, and will be posted to the main Red Cross YouTube channel and promoted on the main and chapter-level Facebook and Twitter accounts. Also, press releases will be produced throughout the internal contest. The mini-version of the larger campaign serves to build pride in each chapter, which is an organic and effective way of building awareness (Employee Communications Campaign, 2008).

› Create Your Own Club Red – As a way to build buzz for the national campaign, each employee and volunteer will recruit a team of Millennials, family members, friends and supporters. Their recruits will sponsor the employee. All donations go to the Red Cross, and the employee from each region that raises the most money will get a $500 Visa Gift Card. The overall winner will get a $1,000 Visa Gift Card. “Implementing a robust corporate philanthropy and employee volunteering program that incorporates donation processing will help your organization create and manage competitive fundraising campaigns, even across different office locations, making it easy for every employee to track their progress and efforts” (Scott, 2012). This gets employees involved in the process of donation, and it gives prospects someone to tie the donation process to, which will strengthen the idea that each donation, large and small, effects change in the community. The overall message is that everyone knows someone whose life is “better” because of the Red Cross.

o Mailer o Email campaign o Web portal for donations with social media integration




Creative Execution: Email campaign template

These tactics serve to strengthen, build upon and expand the Better with Red media

plan. Employees, volunteers and headquarters’ staff are responsible for carrying the message from the inside out, and these will accomplish this objective while building a solid donation base as the national program proceeds.

Media Flowchart

SOCIAL MEDIA 6 13 20 27 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 29 6 13 20 27 3 10 17 24 31 7 14 21 28 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 30 7 14 21 28 4 11 18 25 1 8 15 22 1 8 15 22 29

Twitter

Instagram

#BetterWithRed Campaign

4Square

Pinterest

DIGITAL/MOBILE ADVERTISEMENTS

People Magazine Online

US Weekly Online

ESPN

Sports Illustrated

MTV

Pandora Radio

Weather Channel

Facebook and Twitter Promoted Ads

Ad Networks (Yahoo!, Google, Real Media)

TV COMMERCIAL

Regional Buys - Northeast

Regional Buys - Northwest

Regional Buys - Miami

Regional Buys - Dallas

National Buys - Hulu

National Buys - Time Warner (CNN,etc.)

YouTube spot

ROSE COLORED GLASSES CAMPAIGN

Launch & Submission Period

National Vote

Winner & Wrap-up

M&M's PROMOTIONAL PACKAGING

Better with Red All-Red M&M's Launch

Advertising - print

Adveritsing - TV

Advertising - digital/mobile

Social Media Support

BUS STATION TAKEOVERS

New York

Boston

Philadelphia

Miami

Seattle

Portland

Dallas

Chicago

CLUB RED EVENTS

All najor metros with active Club Reds

PRINT ADVERTISEMENTS/MAILERS

Mailer to Boomers

MICROSITE

Better with Red Donation Site

INTERNAL CAMPAIGN

Employee/volunteer giveaways

Employee/volunteer email campaign

Intranet takeover

Rose Colored Glasses storytellers

Create your own Club Red

MarchSeptember October November December January FebruaryApril May June July August




The strategies and tactics created to achieve the campaign objectives would be meaningless without the necessary tools in place to measure and evaluate their effectiveness. The following criteria and tools describe the outcomes of the American Red Cross Integrated Communications Plan and the tools that will be used to measure change in awareness, attitudes, perceptions and ultimately donations throughout the campaign.

A summary of each objective is provided below, as well as the strategies and a condensed list of tactics for reference. Each objective contains its own set of evaluation criteria and tools, which are described in detail below. Campaign Objective 1: Reach 80% of Millennial professionals living in urban centers at least 5 times per month over the 12-month campaign.

Tactics: › Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and FourSquare › TV Commercial: Network and Online (General) › Digital and Mobile Advertising

Evaluation Criteria Evaluation Tools

80% of Millennial professionals in urban centers are reached and can identify new American Red Cross strategy. MEASUREMENT TYPE: OUTTAKE (COMPREHENSION)

Records kept that are used to determine the total number of Millennial Professionals exposed to the Better with Red messaging. Measurement for awareness changes (Schottmuller, 2013):

› Pre-campaign online survey to determine baseline awareness of Millennials

› 6-month online survey to measure change among Millennials

› Post-campaign online survey to measure change among Millennials

Records kept of all activities performed:

› Total count of Facebook page views o Total count of new page “likes” o Total count of lost “likes” o Total count of image “likes” o Total count of image and page

comments o Conversion Measurement tool

(Burg, 2013) to track conversions that were a result of a Facebook page/ad (even if the page/ad wasn’t clicked from the site – uses cookies to track users still signed into Facebook)

o Sentiment breakdown of image




and page comments including: very positive, positive, neutral, negative, very negative

› Total count of Twitter page views o Total count of new followers o Total count of lost followers o Total count of re-tweets and

replies o Sentiment breakdown of image

and page comments including: very positive, positive, neutral, negative, very negative

› Total count of Instagram image views o Total count of new followers o Total count of lost followers o Total count likes and comments o Sentiment breakdown of image

comments including: very positive, positive, neutral, negative, very negative

o Influencer measurement by hashtag use (How to Use #Instagram, 2013)

› Total count of Pinterest image views o Total count of new followers o Total count of lost followers o Total count likes and comments o Sentiment breakdown of image

comments including: very positive, positive, neutral, negative, very negative

› FourSquare Check-In Challenge (Pickering, 2011)

o Total count of check-ins o Analysis of entrants by

demographics, location, etc. › TV commercials:

o Total impressions: By network By time range By household By program

o Total impressions: By streaming site By gender By time of day By location

› Digital ads (by ad): o Total impressions




o Total click-throughs o CTR o Analysis of entrants by

demographics, location, etc. Measurement for donations:

› Total number of donations › Total donation dollars

Campaign Objective 2: Increase American Red Cross brand awareness by 15% in first 6 months, and 25% by the end of 12 months, for two of the top non-national disaster/blood-related services: individual/family aid and safety preparedness. Raise at least 40% of goal ($20 mm).

Tactics: › Mailer › Summer Series Events › Microsite › Bus Station Takeovers › Email Campaign › Employee/volunteer Giveaways › Press Releases


15% or more increase in American Red Cross brand awareness for individual/family aid and safety preparedness in 6 months. MEASUREMENT TYPE: OUTCOME (PERCEPTION)

Measurement for awareness changes (Schottmuller, 2013):

› Pre-campaign online survey to determine baseline awareness of Millennials

› 6-month online survey to measure change among Millennials

› Post-campaign online survey to measure change among Millennials

Measurement for donations:

› Total number of donations o From mailer o From summer series o From bus station takeover o From email campaign

› Total donation dollars

BetterWithRed.com Measurement (Burg, 2013): › Visits › Unique Visitors › Return Visitors (within 12 month

period, measured monthly) › Bounce Rate

25% or more increase in American Red Cross brand awareness for individual/family aid and safety preparedness in 12 months MEASUREMENT TYPE: OUTCOME (PERCEPTION)

Raise $20 million in donations. MEASUREMENT TYPE: OUTCOME (BEHAVIOR)




› Opt-in Rate (to email) › Conversion Rate (for donation) › User Paths › Page Visits (by popularity) › Exit Page Analysis › Time on Site › Basic Demographics (location,

system, browser, etc…) Records kept of all activities performed:

› Number of mailers sent › Summer series feedback

gathering for brand impact study › Bus station takeover feedback

gathering for brand impact study › Social media monitoring for

guerrilla tactics › Press release pick-up and

republish counts › Email Campaign:

o Delivery rate o Open rate o Click-through rate (CTR) o Share statistics (forwards,

posts, replies) o Total count of unique opt-

ins o Opt-in rate o Total count of unique opt-

outs o Opt-out rate

› Tracking employee giveaway participation by rate, chapter, office, gender, etc.

Campaign Objective 3: Achieve 50% top-of-mind donation preference for American Red Cross among Young Urban Professionals in 6 months with at least 25% of target donating more than once within 12-month period. Raise $20 million in donations.

Tactics: › Rose-Colored Glasses Campaign › M&M Partnership


50% top-of-mind donation preferences among Young Urban Professionals in 6 months MEASUREMENT TYPE: OUTTAKE (ATTITUDE)

Measurement for preference changes: › Pre-campaign online survey to determine

baseline top-of-mind preference of Millennials

› 6-month online survey to measure change




25% repeat donations among Millennials donors MEASUREMENT TYPE: OUTCOME (BEHAVIOR)

top-of-mind preference › Pre-campaign focus groups (2) for M&M’s

packaging concepts and creative testing Measurement for donations:

› Total number of donations › From Rose Colored Glasses

campaign Via website Via social media Via mobile

› From M&M’s › Total donation dollars › Total single donations › Total repeat donations

› By market › By age › By amount › By medium

Measurement for M&M’s sales:

› Total number of units packaged › Total number of units sold (by

retailer) › Total sales dollars › Total licensing royalties › ROI report › Brand impact report

Raise $20 million in donations MEASUREMENT TYPE: OUTCOME (BEHAVIOR)

Internal Communications/PR Objective 1: Increase Red Cross donations by 100% in the 600 local chapter cities/towns. Raise remaining $10 mm of goal.

Tactics:

› Email campaign › Intranet takeover › Rose colored glasses internal campaign › Create your own Club Red


100% increase in donations in 600 local chapter cities/towns ($10 mm total in donations) MEASUREMENT TYPE: OUTCOME (BEHAVIOR)

Measurement for donations: › Total number of donations

o From email campaign Via website Via social media Via mobile

o From Create Your Own Club Red Fundraiser

› Total donation dollars › Total single donations




› Total repeat donations o By market o By age o By amount o By medium

Email Campaign Measurement:

› Delivery rate › Open rate › Click-through rate (CTR) › Share statistics (forwards, posts,

replies) Intranet Measurement:

› Visits › Unique Visitors › Return Visitors (within 12 month period,

measured monthly) › Conversion Rate (for donation) › User Paths › Page Visits (by popularity) › Time on Site › Basic chapter analysis (location, system,

browser, etc… Rose Colored Glasses Campaign:

› Number of entries › Total video views › Participation rate by region › Total reach

Create Your Own Club Red:

› Total number of Clubs started › Total reach › Long-term cost benefit analysis › Total number of potential donors reached › Total number of potential donors converted › Total number of non-active donors reached › Total dollars raised › Online intranet survey results




In addition to achieving the campaign marketing goal and communication/PR objectives, staying within budget is of utmost importance to campaign success. Below is the budget chart, separated by tactic.

Objective Campaign Element Description Cost (total) Reach 80% of Millennial professionals living in urban centers 5x/mo over 12 mos.

Social Media Facebook Twitter Pinterest Instagram FourSquare Check-In Challenge

$1.38 million $12,500 prizes

TV Commercial Creation Production Media Buys

$250,000 $125,000 $825,000

Digital and Mobile Ads Creation Media Buys & Placement

Included $425,000

Increase American Red Cross brand awareness by 15% in 6 mos., and 25% in 12 mos. Raise $20mm.

Mailer Creation Print run & production

Included $65,000

Summer Series Events

Social media promotion Promotional materials (t-shirts, gift cards, bags, pens, table tents, signs) Poster creation & print advertising

Included above $175,000 $10,000

Microsite Design & development $75,000

Bus Station Takeovers Photographer Promotional materials (printed safety plans, first aid kits, bus station decals, signs, posters) Press releases

$2,500 $175,000 Included

Email Campaign Creation Segmenting & scheduling

Included $400,000

Employee/volunteer Giveaways

Promotional materials (t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, bags, water bottles, pens, gift cards)

$150,000

Achieve 50% top-of-mind donation preference in 6 mos. with 25% repeat donations over 12-mo period. Raise $20mm.

Rose Colored Glasses Video Campaign

YouTube posting Donation portal Dedicated donation lines Post-contest production & promotion

Included $50,000 $150,000 $750,000

M&M’s Partnership Packaging design market research Social media partnership POP & in-store displays Advertising

$320,000 $300,000 $325,000 $926,000




Internal Communications Plan

Increase Red Cross donations by 100% in the 600 local chapter cities/towns. Raise $10mm.

Email Campaign Template creation Segmenting and sends

$3,000 $30,000

Intranet Takeover Design Roll-out

$50,000 Included

Rose Colored Glasses Contest

Camcorders Social media promotion Press releases

$12,000 Included above Included

Create Your Own Club Red

Donation portal Email campaign Mailer

$15,000 $15,000 $25,000

Research, Evaluation and Measurement

› Primary research

› Social media monitoring

› TV spot analysis › Digital/mobile ad

performance analysis

› Mailer tracking › Summer Series

Brand Impact Study

› Microsite Analytics

› Bus Station Takeover Brand Impact Study

› Email Campaign tracking

› Rose Colored Glasses Video Campaign analysis

› M&M Partnership profitability report

› Internal communications

Focus groups (2) Online surveys (8)

$60,000 $10,000 $112,000

Agency Fees: (9% of total budget)

$675,000

Total Budget: $7.5 million




The time is now. After a hundred and thirty plus years, and millions of individuals and families later, the Red Cross is at the beginning of a new chapter in their storied history. A powerful generation is coming into their own, looking for ways to make a difference in their lives and the lives of those they care about. Better with Red is the campaign you’ve been waiting for – the way to give this generation the cause of their life and get the loyalty of their lifetimes. This campaign sets the Red Cross apart from every single other charitable organization by offering the most unique, personal, compelling and inclusive ways to make lasting change happen. In the process, the American Red Cross will also be changed from the inside out. $50 million in donations is just this year’s goal, and this plan will achieve that. But, beyond that $50 million are countless new opportunities, countless more people to raise up and countless ways to, from the top down, from the east to the west, from the north to the south, remind everyone that life truly is because better of the Red Cross and will continue to be




2011 Financial Results. (2011). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.redcross.org/about-us/publications/fy11-financials 2012 Annual Report. (2013). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m16740671_A501- 12_AnnualReport_FINAL.pdf 2012 Harris Poll Non-Profit EquiTrend® Study. (2012, January 28). Harris Interactive. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.harrisinteractive.com/NewsRoom/PressReleases/tabid/446/mid/1506/artic

leId/1042/ctl/ReadCustom%20Default/Default.aspx 6 Tips fort Building a Brand Culture and Improving Internal Communications. (2011, April 13).

The Financial Brand. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://thefinancialbrand.com/17984/building-internal-culture-for-banks-and-credit-unions/

9/11 Response and Recovery. (2006). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.redcross.org/911recovery/ Abraham, A. (2011, June 1). By the Numbers - 50 Facts about Millennials. Retrieved June 18,

2013 from http://www.edelmandigital.com/2011/06/01/by-the-numbers-50-facts-about- millennials/

American Red Cross. (2013). Wikipedia. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Red_Cross American Red Cross Blog. (2013). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://blog.redcross.org/ American Red Cross Worker Remembers 9/11. (2011, September 11). American Red Cross: Dallas. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://redcrossdallas.blogspot.com/2011/09/american-red-cross-worker-remembers- 911.html American Red Cross Unveils New Brand Identity. (2012, February 9). American Red Cross. Retrieved June 4, 2013 from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/american-red-

cross-unveils-new-brand-identity-139006044.html Analysis of the Young Professional Market Segment. (2007). Downtown Milwaukee Market Analysis. Retrieved June 16, 2013 from http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/Downtowns/documents/6_milwaukee_DMA_young_profe ssionals.pdf Associated Press. (2005, September 28). Despite huge Katrina relief, Red Cross criticized. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.nbcnews.com/id/9518677/ns/us_news- katrina_the_long_road_back/t/despite-huge-katrina-relief-red-cross-




criticized/#.UaYMZ9I3vOc Barrett, W.P. (2012, November 8). Largest-Charities Methodology: Size, Then Financial

Efficiency. Forbes. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampbarrett/2012/11/08/largest-charities-methodology-size-then-financial-efficiency/

Barrett, W.P. (2012, November 8). The Largest U.S. Charities in 2012. Forbes. Retrieved May

29, 2013 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/williampbarrett/2012/11/08/the-largest-u-s-charities-for-2012/

Baskin, J.S. (2012). Y it’s different: Understanding gen Y Consumers. Visa. Retrieved May 30,

2013 from http://usa.visa.com/download/merchants/marketing-to-gen-y-how-visa- can-help.pdf

Blood Facts and Statistics. (n.d.). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/blood-facts-and-statistics Brand Standards. (2012, February). American Red Cross. Retrieved June 8, 2013 from https://eCampus.wvu.edu Bronnenberg, B.J., Dube, J.H. & Gentzkow, M. (2012). The Evolution of Brand Preferences: Evidence from Consumer Migration. American Economic Review. 102(6). DOI: 10.1257/aer.102.6.2472 Builder. (2010). Will the Real Home Buyers Please Stand Up?. Retrieved May 30, 2013 from http://www.builderonline.com/sales/shopper-survey-2010.aspx Burg, N. (2013, April 25). How To Measure Your Social Media Return On Investment. Forbes. Retrieved July 8, 2013 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/capitalonespark/2013/04/25/how-to-measure-your-socialmedia-return-on-investment/ Celebrity Cabinet. (2013). American Red Cross. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://www.redcross.org/supporters/celebrities/celebrity-cabinet-members Charitable Giving Statistics. (2012). National Philanthropic Trust. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.nptrust.org/philanthropic-resources/charitable-giving-statistics Cisco. (2012, December 12). Toothpaste, Toilet Paper, and Texting– Say Good Morning to Gen Y. Retrieved May 30, 2013 from http://newsroom.cisco.com/release/1114955 Charitable Giving: 75% of Millennials Donated Money to Causes in 2011. (2012, June 12). Huffington Post. Retrieved May 30, 2013 from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/12/charitable-giving-millennial- generation_n_1590389.html Clolery, P. (2012, March 7). Red Cross Opens Social Media Center For Disaster Response. The NonProfit Times. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from




http://www.thenonprofittimes.com/news-articles/red-cross-opens-social-media-center- for-disaster-response/ Cox, M. (2008). Using email newsletters for internal communication. DMA. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://dmaemailblog.com/2008/08/19/using-email-newsletters-for-internal- communications/ Direct Marketing: Generation X and Baby Boomers. (2012, November 15). Hanover Research. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://www.hanoverresearch.com/2012/11/direct- marketing-generation-x-and-baby-boomers/ Diverse Partnerships Helped Red Cross Response to Hurricane Sandy. (2013, April 28). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from

http://www.redcross.org/news/article/Diverse-Partnerships-Helped-Red-Cross- Response-to-Hurricane-Sandy

El Nasser, H. (2012, December 4). American cities to Millennials: Don't leave. USA Today. Retrieved May 30, 2013 from http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/12/03/american-cities-to- millennials-dont-leave-us/1744357/ Employee Communications Campaign. (2008, March 6). PR Week. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://www.prweekus.com/employee-communications-campaign-of-the-year- 2008/article/100574/ Facebook. (2013). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from https://www.facebook.com/redcross Forrester Social Technographic Tool. (2013). Forrester Research. Retrieved May 30, 2013 from http://empowered.forrester.com/tool_consumer.html Fox News Latino. (2011, October 6). Latino Homeownership Up 2% Despite Record Low Housing Numbers. Retrieved May 30, 2013 from http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/lifestyle/2011/10/06/latino-homeownership-up-2- overall-housing-numbers-at-record-low/#ixzz25V85hMvX Garner, S. (2012, March 5). Millennials Moving to Urban Centers. Realtor.com. Retrieved June 2, 2013 from http://www.realtor.com/blogs/2012/03/05/millennials-moving-to-urban- centers/ Google+. (2013). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from https://plus.google.com/+redcross/about Green, K. (2012, November 10). InMobi Launches Mobile Ad Campaign for Hurricane Sandy Relief. InMobi. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.inmobi.com/inmobiblog/2012/11/10/inmobi-launches-mobile-ad- campaign-for-hurricane-sandy-relief/ Hirasuna, D. (2011, March 18). Japanese Red Cross QR Code Appeal. @Issue Journal.




Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.atissuejournal.com/2011/03/18/japanese-redcross-qr-code-appeal/ Horovitz, B. (2002, April 21). Gen Y: A tough crowd to sell. USA Today. Retrieved June 2, 2013 from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/mlead.htm How to Use #Instagram for Marketing and Measure the Results. (2013, February 22). Our

Social Times. Retrieved July 8, 2013 from http://oursocialtimes.com/how-to-use- instagram-for-marketing-and-measure-the-results/

Hurricane Recovery Program. (2013). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.redcross.org/what-we-do/disaster-relief/hurricane-recovery-program Importance of Reach and Frequency as an Online Planning Tool. (2005, December). Marketing Vox. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://www.marketingvox.com/the_importance_of_reach_and_frequency_as_an_online_ planning_tool-011868/ Keller, K.L. (2008). Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring, and Managing Brand Equity (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Kerwin, A.M. (2012, December 9). Millennials With Money? Find Out Where They Live and How

They Spend. Advertising Age. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://adage.com/article/news/affluent-millennials-live-spend/238679/

Kessler, J. (2012, October 24). Generation Y: Ready To Stand Up And Be Counted. Forbes. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/onmarketing/2012/10/24/generation-y-ready-to-stand-

up-and-be-counted/ Laisemon, K.A. (n.d.). Reach, Frequency and Impact. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://www.slideshare.net/Laisekhadir/reach-frequency-impact Linn, M. (2013, April 2). 42 Hot Tips for Compelling Content Marketing. Content Marketing Institute. Retrieved June 4, 2013 from http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2013/04/hot-tips-compelling-content-marketing/ Lyday, E. (2013, June 5). Shaken and Stirred Millennials. Daily Infographic. Retrieved June 23,

2013 from http://dailyinfographic.com/shaken-stirred-millenials-a-consumer-group- infographic

MacLaughlin, S. (2013, February). Charitable Giving Report How Nonprofit Fundraising Performed in 2012. Blackbaud Idea Lab. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from

https://www.blackbaud.com/files/resources/downloads/2012.CharitableGivingReport.p df

Millennial Cause Study: Pro-Social and Empowered to Change the World. (2006). Amp Agency. Retrieved June 4, 2013 from




http://www.greenbook.org/Content/AMP/Cause_AMPlified.pdf Millennial Donors: A Study of Millennial Giving and Engagement Habits. (2010). Achieve with

Johson Grossnickle Associates. Retrieved May 30, 2013 from http://cdn.trustedpartner.com/docs/library/AchieveMCON2013/MD10%20Full%20Repo rt.pdf

Millennials: A Portrait of Generation Next. (2010, February). Pew Research Center. Retrieved May 30, 2013 from http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2010/10/millennials- confident-connected-open-to-change.pdf Nahai, N. (2013, March 13). 5 Things You Need To Know About Marketing To Gen Y. Psychology Today. Retrieved June 2, 2013 from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/webs-influence/201305/5-things-you-need-know- about-marketing-gen-y National Park Services. (n.d.). Clara Barton at Antietam. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.nps.gov/anti/historyculture/clarabarton.htm NCCS. (2013). The Nonprofit Almanac 2012. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://nccs.urban.org/ News & Events. (2012, December 13). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.redcross.org/news/press-release/American-Red-Cross-Launches-New-Ad- Campaign Organization Hierarchy, Management Structure, Communication Methods. (2012, February 22). Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://meghanamericanredcross.blogspot.com/2012/02/week-5-organization- hierarchy.html Our History. (2013). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from

http://www.redcross.org/about-us/history Park, C.W., Jaworski, B.J., & MacInnis, D.J. (1986, October). Strategic Brand Concept – Image Communication. The Journal of Marketing (50). 135-150. Patel, N. (2012, January 5). How Guerrilla Marketing Can Transform Your Boring Product. Geek Wire. Retrieved June 18, 2013 from http://www.geekwire.com/2012/guerilla-marketing- transform-boring-product/ Perez, S. (2013, June 13). Mobile Games Not As Popular With Millennials, Compared With Other Smartphone Users. TechCrunch. Retrieved June 18, 2013 from http://techcrunch.com/2013/06/13/millennials-mobile-games/ Petrusa, J. (2010, September 22). Support a Cause and the Millennials will support you. Retrieved June 3, 2013 from http://itsjosipnotjoseph.com/2010/09/support-a-cause- and-the-millennials-will-support-you/




Pickering, B. (2011, June 29). How to Measure the Return on Social Media Contests. Social Media Examiner. Retrieved July 8, 2013 from http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-to-measure-the-return-on-social-media- contests/ Pinterest. (2013). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://pinterest.com/amredcross/ Rainer, T. (2013). The Millennials. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/millennials/?carid=jhowe-rainer-millennials-20120821 Schottmuller, A. (2013, February 21). Social Media ROI: 14 Formulas to Measure Social Media Benefits. Social Media Today. Retrieved July 8, 2013 from http://searchenginewatch.com/article/2249515/Social-Media-ROI-14-Formulas-to- Measure-Social-Media-Benefits Schultz, E.J. (2012, September 20). Snickers Surging to Top of Global Candy Race. Advertising Age. Retrieved July 12, 2013 from http://adage.com/article/news/snickers-surging-top- global-candy-race/237349/ Schultz, S. (2011, November 29). What Sparks Millennials’ Pinterest? Social Millennials. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://socialmillennials.com/2011/11/29/featured/ Scott, R. (2012, July 18). Corporate Philanthropy and Volunteering. CauseCast. Retrieved June

23, 2013 from http://www.causecast.com/blog/bid/191013/Fundraising-Ideas-For- Corporate-Giving

Slaughter, P. (2009, July). Brave New Customer. Technology Integrator. Retrieved June 4, 2013 from http://www.technologyintegrator.net/article/nows-time-build-relationships- tomorrows-consumer-base-409654/1 Smith, E.B. (2012, December 12). American Dream Fades for Generation Y Professionals. Bloomberg. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-12- 21/american-dream-fades-for-generation-y-professionals.html Sniderman, Z. (2011 ,December 6). Charitable Giving Set to Plateau in 2012. Mashable. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://mashable.com/2011/12/06/non-profit-giving-

slows/ Stone, A. (2009, April 19). 'Civic generation' rolls up sleeves in record numbers. USA Today. Retrieved May 30, 2013 from http://www.usatoday.com/news/sharing/2009-04-13- millenial_N.htm Sujan, M. & Bettman, J.R. (1989). The Effects of Brand Positioning Strategies on Consumers' Brand and Category Perceptions: Some Insights from Schema Research. Journal of Marketing Research (26, 4). 454-467. The State of Mobile America. (2012, March 30). Pew Research Center. Retrieved May 30, 2013

from http://www.slideshare.net/PewInternet/the-state-ofmobileamericanfais




Twitter. (2013). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from https://twitter.com/redcross Walter, E. (2012, January 21). Number Crunching: Top 51 stats for Gen Y marketers. The Next

Web. Retrieved May 30, 2013 from http://thenextweb.com/socialmedia/2012/01/21/number-crunching-the-top-51-stats-for-generation-y-marketers/

Web Banners. (2013). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.redcross.org/about-us/media/public-service-advertising/web-banners Wee, H. (2013, May 3). Millennials Want to Donate to Charities, Save the World. Really. CNBC. Retrieved June 4, 2013 from http://www.cnbc.com/id/100689671 What We Do. (2013). American Red Cross. Retrieved June 2, 2013 from http://www.redcross.org/what-we-do Whitaker, J.P. (2013, March 14). 5 Ways to Grow Your Brand Awareness Using Promotional Merchandise. Creative Guerilla Marketing. Retrieved June 23, 2013 from http://www.creativeguerrillamarketing.com/guerrilla-marketing/5-ways-to-grow-your- brand-awareness-using-promotional-merchandise/#sthash.USEJv7CY.dpuf Wright, G. (2006). Historical Statistics of the United States: Millennial Edition. Cambridge University Press: New York, NY. Young Professional Marketing Strategy. (n.d.). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013

from https://eCampus.wvu.edu YouTube. (2013). American Red Cross. Retrieved May 29, 2013 from http://www.youtube.com/amredcross




65.52

34.48

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

Male

Female

1. What is your gender?

Percent response

6.9

65.52

6.9

13.79

6.9

0

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

16 to 22

23-34

35-44

45-54

55-64

65+

2. What is your age?

Percent response




If other, please specify: American Cancer Society, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Relay for Life, THON (Penn St. University), BARN (for Abused Women and Children), various Colleges and Unviersities, Covenant House, Arts Organizations, WITF (radio station), Church offerings/tithes, Habitat for Humanity, WHYY, National Wildlife Foundation, Sierra Club

10.71

3.57

7.14

10.71

0

3.57

64.29

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

I do not donate

American Red Cross

United Way

Salvation Army

Feed the Children

Catholic Charities

Other

3. To what charity or non-profit organization do you most often donate?

Percent response




46.43

32.14

21.43

0 10 20 30 40 50

More than 4 times

2-4 times

Once per year

4. How many times per year do you donate to this charity/non-profit?

Percent response

7.14

3.57

28.57

14.29

32.14

14.29

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

> $250

$100-250

$50-99

$25-49

$10-24

< $10

5. What is the monetary value of a typical single donation?

Percent response




If other, please specify: “Personal connection to mission of organization,” “Sense of loyalty,” “Fund raising campaign,” “Community well being,” “Puppies!”

3.57

0

0

28.57

21.43

3.57

0

0

42.86

0 10 20 30 40 50

Email

Facebook

I am not interesed in donating

In-person or at a local chapter or…

Mail-in form

Phone call

Text message

Twitter

Website

6. What is (or would be) your preferred method of donating money to a charity/non-

profit?

Percent response

17.86

0

7.14

0

71.43

3.57

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Other

Peer influence

Gift or incentive for giving

Current disaster or crisis need

A desire to help someone in need

I do not donate

7. The main reason you donate money to a charity or non-profit organization is:

Percent response




0

11.54

3.85

84.62

0

0 20 40 60 80 100

Not interested in donating

Don't know enough about theorganization

Currently unemployed

Budget concerns or limitations

Lack of time

8. What is the main reason you do not donate money more often?

Percent response

0

10.71

14.29

42.86

32.14

0 10 20 30 40 50

Very unfavorable

Somewhat unfavorable

Neither favorable nor unfavorable

Somewhat favorable

Very favorable

9. What is your general sentiment toward the American Red Cross?

Percent response




If other, please specify: “I give when I hear they need donations,” “Not only do they help in disaster relief, but are on the ground with immediate local needs i.e. home fires”

If other, please specify: “Phone calls to my husband to donate blood”

7.14

39.29

0

32.14

10.71

0

3.57

7.14

0 10 20 30 40 50

Other

Event or fundraiser

Co-worker

Family or friend

Social media

Online advertisements

TV, magazine, or newspaper…

I would not donate to the American…

10. The most influential factor in deciding to donate to the American Red Cross is:

Percent response

3.57

14.29

0

0

53.57

28.57

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Other

I don't recall

Military family support and aid…

Service (like lifeguardings, first aid)

Disaster relief

Blood donation

11. What was the nature of the most recent American Red Cross communication you

encountered?

Percent response




21.43

14.29

28.57

25

10.71

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Very unlikely

Somewhat unlikely

Neither likely nor unlikely

Somewhat likely

Very likely

12. How likely are you to donate to the American Red Cross in the next 12 months?

Percent response

32.14

67.86

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

False

True

13. True or false: I am more likely to donate to the American Red Cross if someone I know

works for or volunteers with the organization.

Percent response




3.57

46.43

50

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

I would not be more likely topurchase the product

It wouldn't impact my purchasedecision

I would be more likely to puchase theproduct

14. How likely would you be to buy a product if all, or part, of the proceeds went to the

American Red Cross?

Percent response




16. Please provide any additional comments about your past or present charitable donations in the box below.

“While I have made charitable donations they have been few and far between, to the point that I no longer recall specifics. I do tend to give in-person at fundraisers or events should I pass one. Income concerns are my sole reason for not giving more, as I live on part-time minimum wage.” “My husband and I give to specific charities that support our concerns for social justice and meeting the needs of individuals who are suffering due to the economy.” “Currently waiting on info from Red Cross to our employer to organize donations to Moore, OK” “A friend of mines house just burned down and the Red Cross was incredible for her.”

25

3.57

21.43

14.29

35.71

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40

It doesn't matter what they do, Iwould still have the same opinion of

them

Give me access to members ofmanagement to answer my questions

They could offer more local events

They could care more about theissues that matter to me

Nothing; I already have a very highopinion of them

15. What could the American Red Cross do to improve your opinion of them?

Percent response




1. Introduction - Explanation of Project (1 minute)

First, I would like to thank all of you for participating in this focus group. The goal of this session is to obtain your feedback (positive and negative) and to get your ideas for the American Red Cross’s upcoming advertising campaign. The valuable comments and suggestions you provide today will shed light on future development or improvements to the campaign and to the Red Cross’s services – locally, nationally and around the world.

2. Directions (1 minute)

In the next 90 minutes, I will be taking notes and recording your discussion. I would like everyone to talk and contribute as much as possible, as it will help to evaluate the quality, likes and dislikes of the creative concepts. One person talks at a time, but no need to raise your hand or anything. There are no right and wrong answers; just your opinions. And everyone’s opinions are welcome and valued. Your names are confidential; we’ll only use your first name when we report any feedback. There won’t be any official breaks once we start, but the restrooms are located down the hall. Feel free to excuse yourself. And please, if everyone could just take a second and turn off your cell phones.

3. Ice Breaker – 2 Facts about Yourself/Project (5 minutes)

It’s important we all feel comfortable.

Each person to write down 1 fact about themselves, and 1 false statement. Each person takes turns reading their answers aloud and the rest of the participants write down the one they think is a lie. When all are done reading their lists aloud, the first person identifies the lie.

4. American Red Cross Perceptions and Attitudes (23 minutes)

Use differences of opinion as discussion topics.

› Let me see a show of hands. Who has a favorable opinion of the Red Cross? o Probe 1: Why? o Probe 2: What’s your experience been?

› What do you think they do a really good job at?

o Probe 1: What don’t they do a good job at? o Probe 2: Why do you feel that way?

› When you’re deciding to donate money, what do you look for in a charity or nonprofit?

o Probe 1: Does the Red Cross have that quality?




› What motivates you to donate money? Why? o Probe 1: How do you donate? Website, phone, event, etc.

5. Dialogue of Required Topics to Cover (50 minutes)

Use differences of opinion as discussion topics.

› Top Level Issue: Purpose of Microsite o Probe 1: What does this site offer? Why? o Probe 2: What does this site want you to do? Why? o Probe 3: Is it clear how to do it? Why? o Probe 4: Does the site give you a reason to return? Why?

› Top Level Issue: Reaction to Creative (cycle through 8 pieces)

o Probe 1: What do you like about the piece? Why? o Probe 2: What do you not like about the piece? o Probe 3: Would you want to share this with anyone? Who? o Probe 4: Do you believe what the ad is saying? Why? Why not?

› Top Level Issue: Return Value of Creative (show all 8 at once)

o Probe 1: Does this make you want to know more about the Red Cross? Which pieces specifically? Why?

o Probe 2: What would you want to hear more about? Why? o Probe 3: Would you consider donating to the Red Cross after seeing these

pieces? Why? o Probe 4: Did you see your preferred way of donating? Yes or no. What other

way(s) do you prefer? o Probe 5: Has anyone’s opinion of the Red Cross changed after seeing these

pieces? How?

6. Closing Caption (5 minutes)

Write down a Newspaper headline about the advertisements and websites you just saw on the index card (to be handed out). Each person will flip their card over, do not share or show your headline to anyone and leave it in this basket (in center of table) as anonymous input.

7. Conclusion & Departure (5 minutes)

Does anyone have anything they like to add before we leave?

Thank you again. Your input has been very helpful.

integrated marketing communications plan“we’re the web presence company™. our specialty is...

Documents