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2013    

PUBLIC  RELATIONS    

CAMPAIGN    

BY:  JEFFREY  W.  JONES              

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Table  of  Contents    

Cover_________________________________________________________________________________                        1  

Table  of  Contents__________________________________________________________________                          2  

Background_________________________________________________________________________                3-­‐4    

SWOT  Analysis______________________________________________________________________                      5  

Situation  Analysis__________________________________________________________________                      6  

Key  Publics__________________________________________________________________________                      7  

Goal___________________________________________________________________________________                      8  

Objective_____________________________________________________________________________                      8  

Tactics________________________________________________________________________________        9-­‐11  

Budget  _______________________________________________________________________________                  12  

Gant  Chart___________________________________________________________________________                  13  

Media  Kit____________________________________________________________________________      14-­‐15  

                                   

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Missouri Baptist University Background

1957: Hannibal-LaGrange College opens an extension at Tower Grove Baptist Church in midtown St. Louis for 68 students taking courses for pastors and laymen.

1960: The influence of students, Baptist leaders, pastors and laymen leads the Missouri Baptist Convention to approve the establishment of a Baptist college in St. Louis.

1964: The first meeting of the Board of Trustees of Missouri Baptist College.

1967: The groundbreaking of the original 81-acre site.

1968: Almost 200 students begin classes.

1973: The first class of 29 students graduates with Bachelor of Arts degrees.

1978: The school achieves its initial accreditation from the North Central Association under the leadership of the college’s third president, Dr. Robert Sutherland.

1991 – 1995: Dr. Thomas S. Field updates buildings and focuses on securing stable resources for the college.

1995: Missouri Baptist University appoints Dr. R. Alton Lacey as University president, ushering in a chapter of the University marked by expansive growth. The same year, the college doubled its housing capacity with the opening of North Hall.

1999: Spirit of Excellence Campaign raises $10 million for the Pillsbury Chapel and Dale Williams Fine Arts Center.

2000: The University was approved to offer its first masters-level program, the Master of Science in Education. Today, the University offers seven graduate degree programs.

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2002: Groundbreaking of Dale Williams Fine Arts Center, which prompts Dr. Lacey to famously say, “This building will stand as a reminder of those who came before, who laid the foundation of this whole enterprise, and it will point to the future with great hope and faith.”

! Then Missouri Baptist College becomes Missouri Baptist University, providing a more fitting description of the institution’s increasingly important role in higher education.

2002: MBU opened its flagship building, the Pillsbury Chapel and Dale Williams Fine Arts Center. Every year, more than 100,000 visitors attend various events and performances inside the 53,000-square-foot facility.

2008: MBU began offering its first online degree program, The Master of Science in Education. Today, the University has 9 online programs and hundreds of classes.

2009: The University launched its first terminal degree program, the Doctor of Education.

2011: The University’s next chapter of residential living was unveiled with Spartan Village. Situated on the northern end of campus, the first phase of Spartan Village included the opening of The Carl and Deloris Petty Sports and Recreation Complex and modern apartment style living.

2011: Missouri Baptist University opens the Carl and Deloris Petty Sports and Recreation Complex, a state of the art, 47,000 square foot facility aimed at aiding learning and health and wellness.

2013: Missouri Baptist University replaced the baseball field scoreboard and added their 13th men’s sport by starting a football program from Scratch.

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SWOT Analysis

" Strengths-

! Seating- Lacey gymnasium, apart of the Carl and Deloris Petty Sports and

Recreation Center includes 1000 person seat electronic bleachers and a digital control system which when filled in is a notable strength.

! Sorts Information Team- The sports information director is very talented and proactive in staying current with sports information: scores, rosters, feature stories, etc., along with promoting events and communicating awareness of MBU’s involvement in the St. Louis area community

! The MBU athletic department carries 13 men’s sports with the addition of a new football program, and 13 women’s sports that compete in the NAIA Division and American Midwest Conferences.

" Weaknesses-

! Seating- Lacey gymnasium, apart of the Carl and Deloris Petty Sports and

Recreation Center includes 1000 person seat bleachers, which when not filled in is a notable weakness.

! MBU’s percentage of commuter students exceeds that of those living on campus.

! Broadcast of games does not extend beyond live streaming. ! Does not promote athletics through television media.

" Opportunities-

! Continuing a healthy professional relationship with Christian Brothers College High School to maintain the cooperative use of their stadium facility.

! Partnering with local charity organizations to keep community involvement flowing.

! Connecting with Alumni to utilize their involvement in booster clubs as a main source of funding.

" Threats-

! Loosing MBU’s Athletic Director, Tom Smith, who has played a vital role in the expansion of the athletic department, including the SRC and new football program, for any reason.

! Lack of home game fan attendance. ! Loosing contract with CBCHS to utilize their field and stadium facilities. ! Loosing relations with Alumni.

 

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Situation  Analysis    

Situation  Analysis-­‐  MBU  Athletic  Department    

" The  current  situation  the  Athletic  Department  at  Missouri  Baptist  University  is  addressing  is  filling  the  empty  seats  during  home  games.    

 Possible  solutions:    

! Increase  participation  in  Booster  Club  events  by  recruiting  more  booster  club  members.    

 ! Building  more  on-­‐campus  housing  to  increase  the  amount  of  possible  

students  on  campus  to  attend  games    

! Provide  incentives  to  commuter  students  who  attend  games  such  as  a  point  system  that  builds  up  to  premiere  parking.    

 ! Reaching  out  to  local  parents  of  players  through  media  announcements.    

 ! Push  home  game  awareness  on  all  media  sources,  newspaper,  TV  

commercials,  Internet  mobap.edu/  mbuspartans.com,  and  various  social  media  platforms.    

   

                                     

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Key  Publics    

! MBU  Students-­‐  The  student  body  of  Missouri  Baptist  University  are  our  

primary  Key  publics.  The  students  of  MBU  are  the  most  easily  persuaded  and  

will  be  the  best  resource  for  seat  fillers  at  MBU  home  games.  

 

! Parents  of  MBU  Students-­‐  Greatest  influence  and  supporters  of  the  MBU  

student  body  and  MBU  Athletics.  

 

! MBU  Alumni-­‐  Graduates  and  financial  contributors  of  MBU  will  be  our  

primary  target  group  for  Bluester  Booster  funding,  who’s  large  financial  

contribution  will  help  kick  start  the  revamped  booster  club.    

 

! MBU  Staff/Faculty-­‐  The  MBU  staff  and  faculty  who  build  academic  

relationships  with  MBU  student  on  a  daily  basis  will  provide  students  will  

display  a  sense  of  commitment  to  them,  giving  them  more  than  just  a  

classroom  value.    

 

   

   

           

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Goal  and  Objectives      Goal:  The  goal  of  this  campaign  is  to  raise  student  body  attendance  of  every  home  

game  at  Missouri  Baptist  University.  

Objectives-­‐  

" Increase  attendance  of  MBU  students  at  spring  sport  home  games  by  50  percent  

with  in  the  first  30  days  of  season  openers.  

" Increase  student  body  attendance  in  booster  club  events  by  10  percent  within  

the  first  week  of  season  openers.  

" Increase  the  number  of  MBU  Athletics  Like,  mentions,  and  check-­‐ins  by  75  

percent  by  the  end  of  MBU’s  spring  sport  season.  

 

 

                     

               

 

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Tactics    

" Increase  attendance  of  MBU  students  at  spring  sport  home  games  by  50  percent  

with  in  the  first  30  days  of  season  openers.  

! To  do  this  MBU  will  strongly  rely  on  the  Bluester  Booster  Club  members  and  

our  social  media  out  reach,  as  well  as  radio  ads,  and  video  promos,  and  

team/athlete  feature  stories  on  mbuspartans.com  to  maintain  interest  for  

attending  home  games.  

" Increase  student  body  attendance  in  booster  club  events  by  10  percent  within  

the  first  week  of  season  openers.    

! Two  weeks  before  the  current  semester  begins  MBU  Athletics  will  heavily  

advertise  to  students,  alumni,  and  parents  the  benefits  their  involvement  in  

MBU’s  Bluester  Booster  Club.  MBU  Athletics  will  use  four  advertising  plat  

forms:  Direct  mail  postcard  invitations,  e-­‐newsletter  invitations  and  radio  

advertisements,  and  the  Bluester  Booster  Club  Facebook  Page.  

# Radio-­‐  One  30  second  ad  will  air  on  WXOS  101.1  FM  Sports  Radio,  KYKY  

98.1  FM  Hot  AC,  and  KDS  93.7  Country.    The  ad  will  air  two  times  a  day  

beginning  December  15,  2013  –  January  5,  2014.      

# Direct  Mail  Postcards-­‐  These  invitational  postcards  will  be  addressed  to  

the  families  of  students  living  in  the  United  States.  

# E-­‐Newsletter:  An  invitational  e-­‐news  letter  will  be  sent  to  every  enrolled  

student  at  MBU  via  his  or  her  student  email  on  January  1,  2014.    

 

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# Bluester  Booster  Club  will  promote  it’s  week  long  recruiting  event  

through  its  Facebook  Page  by  posting  sending  event  invites  to  as  much  of  

the  MBU  community  reachable.  

! As  the  first  week  begins  Bluester  Booster  Club  recruitment  will  be  promoted  

through  MBU’s  homepage  and  through  booths  in  high  traffic  areas  on  

campus.    Recruitment  booths  will  provide  brochures  with  information  about  

Bluester  Booster  Club  membership  and  rates.  

# The  first  day  of  the  Bluester  Booster  Event  will  be  kicked  off  with  dance  

performances  from  MBU’s  Spirit  Squads.    

# Day  two  will  feature  St.  Louis’  top  tailgate  chefs.  

# Day  three  will  feature  meet  and  greets  with  St.  Louis  Ram’s  quarterback  

Sam  Bradford.  

# Day  four-­‐  Student  athletes  speak  on  importance  and  impact  of  athletics  in  

their  lives.    

# Day  five-­‐  Return  performances  from  MBU’s  Spirit  Squad’s  

#  Membership  Give-­‐a-­‐ways  

• Weekly  chances  to  win  a  5-­‐Day  VIP  Parking  Pass  *For  

commuter  students  only*  

• Free  hotdog  and  beverage  at  each  game  

• Weekly  chances  to  win  a  $25  Gift  Card  to  a  restaurant  of  

your  choice.    

 

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♦ Details  on  give-­‐a-­‐ways  will  be  posted  to  

www.mobap.edu/bluester/incentives  and  winners  will  be  notified  

by  and  option  of  phone,  email,  or  text  notification  of  their  choice.  

" Increase  the  number  of  MBU  Athletics  Likes,  mentions,  and  check-­‐ins  by  75  

percent  by  the  end  of  MBU’s  spring  sport  season.  

! MBU  Athletic  Commercials  will  be  the  highlight  of  achieving  this  objective.    

# 30  Second  Spring  Sports  promo  will  be  up  loaded  to  the  MBU  Athletics  

Facebook  Page,  the  Bluester  Booster  Club  Facebook,  shown  in  Chapel  

services  on  Timeline  Broadcast,  as  well  as  streamed  live  at  home  games.  

# Two  minute  Spring  Sports  montage  will  be  uploaded  weekly  to  MBU  

Athletics’  Facebook  Page,  the  Bluester  Booster  Club  Facebook,  shown  in  

Chapel  services  on  Timeline  Broadcast,  as  well  as  streamed  live  at  home  

games.  

! New  Bluester  Booster  member  likes  on  Facebook  will  enter  them  for  a  

chance  to  win  one  of  the  two  weekly  $25  Gift  Cards.  

   

                       

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 Gantt  Chart  

   

                                               

                               

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Media  Kit    

" Photos  Contributed  by  MBU  Communications  and  Athletic  Department-­‐    

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! MBU  Spartan  Logo  contributed  by  MBU  Athletic  Department    

                   

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! MBU  SHINE  ON  logo  contributed  by  MBU  Communications  Department    

! Club  Member  2014  graphic  contributed  by  Jeffrey  Winston  Jones    

                                   

! Bluster   Booster   Graphic   with   Spartan   logo   contributed   by   Jeffrey  Winston  Jones  in  cooperation  with  MBU  Athletics