Media Relations Plan

Celebrating COM’s 100-Year LegacyNicole Briguet, Allison Cohen, Lauren Covey, Natalia Driessen

Situation Analysis● Starting in February 2014, Boston University’s College of Communication will celebrate the first

advertising and journalism classes taught in 1914● COM is planning two special anniversary issues of COMtalk, the alumni magazine, to celebrate.● Objectives:

○ To communicate as widely as possible that BU/COM has consistently led the field in the areas of all three departments/fields covered by our curriculum

○ Our curriculum is focused at staying progressively at the forefront of the industry

Strengths- Local interest - Success stories/alumni relations- Strong study abroad internship programs

Weaknesses- Mostly relevant to only the BU community

Opportunities- Potential students and grad students- Trade publications and professional organizations- News value: predictability

Threats- Other universities: Syracuse, Northwestern, UCLA, NYU

Situation Analysis

Recommended Research

● COM’s Legacy/Firsts

● Conduct a third party survey of undergraduate advertising & journalism students

● Notable Alumni

● SMG 100

● Analysis of the competition

Goals

● Increase COM graduate program applications

● Increase number of “hits” on the COM 100 landing page

● Increase media coverage of COM

● Positively influence the College of Communications national ranking among communications schools

Audience● COM alumni● Future and current students● BU faculty and staff● Industry professionals and influencers● US News and World Report to influence

rankings

StrategyFocused effort at key moments in time over the

course of 10 months to amplify the COM 100 image

● Commitment to excellence in education● Promotes hands on learning experiences ● Professors with strong professional

backgrounds in prospective fields

Tactic: Sponsored Content ● Pitch: How BU’s College of Communication is

Secretly Running the World● Original post on Buzzfeed ● National coverage

Tactic: Trade Publications ● Pitch: Notable alumnus present

“revolutionary” industry research on campus ● Boston Magazine

o Steve Annear ● Advertising Age

o Tim Peterson

Tactic: Study Abroad ProgramsPitch: COM is redefining “abroad” with its

programs in LA and DC● The role of abroad programs today● Internship based ● LA Times Higher Education Reporter

o Carla Rivera

Tactic: NYT article Pitch: Boston University students win National

Student Advertising Competition ● Responsible for National Ad campaign ● Reporter for NYT Advertising Column

○ Stuart Elliott, stuart.elliott@nytimes.com

Tactic: Local Boston Print Media ● Pitch: How COM students positively affect

Boston’s ad/journalism industries/economies ● Boston Globe

○ Mary Carmichel

Timeline

● February 2014 - Campaign launch ○ New York Times Article on National Ad Campaign designed by BU AD Club○ Release of the first special edition of COMtalk

● May 2014 - Graduation ○ Local Boston Print Media Pitch

● Summer 2014 - Orientations (incoming class of 2014)○ Study Abroad Programs Pitches

● October 2014- Alumni Weekend○ Research presentation from notable alumni

● Campaign to end December 31, 2014

Budget$20,000● Sponsored BuzzFeed article, x %● News Release - 275 dollars ● Alumnus Presentation

o Venue Costo Video Equipment o Travel Cost of Alumnus

● Documentary Serieso Travel Costs o Equipment Costso Production Costs

Evaluation● We will know we’re successful if we…

o Increase applications from top-tier colleges for COM graduate programs by X %

o Get X number of hits on COM 100 landing page (to be launched Feb. 2014)

o Increase media coverage of COM by X %