University of Michigan PR Workshop

2012

She’s the FirstCelebrity Endorsement/Involvement

Tom Keaney, Erica Avesian, Lizzie Mac, Erin Kastelz, Breanna Bueche, Krista Carney, Jennifer Mulligan

Background Information

While brainstorming, we noted the following issues:

- Keeping the local feel of She’s the First as well as the values and brand that

Tammy has built

- Understanding the cynicism with “celebrity” and “celebrity endorsement”

- Our solution is to spin the idea of “celebrities”

while remaining focused on the grassroots and local-focused success

that She’s the First stems from

- Providing real results and a fully applicable game plan for She’s the First

Celebrities Media

AwarenessAll parties will mutually benefit from the interactions between celebrities, She’s the First’s

awareness, and media

Main Focuses for the Campaign

WE REDEFINE “CELEBRITY”

Two branches of focus: Local and National levels. Local level will focus on metro-area of chapter and on-campus whereas National will be all-encompassing of the U.S.

We call these on-campus celebrities “Campus Stars” - people of exemplary integrity and campus leadership who help She’s the First raise awareness at their university

We will be creating a relationship between the campus celebrities and the national spokesperson to create new kinds of celebrities - real life heroes.

#IMTHEFIRST Twitter Hashtag Campaign

Promotes Tweet-Ups among local chapters and friends to share fundraising ideas, tie dye cupcake recipes, provide updates, etc.

Creates a Twitter community of powerful and shared experiences being the “first” of something

Really tap into celebrities’ large Twitter follower fan base

Who “Campus Stars” Are

We don’t need George Clooney!

Only 2% of donation motivation stems from celebrity endorsement

52% of giving stems from peer or friend endorsement

56% of giving stems from trust of the organization

72% were very likely or somewhat likely to stop donating if they did not feel a personal connection to the organization

We are looking for real and authentic campus leaders who will serve as role models for not only our sponsored girls but anyone involved

The sponsored girls are also Campus Stars

Campus and Local Level

Campus Stars of individual chapters will increase the successful hyper-locality of She’s the First.

For the University of Michigan this could include: Denard Robinson and the University of Michigan football team, President Mary Sue Coleman, Darren Criss, Lucy Liu

The involvement of campus celebrities increases awareness through the coverage they receive. In other words, as Tom taught us, where the celebrities go, the media goes, and we can use that to foster more attention for our cause.

For the University of Michigan: Denard Robinson for example, not only would he garner more male participation, but also coverage from local and national sports networks, local and national newspapers, blogs, online magazines, etc.

Student organization sponsorships for co-hosted events with She’s the First. Organizations like K-Grams, America Reads, and Teach for America would be ideal.

Potential Media Outlets

We focus on Campus, Local and National levels to create awareness

Campus Level: Campus Stars at the University of Michigan can be featured on: The Michigan Daily, College Lifestyles, WOLV-TV, HerCampus Online Magazine - UM Chapter

Local Media Outlets: The Detroit Free Press, AnnArbor.com

National Media Outlets: People, Us, Seventeen, Glamour, The Food Network, MTVU, MTV, etc.

Search optimization: 71% of the preferred way to learn about an organization is a web search

Local/National Campus Star CompetitionThe team wanted to create a competition where people at universities with She’s the

First chapters could nominate aperson at their university who they know to be a Campus Star and the first at something amazing

Hypothetical example: Winner of the nominations for Campus Star at the University of Michigan could win a tie-dye cupcake making date with Denard Robinson, a She’s the First Campus Star. Winners at the campus/local level are finalists in being chosen to go with our hand picked national spokesperson for a week to the site of a school, whose students are sponsored by She’s the First.

Media coverage from Denard Robinson’s involvement could include: The Daily, WOLV-TV, HerCampus, ESPN, Big Ten Network, and possibly a ton more could raise awareness for She’s the First - who doesn’t love coverage of a sweet and caring football player? It’s the pitch that “never fails.”

Allows schools to share incredible stories and narratives of chapter members. The difference they make in being the first at something helps illustrate the importance of She’s the First’s sponsored girls’ education

Gives members recognition for their hard work and stories and allows potential to share their trip with spokesperson and take pictures and videos of the sponsored girls

Cupcake Wars Feature“Cupcake Wars” on the Food

Network would have an episode covering She’s the

First’s cause

Contestants would compete to create the best tasting and

best decorated tie dye cupcakes

Guest judge along with regular panel of judges would

be national spokesperson

$10,000 prize could go towards an event showcasing winner’s recipe and cupcake

design and She’s the First

Introducing: Our Hand Picked SpokespersonZooey Deschanel...

...is on the hit television series New Girl where she plays a teacher

...donates $1500 every month to philanthropic organizations

...is not a designated spokesperson for any other foundation as of yet

...appeals to a wide range of audiences and very versatile as a celebrity

...fan base stems from TV and music realms

...is the new “it” girl in Hollywood; Zooey has a great reputation with no scandals and a fresh face

Why Zooey Deschanel?

Zooey has 1.77 million Twitter followers and a very strong presence on Tumblr. HelloGiggles.com

Zooey also has over 1.07 million “likes” on Facebook with over 75,000 discussions about her

Zooey is certainly the ideal. If not her, then a similar someone would be great in the sense that they would be...

...mid-range millenial with a good reputation across age groups

...with strong social media presence

...a celebrity with real staying power in the media

with cross over talent across different realms (music, television, film, and so forth)

Girls Who Rock!Expanding to appeal to 18-30 demographic and increase sponsorship/awareness

We want to create ‘The Purple Carpet’ for all guests with a “Hollywood Walk of Fame” featuring the girls who are sponsored by She’s the First all over the world

The music featured would be Zooey’s band, She & Him, and other indie girl artists

Why “indie” music?

Live stream of the event, music blogs, #GirlsWhoRock, etc.

Social Media and Celebrity

Approach celebrities who are already active in tweeting about philanthropic causes to retweet information regarding She’s the First and to talk about what they are the first at (#imthefirst)

Approach fashion bloggers to talk about the Rhinestone Cupcake Necklace Campaign and She’s the First’s cause

Local level: #imthefirst hashtag

Example university student tweet: “I’m the first woman to graduate from college in my family @UniversityofMichigan @ShestheFirst #imthefirst”

Promote “Tweet-Ups” where advocates for She’s the First can gather fundraising ideas and events by meeting up through tweets in person or virtually and hear powerful stories Campus Stars all through the #imthefirst hashtag

The Cupcake Rhinestone Necklace

CampaignGive ideal celebrities and Campus Stars a “Rhinestone Cupcake Necklace” which is more than jewelry, it’s a statement.

Put it into gift bags for award shows with celebrities

Celebrities can be photographed wearing the necklace in “Star Tracks” for example and in various media clips in news segments

Campus Stars can share through Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest photos of them wearing the cupcake necklace and creating a hashtag for it to create a Twitter community with celebrities of all kinds

Wrap Up and Summary

Public relations focus for She’s the First celebrity endorsement and involvement will be broken down to national and local levels:

Redefine celebrity: “Campus Stars” and traditional celebrities

#imthefirst Twitter hashtag campaign

Zooey Deschanel as the national spokesperson

Linking local level to national levels to gain awareness and to execute creative storytelling while maintaining the brand’s original vision and values

Celebrity Endorsement/Involvement Team: Tom Keaney, Erica Avesian, Lizzie Mac, Erin Kastelz, Breanna Bueche, Krista Carney, Jennifer Mulligan