A PR Campaign Proposal for Gigabites Cafe
Rob Canning | President
Josh Brown | Account Executive
Olivia Perkins| Editorial Director
Annalee Schuette | Research Director
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary ....................................................... 2 Agency Overview ........................................................... 3 Client Background ......................................................... 7 Situation Analysis ........................................................... 8 Central Problem Statement .......................................... 9 Targeted Publics ........................................................... 10 Public Relation Campaign .......................................... 12 Timetable/Editorial Calendar .................................... 23 Line-Item Budget ......................................................... 25 Evaluative Measures .................................................... 26 Supporting Documents ............................................... 27
1
Executive Summary
Lee Clark Public Relations proposes a year-long “standing” public relations campaign for
Gigabites Café. In the pages that follow, the agency outlines the implementation of four specific
tactics designed to increase community awareness of Gigabites throughout Calloway County. The
plan is based on primary and secondary research conducted at Murray State University and in the
college town of Murray, Kentucky. The agency believes strongly that implementation of this plan
will help the new business grow and achieve its goals and objectives.
2
Agency Overview
Tagline: Big Ideas for Small Business
Mission Statement: Our mission is to implement creative, effective marketing and public relations
plans that assist small businesses in communicating with a broad range of publics, and allows them
to do so with the highest level of ethical integrity, professionalism and excellence.
Meet the Agency Team
Olivia Perkins | President
Manages all business procedures and oversees the day-to-day agency operations
Josh Brown | Account Executive
Compiles information for research team and acts as the liaison between the agency and client
Annalee Schuette | Editorial Director
Edits and manages all produced materials developed for media distribution
Rob Canning | Research Director
Implements strategic research plans that are targeted to each client’s publics and include
primary and secondary research.
3
Joshua Brown
222 B Campus Suites – Murray, KY 42071 – 727.282.2204 – [email protected]
Personal Profile
To graduate from Murray State University and obtain an entry-level position in a marketing and/or media
sales company or agency.
Professional Experience
Mowing Company, Mower (August 2008 – Present)
Mow lawns and create landscapes
Interior and exterior design
Murray State University Wellness Center, Greeter (May 2009 – August 2009)
Greet people as they enter the Wellness Center and checks I.D.s
Help with desk work
Education
Murray State University – Murray, KY
Major: Advertising Minor: Health Education Expected Graduation: May 2014
Activities/Skills
Murray State University Football Team (August 2010 – Present)
Proficient in photography
Microsoft Office Suite
4
Smith R. Canning
1260 Todd Road – Almo, KY 42020 – 270.227.2228 – [email protected]
Personal Profile
To graduate from Murray State University and obtain an entry level position with a TV production company.
Professional Experience
Murray State University Rowing Club, Vice President (May 2012 – Present)
Handle fundraising and contributions from sponsors and alumni WKMS Radio Station, News Reporter (April 2013 – Present)
Produce comprehensive local and regional news reports for radio broadcast and online publishing
Murray State University Rowing Club, Men’s Captain (May 2013 – Present)
Handle various personnel leadership issues Murray City Parks, Lifeguard (June 2010 – August 2011)
Lifeguard pools, maintain machines and upkeep of facilities, concessions and training new employees
Calloway County High School, Newspaper Entertainment Editor (August 2010 – June 2011)
Worked with staff of editors and writers to produce a monthly student-run newspaper
Researched and wrote several news and entertainment articles that were featured
Worked with formatting and structuring the layout of the newspaper
Education Murray State University – Murray, KY Major: TV Production Expected Graduation: May 2015
Activities/Skills
Murray State University Rowing Club (September 2012 – Present)
CPR/Lifeguard/AED/First Aid Certified
Microsoft Office Suite
5
Olivia Perkins
551 Chesapeake Drive – Harrodsburg, KY 40330 – 859.613.8600 – [email protected]
Personal Profile
To graduate from Murray State University and obtain an entry level position with a PR agency or company.
Professional Experience
Anderson Dean Aquatic Center, Head Lifeguard (May 2008 – Present)
Supervised and instructed swim lessons for children ranging from 1-10 years old
Coordinated lifeguard scheduling and pool parties
Implemented social media marketing strategy
Managed the aquatic center when the supervisor had prior engagements Murray State University Office of Recruitment, Student Ambassador (August 2013 – Present)
Educate potential students of Murray State University about the campus
Arrange visits to schools to expand knowledge of Murray State University
Assist with Racer Days, Honors Day, and Freshman Orientation
Education
Murray State University – Murray, KY Major: Public Relations Expected Graduation: May 2016
Activities/Skills
Sigma Alpha Iota Vice President of Membership (September2012 – Present)
Alpha Omicron Pi Alumnae Relations Chair(August 2013 – Present)
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
Excellent leadership abilities
Strong communication skills
Ability to work alone or in a group setting
6
Annalee Schuette
315 North 9th Street – Mount Vernon, IL 62864 – 618.237.1733 – [email protected]
Personal Profile
To graduate from Murray State University and obtain an entry level position with a non-profit organization.
Professional Experience
WKMS Radio Station, Development Assistant (August 2012 – Present)
Help with desk work
Assist with two fundraisers a year
Ask for food donations from local restaurants during each fundraiser Buffalo Wild Wings, Cashier/Hostess (December 2010 – July 2013)
Welcome guests and seat them
Take to-go orders
Education
Murray State University – Murray, KY Major: Public Relations Minor: Non-Profit Leadership Expected Graduation: December 2015
Activities/Skills
Alpha Omicron Pi (August 2012 – Present)
Campus Outreach (August 2012 – Present)
Murray State University First Year Leader (August 2013 – Present)
Microsoft Office Suite
7
Corporate Background: Gigabites
Andrew Pilgrim, owner of Gigabites Café, previously owed another business in Murray. For nearly
six years he ran “PC Re-Store,” a computer sales, parts and repair company. He ended that venture
just over a year ago to pursue a bigger dream and fill a necessary niche in the college town of
Murray.
This second business venture involved a lengthy renovation and jumping into the restaurant
business. A major challenge was meeting all required building codes. While the codes for restaurants
with residential living above are tedious in Murray, Pilgrim persevered for almost a year and a half
refining the details that would ultimately create Gigabites. After all the hard work, the cafe opened
its doors in the fall of 2013. Gigabites Café has been open for several months and is generally well
received by customers.
Pilgrim envisioned Gigabites as a place where students could come to relax, study and enjoy coffee
and healthy meals. Murray has lacked an actual “deli” in the past. Gigabites is designed to serve the
entire population of Murray but its primary public is the University population. It offers the
comforts of home and an atmosphere conducive to quiet study and group meetings. With free Wi-
Fi, patrons can spend several hours cramming for exams while also enjoying outstanding food and
coffee.
8
Situation Analysis
Gigabites is a small, relatively new business. It seeks to fill several consumer needs. It
characterizes itself as an Internet café, coffee shop, deli, music venue and computer repair center.
Gigabites’ strengths include an easily accessible location near campus, a strong Wi-Fi hotspot,
unique atmosphere, good food and friendly service. Weaknesses include the owner’s past reputation
as a business owner in Murray, the lack of an identifiable mission and rampant misunderstanding of
the product line.
We have an opportunity today to rebrand Gigabites while the business is still young. It needs
to scale down a too-broad offering and focus on one business goal at a time. It cannot market itself
as a coffee shop/deli/computer store/entertainment venue all at once. Through primary research,
we learned that the majority of students 1) Can’t locate Gigabites 2) Have never been to Gigabites
or 3) Don’t understand what Gigabites offers.
9
Central Problem Statement
Gigabites’ is having an identity crisis. It cannot be five different types of businesses at once and
needs to establish a central identity before consumers become too confused.
10
Targeted Publics
1. Primary Public - Murray State University Population
Murray State University is a growing university in the heart of the Jackson Purchase with the
students representing a large portion of Calloway County’s population. Approximately 10,800
students with the average of 18-24 and over 1,200 faculty and staff members live within close
proximity to the university or commute for at least eight months of the year. The student body
represents 45 states, 57 foreign countries and 104 Kentucky counties. By targeting the Murray State
University community, we can reach roughly a third of Calloway County. By capturing the attention
of Murray State University students, faculty and staff, we can help bring them to Gigabites.
2. Primary Public- Fulltime Murray Residents Age 35 +
More than 18,000 people call Calloway County home. This public includes non-students,
families with children, tourists and retirees. Gigabites has the appeal to bring in full-time Murray
residents with its wide variety of menu items, charming ambiance and free Wi-Fi.
3. Tertiary Public- Mass Media Outlets
Editors and producers at the following list of media outlets will receive all VNRs and news
releases.
Radio
1. WFGE 103.7 FM
2. WKMS 91.3 FM
3. WOFC 1130 AM
4. WNBS 1340 AM
11
TV
1. WSIL 3 – ABC, Harrisburg
2. WPSD 6 – NBC, Paducah
3. KBSI 23 – FOX, Cape Girardeau
1. The Murray Ledger & Times
2. Murray Life Magazine
3. The Murray State News
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Tactic: Social Media - (Instagram and Twitter)
Targeted Public: Murray State University Population
Rationale: Instagram is a photo-and-video-sharing network now owned by Facebook. It is the
fastest growing social platform with over 200 million unique visitors and has shared over 6 billion
photos since its acquisition in June 2013. The site allows users to share photos instantly from mobile
devices and easily capture videos at a maximum of 15 seconds. Most Murray State students have
Facebook accounts, however our research revealed that the most popular and user-friendly social
network for students is Instagram. Twitter currently has more than 430 million users worldwide and
is professionally used and operated by major brands and companies around the world. This strategic
plan creates a social buzz for Gigabites that reaches the primary public where they’re most likely to
see it: online.
Description: The agency will launch a well-defined profile of Gigabites’ on Instagram. We plan to
create a constant stream of relationship-building conversations with the public by launching
profiles/accounts on both Instagram and Twitter. The agency will also create a Twitter account for
Gigabites. The Twitter account can be used to promote daily lunch specials, deals of the day and
special events that will be happening that week. Tweets could include: compliments from customers
in store, upcoming special events and pictures of satisfied customers enjoying their time at
Gigabites.
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Tactic: E-Blasts
Targeted Publics: Murray full-time residents
Rationale: Having E-Blasts will keep Gigabites customers aware of special events that are going on
and special deals coming up. This will give Gigabites’ the ability the ability to share relevant
information. Sending E-Blasts out to customers is an excellent tactic to have in addition to the use
of social media. Email is the preferred way to receive information for the majority of adults in the
U.S. today. Email connects 85% of the world where social media connects 62%. About 98% of all
adults in the United States have and regularly access at least one email address daily. The agency
stands a high chance of successfully getting our message to the public. Instead of spamming
potential customers and flooding their inboxes, we invite members of our public to subscribe to our
newsletter and email updates. This will also allow us to build a customer database. The e-blast is a
specially-designed message generated on behalf of Gigabites to be sent out on a monthly basis, or as
needed to support other PR tactics.
Description: Here are some example subject lines for e-blast messages:
1. Good Food is Brain Food: Find Out How Eating Well Helps You Study
2. Tuesdays = Half-Off Coffee: Click for Details
3. Open Mic Fridays: Support Your Local Artists
4. Deli Meat Sandwiches Cut Fresh Every Morning
5. Gigabites Voted Best “Cup of Joe” in Murray
6. Bring Your Study Group to Gigabites
7. Have Your Sunday Lunch Out: After-Church Specials
17
Tactic: News Releases
Targeted Publics: Mass Media Outlets
Rationale: Most people tune in to their local TV or radio stations for community news and events
and we plan to take advantage of that. New releases will be sent to local and surrounding areas
newspaper, TV and radio stations. Instead of placing an ad, this is a great way to notify the public of
upcoming events and specials, especially on-campus media. There are also several free event
calendars that local radio stations and newspapers have. These could be used to notify the public of
upcoming events at Gigabites.
Description: News releases will be disseminated to the full media list. The following sample
headlines are examples of newsworthy events that Gigabites would spread.
1. “Gigabites Begins ‘Happy Hour’ Specials from 2-5 Every Afternoon”
2. “Frequent Customers are Eligible for Special Discounts”
3. “Outdoor Cafe and Dining Will Begin Soon”
4. “Billy Joe Johnson and the Wiley Coyotes Play the Gigabites Stage this Friday”
5. “Line-Up for Acoustic Weekend Now Announced”
18
Sample News Release
Gigabites Cafe LOGO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Lee Clark Public Relations
Phone: 270-555-XXXX
Fax: 270-555-XXXX
Email: [email protected]
GIGABITES FOOD DONATIONS AS PART OF HUNGER AWARENESS MONTH
Gigabites Cafe and Deli Announces New Initiative to Aid Community Hunger Issues
MURRAY, KY September 1st, 2014 September is Hunger Awareness month, and independently-
operated restaurant Gigabites Cafe plans to launch a new initiative to provide extra help to
charitable foundations aimed at reducing poverty-induced hunger. Gigabites owner Andrew Pilgrim
says he got the idea in the first month of his deli’s operation.
“I was really appalled after the first few weeks how much food we were just throwing away
at the end of the day,” said Pilgrim. “We were losing money with everything we didn’t sell, so I
thought all that food would be better off going to those who need it the most. Luckily, I know a lot
of the charitable leaders around Murray and they all agreed to meet us halfway in getting it to those
people.”
Each day at the end of business hours, most restaurants dump out their uneaten food,
especially in bakeries and delis where the goods are made fresh every day. Under the new plan,
Gigabites will save all of its uneaten food and deliver it to local Needline and Salvation Army
shelters for redistribution to those who need it most.
“I was really appalled after the first few weeks how much food we were throwing away at the
end of the day,” said Pilgrim. “We were losing money with everything we didn’t sell, so I thought it
would be better off going to those who need it the most. Luckily, I know a lot of the charitable
leaders around Murray and they all agreed to meet us halfway in getting it to those people.”
19
Gigabites is providing this community service at no extra cost to the customer. However, an
orange box will be placed by the register asking for a charitable donation that will go toward funding
food networks at the Needline and Salvation Army local chapters.
20
Tactic: College Tour
Targeted Public: Murray State University Population
Rationale: Targeting the Murray State University population with a college tour is a perfect way to
bring awareness of Gigabites on campus. This will encourage students to start walking to Gigabites
for their lunch needs instead of going to other dining options on Murray State University’s campus.
Students feel overwhelmed by the Thoroughbred Room, especially on days when there are
university tours. If students are aware of more food options within a close proximity to campus,
they would be more inclined to go to Gigabites over a full lunch room.
Description: We will begin our college tour by having flyers for students to look at as they walk to
class. There will be fliers hung up on campus and there will be mini fliers distributed by employees
during the busy hours of the day (10:20, 11:20 and 12:20). In these fliers, there will be our Twitter
and Instagram account information and a menu of what Gigabites has to offer. These will be
planned throughout the semester in order to continue to raise awareness of Gigabites. Each college
tour can differentiate by having different promotional items. Some examples would be fliers with
information, samples of coffee and samples of a mini sandwich. These samples will allow the Murray
State University population to get a sample of what Gigabites has to offer and will make them want
to go to the actual café.
21
Timeline/Editorial Calendar
January
1- Launch Twitter and Instagram Accounts
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release
February
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release
March
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release
April
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release
May
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release
June
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release
July
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release
22
August
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release
25- College Tour 1
30- College Tour 2
September
1- Send out an E-Blast
10- College Tour 3
15- Send out a Press Release
25- College Tour 4
October
1- Send out an E-Blast
10- College Tour 5
15- Send out a Press Release
November
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release
December
1- Send out an E-Blast
15- Send out a Press Release
23
Line Item Budget
1,000 Gigabites brochures $400
250 Free Samples – Food cost 250
250 Samples coffee 150
E-Blasts (Constant Contact platform fees over 6 months) 120
------------------
Total:
$920
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Evaluative Measures
Evaluating the effectiveness of this public relations plan is vital to the success of Gigabites.
A post-campaign survey after 10 months will measure the increase in overall awareness.
The success of the Social Media accounts will be measured by how many retweets, likes and
comments we receive on information that we post. Monitoring the retweets, likes and
comments can be measured by using Twitter and Instagram insights. These tools will be
used to evaluate each account on a weekly basis throughout the campaign.
The success of the E-Blasts will be measured by how many times the emails are opened and
how much time was spent looking at the E-Blasts. Since the E-Blasts will allow potential and
current customers to “opt-in” to the email list which will allow us to use the amount of
signups as a measurement tool.
The success of the Press Releases will be measured by how many pickups and media
placements are done.
The success of the College Tours will be measured by how many fliers, sandwiches and
coffee we are able to distribute. This will allow us to check how many items we were able to
send out to the Murray State University public.
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