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Discover the essence of PR in sustainability campaigns, navigating challenges with innovative solutions for effective communication. Explore quick data insights, target audiences, brand strategies, maximizing resources, and top student-generated ideas.
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Sustainability PR Amy Young July 20, 2010
Agenda • What is PR (and why do I care)? • Sustainability Committee challenges and how to frame solutions • Quick data • Campaign Audiences • Thinking about the Brand • How to do a lot with a little • Student ideas • Discussion, next steps, questions, etc.
What is PR? • An umbrella term for persuasive communication that encompasses market research, marketing, advertising, event planning and management, and overall public communication strategy • We think about: audience, media choice, timing, market forces, social/political/historical context, persuasion techniques, and relationship-building
Challenges and Considerations • Sustainability is not sexy • Consider: spokesperson(s), visual appeal/aesthetic, humor/wit, media choice • Sustainability makes people feel guilty about the way they live • Consider: tone of voice, spokesperson(s)
Challenges and Considerations • Sustainability is shoved down people’s throats • Consider: higher quality and less quantity, tone, using students to message for you • Resource limitations • Consider: cheaper and greener media • Lack of understanding • Consider: visual and message consistency • All-or-nothing • Consider: giving tips on baby steps through RAs, on FB, on water bottles
Quick Data • Because I already gave Chrissy the proposals, I am doing this “aggregate” from memory: • Very few people on campus know what your logo means or stands for and if you aren’t married to it, ALL of my students suggested changing it • Students at PLU understand they should say they are sustainable, but feel it is too hard and/or they just say they care but don’t • Very few people know that the Community Garden, Bike COOP, etc. are actually connected • Most students will tell you that sustainability feels crammed down their throats to the point where they just give up or roll their eyes
Campaign Audiences • Students: The major target for the Sustainability Committee (on-campus living, learn good habits now, largest market on campus) • Faculty/Staff: The secondary target (transportation/parking, resource usage, ability to model good habits for others) • Community around PLU: The tertiary target
The Brand • Apple's brand • Let’s work through this together: • Brand platform consists of five “planks”: • Brand Vision: How does the SO see the world? • Brand Mission: How will the SO act on its insight? • Brand Values: What is the code by which the SO lives? • Brand Personality: What human characteristics would you like associated with the SO? • Brand Tone of Voice: How should the SO speak to its audience(s)?
How to do a lot with a little • Word of mouth: use your “mavens” • Go viral: “mavens” blast videos, tips, stories, links. • Media choice: utilize cheap or free media like Facebook (more than 95% of students at PLU are on FB), have a student write the blog as an internship, multi-media • Utilize on-campus resources like MediaLab and Amy’s classes and great designers (JP Avila, Chad Hall, Cameron Cowles, etc.) • Think CONSISTENCY
Best Student Ideas • Overall strategy: visual consistency, high message discipline, thinking about student audience in terms of “cool factor” • Tag line: Be That Guy • Viral videos • Student postcard • Free coffee Wednesday (logo stickers) • UC mural • Team bike event • Tips on reusable grocery bags or water bottles • Better organization and visual appeal on website
Discussion Let’s talk…