final imc campaign

Pay It Forward…

To attract college-aged Millennials to donate blood.

July 23, 2012

Emily C. Martin

8th & Cherry123 Main St.

Anytown, USA 26187123.123.1234

Table of contents

Executive Summary………………………………………….................................................3

1American Red Cross Campaign Proposal. Copyright © 2012 8th & Cherry. CONFIDENTIAL.

Letter to the CMO……………………………………………………………………………………………4

About 8th & Cherry……………………………………………................................................5

American Red Cross Background…………………………………………………………………….6-8

Target Market…………………………………………………………………………………………………9-12

SWOT Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………………..13-15

Online survey………………………………………………………………………………………………….16-17

Brand Positioning & Brand Personality……………………........................................18-21

Brand Perception Focus Group……………………………………………………………………….22-23

IC Strategy Statement……………………………………………………………………………………..24-25

Creative Brief………………………………………………………………………………………………....26

Advertising Media Plan…………………………………………………………………………………..27-34

Public Relations Media Plan……………………………………………………………………………35-40

Internal Communications ………………………………………………………………………………41-44

Evaluation Methods……………………………………………………………………………………….45-47

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………………………48

IMC Flow Chart……………………………………………………………………………………………….49

Budget Expenditures & Recommendations……………………………………………………50-51

References……………………………………………………………………………………………………..52-53

Appendix A……………………………………………………………………………………………………..54-55

Appendix B……………………………………………………………………………………………………..56-57

Appendix C – Press Release examples..............................................................58-62

Appendix D – Crisis Communication Plan……………………………………….………………63-67


Executive SummaryMillennials want to help the American Red Cross - they just don’t know it yet. 8 th & Cherry will provide the tools to attract, engage, and capture Generation Y attention and loyalty for blood donation and advocacy directed toward the ARC.

The ARC has a unique problem where blood is needed for endless replenishment and is consistently threatened with supply exhaustion. This is a serious and constant issue. By capturing Millennial attention and providing multiple touch-points to recruit loyal donors to the ARC, 8 th & Cherry will help to solve the issue of an ever-depleting blood supply.

8th & Cherry will provide a comprehensive integrated marketing campaign that incorporates tactics to increase blood donors across Generation Y by appealing to their value of close personal relationships as well as egocentric tendencies. Using images that resonate with personal connections and incorporating calls to action including guerilla tactics, traditional and non-traditional advertising, events, partnerships, public relations, and internal communications will appeal to all touch points of the Millennial lifestyle.

Millennials are the largest generation since the Baby Boomers. They are over 77 million strong, and have an intensive effect on the overall trends in society. They are highly tech-savvy and tend to be oriented by their personal style and have a high regard for friends and family, although they are very personal in their decisions. Within any volunteer activities, Millennials want to see direct results from their actions and understand that their impact is valued.

8th & Cherry carries a unique vision for reaching your target audience. We are a small firm that handles projects in a constructive manner, allowing us to dissect a brand and build it back up based upon distinctive tactics, offering your brand the opportunity to stand out and be noticed as well as building your reputation and advocacy beyond the campaign. This will build for future campaign objectives and increase livelihood exponentially among your target audience for years of support.

Fundamentally, 8th & Cherry will increase blood donation among Millennials for the ARC. The proposed tactics will resonate with the target audience and spur a call to action. Focusing on involvement with the ARC, an open communications platform, and creating interest-driven tactics, 8 th & Cherry will answer the typical Millennial question: “What’s in it for me?”.


Dear Ms. Peggy Dyer,

Thank you for your time to review and consider 8th & Cherry’s marketing campaign proposal for the American Red Cross. Reaching and appealing to Generation Y, the Millennials, is no small task. This group of young adults poses a challenge for the ARC to effectively solicit blood donations.

Given the dire need for blood products, it is imperative the second largest generation become passionate about the ARC’s blood donation services. This is where we come in. In order to catch the attention of the Millennials, 8 th & Cherry will provide a comprehensive integrated marketing campaign focused on their technological expertise; need to identify with a group, and passion for a greater purpose.

Generation Y already sees the ARC as a strong organization who fulfills humanitarian services throughout the globe and most importantly, close to home. They recognize the ARC mainly by the disaster relief efforts and blood donation services, which is good news for building their general perception of the brand. In order to capture their attention, build interest, and establish blood donation as a habit, 8 th & Cherry will create a campaign based upon progressive steps to build a strong donor base.

8th & Cherry will build a strong presence among Millennials by using familiar and inviting methods. Working with a highly tech-savvy audience, use of social and emerging media is a given. Other Millennial-relevant means such as guerilla marketing, print advertising, and events will be used to support the campaign. These tactics will increase exposure and create viral communications uniting Millennials to see ARC blood donation as a calling to help others and most importantly, themselves.

I look forward to speaking with you regarding this campaign. To follow up and discuss this proposal in greater depth, I will contact you August 1, 2012. Closer to that date I will email you to set a time. If you have any questions regarding the following proposal or would like to discuss it earlier, please feel free to contact me at your convenience. I look forward to discussing this dynamic campaign with you.

Sincerely,

Emily C. MartinChief Brand Architect, 8th & [email protected]


mailto:[email protected]

About 8th & Cherry Emily C. Martin, founder of 8th & Cherry, is not your typical marketing firm CEO. After an education at West Virginia University in Fashion Merchandising and a

stint in retail, she sought a higher challenge and returned to her alma mater for a Master of Science degree in Integrated Marketing Communications. A passion

for customer service and a love of branding led Emily to establish 8th & Cherry. She calls herself the Chief Brand Architect because clients see their brand built

from a blueprint design to a strong, supportive function in their organization. The basic principle of establishing a strong brand identity is not a trade secret. It is

a foundation. That foundation is then built upon to invite clients and potential audiences into your organization, make them feel comfortable, and maximize the

organization-client relationships.

8th & Cherry is an integrated marketing communications boutique founded in 2010 based upon the basic principle of establishing a clear brand image for

organizations seeking stronger communications platforms. As 8th & Cherry has proven numerous times for clients like Asics, Avia, IKEA, Kmart, Talbots, Red Bull,

and Share Our Strength, building the brand identity is not the end. It is only the beginning.

Following a thorough analysis of our client and their target market, we build a comprehensive communications plan to support the new brand image or reinforce

the existing brand image. We don’t stop at just creating and implementing a plan. With a commitment to success, 8 th & Cherry teams continue touch-base

sessions with our clients and evaluate success. To ensure effective and engaging relationships endure between the organization and the target audience, these

meetings lead to further campaigns to build upon the strengthened brand.

We strive for successful campaigns, stopping at nothing to strengthen our clients. In-depth research, innovative strategy sessions, creative campaign building,

and immaculate follow-through are the hallmarks of our services. It is what we build every campaign upon. The 8 th & Cherry team is dedicated to building a

cohesive integrated marketing communications campaign using these hallmarks to promote the American Red Cross among Millennials.


ARC BackgroundThe American Red Cross (ARC) faces blood donation shortages daily. The American medical system relies heavily on the ARC being the single largest blood

product source in the United States, providing over 40 percent of the blood supply. Annually the ARC distributes over 9 million blood products for transfusion to

nearly 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers. (American Red Cross, 2012). Given the U.S.’s dependence upon the ARC, there is no question whether or not

blood donation is in critical need.

“As demographics in our Nation continue to shift, it is critical that we increase the diversity of our blood donor population.” (American Red Cross, 2010). Baby

Boomers are aging and in need of blood therapies in their health care. This indicates a shift in the Boomer donation potential, generating an actual need among

their generation. As these individuals decrease their donations, there is much needed space to be filled by other generations in the blood donation cause. The

ARC has chosen to focus on the Millennial generation, young adults 16 – 24 in order to continue the phenomenal need for blood donations in America.

ARC Short history:Since its inception in 1881, the American Red Cross has been “the nation’s premier emergency response

organization.” (American Red Cross, 2010). A desperate need for blood was created by World War II, leading

ARC to develop the first civilian blood program, the Blood Donor Service, collecting 13.3 million pints of

plasma for WWII forces. (American Red Cross, 2012). Through growth and safety initiatives, ARC expanded its

reach to 55 blood collection centers in 1962 and now includes collection centers in 36 regions across America.

(American Red Cross, 2010). Today, ARC is the single largest supplier of blood in the US, collecting 40 percent

of the US blood supply, collecting 6.5 million units of blood from 4 million donors, resulting in 9.5 million

blood products. (American Red Cross, 2010).

(American Red Cross, 2010).


The ARC emergency response now includes involvement in six “compassionate service” areas: offering humanitarian care and disaster aide, community services

to help the needy, providing support to military members and their families, collecting and making available blood and blood products, offering health and safety

education programs, and creating international relief and development programs. (American Red Cross, 2012).

The focus of this campaign, the blood donation branch of ARC, is the main cause associated with the organization. (Survey, 2012). Roughly four million people

donate blood through ARC, creating the largest supply of blood and blood products available to the US. (American Red Cross, 2012). Since ARC is not affiliated

with the US government, it relies solely on donations of time, money, and blood from volunteers. To create a steady flow of safe blood products, ARC was

among the first to develop and implement donor safety programs including testing labs, clinical trials, and safety standards within the blood industry. (American

Red Cross, 2010). It has been among the first to help develop and implement testing for infectious diseases and is frequently the single major contributor to

clinical trials to improve blood safety. (American Red Cross, 2012). Protecting the safety of donors and recipients will ensure ARC maintains a promising blood

supply program to provide for Americans in need.

Blood Donation Industry & Competitive Landscape:The blood donation industry is becoming crowded with not only nonprofit organizations vying for Millennial time and money: for-profit companies have entered

the realm of competition. The need for valuable blood and blood products has created a competitive zone. The blood and plasma collection industry has grown

tremendously, citing the need for plasma in pharmaceutical research, treatment of intensive care and emergency patients, chronic disease situations, and

autoimmune disorders. (Octapharma Plasma, Inc., 2012).

For-profit blood and plasma collection companies pay donors for their time and offer incentive-based programs to attract donors. (CSL Plasma, 2012). Research

has shown donors can earn upwards of $200 to $300 per month for their time. (Talecris Plasma Donations, 2012 & CSL Plasma, 2012). Plasma is the sole product

for which the FDA allows donors to be paid. (Boen, 2009). Given the altruistic nature of Generation Y members, this has not become a primary threat among the

target group as of yet. As the economic crisis continues to impact the employment market, pay-for-blood companies do pose a threat to the ARC as Millennials

may follow suit of other generations and sway their charitable thoughts for income. (Smith, 2009).

In addition to the threat to non-profit donor levels being swayed by payment, the quality of the blood supplied by for-profit companies has become a concern.

(FDA, 2012). It has been proven the caliber of paid donors may decrease the safety of the blood supply. (America’s Blood Centers, 2012). Many people attracted


to the monetary gratification have shown to be drug addicts, homeless, and those without insurance. (FDA, 2010). While these groups seek even small ways to

compensate their lifestyle, the lack of available health care provides a higher chance of tainted blood products. (FDA, 2010).

At this time, there is no substitute for the 43,000 pints of blood needed daily in the U.S. and Canada. (America’s Blood Centers, 2012). Although research has

proven promising, a substitute for blood cells is not currently available. (FDA, 2010). The need for blood transfusions within surgeries and treatments has

decreased steadily in recent years, supplemented by the new drugs that promote red blood cell production in the body. (America’s Blood Centers, 2012).

Testing and screening procedures have also created a safer blood supply, allowing for higher quality donations and increased frequency among approved

donors. (FDA, 2010).

Deterrents:

Forming the habit of blood donation may be a volatile process. Considering blood donation cannot be performed by all people at all times, deferrals may deter

the habit-forming process. (Masser, White, Hyde, & Terry, 2008). The pool of eligible donors decreased steadily due to stricter donation guidelines and possible

donors engaging in high-risk behaviors. (Windley, 2006). Studies have shown when giving blood becomes habit, donors are more likely to donate regularly and

frequently. When this routine is disrupted, the probability of future donation is decreased. (Masser, White, Hyde, & Terry, 2008). However, those who have

“given blood even once typically have stronger intentions to donate than those who have never donated.” (Masser, White, Hyde, & Terry, 2008). Windley (2006)

indicates that consistent blood donors do so based upon strictly altruistic reasons, while first time donors indicate social pressure to donate.

A focus of the ARC must become to recruit first time donors and establish a strong rapport to enter into habit-forming donations. Further study has shown that

when a person identifies themselves as belonging to a certain group, they are more likely to participate in the associated activities. (Masser, White, Hyde, &

Terry, 2008). Transitioning the first time donor into a habit-forming behavior, leading them to identify with the blood donation platform and saving lives will be a

major step in engaging the Millennials and retaining their interest. A 2008 Blood Safety Survey found that within 14 countries, over half of their blood donations

are from donors under the age of 25. (ADRP, 2010). This further represents an opportunity to recruit the Millennials to step up their blood donation efforts.

The flexibility of the ARC internally may create an obstacle. There are 36 regions nationwide. The sheer number of locations will prove a challenge to ensure a

consistent follow-through of initiatives and stable representation of the overarching ARC integrated marketing vision. A clear understanding of the program must

be reinforced throughout the campaign to ensure accurate representation. Through this vision, the ARC brand standards manual will be reevaluated for clarity

and consistency among chapters. 8

American Red Cross Campaign Proposal. Copyright © 2012 8th & Cherry. CONFIDENTIAL.

Target market: College-Aged Millennials (18-24)Demographic Profile

Millennials were born after 1980, becoming the first generation to come of age in the new millennium. (Pew Research Center (b), 2010). The target audience

within this group is young adults aged 18-24. Rivaling the Baby Boomer generation in size, the Millennials boast nearly 77 million individuals. (Towns, 2011). In

general, Millennials are the most ethnically and racially diverse generation compared to older generations. Sixty percent are non-Hispanic whites, while 39

percent are racial and ethnic minorities. (Pew Research Center (b), 2010).

Millennials are less likely to live in rural areas, whereby 54% live in the suburbs and 32% live in central cities. (Pew Research Center (b), 2010). Millennials within

the target age group are not home owners. They are considered the “Boomerang Generation” due to a tendency to move back to their parent’s home after

completing college. (Pew Research Center (b), 2010). A product of only 60% being raised by both parents, Millennials are less likely to be married. They are

starting non-traditional families and are more open to entering into an inter-racial marriage than older generations. (Pew Research Center (b), 2010).

Psychographic Profile:

Millennials are an educated group who enjoys technological and communication advances. (Pew Research Center (a), 2010). A highly connected group, they are

described as “history’s first ‘always connected’ generation,” with 24% of respondents in a 2010 Pew Research Center (b) survey identifying their generation’s

most distinctive trait as their technology use. They are most likely to communicate via text or instant message than email, and certainly less likely to send a letter

through U.S. mail than older generations. (Sweeney, 2006). Within their instant means of communication, shorthand and abbreviated text is used to speed

communication among the target market, likely a result of their “I want it now” mentality. (Sweeney, 2006). Millennials, more than any other generation, use

social media, with 83 percent having a social media profile. (Towns, 2011). An Achieve (2012) survey shows Generation Y will share nonprofit information

regarding cool events (74%), statistics (69%), news (65%), opportunities (61%), video (47%), group invitations (39%), making an impact (36%), and donating

(30%). Only five percent indicated they wouldn’t share nonprofit information on social media.


According to Forrester Research (2009), Millennials are mainly involved in social media as Joiners (85%) and

Spectators (89%), indicating they are not creating content on the web, but immersing themselves in the content others

create. They are active in reading and finding information through blogs, microblogs, and other social media sites such

as Facebook, YouTube, Pintrest, and wikis. Generation Y is not creating content on the social web, but they will

contribute through comments and contributing posts.

Described as confident, self-expressive, liberal, upbeat and open to change, (Pew Research Center (a), 2010)

Millennials are known for being accepting of others and socially tolerant. They are the most demographically diverse

generation, with a high tolerance for accepting societal change. (Towns, 2011).

“Millennials were found to be more warm and outgoing, (Warmth) more abstract than concrete (Reasoning), more adaptive and mature (Emotional

Stability), more dutiful (Rule Consciousness), more socially bold and adventuresome (Social Boldness), more sensitive and sentimental (Sensitivity), more

self-doubting and worried (Apprehension), more open to change and experimenting (Openness to Change), and more organized and self-disciplined

(Perfectionism). But they were also found to be less solitary and individualistic (Self Reliance).” (Sweeney, 2006).

Millennials are known to define themselves by their relationships with others. (Echoboombomb, n.d.). This is a good

indication that their interest lies in their co-dependent mentality and focus on family. Their top three priorities revolve

around family and helping others (Pew Research Center (b), 2010), which may explain the shift in “Generation Me” to the

“Generous Generation.” (Spinney, 2012). Millennials have a propensity to better society. Nearly six in ten report volunteer

efforts within a twelve month period and 21 percent indicate they feel “helping others in need” is the most important

thing in their life. (Pew Research Center (b), 2010). A recent study indicated that Generation Y has boosted monetary

donations, resulting in 75 percent of young people donating money and 63 percent donating their time to charities.

(Achieve, 2012). The Achieve (2012) study also stated that Millennials “…want to give and serve. They want involvements

that engage their minds as well as their hands. In the end, they want to build authentic, personal relationships with

nonprofits.” Surprisingly, Millennials see older generations as having better work ethic, values, and respect for others than

themselves. (Pew Research Center (b), 2010).


Feelings toward the American Red Cross and blood donation in general

Millennials have a high respect for the ARC. They see the organization as supportive, helpful, caring, and organized. This high regard for the ARC and their

missions is a solid starting point for the campaign. In general, Millennials associate the ARC with disaster relief and blood donation equally. (Survey, 2012). A

majority of Millennials would rather donate to the ARC than be paid for their time and blood. Young people have been found to have a higher rate of

volunteering for charities and working toward eliminating social inequalities than their parents. (Spinney, 2012).

Blood donation in general is a different story regarding Millennial perception. Among Millennials surveyed and interviewed, blood donation is a fickle subject.

Thirty two percent of survey respondents had never given blood based upon fear or apprehension. Thirty two percent had donated blood due to strictly altruistic

reasons, while almost seven percent admitted to donating blood to ensure a karmic fulfillment. In general, the target sees blood donation as safe and they trust

the process of collecting blood. They also see blood donation as a highly important activity to support the general public. However, only four out of nine

Millennials had donated blood during a recent focus group, although they viewed the act as heroic and honorable. An Ohio State University study found that

Millennials would rather get a boost in self-esteem from praise or simply feeling better about their actions than receiving a reward. (Spinney, 2012).

What would you like them to think?

We want Millennials to think of the ARC as a worthwhile cause to which they should donate their time. Millennials want to be involved. To act upon this

inclination, we need to ask them to become involved in blood donation based upon the perception that their blood is needed on a wide scale. We want

Millennials to think of the ARC as an organization that will help them and their loved ones in times of need, creating a relationship with them. Throughout this

campaign, we will put the Millennial target market in a mind-frame where they will see the need as a highly personal call to action.


How to attract them to spur action

Millennials want to be asked to help. They want an invitation and they want it to be geared directly to them. Response rates for volunteer actions have been

shown to improve with direct interaction, while generic calls to action for the general public do not attract Millennial attention. (Achieve, 2012). They are very

specific about what forms of marketing they will respond to, and expect a variety of messages from TV, online, social media, print, and mobile advertising.

(McCrea, 2011). Millennials want a brand to establish a positive rapport and draw them in “without trying to use ulterior motives or tricks.” (McCrea, 2011).

Generation Y prefers to learn about nonprofits from their websites (65%), followed closely by social media (55%) and e-newsletter (47%). (Achieve, 2012).

Millennials also want to see the direct benefits of their actions. When the appeal is directed toward their personal interests or their family and friends, it is

proven to be much more effective. (Spinney, 2012). If they can see the direct correlation between their efforts and a personal benefit, the inclination to

participate is higher and more attractive. The benefit to their lives and the overall experience are important to Millennials, but it has to be communicated in their

terms and on their level, as if they were the “expert”. (McCrea, 2011). Marketing campaigns need to be “natural” and speak to the target market in their own

terms. For Generation Y, this means creating an accessible campaign where they are the experts, the content is shareable, and they feel it is a genuine benefit to

their immediate needs. (McCrea, 2011). Millennials are attracted to all forms of media, wired or not. They appreciate newspapers, magazines, and television, but

consume it online and in person while they also rely upon social media to get advice and news. (McCrea, 2011).

Bottom line: Millennials want to be the expert, they want online marketing, direct correlations to their personal interest or benefit, they want advertising to be

entertaining, and they respond best to experiential advertising that evokes a strong personal response. (McCrea, 2011).

Competition for their loyalty and donation

Competitive entities for Generation Y loyalty and donation lie in personal interest. While it has been established that for-profit companies are a competition, the

target market does not indicate that this is a strong threat. The main competition for Millennial attention is their time donation. They see themselves as busy

and involved, leaving little time to search for a blood drive and donate their time to donate their blood. As previously discussed, Generation Y will commit to a

charity if it resonates with their interests. They will form long-term relationships, give larger donations (of time, money, and blood) and encourage friends and

family to volunteer as well. (Achieve, 2012).


SWOT Analysis


Strengths

The ARC has proven its benefit to society in each of their six outreach efforts, while the blood donation sector has become synonymous with the organization.

During disasters and in times of need, the ARC has proven to be a guiding presence, offering support and heightening awareness levels both in the communities

in need as well as on the national level through news outlets. As a result of this positive presence among horrific circumstances, the ARC has developed a strong

positive moral perspective among those involved with the organization as well as those who intent to volunteer, increasing the chances of future involvement.

These positive feelings and perspectives among those in need and the national news coverage has provided a brand personality that embodies traits such as

dependable, genuine, responsible, sincere, competent, and efficient. With regard to the blood donation segment, the ARC has continued these traits, especially

among repeat donors. Those who donate regularly and even first time donors report positive feelings toward their actions and a sense of self-fulfillment. Donors

can rest assured they are in safe hands, which has become an asset for the ARC as well. The ARC has become the representation of safety and innovation within

the blood collection arena, creating advancements in safety and testing that protect both donors and recipients.

Weaknesses

As with most nonprofit organizations, the ARC must run on a limited budget and limited volunteer staff. This results in sub-par outreach efforts, especially in

marketing and donor retention, as the volunteers and staff are not qualified to create and execute compelling campaigns. With 36 regions containing numerous

ARC chapters, it is difficult for the ARC to ensure a consistent representation of their brand. This may be a factor in the perception that the ARC is not spirited or

up-to-date with

Millennial the target audience. The group does not feel the ARC is compelling, nor do they feel a personal connection to the cause of blood donation. Current

marketing efforts do not speak to Generation Y in a way that is inviting. Within markets, the ARC responds to need, which is constant. This constant need is what

may hinder their ability to become innovators within the blood collection market, keeping them in the adaptor arena – forcing them to be reactive instead of

proactive.


Opportunities

The major opportunity for the ARC is to collect more blood from more people. The route to this would be to appeal to the targeted audience: young adults aged

18-24. Given the higher population and positive intent to become involved, the Millennials pose a great opportunity for growth. The way to appeal to Generation

Y is to provide an engaging brand personality where the benefits of blood donation and safety innovations are stressed to attract attention. Within the

campaign, relating the emotional factors with the rational benefits will appeal to the do-good mentality of the generation, connecting the act of donating blood

to individuals who may benefit – family members, friends, and strangers. The campaign will spur first time donors and reengage active donors to continue to the

point of forming a habit of blood donation.

Threats

While the ARC has a strong presence within the blood collection arena, emerging nonprofits and for-profits are vying for donor attention. Smaller, local

nonprofits may appeal to a home-town mentality, while for-profits are paying for blood products. Inaccurate information is easily spread and believed. People

not familiar with the process of donating blood may perceive the experience as scary or dangerous as a result of one bad experience being shared. Also,

potential donors cite the fear of needles or anxiety surrounding the process as deterrents to donate. For many, these are feelings that cannot be overcome.

Blood donation becomes a habit as donation experiences increase. Due to the advances in safety regulations, more potential donors are being denied. This may

deter future attempts to donate, resulting in broken habits of donation. The increase in the target audience’s high-risk behaviors is also a reason for deferred

donations. While Millennials generally are philanthropic in their actions, some may not see the benefits of blood donation, leading them to believe their

donations are not needed, or that their one donation would not make a large enough impact. Given the weakly targeted campaigns toward Generation Y, this is

an understandable mentality as a result of the mis-education regarding the ARC’s efforts.


Online survey An online survey was conducted, with 31 respondents – 26 female and five male. Millennials within the targeted audience represented 22.6 percent of the

respondents, while those individuals on the higher age bracket of Generation Y represented 45.2

percent.

Thirteen respondents had never participated in any form of blood donation or sale, while 29 percent of

respondents had done so four to six times,

followed by 19.4% participating one to three

times.

A majority (48.4%) of respondents feel a

social responsibility to donate blood, while

16.1% feel compelled to do so but have not. An

equal amount of responses (9.7%) indicated

they would not donate blood or that they were

fearful to donate. Most respondents who did

not donate blood indicated they were refused

donation due to health qualifications.

Of those who had not donated blood, fear of

the process was the main reason, while fear of dangers associated with blood donation was the

secondary excuse. A majority of respondents were eliminated from this question due to having

donated blood in the past. Of those who had donated blood, 32.3 percent indicated they had done so

due to “strictly altruistic reasons”. Social pressure and karmic reasons followed.


An overwhelming 74.2 percent of respondents would rather donate blood to a nonprofit organization,

compared to only 19% who would prefer to sell their blood or plasma to a for-profit business. Just

over six percent indicated they would not give blood under any circumstance. Accordingly,

respondents indicated they would give blood simply for the feeling of giving back (80.6%), while

only an insignificant amount indicated prizes or incentives and a loyalty program would spur

donation intent.

Respondents mainly associate the ARC with blood donation services and equally with disaster relief,

both incurring 41.9 percent. A small amount of respondents indicated benefits for military

members and their families were what they thought of when presented with the ARC.

Main findings from the online survey indicated that the respondents want to donate blood to a

nonprofit, notably the ARC due to their association of the organization with the benefits of helping others. The fact that the majority of respondents felt a social

responsibility to donate blood, did so strictly to help others, and thought of the ARC as a beneficial organization is a solid base to build the campaign upon. These

two findings pointed 8th & Cherry to construct a strategy based upon the feeling of helping others.


Brand Positioning & Brand PersonalityThe ARC is positioned as the main collector for the blood collection industry. While it is known for disaster

relief and blood donation, the ARC has not positioned itself among Millennials as the charity worthy of their

time and donations. The overarching mission of the ARC is to provide humanitarian aid worldwide. While this

is a noteworthy cause, it is important to communicate the mission to Millennials in a way that is appealing,

trustworthy, and calls them to action. Images on the blood donation tab of the ARC website do not appeal to Generation Y. Images including elves and

individuals hugging are not intriguing, they do not ask Millennials to help, and they certainly do not call them to action.

Currently the ARC is positioned as a wholesome, beneficial organization, neither intriguing nor innovative. For example,

the ARC shows images of individuals on their website who have donated blood, but they are generally just a head shot

of the person with a quote about their involvement. Nothing about this is engaging for the Millennials. They want to be

told why their time is valuable and how they will be making a difference. With a solid start, the ARC has launched social

media handles on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr. While these social media profiles are a step in the right direction with Generation Y, they must be

maintained according to their interests.

Currently, on Facebook, there are multiple postings that are generally focused on finding a donation center and taking the time to

donate blood. Images used include donors, recipients, and celebrity spokespeople. The use of images to personify participants and

recipients is a good tactic, as Millennials want to see their efforts as beneficial. The visual proof is the perfect way to do so.

However, the postings are not engaging, nor do they spur any two-way communications or sharing tendencies.

YouTube videos are not generally intriguing either. While they are providing feel-good stories about recipients, the dynamic, edgy

feeling necessary to attract Millennials is lacking. There are some television trailers combined with blood donation messages,

which are not necessarily related to the act of donating blood, but may cross-over to the Millennial viewer. Donor videos are inspiring, but still do not

have a professional, consistent feel – most seem to be created on home cameras and do not have any consistency to theme or aesthetic.


The ARC Twitter presence is felt mainly by those who are already vested in the charity. The Twitter manager does a very good job of responding to

tweets about the ARC and re-tweets relevant messages. This page is not solely devoted to the ARC blood donation services, which could lose interest

from those who are vested mainly in donating blood. There is little call to action on the page, other than re-tweeting when and where blood drives are

on a certain day. This is a good platform to continue to connect with existing donors and encourage habitual donations, given a refocus to the blood

donation segment of the charity.

Flickr is a less effective platform. The last administration post was December 31, 2009. While the photo sharing

capability and discussion posts could be a positive tool for marketing and research, the ARC must maintain a more

active presence. With more engaging and viral platforms currently available, such as Pintrest, the effort invested in

Flickr is providing less ROI than other efforts. As an added disadvantage to Flickr, many of the blood donation

images show donors with the needles and tubes coming from their arms, large bandages, bags of blood, etc. For

the inexperienced donor, these images could be perceived as scary and evoke fear, resulting in decreased donation

intent.

The ARC now provides donors with a more trusting

personality. Compared to competitive nonprofit blood

collections organizations and for-profit companies, the

ARC has the most friendly, personable, safe, and

approachable position. Competitive nonprofit and for-

profit organizations have less intriguing websites and

only local presence among donors.

The ARC has positioned itself as the premier nation-

wide organization helping to save lives. This is an

advantage, as their brand identification is much higher than local blood banks. The general association with blood donation is also higher for the ARC compared

to competition, as indicated in the online survey and focus groups. For-profit organizations have professionally created websites, but they carry a less personal

feel and are more clinical in aesthetic (as seen above). Among donors, the ARC has created the most welcoming presence among competition and indicates a


more personal feeling from their communications. There is a page of the ARC site dedicated strictly for students, which is a good platform. However, it takes

quite a few clicks from the homepage to access, it is not intriguing, and does not get to the immediate informational needs of Millennials. This useful tool can

provide a more connected feel for Generation Y and lead them to more involved tendencies through engaging content, interesting and artistic images, and more

direct social media references and links.

Currently the ARC stands for a national means to help others. Compared to the local associations of smaller blood donation organizations and for-profits, the

ARC has a greater presence, offering the brand position strength comparatively. However, if the personality is not appealing, even as a leader in the industry,

what growth potential is available?

In order for the ARC to maintain their lead status among competitors in their brand identity and positioning, they must create a more technological, easy-to-

access identity geared directly to the target audience. To do so, it is recommended to include social media feeds to the ARC website, update social media outlets

consistently, with a minimum of daily monitoring. By paying attention to the outlets used by Millennials, the ARC will relate better and have a greater

opportunity to engage in two-way conversations with them.

With these factors in mind as well as the current and potential communication methods, shifting the brand positioning to a more current and relevant means to connect with Millennials is key.

The current ARC brand positioning is: “Be a part of a life-changing experience. When emergencies strike, lives can suddenly take a different path. When you rise to meet the challenge, everyone’s

life begins changing for the better – including your own.”

The recommended ARC brand positioning statement to better resonate with Millennials is: “The American Red Cross saves lives every day. Pay it forward – you have the power to make a difference by providing life-saving support for others. The lives you save will help strangers, but most importantly can save someone you know and care about.”

The new positioning statement better resonates with the Millennials because it is straight-forward. It doesn’t beat around the bush with a guilt-laden tone. It explains the benefits of the organization as it appeals to the Millennial trait of wanting to help the ones they care about most while speaking to their overall philanthropic tendencies.


Brand Personality

According to the ARC Brand Standards document, the organization is currently projecting a brand personality of passionate, genuine, human, and trustworthy.

While these are solid traits to build a brand upon, the ARC does not project current personality traits that appeal to Millennials.

It is proposed that the ARC assume a brand personality based upon the following traits:

Passionate – Millennials want to see the ARC is passionate about the blood donation program. They want to see that passion in the communications to move

them to participate. Millennials feel helping others is a main priority in their lives. They feel passionate about their humanitarian efforts and want the ARC to

demonstrate that level of service as well.

Open – the ARC must be open to communicating their initiatives and their opportunities for involvement. While they already disclose their funding and

initiatives, Millennials want to trust the ARC and will ultimately feel more connected if they feel the ARC is disclosing everything. Millennials know when they are

being manipulated, and they certainly don’t appreciate it. As the ARC is a public service organization, it is expected that all motives and means are disclosed

openly.

Relatable – derived from the “genuine” personality trait, being relatable to the Millennials is a key factor in ensuring they are paying attention and feel the ARC

is associated with their interests. The Millennials want their efforts to relate directly to their own lives and their own efforts. Within this characteristic, the ARC

must form a direct connection from blood donation services to the Millennial lifestyle.

Dependable – If Millennials are going to donate their time, they want something in return: the ARC is going to be there for them in the event they need blood or

disaster relief services. The ARC must continue to provide reliable services as well as communicate those services and benefits to keep the organization top of

mind.


Brand Perception Focus Group A brand perception focus group was conducted June 5, 2012 at a local pizzeria. Nine participants representing the Millennial target audience were interviewed

informally, allowing discussion and open opinion sharing. Five females ranging from 16 to 23 and four males within the same age range participated. The

participants were recruited from family members, friends, and acquaintances. Following a short introduction, respondents delved into the discussions, indicating

a strong opinion of the ARC.

All participants indicated they trusted the ARC and found it to be a beneficial organization. In general, the females showed higher participation rates than males,

and they were more open to discuss their reasons for donation. Discussion regarding the overall perception of the ARC indicated a very high regard for all

efforts. An overwhelming level of respect and appreciation was the tone of all participants when discussing ARC efforts. The most associated services were blood

donation and disaster relief. Many of the participants did not know the ARC provided other services.

Only four participants had donated at blood drives. Most of those who have donated had become involved initially from school blood drives in both high school

and college. The draw for some was to be involved in a good cause; others felt pressure to participate, while one simply wanted to get out of class. Overall, the

main draw for donation within this group was to help others. One participant was “forced to participate” in her first donation by a sorority campus initiative. She

was apprehensive initially, and has now found herself to become a consistent donor when available. The remaining five participants indicated a myriad of

reasons for not donating. Only one indicated fear as a reason for not donating, and she will not donate at all. Others felt that the ARC did not make blood

donation accessible in locations and standards, some had never been presented with the opportunity, felt it was inconvenient, and a when it was established

that no one asked one participant to donate, all others indicated they felt the same way – that they needed an invitation.

When discussing incentives and reasons to donate, most indicated incentives would not persuade them to participate. The feeling of helping others was the

main reason, while a surprising six out of nine students indicated they felt if they donated, it would help them or someone they know in the long run, referred to

as “karmic donation”. Two indicated that if they were more informed, they would be more interested in donation, regardless of incentive. Three respondents did

feel they would be motivated to donate if given prizes that were easy to earn and useful. None of the respondents were interested in a loyalty or recognition

program where they could earn better prizes based upon level of blood donation.


The discussion regarding the need for blood products was particularly insightful and emotional. When asked if someone they knew needed blood from the ARC,

would it change their perception of blood donation, all participants assumed a very altruistic tone. When put in the situation of becoming or being close to a

blood recipient, all participants indicated they would recruit others to donate and/or donate themselves. They felt a very personal connection to the cause when

put in the situation of needing blood themselves. A supportive tone and strongly positive outlook was shown when discussing their donation decisions impacting

future need. Again, “karmic donation” emerged when discussing the fact that if they help now, maybe they would not run into the issue of needing blood in the

future (for themselves or loved ones). When discussed that it was highly likely that they or someone they knew would need blood at some time, many felt

remorseful for their discussions earlier, as they felt they should have been more open to the blood donation process.

Key findings and implications from the focus group were:

Millennials have an overwhelming positive view of the ARC. This indicates they do not have to be persuaded to see the ARC differently.

Millennials want to help others, especially when they know it will help someone they know. This indicates the need to make the campaign highly

personal and altruistic.

Millennials may not connect the need for blood in their own lives until presented with the likelihood. This indicates that the ARC needs to approach the

group with statistical data connecting them to the need.

Millennials believe in the “karmic donation” concept where they feel their contributions now will impact the availability of blood when they or someone

they know needs it. This indicates the need to create a “pay it forward” tone to the campaign, again connecting current efforts to future need.


IC Strategy StatementAmerican Red Cross Venn Diagram


Integrated Communication Strategy StatementThe American Red Cross needs your blood donation to ensure a sufficient blood supply when strangers, you, or

someone you love will need blood services.

“How I Transformed Rational and Emotional Factors into a Strategic Insight.”

“The American Red Cross needs your blood donation …”

{A direct call to action asking for “your” involvement, indicating need fulfillment that only you (the Millennial) can provide.}

“…to ensure a sufficient blood supply when…”

{There is no question that the blood supply will need to be replenished through the use of “when” instead of “if”.}

“…strangers, you, or someone you love will need blood services.”

{Your donation will benefit strangers, loved ones and yourself. Indefinitely, one of these individuals listed will need blood services.}

The ARC has a long history of helping others. They help people every day through the blood donation arm of the operation. According to current and potential

donors, the main reason cited for interest in blood donation lies in the altruistic vision they see themselves fulfilling. However, to strictly say donors are only

doing so to help others would be inaccurate. The second reason indicated by donors and potential donors alike referred to their own future need for blood

products – the availability of blood products for them or loved ones would be higher if they donate blood prior to need, referred to as “karmic donation” by one

donor. Other reasons included loved ones have been blood recipients and social pressure. A majority of emotional responses to the ARC were based upon

feeling good, altruism, helping others, and general positive esteem as a result of their efforts. The IC Strategy Statement is crafted based upon helping others,

positive self-image, and “karmic donation”.

To attract the millennial generation requires a direct path from the individual to the donation chair. They want to be asked, they want to do well for others, they

want to be associated with a beneficial group, and they want assurance their actions will pay off in the long run. Millennials will be prompted to take action and

become involved with the ARC as a result of the IMC campaign crafted by the above IC Strategy Statement.


Creative BriefClient: American Red Cross Date: 06/12/2012Type: Creative executions Pages: 1

Why are we advertising?To increase American Red Cross blood donation rates among the Millennial Generation.

Whom are we talking to?Young college-aged adults aged 18 to 24 who have not established a habit of donating blood to ARC.

What do they currently think?ARC is a beneficial organization. Blood donation is something others do to help the general good. I haven’t been asked to donate blood.

What would we like them to think?I have a responsibility to donate blood because it will help the greater good, but most importantly someone I know and love may need blood.

What is the single most persuasive idea we can convey?Blood donation is an important habit to establish in order to help my loved ones.

Why should they believe it?The probability of someone they know needing blood products is guaranteed, indicating they will need blood at some point.

Creative Message:The American Red Cross needs your blood donation and volunteer efforts to ensure a sufficient blood supply when strangers, you, or someone you love will need blood services.

Are there any creative guidelines?Bi-color, 3x5 direct mail reminder post card; full-color, 5 full-color 18x24-inch campus event posters (concert, scavenger hunt, blood drive); 2 full color, half-page magazine ads; bi-color, 8x8 QR code scavenger hunt signs; banner internet-radio ad; event premium – glowsticks; car cling designs; 1 phone cling; 3 versions of mirror/window clings.


Advertising Media Plan Budget Allocation: 26.76% = $5,352,265

Objective #1To increase first-time blood donations by 30% within the first half of the campaign.

StrategySpur interest by using traditional and nontraditional advertising methods as well as peer influence.

TacticsGuerilla marketing, Internet radio banner ad, Print Ads, Campus Posters

Objective #2Increase repeat blood donations among previous donors by 25% within twelve months.

StrategyIncrease communications with existing donors to ensure consistent blood donation is a continued priority.

TacticsDirect reminders: SMS Text, Post Card direct mail, or email opt-in, Facebook

Objective #3Increase ARC student website visits by 20% within one year

StrategyUtilize traditional and nontraditional media executions to increase interest and informative quality within all communications

TacticsQR Code all communications directing to ARC website, Facebook, Internet radio ads, Print advertising


Advertising Tactics:

Print magazine advertisements

CollateralPeople magazine – reach of 42.9 mil, target audience of Millennial women (70%) & men (30%)

Details magazine – reach of 1.9 mil, target audience of Millennial men

Measurement QR code scans Facebook impressions Survey during blood drives

Budget

4-color ½ page ad in People (6 issues)$206,500 x 6 issues x 2 ads per issue = $2,478,000

4-color ½ page ad in Details $46,227 x 6 issues x 2 ads per issue = $554,724Creative $5,000

Total $3,037,724

In a series of two half-page advertisements, the ARC will increase exposure to Generation Y. The two magazines chosen, People and Details, have a high readership among Millennials and appeal to their interests. People includes a high readership among Millennial women and covers a segment of Millennial men as well. To cover the remaining need to appeal to Generation Y men, Details will spread exposure. With a strong appeal to the Millennials, the magazines will be a good venue to drive home the strategy of correlating people they know to the benefits of blood donation. Each magazine ad will feature young people who are in realistic campus situations, as if the viewer really could know the subjects. Direction to QR codes and the American Red Cross Student Facebook page


invite the reader to connect with the brand and share their insights into blood donation as well as to gather more information. These ads can change throughout the year to support various events on the promotional calendar.

Internet magazine advertisements

CollateralAds for People & Details on-line magazines

Measurement Click through rates from the internet ads Survey during blood drives

Budget

300 x 600 pxl ad on people.com $1,000,000300 x 600 pxl ad on details.com $50,000Creative $5,000

Total $1,055,000

Sidebar ads on People.com and Details.com will incorporate familiar images of Millennials featuring young people who are in natural environments, as if they could be friends or acquaintances with the target audience. The message drives home the fact that blood donation is not an anonymous act; doing so can help those you may know. The viewer is directed to join the conversation on Facebook and to find a local blood drive. This will guide the Millennials to interact with the brand in sharing their proud moments of helping others and to gather additional information.


Internet radio advertisement & sponsorship

CollateralSidebar ads on Songza: Pay It Forward Music Fest station sponsorship

Measurement Survey during blood drives Clicks to the Pay It Forward Music Fest playlist Click-through rates from sidebar ads

BudgetRadio station sponsorship: $30,000 x 6 months = $180,000Internet sidebar advertising: $1.50 / 1,000 clicks x 200 (targeted 200,000 clicks) x 26 wks = $7,800Creative: $1,000

Total $188,800

We will customize an online radio channel sponsored by ARC on Songza. The internet radio station reaches an “engaged audience with your brand, “ offering a clear method for messages to use banner advertising and custom advertising opportunities via audio, video, site takeovers, and branded playlists. This platform will inform Millennials of the ARC’s impact on their lives, how to find a blood drive, and how to become involved. Banner ads will be used to guide the target audience to the ARC website as well as including blood drive information. Millennials will feel connected to the ARC effort as they are being visited in their own location, a relevant medium that appeals to their love of music, where they feel in control of their selections and the variety to which they can listen. The banner advertisements on the internet radio sites will guide Millennials to the ARC website to find local blood drives and to advertise Pay It Forward Music Festivals and scavenger hunts discussed in the PR tactics.

To further engage the Millennials, the ARC will sponsor the Pay It Forward Music Fest station in Songza. The internet radio service offers clients suggestions based upon previous songs they listened to and time of the day during the week. Given the demographic information and the music selections, Songza can suggest the Pay It Forward Music Fest collection of songs to collide with the side bar advertisements


Facebook

CollateralARC Student Facebook page, Facebook monitoring & engagement, Facebook advertisement

Measurement Monitor friends on the ARC Student Facebook page Impressions on the ARC Student Facebook page Profile feature downloads

BudgetFacebook monitoring & setup $15,000Profile feature development $3,500Facebook Advertisement $1.04 / 1,000 clicks x 500 (expected 500,000 clicks/mo) x 12 mo. = $6240Creative $3,000Total $27,740

Millennials love their social media. As their relationship with ARC develops, they will feel more inclined to share their passion for saving lives with their friends. Creating a Facebook page strictly for students will increase the targeted blood donation objective, while separating other ARC functions. By monitoring the ARC Student Facebook presence, an increased engagement level will attract and create a higher level of awareness for donation. Targeted Facebook ads will be used on a CPM basis. The use of the ads will provide the ARC the opportunity to promote events, features, and blood donation among Millennials within the targeted demographic segment.

A Facebook feature will be available to “friends” that will add comment bubbles resembling the window and mirror clings discussed below. Friends will be able to modify their profile pictures and album photos with a small thought or conversation bubble that they can customize with their own reasons to donate blood. These images are a will share Millennial interest in the ARC in a playful and interactive manner. Fans of the ARC Student page will be prompted to use the feature and share it with their friends. When the Millennial posts this image as their profile picture or add it to photos in their albums, their friends will see it and comment and search to use the image on their own. This will create a viral effect, generating more Facebook impressions for the ARC and help to communicate the mission behind the interactive tactic.


Campus posters

CollateralA series of five 18 X 24” posters

Measurement QR code scans Event attendance

BudgetFive 18x24” posters $3.50 x 100 campuses x 200 posters per campus x 5 posters= $350,000Creative $3,000Total $353,000

Campus posters will advertise ARC events and blood drives. A series of five 18” x 24” posters will be placed in campus common areas, such as student unions, dorms, public transportation stops, cafeterias, sports events, etc. within the 100 selected college campuses across the US. Each poster will include images of people the ARC can help, explanatory text, as well as QR codes that will direct viewers to the ARC website specifically for the event being advertised.


Direct Mail Reminders

Collateral Print 4”x6” post card, Email reminder, SMS text

Measurement Repeat donations Click-through rates from email reminders QR Scans from mail reminders

BudgetEmail quarterly blast service (incl. design): $1,000/month x 12 months = $12,000SMS text service: $10/500 messages/month x 25 packs x 12 months = $3,0004” x 6” post card: $0.20/card x 1,000,000 = $200,000Postage: $0.20/stamp x 1,000,000 = $200,000Total $415,000

Millennials do not respond well to junk mail either in their physical mailbox or their email box. However, when the mail is spurred from a previous experience, it is not seen as an invasion of time. Blood donations can be made every 55 days. The ARC will send reminders to previous donors to encourage forming the blood donation habit through USPS mail, email for those who provided their email address, and SMS text. When donating for the first time, the donor will provide home address, email address, and phone number, of which they can provide which is the preferred method of contact.


Supportive Guerilla CollateralCollateral Mirror & window clings, Cell phone clings

Measurement WOM Buzz on social media

BudgetCell phone clings: $0.50/cling x 500/blood drive x 100 campuses = $25,000Mirror & Window clings: $1.00/cling x 500/campus x 5 messages x 100 campuses = $250,000

Total $275,000

Vinyl window and mirror clings will be placed in various areas of campus. As someone walks through a door, the reader on the other side will see the idea clouds as if the person approaching them is thinking or saying these messages to the viewer. This will keep with the idea that people all around the Millennial will need blood eventually. Clings will be on mirrors around campus as well. This will resonate with the target as they look in the mirror at themselves, they will see that the message can relate to their own circumstances at some point. These messages will echo in the target audience’s mind as it is not threatening or invasive, but it again, keeps them mindful that the greater cause of giving blood can hit closer to home than ever expected. Each cling will have an ARC logo, identifying the cause and a QR code for more information. These saved lives can include the person next to them, a friend, acquaintance, or someone they are likely to have seen on campus. This resonates with the strategy statement of tying blood donation to personal action and saving lives of people they are connected to.

Cell phone clings will be provided to blood donors after they participate in a drive. They will be generic fits for the 5”x 3” clings which can be cut down to fit most smartphone screens. The cling will provide a two-fold benefit: first, the clings will be protective screen cover and it will also have a transparent red cross that will be a constant reminder of the pride that comes from donating blood. Added benefits of the clings will be that friends will see the ARC logo, prompting discussion about the process of blood donation and recruiting future blood donors.


Public Relations Plan Budget Allocation: 22.89% = $4,578,400

Objective #1Increase media impressions by 30% within six months of campaign launch. StrategyUse press releases and buzz-building techniques to increase media interest resulting in higher coverage and exposure. TacticsGuerilla Tactics, Events, Press Releases

Objective #2Increase awareness of ARC involvement in the target group within 100 college campuses, involving 5,000 campus groups by third quarter 2013.StrategyUse guerilla advertising, partnerships and events to connect student interests with ARC initiatives. Use a scavenger hunt event to attract large groups of students spurring interest in the ARC.TacticsPartnership with ZipCar, Scavenger Hunts

Objective #3To connect with over 50,000 students within the last three quarters of 2013.StrategyIncrease exposure of ARC with a ZipCar partnership and hold music festivals on ten separate contest-winning campuses.TacticsPartnership with ZipCar, Music Festivals for ten winning campuses

Objective #4Address 100% of crisis issues during the 2013 year to alleviate poor public relations and avoid reputation damage.StrategyUse a Crisis Communications Plan template to communicate with all chapters of the ARC to ensure consistent compliance with ARC operational standards in the event of a crisis that may harm the organization’s reputation. TacticsCrisis Communications Plan template


Public Relations Tactics

ZipCar Partnership

Collateral Car clings: promoting three separate events: scavenger hunt, contest, & concert

BudgetScavenger hunt car wraps: $150/car x 30 cars/campus x 100 campuses = $450,000 Concert contest car wraps: $150/car x 30 cars/campus x 100 campuses = $450,000Concert car wraps for 10 winning campuses: $150/car x 30 cars/campus x 10 campuses = $45,000Payitforwardmusicfest.com $5,000Total: $950,000

Millennials are less interested in owning a vehicle than previous generations. The emergence of car-sharing services has provided the generation with means of transportation without being tied to a car payment or insurance costs. ZipCar has become a strong brand on over 100 campus locations. By incorporating a brand Millennials trust and find to be helpful in their personal lives, the ZipCar initiative will work two-fold as the company will benefit from the cause-marketing effort and ARC will benefit by the mutual strength of the combined brand personalities and exposure.

The ARC / ZipCar partnership will support events and general exposure of the American Red Cross on 100 college campuses nationwide. Select ZipCar rentals will be outfitted with promotional materials indicating the up-coming or current event message. This will attract attention and WOM and communicate the appropriate message. The ARC and ZipCar logos will be on the car to identify the sponsorship as well as a door wrap promoting the current initiative. A QR code will always be on the vehicle. We understand a QR code will not be feasible to scan when the vehicle is moving. The initial impact is to advertise the event. It is intended to provide quick access for students while the vehicle is parked. An easy-to-remember website is located within the messaging for students to refer to when the vehicle is moving. This initiative will provide exposure for the ARC brand, as the logo is front and center on the hood of the car, as well as to provoke website visits and promote events. The WOM to support entries will gain exposure and click-through for the brand to solicit more support and increase their reach for the overarching cause of blood donation as well.

One particular cling will be present in the first quarter of 2013 to promote the Pay It Forward Music Fest contest. It will direct students to visit PayItForwardFest.com to enter their college campus to win one of ten music events. The music event is described in more detail below. The aim of this particular


cling is to direct students to the website which will not only provide the student information regarding contest entry and information regarding blood drives; it will connect the ARC initiatives to the Millennial’s interests.

Pay It Forward Scavenger Hunt

Collateral QR Code scan-in posters at locations, Facebook posts by participants, Press Releases

BudgetQR code signs: $1.50 per sign x 15 locations per hunt x 100 campuses = $2,250Press release template: $150 for writing time

Total: $2,400

Generation Y enjoys challenges and group activities as long as they are relevant to their interests. Since this campaign is based upon relating the act of giving blood to benefiting themselves and those they care about, a scavenger hunt will correlate the ARC to those benefits. Campus groups including fraternities, sororities, sports teams, musical groups, student clubs, etc. will register to participate in the scavenger hunt. Each team will give themselves a name representing their interpretation of ARC blood donation and create their own uniforms. The scavenger hunt will lead teams throughout the area to locations that see the impact of ARC blood donation including local businesses, ARC donation centers, hospitals, maternity wards, Ronald McDonald houses, campus fitness centers, etc. Clues at each QR-coded check-in will show the benefits of blood donation by explaining how each benefit from blood donation, tying in with personal relationships to correlate the two.

Teams will have to participate in two ways: complete the scavenger hunt, and recruit blood donors. The teams with the quickest hunt time will receive points and the team who has the highest number of blood drive participants will receive points as well. The winning team receives one month ZipCar memberships for each person on their team. This will allow for them to tie-in ZipCar with the cause and provides value in the trial period which would result in beneficial relationships for ZipCar, increasing the likelihood of improved membership.

Teams will be encouraged to post photos on Facebook throughout the hunt, creating a viral effect that will spread to their friends. Window and mirror clings will be used to promote taking pictures, as well as sharing these images on Facebook. Tagging ARC’s student Facebook page in the photos will further support among existing ARC followers who may contact the brand to hold their own scavenger hunt in their home towns, promoting local blood drives. While those scavenger hunts may not include a large prize such as a free ZipCar trial, local businesses can be involved to provide prizes and local relevance to ARC benefits.

Participating teams will be provided a press release template to submit to their national headquarters to promote their campus and philanthropic involvement. The press release will include information regarding the event, the groups that were involved, a description of the scavenger hunt, an overview of the ARC’s mission and contact information for other groups within the nation to inquire about holding a similar event in their area. This will provide information for future opportunities to hold similar events on college campuses elsewhere, increasing the likelihood of future blood drive locations and increased blood donations.


Pay It Forward Music Festival & Contest

Collateral Flyers posted in physical vendor locations in weeks previous to event, Celebrity videos, 5,000 Glow-Sticks per event (50,000 total)

BudgetThe Black Keys booking fee $150,000 per event x 10 events = $1,500,000Gym Class Heroes booking fee $100,000 per event x 10 events = $1,000,000Local bands booking fee $5,000 x 5 bands x 10 events = $250,000Celebrity videos $800,000 (reusable for all events) Glow stick keychains $0.50 per unit x 50,000 (5,000 per event) = $25,0002-color front/back Tee Shirts $4.17 x 1,000 per event x 10 events = $41,700Signage $3 x 2,500 (250 posters per campus) = $7,500

Total: $3,624,200

Through the Pay It Forward Music Fest Contest, ten college campuses will be selected to hold an all-day music festival. By creating interest through involvement within the ZipCar promotion and contest collateral, the ARC will give Millennials a reason to monitor the brand and support the cause while garnering benefits for themselves. ZipCar clings will direct students to PayItForwardFest.com to register their college to win one of ten concert events featuring The Black Keys and Gym Class Heroes as well as local talent. The signs will also have a QR code for students to scan for a quicker method of entry.

Millennials love their music, regardless of venue. While the target group prefers to listen to music online or on their electronic devices, seeing live music is also a favorite pastime. By providing a music festival for Millennials to attend, ARC will provide a fun, value-driven event that will appeal to varied interests. During the festival local bands will play, local vendors will sell food, celebrity messages will be shown to promote public service announcements and personal testimonies about the importance of donating blood, The Black Keys will head-line and Gym Class Heroes will be the secondary act. ARC will provide glow-stick keychains featuring the ARC website to 5,000 attendees at each event, directing students to learn more about blood donation. In the weeks leading up to the event, PSAs from the celebrities who taped messages for the festival will also be shown in student common areas such as student unions, dorm lounges, and cafeterias.


At each of the Pay It Forward Music Fest events, 1,000 volunteers will wear red tee shirts showing relationships with the Millennial audience on the front, as an introduction. The back will read why that person will need blood in the future. This correlates the personal nature of the relationships – best friends, classmates, roommates, work-out buddies, etc – with the needs that justify blood donation. The mass presence of red tee shirts surrounding the concert will help to drive home the probability of someone the Millennial knows and cares about needing blood in the future. The artists featured in the PSAs will be asked to wear the tee shirts as well, connecting even the likelihood that celebrities will need the Millennial’s blood donation in the future.


Press ReleasesTo promote the ZipCar partnership and events, press releases will be the main venue to communicate the event details and results.

Collateral Press Releases sent to print and online media for: ZipCar partnership, Pay It Forward Music Fest Contest, Pay It Forward Campus Scavenger Hunt

*Please See Appendix C

BudgetZipCar partnership writing fees: $150 Pay It Forward Music Fest announcement: $150 x 10 campuses = $1,500Pay It Forward Campus Scavenger Hunt writing fee: $150 (reusable for all campuses)

Total: $1,800


Internal Communications Budget Allocation: 30% = $6,000,000

Internal Communication Plan

American Red Cross Intranet SystemAn intranet system will allow ARC to create a connected community. The system will ensure employees are updated, connected, and held accountable to the company’s events. The electronic system will allow the company to save money on print publications and reach more employees quickly. Clear expectations will be set for the use of the ARC intranet site:

Each department will have a tab where they can inform the entire organization of their important updates, operational procedures, and how their efforts affect ARC as a whole.

Every employee should access the intranet every day. The communications team will sell the intranet use to ensure employees know the importance of using it consistently. All communication vehicles allow for open, honest information sharing without the fear of consequence. Each employee must self-monitor their actions and comments to ensure highest level of integrity, business acumen, and respect for others within all

communications.

Internal email system

An internal email system will allow ARC to communicate directly and in real-time to anyone in the organization. The email system will include an alphabetical address book for individuals within the organization, while also including general department email addresses that will be monitored by the department heads. The email system will ensure immediate, effective, track-able internal communications between corporate and field employees. Computer systems and updates will be included in the Internal Communications Plan budget

Peggy’s Blog

CMO, Peggy Dyer will maintain Peggy’s Blog, a blog within the intranet site. It will allow Peggy to share information and gain insights from employee comments. The blog will create the ability to share both internal company events and personal anecdotes. This will allow employees to feel connected to both organizational news and personal insights. Peggy must commit to update the blog often, preferably twice per month. Employees will be given the ability to respond to the blog and create a two-way dialogue sharing support and concerns alike.


Calendar

A calendar will be available to all employees to ensure essential deadlines and events are communicated. The daily, weekly, and monthly calendar will be updated as events change. A best practice for all employees will be to check the calendar twice weekly for updates, if not daily. This will ensure all parties are up-to-date and meeting deadlines. The capability for employees to add departmental events and deadlines with alerts to their own calendars will be enabled. This will allow each employee to monitor and use the calendar to their own preferences while keeping abreast of company expectations.

Suggestion Box

A suggestion box will allow employees to provide the organization with open, honest feedback and suggestions. Employees can submit messages anonymously if they choose. However, all concerns will be addressed immediately and without consequence. All suggestions will be forwarded to the appropriate department and follow-up is ensured in a timely manner.

Social Forum

A social forum will allow each department and the total organization to create groups where they can share ideas; approach each other openly; plan gatherings; share personal information; and share favorite restaurants, activities, etc. Employees will have the ability to experience the “real life” side of each other instead of just focusing on business. Each employee will be encouraged to create a profile to share pictures, insights, and personal events as well as business updates. Each department will be encouraged to create groups for the employees to join where other departments can share and create camaraderie within the organization. Administrators will monitor the program to ensure comments, posts, and images are appropriate.

Traditional CommunicationsInformation Centers

ARC will put a spin on the traditional bulletin board. The Information Center will be located where employees gather in the break room or entrance to the department area. This will include:

Federal & state employment laws/regulations Evacuation plan: Supervisors will be responsible for devising the most immediate and non-obstructed path out of the building in the event of an

emergency. This will include a meeting place to account for all employees safely exiting the building. Emergency contacts: Local emergency contacts will be listed as well as internal emergency contacts including department heads, technology contacts,

human resources, and employee relations. Trickle-down information: critical information affecting immediate business workings will be posted. Schedules and calendars can be posted on the bulletin boards to ensure employees are aware of daily events.


In-Person Communications

Person-to-person communication will always be an effective method of information exchange. Although electronic means of communication are often easier to address uncomfortable situations, in-person discussions are always best for noteworthy exchanges.

Town Hall meetings: Where executives and employees can set up meetings to address corporate initiatives, events, news, etc. All topics are fair-game to discuss and feed-back is welcome. Honesty and candor is valued and expected. Although conversations are expected to be open, all parties should be respectful and keep comments in a professional tone.

Conference Calls: Where senior-level field representatives communicate immediate information to a mass audience, ensuring dissemination of important news to teams in the field.

Supervisor-subordinate communications: One-on-one communication from supervisors is best to address critical topics such as performance issues, organizational changes, department expectations, and job requirements.

American Red Cross Communications Code of Conduct Within all communications American Red Cross requires the highest level of personal and professional conduct. Electronic, verbal, and written communications must always be approached in an ethical manner. Employees must never, in any form, post or share inappropriate, offensive, or sexual content. At no time will American Red Cross accept verbal or written attacks on any employee, donor, or affiliate of the organization. American Red Cross harbors an inclusive environment where harassment and/or abuse will not be tolerated at any level.

All electronic and written communications are the legal property of American Red Cross and can be accessed at any time by organization representatives. All internal information released to American Red Cross employees is to be held confidential until that information is officially released to the public by the organization.

Any and all infractions to the American Red Cross Communications Code of Conduct will be addressed in a swift and straightforward manner. Violations of this Code of Conduct can result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Crisis Communications Plan:A crisis communications plan must be in effect in the event the ARC reputation comes into questions. The attached plan outlines the steps to be taken within the organization and the exact verbiage to use in the event a public relations crisis ensues. The example used will include an accidental injury during one of our promotional events. This plan however, should be followed by all employees of the ARC and the chain of command will be notified in the event of any such emergencies or crisis situations. Areas highlighted in yellow are incident-specific details that need to be filled out on an individual basis.

*Please see Appendix D48

American Red Cross Campaign Proposal. Copyright © 2012 8th & Cherry. CONFIDENTIAL.

Internal Advocate Program:The ARC must use its own employees as advocates for the brand. An internal communications plan will be instated to support recruitment efforts and create a kindly-competitive atmosphere among colleagues. An advocate kit will be created to provide all associates a direct guide to creating their own group of ARC advocates within their private circles. The guide will offer tips on how to recruit new blood donors, how to hold a successful blood drive, and how to continue the mission to increase blood donations.

The Advocate Kit will include a handbook for how to increase interest and drive potential donors through channels they can control. Standards for using personal social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, buzz-building techniques, informational pamphlets, planning timelines, flyer templates, recruitment strategies, and answers to frequently asked questions will be available in the kit. Advocates will have access to these resources within the ARC website, much like the Coordinator’s Toolkit available now. However, this Advocate kit will be in a specific area only for ARC employees, called Internal Advocate.

A contest will be used to promote internal participation. A meeting will be held within each branch to promote the program within each area. Employees will be encouraged to participate and will be provided with time to conduct their initial exploration of the program. Within the meeting, all program collateral will be covered, addressing concerns and contest details. The employee within each branch with the highest amount of attendees at the blood donation

Collateral Advocate kit, Webpage enhancement to include the Internal Advocate tab on the ARC site, Internal push for employee involvement, Contest prizes in the form of paid time off work, recognition, and ARC logo merchandise.


Evaluation Methods Budget Allocation: 5% = $1,000,000

Research Objective 1To ensure the print strategies used within the campaign are easily understood and recalled.

Research Method 18th & Cherry will hold twenty one-hour focus groups across the United States on college campuses representing various demographic and educational segments. Each focus group will consist of 10 people who will view print collateral and complete a survey of its effectiveness in capturing attention, communicating the strategy, and probability of guiding them to seek further information. Feedback will be used to revise the print collateral prior to campaign launch. Participants will each get paid $100 for their time.

Research Objective 2To measure the effectiveness of the campaign tactics in promoting repeat blood donation among previous donors. Research Method 2Send previous donors an email survey to gather insight into what tactics being considered would be best to drive repeat donation. A ten question multiple choice survey will allow the recipients the opportunity to share their insights quickly. It will be sent to the full file of donors who have opted-in to email communications within the targeted age group. Respondents will be given a coupon for a free one-day trial for ZipCar.


Post-Testing Evaluation MethodsWe at 8th & Cherry want to make sure the campaigns we execute are beneficial for our clients. In order to do so, evaluation methods must be used to measure effectiveness. By evaluating our traditional and nontraditional means of communications, we will be able to better serve you in the future. It is imperative to implement these measurement systems from the beginning of the campaign and to be reactive to the results immediately. If something is not working, we want to fix it immediately. To do so, we will use a combination of qualitative and quantitative measurements.

Quantitative Methods

Quantitative evaluation methods will be used to measure the effectiveness in sheer numbers of our campaigns. We will use our advertising and public relations objectives as benchmarks to determine success or opportunity. Regardless of the outcomes, we always look for ways to make our communications to your target markets better. The following methods will be used to measure numeric effectiveness:

Web statistics: This campaign uses a variety of QR code, website, and internet executions. In order to measure the effectiveness of these methods, we will track click-through rates from emails, hits on websites, time spent on the sites, QR scans to the correlating website, and media impressions. Tools to do so include Google analytics and individual site statistics.

Facebook statistics: As much as Millennials favor social media, Facebook has a strong presence. We need to make sure the ARC has an appealing forum to interact with the target audience. The scavenger hunt encourages participants to post their pictures on Facebook, the window and mirror clings support social media sharing, and Facebook ads will target the Millennials to click-through to the ARC student Facebook page. Through the Facebook platform, we will be using analytical tools such as click-through from ads, visits to the ARC student Facebook page, # increase in friends, % increase in engagement (comments), and number of “Like”s for pictures and posts.

Songza: Students will be targeted with our Songza tactic. This platform will allow us to track the number of hits on our sponsored station. Print advertisements: We will be able to track print advertisement by the use of QR codes. Each piece of print collateral will include a QR code. This will

allow tracking and measurement of print effectiveness. We will compare the scans to the number of pieces. If the result is a scan to print-piece ratio of 20:1, we will consider it a success. Anything less will be revised and re-tested.

ARC/ZipCar Music Fest: This event will be measured in two ways. The sheer number of entries will be counted per campus to determine the winners. This will also provide a measure of how effective the contest collateral is. We will compare the number of entries to the number of students on campus, and consider the amount of times the promotional ZipCars were used within the entry time frame. We will also measure the effectiveness of the festival itself. Given the significant investment for the concerts, we want to ensure the dollars are spent wisely. We will measure the attendance of the festival as a response to the print and web advertising prior to the event. We will also measure the number of blood donations for the blood drives held two weeks after the festival compared to blood donation rates prior to the festival. If there is a significant increase, we will consider it a success. Directly after the festival we will also measure engagement on the Facebook page.

Scavenger Hunts: The scavenger hunt is not a significant investment of dollars, but does pose a large time investment for ARC local employees. This investment will be considered as we monitor registration rates, amount of students involved, Facebook engagement and pictures posted, as well as


blood donation numbers during the contest. If donations increase during this contest, we will consider it a success; however, we will also monitor the long-term effects in repeat donor rates.

Qualitative Methods:Qualitative methods of measurement provide insight into the ability to connect with our target. In essence, it allows us to understand their feelings toward the ARC brand and its marketing executions. We will use these insights to alter our strategies as well as to ensure there corrective measures are taken to improve negative feedback or comments, crisis control. We will be able to use this as a valuable tool by listening to the Millennials and offering them opportunity to tell us what they think.

Facebook: Engagement with Millennials is a large opportunity. We will use Facebook to measure our engagement levels and impression on the generation. Aside from sheer numbers, Facebook allows our target audience to share insights and feedback. We will track the positive (supportive) versus negative (detractive) feedback and posts, giving us a net promoter score for each tactic. These scores will allow us to see what tactics resonate with our audience, what we are doing well, and what needs work.

Songza: We will be able to track the songs that resonate with the audience the best and to track the time of day the station is most listened to. For future events, such as concerts and advertising featuring music, we will have insight into what our target audience prefers and what will catch their ear, as it were.

Blood drive surveys: During registration at every blood drive, a short survey will be given as a part of the process. We will use questions such as “How did you find out about this blood drive?”, “Is this your first time donating?”, “Why would you like to donate today?”, etc. This will give us a further view of what provokes the need to donate blood and also will provide insight into what mediums in our communications plan are working and what we can use in future plans.

Scavenger Hunt: We will send each team captain a survey through email to follow-up with the effort. The survey will probe into questions regarding the effect of the event, what were the levels of engagement, what could we do better, what did you like, did you send your headquarters your press release, etc.


ConclusionCreating an integrated marketing plan for the ARC is a complex process. As we at 8th & Cherry aimed to provide you with a comprehensive plan to

attract Millennials to donate blood, we took a challenging course to attract their attention and create avenues of engagement and sharing. The

tactics put forth for the campaign are woven together to ensure cohesive support from each touch-point. As each integrated marketing campaign

should do, we ensured the target audience would identify the brand being marketed in each execution offered, creating a non-intrusive, but

acquainted alliance of strategies. Enticing these young people to engage with the ARC was executed by providing provocative thinking, relational

gestures, and familiar concepts all tied together by familiar aesthetics, verbiage, and notions.

In the following budget recommendations section, you will notice there is a budget deficit of $1,269,336. We sourced the most cost-effective

collateral without sacrificing quality. However, we have further recommendations for the ARC to ensure future communications with the Millennial

generation are continued. As stated previously, the ARC has an involved Twitter administrator. We recommend investing in ensuring this continues

and generating better personal interactions and monitoring keywords for increased engagement. Basic creative tactics were used and budget for;

investing a significant amount of the underage to enhance the graphic design program will enhance the effectiveness of the plan. We also reserved

funds in the event any tactics were under-budgeted to cover those discrepancies.

8th & Cherry has provided the ARC a comprehensive integrated marketing campaign for consideration. Traditional and non-traditional tactics will

resonate with the Millennial generation. Through use of direct marketing, guerilla tactics, events, partnerships, print, internet advertising, radio

sponsorships, and social media the plan will resonate with the target audience and increase blood donor participation rates. We understand the

Millennial generation. We feel passionately about the campaign. Knowing what benefits this campaign provides for both the Millennials and the

ARC, 8th & Cherry is proud to present this proposal.


IMC Flow Chart


Budget & Recommended Expenditures


References

Achieve. (2012). The Millennial impact report. Retrieved June 6, 2012 from http://themillennialimpact.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/TheMillennialImpactReport2012.pdf

ADRP. (2010). WBDD 2010: New blood for the world. The Drop, Summer 2010. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from http://www.adrp.org/documents/The%20Drop/10SummerDropFinal.pdf

America’s Blood Centers. (2012). 56 Facts about blood. Retrieved May 23, 2012 from http://www.americasblood.org/go.cfm?do=page.view&pid=12

American Red Cross. (2010, May). American Red Cross Biomedical Services: A Leader in Providing Lifesaving Blood and Blood Products to the Nation. Retrieved May 17, 2012 from http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Biomed/Biomed.pdf

American Red Cross. (2012). About us. Retrieved May 26, 2012 from http://www.redcrossblood.org/about-us

Boen, Jennifer. (2009, February 4). For many plasma donors, extra cash is a bonus. Retrieved May 23, 2012 from http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090204/NEWS/902040357

CSL Plasma. (2012). FAQ. Retrieved May 21, 2012 from http://cslplasma.com/plasma-donation-FAQEcho Boom Bomb. (n.d.). Who are the Echo Boomers? Retrieved May 30, 2012 from http://echoboombomb.blogspot.com/p/who-are-echo-boomers.html

FDA. (2010, June 4). Blood & blood products. Retrieved May 25, 2012 from http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/BloodBloodProducts/default.htm

Forrester Research. (2009). Social Technographic Profile. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from http://empowered.forrester.com/tool_consumer.html

Masser, Barbara; White, Katherine; Hyde, Melissa; & Terry, Deborah. (2008). The psychology of blood donation: current research and future directions. Transfusion Medicine Reviews, 22(3). Retrieved May 31, 2012 from https://reserves.lib.wvu.edu/engineIncludes/download.php?id=583166697

McCrea, Bridget. (2011, November). Millennial marketing 101. Response, Vol. 20, Issue 2. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from www.web.ebscohost.com

Octapharma Plasma, Inc. (2012). Retrieved May 21, 2012 from http://www.octapharmaplasma.com/about_us/who_are_we/

Pew Research Center (a). (2010, January 7). Millennials’ judgment about recent trends not so different. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1455/millennial-generation-technological-communication-advances-societal-change


http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1455/millennial-generation-technological-communication-advances-societal-change

http://www.octapharmaplasma.com/about_us/who_are_we/

http://www.web.ebscohost.com/

https://reserves.lib.wvu.edu/engineIncludes/download.php?id=583166697

http://empowered.forrester.com/tool_consumer.html

http://www.fda.gov/BiologicsBloodVaccines/BloodBloodProducts/default.htm

http://echoboombomb.blogspot.com/p/who-are-echo-boomers.html

http://cslplasma.com/plasma-donation-FAQ

http://www.news-sentinel.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090204/NEWS/902040357

http://www.redcrossblood.org/about-us

http://www.redcross.org/www-files/Documents/pdf/Biomed/Biomed.pdf

http://www.americasblood.org/go.cfm?do=page.view&pid=12

http://www.adrp.org/documents/The%20Drop/10SummerDropFinal.pdf

http://themillennialimpact.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/TheMillennialImpactReport2012.pdf

Pew Research Center (b). (2010, February). Millennials: a portrait of Generation Next. Retrieved May 24, 2012 from http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2010/10/millennials-confident-connected-open-to-change.pdf

Spinney, Laura. (2012, April 28). All about ME. New Scientist, Vol. 214, Issue 2862. Retrieved May 30, 2012 from www.web.ebscohost.com

Sweeney, Richard T. (2006, December). Millennial behaviors & demographics. New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Smith, Yves. (2009, February7). Recession indicator: paid blood (plasma) donations rising. Retrieved May 22, 2012 from http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2009/02/recession-indicator-paid-blood-plasma.html

Talecris Plasma Resources. (2012). I’m a new donor. Retrieved May 21, 2012 from http://www.talecrisplasma.com/html/talecris-newDonor-site.htmTowns, Eleni. (2011, September 8). The 9/11 generation. Retrieved May 29, 2012 from http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/09/911_generation.html

Windley, Jennifer. (2006). Young blood: persuading young people to give blood by applying concepts of self-perception and social norms. Retrieved May 28, 2012 from https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10355/4531/research.pdf?sequence=3


https://mospace.umsystem.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10355/4531/research.pdf?sequence=3

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2011/09/911_generation.html

http://www.talecrisplasma.com/html/talecris-newDonor-site.htm

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2009/02/recession-indicator-paid-blood-plasma.html

http://www.web.ebscohost.com/

http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/files/2010/10/millennials-confident-connected-open-to-change.pdf

Appendix ASurvey questions

1. What is your gender? (Question Type: Multiple Choice–Only One Answer)

Female Male

2. What is your age? (Question Type: Multiple Choice–Only One Answer)

16-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+

3. How many times have you donated or sold your blood? Never 1-3 4-6 7-10 10+

4. Please indicate your level of interest regarding blood donation: I feel compelled to donate blood but have never done so I feel a social responsibility to donate blood I am fearful but would donate blood I will not donate blood I am a blood recipient


5. If you have not donated blood, please indicate the reason: I am afraid of the process (i.e.: fear of needles) I am fearful there are dangers associated with blood donation (i.e.: spread of disease) It is inconvenient for me to donate blood I have not been presented with the opportunity Other ________please explain_____________

6. If you have donated blood, please indicate the reason: Strictly altruistic reasons – for the betterment of others I feel a social responsibility or pressure to donate blood Someone I know has received donated blood and I am giving back Karmic reasons – if I donate now, in the future it will be available for me or someone I love. I am required to do so by an organization to which I belong (work, club, etc.) Other _______ please explain______________

7. Would you rather: Donate blood to a nonprofit organization Sell blood or plasma to a for-profit business

8. When I think of the American Red Cross, I think of: Blood donation services Disaster relief Benefits for the US Military members and their families Other ____ please explain___________

9. What would make you want to donate blood (for the first time or subsequent times) Prizes or incentives A loyalty program recognizing donation levels Simply the feeling of giving back Other __please explain____________

10. Please provide any additional comments in the box below. (Question Type: Comment/Essay Box)


Appendix BModerator’s guide

Focus Group Moderator’s Guide

Millennial Focus Group: June 5, 20129 participants: 5 female (Olivia -16, Liz -17, Peyton -21, Kasandra, Ashley -23) 4 male (Zak -16, Jason -17, Luke -21, Troy -23)

Welcome / Introduction

Thank you all for joining me today. I am using this focus group as a research source to craft a marketing campaign for the American Red Cross blood donation services. The target audience for the campaign is young adults aged 16 – 24. While I realize all of you are from the same generation, I am sure you all have very different opinions regarding the topic of blood donation. Please feel free to share those thoughts freely and without judgment. This will be an environment of sharing and learning on my part. So, please be honest, open, and don’t hesitate to elaborate as much as you want.

Discussion 1

What are your general feelings toward the American Red Cross?

What traits do you think describe the ARC? What prompted these feelings? Have you had personal experiences that contributed? What could change these feelings (good or bad) toward the ARC?

Discussion 2

Please tell me about your experiences with the American Red Cross.

Have you ever donated blood? What prompted you to participate? What were your feelings toward these experiences before, during, and after? Did you continue to donate? If so, why or why not?


Discussion 3

If you have not donated, what has kept you from donating blood?

What are your feelings toward not participating? What might prompt you to do so?

Discussion 4

What can the ARC can do to make you want to donate blood?

Would incentive tactics (recognition programs, loyalty programs, prizes - aside from being paid) make you want to donate? What would be something that would make you not want to donate? Would social media

Discussion 5

Did you know that every 3 minutes someone needs life-saving blood?

Have you ever considered the fact that it is highly likely (almost definitive) you or someone you know will need blood products in their lifetime? What do you feel about these comments? Does this change your perception of the need for blood? Do you feel differently about your decision to not give blood?

Discussion 6

What else might you like to add regarding the ARC and blood donation?


Appendix C

Press Release 1 & 2

NEWS RELEASEFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION:Jul. 30, 2012 Emily Martin

Public Relations Director 555.123.4567

[email protected]

American Red Cross, ZipCar Promote Blood Donation Among Millennials

United States - The American Red Cross announces a strategic partnership with ZipCar to promote blood donation among Millennials. The partnership will begin

September 1, 2013, on 100 college campuses across the U.S and commence at the end of the school year in May 2013.

“One blood donation can save up to three lives. With a population rivaling that of the Baby Boomers, the Millennials, are a logical group to target,” Peggy Dyer,

the American Red Cross CEO, said. “Partnering with ZipCar, a brand that resonates strongly with college students among our target audience, offers limitless

mutual benefits.”

The ZipCar partnership will support American Red Cross events throughout the year including campus scavenger hunts, blood drives, contests, and concert

events. ZipCar members will drive vehicles with promotional messages enhancing the marketing messages for Millennial students. During a scavenger hunt

contest, members of the winning teams will be eligible to win a ZipCar membership.

- more -



ZipCar Chairman and CEO, Scott Griffith, said “We are delighted with our partnership with the American Red Cross. As a company, we want to connect with

our customers in a new and innovative way while providing benefits for those in need. We always strive to make the world a better place whether it is by

saving the environment by limiting the amount of cars on the road, or encouraging blood donation. This partnership will allow us to do just that.”

ZipCar currently operates across 100 college campuses. These campuses will be the targeted locations for the marketing campaign launched by the American

Red Cross.

In the United States, the ARC distributes over 9 million blood products annually for transfusion to nearly 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers.

The American Red Cross is committed to ensuring a safe and sufficient blood supply is available at all times.

# # #


News Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION:October 30, 2013 Emily Martin


[email protected]

American Red Cross Holds Scavenger Hunts Across 100 College Campuses

United States (multiple locations)- The American Red Cross held a series of successful scavenger hunts on campuses across the United States during

the month of October, 2013. The events began October 1, 2013, on 100 college campuses across the U.S and commenced October 30, 2013.

“The American Red Cross is excited to announce the successful end of our Scavenger Hunt campaign during the month of October,” Peggy Dyer,

CEO for the American Red Cross, said. “The students who participated in the hunt were gained a greater understanding of the benefits of the ARC

and provided the ARC with approximately 75,000 pints of blood, potentially saving 225,000 lives. That’s an amazing contribution!”

In August, 2013 the American Red Cross launched a strategic partnership with ZipCar promoting the scavenger hunt through sponsored vehicles

driven by ZipCar members. The partnership was coordinated within 100 college campuses that were included in a series of promotional events and

marketing to support blood donation among the Millennial Generation, students aged 18 to 24. ZipCar provided 500 winning students with free one

month ZipCar memberships.

- more -



The scavenger hunts produced 5,000 teams of five students, involving a total of 25,000 students across the 100 campuses. Blood donation within

this period increased 30 percent. Students posted pictures of their hunt locations on Facebook, generating over 150,000 visits to the American Red

Cross Student Facebook page in one moth.

ZipCar Chairman and CEO, Scott Griffith, said “ZipCar is amazed at the efforts of these driven young people. The students that participated in the

scavenger hunt as well as recruiting others to donate blood is overwhelming. We are so pleased with their response to help others. ”

ZipCar currently operates across 100 college campuses. These campuses are the targeted locations for the marketing campaign launched by the American Red

Cross.

In the United States, the ARC distributes over 9 million blood products annually for transfusion to nearly 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers.

The American Red Cross is committed to ensuring a safe and sufficient blood supply is available at all times.

# # #


BACKGROUNDERFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION:July 30, 2012 Emily Martin


[email protected]

American Red Cross Blood Donation

The American Red Cross is the leading non-profit organization providing blood products in the United States.

Founded in 1881, the American Red Cross offers six “compassionate service” areas: offering humanitarian care and disaster aid, community services to help the needy, providing support to military members and their families, collecting and making available blood and blood products, offering health and safety education programs, and creating international relief and development programs. Today, ARC is the single largest supplier of blood in the US, providing 40 percent of the US blood supply, collecting 6.5 million units of blood from 4 million donors, resulting in 9.5 million blood products. The American Red Cross has established a goal of attracting Millennials to donate blood and become loyal repeat donors, ensuring a sufficient blood supply.

# # #



Appendix D

Crisis Communication PlanIn the event of a crisis surrounding the American Red Cross, please refer to this document to ensure fast and efficient handling of the situation, the media and any inquiries. Areas within text highlighted in yellow will be filled according to the incident. Please ensure all yellow highlighted areas are filled appropriately to ensure accurate reporting of the situations

Crisis communication team

Gail J. McGovern………………………………………………………………….….American Red Cross President & CEO

___NAME___…………………………………………………………………………..Local ARC Representative & Designated Primary Spokesperson

___NAME___.....……………………………………………………………………..Director of Communications & Designated Secondary Spokesperson

___NAME___……………..…………………………………………………………..Corporate Lawyer

Contact InformationName Home # Cell # Work # Email

Gail McGovern ###.###.#### ###.###.#### ###.###.#### [email protected]

*___NAME___________###.###.#### ###.###.#### ###.###.#### [email protected]

**__NAME___ ###.###.#### ###.###.#### ###.###.#### [email protected]

____NAME__________ ###.###.#### ###.###.#### ###.###.#### [email protected]

*Designated Spokesperson: ___NAME___

**Designated Secondary Spokesperson: ___NAME___






Media Policies & Procedures:

Media Inquiries Policy Answer all calls immediately. Never admit nor deny the situation. Never speak “off the record”. Offer to take contact information to allow ARC to respond promptly and accurately. Always address inquiries respectfully and with true intentions to answer them.

All contact with the media will use the following script:

“Thank you for your interest in the recent events surrounding the reported injury that occurred during an ARC promotional event. At this time, the American Red Cross is gathering all information pertinent to the situation. Rest assured, the American Red Cross will address all concerns and inquiries regarding the recent reports in a swift and straightforward manner. Until all details are gathered, please allow me to take your contact information so we can address your concerns promptly.”

Gather the following information: *(Form attached at the end of this document)

Name/Company Contact Inquiry, follow-through needed Done (Y/N, date)

Contact PersonsLocal ARC Representative……………………………………………..ARC Primary Spokesperson

Local ARC Representative……………………………………………..ARC Secondary Spokesperson

Primary Physician involved in treatment….…………………..Advisor

To be determined & inserted immediately……………………Police Contact

Media Center Location:ARC Media Inquiry123 Main StreetTOWN, ST XXXXX


Crisis web address for the latest updates ARCmediainquiry.com

Key Audiences:Employees: all persons employed by the American Red Cross

“Reports of a serious injury to an event attendee surfaced today, Monday, July 23, 2012. The incident is being explored by The American Red Cross. We at the American Red Cross take these reports seriously and will ensure all inquiries are addressed as information becomes available. Please become re-acclimated with the American Red Cross Corporate Confidentiality Policy, located in the Corporate Communications Handbook, page ##. To address any and all external inquiries, please direct all contacts to ___NAME___, ARC primary spokesperson at ###-###-#### or [email protected]. In light of today’s allegations, please keep the American Red Cross’ goal to provide a safe and sufficient blood supply as your primary focus. ”

Donors & Supporters:

“Reports of a serious injury to an event attendee surfaced today, Monday, July 23, 2012. The incident is being explored by the American Red Cross. Rest assured, we take these reports seriously and will ensure all inquiries are addressed as information becomes available. Our primary mission remains to provide a sage and sufficient blood supply, this will not waiver. Please direct all inquiries to ____NAME_____, ARC primary spokesperson, at ###-###-#### or [email protected].”

Media: local, national (in states currently associated with ARC especially), all media inquiries

“Reports of serious injury to an event attendee surfaced today, Monday, July 23, 2012. The incident is being explored by the American Red Cross. We at the American Red Cross take these reports seriously and will ensure all inquiries are addressed as information becomes available. For the most up-to-date information regarding the reports, please contact ____NAME_____, ARC primary spokesperson, at ###-###-#### or [email protected].”

Initial News Release

“Reports of serious injury to an event attendee surfaced today, Monday, July 23, 2012. The incident is being explored by the American Red Cross. We at the American Red Cross take these reports seriously and will ensure all inquiries are addressed as information becomes available. For the most up-to-date information regarding the reports, please contact ____NAME_____, ARC primary spokesperson, at ###-###-#### or [email protected]. For the most up-to-date information regarding the reports, please visit ARCmediainquiry.com”

**Information & Fact Sheets for ARC available on ARCmediainquiry.com

Secondary News Release






Attendee safe and in stable condition

“Recent reports of serious injury incurred during an American Red Cross promotional event have recently surfaced. The injured person involved has been taken to ___NAME___ local hospital and received superior care. The American Red Cross investigated the incident, which surfaced on Monday, July 23, 2012 in partnership with campus officials and local law enforcement. The American Red Cross is pleased to report the student has been cleared of all activity and has a medical release. The event was reported by local law officials to be safe and the incident was classified as an accident produced by personal decisions to consume alcoholic beverages prior to the event. We look forward to proceeding with our initial promotional calendar, including future events, to ensure a safe and sufficient blood supply.”

Attendee unstable or passes away

“Recent reports of serious injury incurred during an American Red Cross promotional event have recently surfaced. The injured person involved has been taken to ___NAME___ local hospital. The American Red Cross investigated the incident, which surfaced on Monday, July 23, 2012 in partnership with campus officials and local law enforcement. The American Red Cross is sorry to report the student has been admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. The event was reported by local law officials to be safe and the incident was classified as an accident produced by personal decisions to consume alcoholic beverages prior to the event. While the American Red Cross is regretful that the incident occurred, it is recognized that it was an isolated incident out of our control. We plan to proceed with our initial promotional calendar, including future events, to ensure a safe and sufficient blood supply.”


Media Inquiry Form

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gym class heroes

blood collection arena

pew research center

local law officials

compassionate service areas

single largest supplier