Education Access Channel
REBRANDING CAMPAIGN PLANS BOOK
MEET THE TEAM! Alyssa Baldridge, Christie Do, Dalton Hays, Emily Morris, Lia Werner, Michaella Benes, Yena Yoo, Zach Hastreiter
Contents 04 06 13 15 23 29
THE PROBLEM RESEARCH OBJECTIVES STRATEGY CREATIVE EVALUATIONS
Executive Summary The Citizen Information Center (CIC) works to meet public information needs of the community of Lincoln through facilitating and assisting in creative development, production, and distribution of information, media, and services. The CIC manages Lincoln’s Public, Educational, and Governmental Access channels, commonly referred to as PEG channels. These channels offer reliable and trustworthy content, however, they lack audience viewership and awareness. Based on thorough research and planning, the CRE8 team has developed a strategic rebranding campaign that solves the current problems faced by the CIC and its PEG channels.
Lincoln PE G Channels » 5 City TV is the government access television station that focuses on providing transparency in city government and informing citizens about local events & information » 10 Health TV strives to deliver trustworthy health and wellness information and programs along with working to assist in making Lincoln the healthiest city in the nation » The Education Access channel serves as a portal to link any accredited education resource in Lincoln with the public All of Lincoln’s PEG channels can be accessed by citizens through traditional television and cable along with some utilization of online video streaming. In addition to their television programming, the City and Health channels also manage social media channels, primarily publishing content on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter to further their respective missions.
Industry Analysis/Competitive Landscape Lincoln’s PEG channels are unique in the community, practically eliminating concerns about direct competition. However, indirect competition includes any other media Lincoln residents have access to and are choosing to watch instead of the PEG channels.
S W O T STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
OPPORTUNITIES
THREATS
Up-to-date equipment, sponsorships available, one of the few cities to have a government access health channel, multiple platforms available, authentic, trustworthy, reliable
Issues with channel numbers, not allowed to broadcast commercials, very small marketing budget, lacking overall brand awareness/recognition
Social media, potential sponsorships, not many branding mandatories, low brand awareness which will make it easier to establish a new brand identity
NET broadcasts similar programming and also has a budget, viewers with older TV’s may lose access, cable providers have control of channel numbers
The Problem
Major barriers currently hindering viewership of Lincoln’s PEG channel TV programming and online engagement are lack of awareness, audience misperceptions, and ineffective branding elements resulting in consumer confusion.
» AWARENESS Although channels have regular TV programming, maintain social
media accounts and consistently publish content, the number of social media followers, post viewers and engagement is fairly low.
» PERCEPTION Existing brand elements no longer connect with the audience or effectively represent the personality, mission and values of the PEG channels and its purpose in the Lincoln community.
» IDENTITY The CIC lacks a clear identity as a source of education, health and city
Government programming. Further, the individual channels have no connection to each other. Numbers in each name and logo create confusion among the audience about where the channels can be watched. Differing channel locations depending on one's cable provider contributes to this confusion.
Campaign OUTLINE The Challenge
Develop a rebranding campaign to promote the CIC and its PEG channels that establishes a new brand identity along with strategic and creative solutions addressing each current barrier.
Objective The objective of the research conducted was to discover consumer awareness and perceptions surrounding the PEG channels, explore consumer media habits, gather further information on the competitive media landscape, and analyze the findings to reveal insights that will guide this campaign’s strategy and tactics.
RESEARCH METHODS Primary Research » An online survey for Lincoln-area residents, 419 individual responses were recorded » Lincoln-area educator survey, 23 responses collected
Secondary Research » Compiled statistics, studies, and trends from online resources regarding TV viewership, social media, consumer habits and motivations » Utilized the Mediamark Research and Intelligence (MRI+) 2016 Spring Reporter database
MRI+
Television Habits & Streaming Video Service » Midwest 21+ adults are 32% less likely to subscribe to premium cable services like HBO » Adults 25-44 are 30% more likely to subscribe to a streaming video service like Netflix » Those with a streaming video service subscription are over 25% less likely to watch any news on TV
Research Findings
MRI+
Adults 21+ Smartphone Activity: News + Local Info + Videos » Men are 20% more likely to use their smartphone for both videos and news than women » Adults 25-44 were 70% more likely to use their phone for news + social media + videos » Asians and Hispanics were more inclined to use a mobile device to visit websites for news and local information and watch video than any other race » The only TV show type with an index over 100 among this groups was Late Night Talk/ Variety (128) all other TV shows had low indexes » Websites with high index numbers were Groupon, Airbnb, Tripadvisor, Ticketmaster (all 215+ index)
Survey
(419 Responses) » Comedy was the most watched TV genre » 92% of the target audience watch TV more than 3-4 times per week » 62% of the target audience used Facebook, followed by 11% Instagram
TOP 6 WORD ASSOCIATIONS REPORTED WHEN SURVEY RESPONDENTS WERE ASKED ABOUT LINCOLN’S PEG CHANNELS:
Boring
We have those?
Research Findings
x16
Biased x30
x126
Educational /Informative x29
Dated x9
I think those are similar to PBS, CNN, NPR, NETV x31
Many responses that associated negative words with the channels, such as being biased, stemmed from a misunderstanding of what PEG channels actually are. Responses from those who indicated they were aware of the channels had zero mentions of bias. The educational and informational aspect were frequently mentioned by this group, however, many also responded that the channels were irrelevant, dated, and uninteresting.
KEY INSIGHTS Awareness is a more important issue to address than access. Most of the audience has access to the channels along with access to a variety of video content. The number of streaming video subscriptions increases competition for viewership and the need for awareness, however it also reveals the target is very willing to watch TV from non-traditional sources. Those who rely on their smartphone heavily for information don’t watch television for news or information. They are more interested in fitness related media and value experiences more than other groups. Increasing awareness and viewership from this demographic it would need to be through digital experiences, engaging content and social media. Brand perception and relevancy of content are also noteworthy barriers keeping the audience from viewing. The channels are viewed as a reliable source of local news and information however the target audience either lacks awareness, interest, or both.
TARGET AUDIENCE Understanding the audience is pivotal to developing a strategy that will achieve our campaign objectives.
Primary Target for Brand Awareness:
Primary Target for Brand Engagement:
RESIDENTS OF LINCOLN
RESIDENTS OF LINCOLN,
AGE 25-49, INTERESTED IN THE COMMUNITY
Currently a large segment of the PEG channel audience is the elderly; this demographic should also be maintained throughout the campaign.
TARGET Profile Meet Jane 37 years old, mom of 2, daycare worker, lower income family, loves to be active. Jane is a lifelong resident of Lincoln & enjoys going to local area events with her family. She loves the ever-changing nature of her hometown of Lincoln & wants to see it continue to evolve into a vibrant, dynamic, up-and-coming community. She understands the importance of living a healthy lifestyle & values information & media that fits her interests & lifestyle.
TARGET Profile Meet Dan 28 years old, high school teacher, loves to learn about anything & everything. Dan’s been a resident of Lincoln for 4 years & has become increasingly interested in politics, including local government. He prefers to get his news through websites & social media on his phone but values reliability above all & is frustrated by biased sources. He plans to continue pursuing his passion for educating & hopes Lincoln continues to grow into a well-informed, knowledgeable community.
Increase traditional & online viewership by 10% by the end of this campaign
Increase social media following & engagement by 20% across all channels by the end of this campaign
CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES
Increase viewership & engagement of videos by 10% by the end of this campaign
Increase brand recognition across channels by utilizing the new, updated branding materials
Develop & maintain a consistent theme across channels while simultaneously establishing a unique personality for each channel individually
» Product Personality:
Friendly, reliable, relevant, and informative
» Key Product Features:
Unbiased, local information, free and easy access
» Tonality:
Local, Trustworthy, Informative, Diverse
» Mandatories:
Creative Brief
· Include all outlets · Clear association with the City of Lincoln
» The Opportunity:
Increase brand awareness and enlighten Lincoln residents on things happening in the community
» To These People:
Lincoln, Nebraska residents (between the ages 25-49)
» The Proposition:
These public access channels provide reliable and informative material regarding the Lincoln area to viewers in a fun and friendly way
» They’ll Believe It Because:
These public access channels provide viewers with diverse information, all local, relevant, unbiased, and trustworthy
STRATEGY
Brand Concept In order to clearly establish identity as a family of channels while allowing each channel to express its unique mission and purpose the brand concept of LNK Today was developed. LNK Today represents the channel’s commitment to a higher cause: informing, serving and strengthening the Lincoln community one day at a time.
New Identity A new name for the channels was developed after identifying problematic features of the previous name, brainstorming and background research on other channel names. LNK Today was specifically chosen to shatter all confusion about what the channels offered while maintaining the reputation associated with public access government channels. A new name was vital to give the PEG channels a fresh start at becoming a more recognizable network and is representative of the nature of the up-to-date, frequent programming. The name also gives the network an umbrella for the three channels. The name’s simplicity comes across as authentic, a trait our target audience desires in their media consumption. The name will connect with the community because it reflects the growing and ever-changing, diverse and vibrant Lincoln.
Tactics SOCIAL MEDIA MICROSITE VIDEOS EVENT PRESS RELEASE NON-TRADITIONAL
Social Media In the United States, 88% of adults aged 18-49 use social media, aligning with our target audience. Further, our primary research revealed the most used platform by far among Lincoln’s residents was Facebook. Therefore, social media with a heavy emphasis on Facebook will be a substantial part of this campaign. · Channels will maintain positive online activity · All social media content published during the throughout the campaign which will impact how campaign will be designed and formatted to reflect new and existing followers perceive the new brand. the current best social media practices for each platform and scheduled during peak activity times. · Automated direct messages will be sent out to each This will maximize each post’s potential reach and channel’s Twitter followers, providing them a sneak engagement rate which will help achieve the preview of the rebranding a few days beforehand campaign objectives. and also thanking them for staying connected with the channels. · A Pinterest account was created specifically for LNK Today Health because their content fits that · Paid sponsored posts will be utilized on Facebook platform and demographic very well. Median age and Instagram. The posts will be brief, striking of a Pinterest user is 40, 80% are female and there videos illustrating and promoting the rebrand. These are 1.7 billion recipe pins. Over 5% of all referral posts will run on a 50 mile radius of Lincoln, traffic to website comes from Pinterest, this could targeting users age 20-45 who match interest increase awareness by simply adding 1 more chansegments related to the PEG channels. nel to publish content already created for the others.
Microsite A microsite will be developed and launched to accompany other digital promotions and act as a hub for the new brand story and content to live in its various forms. Each new channel name and logo will be displayed in a simple, vibrant way to capture attention and create interest. The microsite will also include social icons for each channel, links to find live-streaming videos and a FAQ page regarding the PEG channels, the rebrand and the story behind why it was necessary.
Videos We chose to focus on video creation to explain the rebrand based on current social networking trends. U.S. adults spend an average of six hours per week watching video content on social media networks; further, when both text and video are offered, 69% of users would rather watch the video. PEG channel relevancy and convenience proved to be barriers to audience viewership and engagement previously; brief, engaging video content combats that. Facebook had the highest concentration of our target audience naturally making it the best platform to publish the new brand videos. When posting on an owned Facebook page, videos uploaded to Facebook organically reach 22% of fans while embedded YouTube videos reach 13% and photos 12%. That equates to about 10% more impressions per post, amplifying the potential reach. Video was chosen as a substantial medium for digital aspects of the campaign because of its greater tendency to be shared by users on every social media platform. Content or information shared by trusted people in one’s social network has 12.85 times more influence on brand perception than any content directly from the organization. The sharing potential of video content can not be overlooked as a critical part of reaching our campaign awareness objectives.
Event The CIC and Aging Partners Senior Centers are both divisions of the Mayor’s office creating an opportunity to partner up and host a simple promotional event to maintain current PEG channel viewers, the older demographic. Most of Lincoln’s senior centers hold inexpensive meals for seniors over noon with speakers, special events, or activities during or after. The online survey we conducted revealed that Lincoln residents prefer comedy over any other television genre, rationalizing the use of humor to promote this lunch event: “Think unreliable news is the wurst? You can count on LNK Today for frank, trustworthy local information. Join us for lunch featuring highlights and history of Lincoln and its PEG channels through the years.” Food served would include bratwursts or hotdogs (along with healthier alternatives). During the lunch some of the top video content the PEG channels produced over the years under their old identity would be shown. Incorporating Lincoln’s city history would work especially well in 2017 for Nebraska’s 150th year anniversary. The rebrand would also be unveiled and explained along with the different programming LNK Today offers and flyer's distributed on how and where to tune in.
Press Release A press release announcing the rebrand for the channels will be distributed to various local news organizations in hopes that a few influential outside sources will amplify our rebranding message and increase awareness by sharing the press release information through print, online, or social media.
Non Traditional As a brand-awareness tactic, car decals featuring the new brand will be created and applied to company or employee vehicles that travel throughout Lincoln. During an average day, an advertisement on a vehicle can deliver up to 70k impressions. Vehicle advertising reaches more people than billboards, radio, direct mail, local mailers, and mass transit advertising. T-Shirts portraying the new brand identity will be created for employees to wear during events to further brand awareness.
Creative Executions
Logos
Microsite computer & mobile mock ups
Videos
Non Traditional
Mock VAN DECAL
T-shirt design
Budget Keeping in mind the CIC’s limited resources, the daily budget for sponsored promotional content on Facebook is capped at $3 ($21 per week, $84 per month) while still earning 1.6k - 4.2k impressions daily on Facebook and 450 - 1200 on Instagram.
BULK ORDER OF HOTDOGS & BUNS (100) = $105 CAR MAGNET DECALS: 18IN X 24IN = $37.50 EACH Employee T-SHIRT COSTS: $20 - $40
Evaluations » Focus Groups » City Survey » Social Media Metrics REACH, SHARES, FOLLOWER GROWTH OVER TIME, ENGAGEMENT RATE
» Google Analytics TO TRACK MICROSITE TRAFFIC, CLICK-THROUGH RATES
» Feedback and Comments ON SOCIAL MEDIA FOR QUALITATIVE EVALUATIONS
Sources https://blog.bufferapp.com/social-media-video-marketing-statistics https://www.wyzowl.com/video-marketing-statistics-2016.html http://www.dreamgrow.com/video-marketing/ http://www.e-tailing.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2013/03 /EtailingGroup_Whitepaper_3.pdf http://colleendilen.com/2014/04/09/sharing-is-caring-4-reasons-to-focus-on-facebook-shares-instead-of-likes/ http://www.kpcb.com/internet-trends