Volit Campaign by DaBrielle Goodwin

Jessica Ruffin Harry Wright Dai Goodwin Rachael Jones

Table of Contents Meet the A-‐Team Members..................................................................................................4-‐5 Introduction................................................................................................................................6-‐7 Executive Summary……………………………………………………………..6-‐7 Research.....................................................................................................................................8-‐13 Product…………….............................................................................................8-‐9 SWOT Analysis.............................................................................................9-‐10 Strengths..................................................................................................9 Weaknesses.............................................................................................9 Opportunities.......................................................................................10 Threats………….....................................................................................10 Audience………............................................................................................10-‐12 Primary Research.....................................................................................12-‐13 Objectives................................................................................................................................14-‐15 Overview.............................................................................................................14 Informational Objective................................................................................14 Attitudinal Objective...............................................................................14-‐15 Behavioral Objective......................................................................................15 Output Objectives............................................................................................15 Programming........................................................................................................................16-‐21 Overview.............................................................................................................16 Themes and Key Messages...................................................................16-‐17 Special Events…………….................................................................................17 Uncontrolled Media.................................................................................17-‐18 Controlled Media......................................................................................18-‐21 Social Media...................................................................................18-‐19 Promotional Video.............................................................................19 Informational Webpage...........................................................19-‐20 Posters……………………………………………………………………….20 Take Away………………………………………………………………….21 Evaluation...............................................................................................................................22-‐23 Recommendations.....................................................................................................................24 Stewardship..................................................................................................................................25 Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................26 References..............................................................................................................................27-‐28 Appendix…………………………………………………………………………………………….29-‐46 Calendar (A-‐1)............................................................................. 29-‐30 Budget (A-‐2).........................................................................................31 Poster (A-‐3)…...…………………………………………………………...32 Take-‐Away sample (A-‐4)…………………………………………..…33 Media Advisory (A-‐5)…………..……………………………………...34

News Release (A-‐6)…......………………………………………….......35 Feature Story (A-‐7)……………………………………..……………...36 Facebook (A-‐8)..………..…………………………….…….…..………..37 Twitter (A-‐9)………………………………………………..…………….38 Pinterest (A-‐10)………………………………………………………….39 Launch Party Pictures (A-‐11)………………………………………30 Promotional Video (A-‐12)…………………………………………...41 Informational Webpage (A-‐13)……………………………………42 Flash Tweet Series (A-‐14)…………………………………………...43 Thank You Notes (A-‐15)……………………………………………...44 Mobile Website (A-‐16)………………………………………………..45 Facebook Charts/Graphs (A-‐17)………………………………….46

Meet the A-‐Team Members

Dai Goodwin DaBrielle is a senior from Jacksonville, FL majoring in public relations with a minor in criminal justice. The area of public relations she is most interested in is corporate communication; one day she aspires to be the public relations manager of a large firm.

Jessica Ruffin Jessica Ruffin is a senior from Orlando, Fla. majoring in public relations and minoring in Spanish and general business. After graduation, she hopes move to Los Angeles to work in the field of sports and entertainment public relations or broadcasting.

Rachael Jones Rachael Jones is a public relations major, minoring in English, from Huntsville AL. She is a senior graduating in December. She hopes to work in an agency environment after graduating.

Meet the A-‐Team Members

Harry Wright Harry Wright is a senior at the University of Alabama majoring in public relations with a minor in political science. After graduation in December, Harry plans on attending law school in his hometown of New Orleans, Louisiana.

Introduction

In today’s tech-‐savvy culture, the majority of individuals own a laptop computer. Young business professionals who are in their first five years of their careers tend to be single adults residing in small living spaces. Those who live in small spaces may be unable to fit a desk or workspace into their apartment or living area; therefore lap-‐desks are ideal for this audience. “Cool it with Volit” expected to break in to the U.S. market with a laptop cooler that is lightweight and versatile while also creating a general awareness about the product. By building this relationship and establishing general awareness, “Cool it with Volit” created excitement and potential brand loyalty about the current and future products at the Volit Company.

Executive Summary In order to reach our target audience and adequately learn how young professionals and businesses felt about the idea of a laptop cooling system, the A-‐Team conducted various methods of research. Forty-‐six young professionals participated in the A-‐ Team's survey about the Volit SP 500 Hybrid Multi Pad. Additionally, a focus group was conducted to gather information from five young professionals about their perceptions of laptop cooling pads. Finally, the A-‐Team conducted interviews with four local businesses including the Hampton Inn and Amtrak. The A-‐Team's overall objective was to increase the amount of recognition and positive attitude towards the Volit SP 500 Hybrid Multi Cooling Pad to ultimately increase the amount of multi pads sold. The informational objective was to increase awareness of the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad among 500 U.S. young business professionals by November 2012. The attitudinal objective was to create favorable opinions about the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad among 100 U.S. young professionals by October 2012. The behavioral objective was to encourage five U.S. young professionals exposed to the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad to purchase the product by November 2012. There were multiple tactics implemented to access the target audience. A press release and a feature story were sent to ten media outlets. The A-‐Team used the social media outlets Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram to reach the target audience with updates, information and promotional materials. A poster was distributed to local businesses and a YouTube video was distributed through social media. A launch party was hosted for thirty-‐five young professionals at Gorgas

library to provide more information about the product and participate in the demo station. The A-‐Team measured the results of its programming efforts to see whether the target numbers were met or not. To measure the informational objective, the social media pages were monitored. The objective was to reach 500 people. Through the social media campaign, as a whole, more than 3,000 people were reached, making this objective met. The attitudinal objective was to create a favorable opinion among 100 young professionals. Through measuring the number of “LIKES” on Facebook, this objective was met, resulting in 115 “LIKES”. The behavioral objective was not met because there has been no increase in sales since the campaign began. Finally, the output objectives were all met, except for the implementation of Reddit due to unforeseen subscription costs and a lack of budget. Through the campaign, the A-‐Team created relationships with young professionals, gatekeepers and select businesses. Although the campaign has ended, communication has continued in order to nurture these relationships and see a positive on the Volit brand. All media outlets and businesses that were contacted received a thank you note via email. Participants of the focus group also received a thank you note via email. The campaign also posted a thank you status on Facebook and tweeted a thank you via Twitter to those who have participated in the campaign.

Product

Research

The Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad was created in 2011. The cooler is designed to extend the life span of personal computers by reducing the internal temperature through two cooling fans placed inside a portable workspace. The fans are on a two ball bearing system that reduces noise, strengthens the cooling function and extends the lifetime of the personal computer. The pure aluminum material minimizes the heat produced from the laptop by 100 percent. The laptop cooling system is equipped with an iPod docking station that allows the user to play music while keeping their personal computer fully charged. The device can be powered through a universal serial bus (USB), or through a wall adapter. The Volit Hybrid SP-‐500 Multi-‐pad offers a one-‐year warranty from the date of purchase with the exception of damage due to intentional fault or carelessness. Mr. Cho JY founded the Volit Company in 1999. Despite the fact that the company has existed for 13 years, there is currently no public relations program in effect for the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad. This can be considered both a strength and a weakness for the company. Because there is no public relations program, the company does not have to mend any bad public opinions of its product because the U.S. market has not been exposed to it. However, it is also a weakness because Volit will not only need to generate a positive opinion for the product; it should also create general awareness for the product, making the company’s job more difficult. The company’s mission statement is “Challenge for a new and better world,” implying that the company wants to expand into the international market with its product. Volit does not have any internal or external problems; the main issue that the company faces is the lack of exposure in the United States market. Volit’s success in the Asian market has sparked the desire to expand into the U.S. markets. The company’s competitors in the United States are Cooler Master, Targus and Logitech. The Cooler Master is currently the leading laptop cooling provider in the U.S. market; bringing in an estimated 3.4 million in annual sales its laptop coolers are priced between $20.00 and $60.00.1 Cooler Master coolers are made of aluminum and provide 3 moveable 80 mm fans.2 Volit’s second largest competitor is Targus, it has an estimated $120 million in sales, and their coolers offers built in fans with USB

1 Hoovers Company. (2012). Cooler Master USA Inc.

http://subscriber.hoovers.com/H/company360/overview.html?companyId=961525482 2 Cooler Master USA Inc. http://subscriber.hoovers.com/H/company360/overview.html?companyId=961525482

connections for powering the device.3 Targus coolers are priced between $20.00 and $75.00 with an average price of $40.00.4 Volit’s third largest competitor is Logitech, unlike Cooler Master and Targus; Logitech specializes in all computer peripheral equipment and has an annual income of 2.32 billion in annual sales.5

SWOT Analysis Strengths One of the strengths of the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad is its sleek design. Similar to the design of Apple’s popular Mac laptop computers, the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad adheres to a simple, yet sophisticated design that appeals to a variety of people. The Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad also features an iPhone docking station that has the ability to charge the consumers iPhone while using the cooler. Because of the iPhone’s short battery life, this feature is beneficial and will attract Apple customers that use iPhones. The cooler itself is made out of the best quality materials, making it a more worthwhile investment for potential users despite the higher price. Weaknesses In comparison to other laptop coolers, the price of the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐ pad is considerably higher. This highly affects the purchasing behavior of customers in the United States because they have many other options that are less expensive. Volit’s English website is also detrimental to the company because the language barrier causes a lack of clarity among potential customers. The website also lacks details, such as testimonials, that would better the overall quality of the website. Volit also does not have a customer service number, making United States customers more reluctant to purchase products from the company in case something were to happen to the product. In addition, Volit does not have an online social media presence, making it more difficult to market in the United States since social media is so prevalent. Although a lack of presence in the United States market allows Volit to establish a positive image for itself, it also inhibits the company. The company does not have a presence in the United States, so there is limited awareness for the product, making 3 Hoovers Company. (2012). Targus Group International, Inc. http://subscriber.hoovers.com/H/company360/overview.html?companyId=48162981 4Targus Group International, Inc. http://subscriber.hoovers.com/H/company360/overview.html?companyId=48162981 5 Hoovers Company. (2012). Logitech International S.A. http://subscriber.hoovers.com/H/company360/overview.html?companyId=42459000000000

it more difficult to market in the U.S. The company has to work harder to make itself better known to potential customers in the United States. Opportunities The lack of the company’s presence in the United States market made it easier to establish a strong and positive presence here. Few United States residents knew about the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad since it had not yet broken into the United States market. Volit neither had a positive or negative reputation in the United States, which allows the company to carve out its own identity in a new market. Breaking into a new market provides Volit with the opportunity to create a strong reputation for itself. Threats The suffering state of the economy in the United States inhibits the potential for Volit to succeed in the market because people have less money to spend on items that are deemed as a “luxury.” Since the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad is priced higher than other laptop cooling systems, the campaign has had trouble convincing United States consumers that this product is superior to other coolers and worth the extra money. Volit needs to establish it’s cooler as a product that is necessary and a worthwhile investment for the consumer. The release of the new iPhone 5 is also detrimental to Volit because the new iPhone does not fit into Volit’s iPhone dock. Volit needs to address this issue in order to ensure success with avid Apple users.

Audience The Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad is a sleek device intended to extend the life of one’s laptop while making it more convenient and enjoyable to use. The product is most beneficial when used as a lap desk. “Cool it with Volit” targeted consumers who frequently use their laptops on the go and in small spaces, where workspaces and desks are not readily available. Thus, the campaign targeted young professionals who frequently travel or live in small living spaces without a desk or workspace and businesses that provide similar products to their employees. “Cool it with Volit” targeted newly employed college graduates who have been working for five or fewer years as the first target public. Young professionals were chosen because they are more likely to be living in smaller spaces than people with already established careers and incomes. Additionally, young business professionals are typically not yet homeowners, nor have they started families. This public's anticipated lifestyle consists of living in an urban area or smaller space where a desk or workspace is not the top priority when conserving space. This generation is more technologically dependent than those before it; they tend to use their laptops more frequently for email correspondence, streaming media and work-‐related tasks.

Extended computer use can quickly become an unpleasant experience if the consumer’s laptop is overheating on your lap. In addition to this being uncomfortable for the user, it is also detrimental to the laptop. Economically speaking, it would be much more reasonable to invest in an inexpensive way to save an expensive and essential belonging rather than having to replace the laptop after it has overheated and possibly crashed. One of the most unique features about this multi-‐pad is its ability to dock a smart phone. According to Alex Spencer for Mobile Marketing Magazine, "as of July 2012, 74 percent of 25-‐34 year olds in the U.S. own a smart phone. That number has jumped up from 59 percent a year earlier."6 It's safe to say that, within this age group, most people are using their phones constantly. As a byrong.com blogger explains, "A common complaint about today’s Smartphone is their short battery life compared to older cell phones. Years ago, if the consumer accidentally left their charger at home, the phone could still make it through a weeklong vacation with life to spare. With the newest phones on the market, the consumer might be lucky enough to make it through a weekend."7 The Volit has the ability to cool and charge the consumer’s laptop while simultaneously syncing and charging the consumer’s Smartphone. As previously mentioned, this campaign also considered the typical living arrangement of this demographic when choosing this public. Due to the current condition of economy and the difficult employment market, spacious homes and extravagant living quarters are giving way to accommodations with limited space. "After graduating college and getting married, purchasing a home has been the protocol in American culture...(but) amid low interest rates and relatively inexpensive prices, the age of first-‐time homeowners has remained high while younger couples and singles have a more fluid interpretation of the word home. For some it means apartments or condos and for others it may even be the basement of their parents’ home," Elizabeth Edwards said.8 The campaign’s second target public consisted of companies likely to provide these laptop coolers to their clients/consumers. Guests of hotels, communal transportation travelers and employees of large corporations could all benefit from this cooling device. This campaign was designed to market the product to these companies and encourage them to provide this product as an incentive for customers to choose their service rather than the competitor. Hampton Inn hotels provide laptop coolers as part of the room package in order for their guests to work 6 Three quarters of young Americans have smartphones. 7 Your smart phone is lying to you. (n.d.). 8 Average age of first-time homeowners remains high. 11

comfortably from their beds or chairs. With limited space in hotels, guests often find it difficult to locate appropriate work areas, but this alleviates that problem.9 Because this campaign is based in Tuscaloosa, it is interested in reaching out to four or five local hotels, such as the Hotel Capstone and the Holiday Inn, to interview them about their interest in the product. The Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad can also offer benefits for charter bus companies and corporations among the employees. These companies could provide this product as an incentive for their customers. This partnership would provide a convenience and a small sense of luxury to the consumers in an otherwise ordinary environment.

Primary Research Three primary research methods were used in order to measure the levels of interest and awareness about the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad amongst the chosen key publics. A focus group was conducted on October 2, 2012 in Lloyd Hall on the campus of the University of Alabama. The group contained five young professionals. The young professionals were asked questions that pertain to their opinions on laptop coolers as a whole, their views on the specific Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad and their thoughts on the possible risks of an overheated laptop. The purpose of this focus group was to gather qualitative data and determine how young professionals feel about laptop coolers, including the Volit cooler. The Volit cooler was provided for the participants to assess their opinions about the product based upon their interactions with it. Based on the findings, the majority of young professionals are unlikely to purchase a laptop cooler, unless it is reasonably priced or is of high quality. Many were unaware of the benefits of a cooling device, which the campaign hopes to change. A survey was sent out to young professionals via social media. Like the focus groups, the survey asked participants about laptop coolers and the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad, and it also included questions about the participants’ laptop, iPhone and social media usage. The purpose of the survey was to gather quantitative data regarding the laptop usage of young professionals and if their usage demands the need for a laptop cooler. The survey also measured the general public’s awareness of the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad. The goal is to encourage 500 young professionals via social media to participate in the survey to ensure accurate results. The survey generated responses from 46 young professionals. 87 percent of those surveyed said that they had never purchased or used a laptop cooling system. When asked where they use their laptop 78.3 percent of young professionals surveyed said that they use their laptop at home and 79.2 percent said they do not use their laptop while sitting at a desk. 9 Productivity at work and on the road. 12

Interviews with four businesses were conducted on October 6, 2012 in order to discover if any would be interested in featuring the laptop cooler in their business practices. The goal of these interviews was to generate qualitative data about the potential of converting interested businesses personnel into Volit customers. The team interviewed personnel from The Hampton Inn, Greyhound, Amtrak and The Core Apple Specialist. These businesses listened to a short presentation about the product and then were asked if they would be potentially interested in partnering with Volit in the future. Representatives from these businesses said they might be interested in featuring the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad in their businesses if it was proven that it would extend the life of one’s laptop.

Overview

Objectives

Volit is entering the United States market for the first time with this product, so the brand has neither a positive or negative image in the minds of U.S. consumers. It is a great opportunity to promote a brand without any negative perception. However, it has been difficult to persuade consumers to purchase a product from a brand that the consumer has never heard of. With that in mind, three impact objectives were created with more of the focus on increasing awareness and a positive brand image for the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad.

Informational Objective

An informational objective extends a campaign through key message exposure and comprehension to the appropriate audience. The informational objective of this campaign was to increase the knowledge about the Volit Sp-‐ 500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad and how it specifically benefits the consumer. To increase awareness of the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad among 500 U.S. young business professionals by November 2012. It is important that the target audience understands the design, quality and how the Volit cooling system works. This product can be comparable to Apple, an expensive, yet high-‐quality product with a clean, modern design. By understanding the Volit cooling system, consumers were more willing to pay for quality, like many Apple consumers. Also, it is important that the audience know the benefits of the product, such as how it increases the lifespan of a laptop and how it can be beneficial to their business or day-‐to-‐ day life.

Attitudinal Objective

An attitudinal objective is aimed to modify the way a target audience feels about the client and product. The audience is motivated by strategic communication that leads to an intended action. This campaign intended to create positive opinions and reviews about the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐ pad. To create favorable opinions about the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad among 100 U.S. young professionals by October 2012.

Creating a positive first impression for the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad was crucial considering the product had not been officially introduced to the U.S. market. In hope that the key messages were received and retained, it was one of the campaign’s goals to be an ongoing phenomenon, in the technical world, through viral exposure.

Behavioral Objective A behavioral objective measures the expected behavior of the target audience from the results of a campaign. The campaign aimed to create purchasing behavior amongst the future consumer market. To encourage five U.S. young professionals exposed to the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad to purchase the product by November 2012. Since the campaign is testing the product’s adaptability in the U.S. market, it is essential to initiate purchasing behavior. The campaign intended to achieve a 5 percent conversion rate to purchasing behavior among those exposed to the social media campaign for the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad. The target audience was more likely to create a return on the campaign’s investment because the provided information was easy to understand and the audience learned about the product’s benefits both on a business and personal level.

Output Objectives Output objectives are the efforts that the campaign team implemented. Below is the production of materials and execution of social media outreach: To send a press release to selected media outlets and business and technology-‐based magazines by November 2012. To create an online presence for the company’s product by November 2012 through the use of the following: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit Blogs Reviews Promotional Video Informational web page

Programming

Overview The “Cool it with Volit” campaign sought to increase awareness of the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad and encourage purchasing behavior among those exposed. In order to achieve the objectives stated in the previous sections, the “Cool it with Volit” campaign implemented several tactics, which included the following: • Launch party to increase awareness and information circulation about Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad among the public. • Flash tweet series using the hash tag “Volit” to increase public awareness of the product. • Poster campaign to increase public awareness of the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad. • Promotional video to generate a following in the United States. The campaign targeted young professionals, who are either enrolled in graduate school or in their first few years in the workforce. The campaign also focused on related businesses that may be interested in featuring the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad as an incentive to their customers. The rest of this section will explain the tactics for achieving the previously stated objectives in greater detail.

Theme and Key Message

The theme of the campaign will be “Cool it with Volit”. This should be an appealing saying that people will repeat. The campaign was social media driven, targeting young professionals while promoting the idea that the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐ pad is a unique product and it makes the user hip or cool. The key messages of the campaign corresponded with the “Cool it with Volit” theme. The messages focused on painting the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad as a product that is both luxurious and simple to the public eye. Continuing on the idea that the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad is an item that is luxurious, the campaign also worked to establish Volit as a product that is sleek in design and of higher quality than its competitors. Establishing the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad as a high quality product attempts to counterbalance any protests that the product is more expensive. The campaign also touched upon the convenience aspect of the cooler. The messages that were included are as follows: -‐A simple luxury -‐Sleek yet ingenious

-‐A cross between comfort and convenience

The campaign utilized a variety of techniques to increase awareness of the Volit Sp-‐ 500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad in the United States in order to spread these key messages to the general public. A promotional video, posters, surveys, focus groups and social media networks were used in the campaign to spread awareness and encourage people to purchase the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad.

Special Events In preparation for the release of the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad within the U.S. market, a launch party was thrown featuring the laptop cooler. Recent college graduates who are currently employed full-‐time and entry-‐level employees involved in professional organizations were invited to attend the event via email. Volit’s “Cool It” launch party allowed potential consumers to have a personal experience with the cooler and receive more information on new products in technology. 25 young professionals were in attendance and people were able to come and go freely. A five-‐ minute PowerPoint presentation was given containing information about the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad and the benefits of using the cooler. A demo station was set up and allowed attendees to interact with the product directly. The event lasted for one hour and 15 minutes. For pictures from the launch party, please see A-‐11 of the Appendix. Following the launch party a series of flash tweets were implemented. During the first flash tweet everyone was asked to make a statement of what keeps him or her cool and hash tag (#) the word Volit. The second flash tweet consisted of asking the Twitter audience to tell the team their ideas for what they find desirable in a laptop cooler. The goal was to have 500 people to hash tag Volit to help spread awareness about the company and the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad. There were two opportunities to participate in this flash tweet series, the first one was November 16 and the second one was November 19. Please see A-‐14 of the Appendix for screenshots from the flash tweet series.

Uncontrolled Media A press release and feature store was drafted and distributed to websites, magazines and newspapers that share the same target audiences as the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad. The team sent the press release and the feature story to the following media personnel: The Crimson White, Times-‐Pacyune, The Tuscaloosa News, Memphis Daily News, Engadget.com, Reuters, Theverge.com and Laptop

Magazine. The campaign distributed the press release and feature story via email to personnel from these media outlets. The press release brought attention to the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad directly by giving a general overview of the campaign and introducing the product into the United States. The feature story brought attention indirectly by discussing ergonomics, space saving, customer satisfaction and laptop overheating. A copy of the press release (A-‐6) and feature story (A-‐7) can be found in the Appendix.

Controlled Media

Social Media To create awareness for the product, social media accounts were created, utilizing Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Facebook The Facebook account provided information about the product and invites two-‐way communication between potential customers and the “Cool it with Volit” team. Through this, the methods of reaching the target audience were improved. With 71 percent of the United States web users on Facebook, the Volit campaign team has connected with the target audience through this media.10 The Facebook page had a weekly total reach of 1,854 people. The page had 115 total likes and 124 people talking about the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad, as of Nov. 19, 2012 (see A-‐8) Twitter The Twitter account provided constant updates about the product and its advantages. A hash tag (#) was created to enable Twitter conversations with possible customers to ensure that more information was gathered about the public opinion of the product. Twitter helped the Volit campaign team to reach the target audience because 42 percent of Twitter users have an average income of 25,000 – 49,999 dollars.11 This average income is also conducive with the age group of young professionals. The Twitter for the “Cool it with Volit” campaign accumulated 49 hash tags (#) followed by the company name, Volit. Twitter was used to implement the flash tweets (See A-‐ 9). Pinterest With the Pinterest account, the team has allowed its followers to see not only

10 Hepburn, Aden. (2011, Jan. 18). Facebook Statistics, Stats & Facts for 2011. 11 Bennett, Shea. (2012, Aug. 3). The State of Twitter [STATS]. 18

Volit-‐related pins, but also pins that reflect the cool and sophisticated Volit lifestyle. The team created four boards; “The Coolest Laptops,” “Mincus’ Favorite Things,” “Ways To Keep Cool” and “Cool Gadgets.” The Volit-‐related pins link back to the informational website when followers click on the photo. This raised awareness about the product and generated publicity for the website. Through the use of Pinterest, the “Cool it with Volit” team raised awareness among the female population since 79 percent of all Pinterest users are female12 (see A-‐10). Reddit With the Reddit account, the team intended to take photographs of the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad and upload them to the account. This would allow users to rate the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad and provide evaluation of the product. By using Reddit, the campaign intended to target the male audience since 64 percent of Reddit users are male.13 Due to an unforeseen subscription cost and lack of budget, the “Cool it with Volit” team was unable to execute the use of this social media outlet.

Promotional Video

With the promotional video, this campaign increased awareness among young professionals by uploading it to YouTube and creating an opportunity for users to see the product and review it by commenting on it. The promotional video was inspired by the MTV television show Pimp My Ride. A “nerdy” character pulls up to a car garage with an old broken-‐down car. The mechanics only work is to place a Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad on top of the car. At the reveal of the “nerdy” character’s new, improved car, he looks at the car with a blank, almost dumbfounded face. (The mechanics did not fix his car; they only placed a Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad on the hood of the car). Suddenly, the character screams, “I LOVE IT!” He begins to look around the car in excitement and the campaign slogan appears on the screen at the end, “Cool it with Volit.” For screenshots of the promotional video, please see A-‐12 of the Appendix.

Informational Webpage

The “Cool it with Volit” campaign team created a one-‐page informational

12 Pingdom. (2012, Aug. 21). Report: Social network demographics in 2012. 13 Report: Social network demographics in 2012. 19

web page to provide details about the product to possible consumers to raise awareness and provide information. The web link is: http://volitusa.wix.com/coolitwithvolit The informational webpage is available in a format so that it can be accessed from all forms of media due to the additional of a mobile web page. Smart phones are important to this product because of the docking station feature. The mobile web page is formatted to use space on a smaller screen more efficiently. See A-‐16 in the appendix for a screen shot of the mobile web page. The style of both pages is simplistic and minimal, so that it keeps with the modern theme of "Cool it with Volit". The webpage is white with silver text and pops of turquoise and orange. Included on both web pages is information about the product and a link to Amazon.com so that purchasing is possible. Additionally, a comments and reviews sections is included on the full version. Links to the campaign's posters and promotional videos are available on both pages. The web link is included on all promotional material, as well as the survey and PowerPoint presentation at the launch party. During the focus group, participants were told about the website also. For a screen shot of the webpage, please see A-‐13 of the Appendix.

Posters

A poster was distributed around Tuscaloosa in areas that the target audience will notice. Locations include: the Ferguson Center, technology stores (i.e.: Best Buy, Bisdex Inc., T&G Professional Computing, Wycomp Technology, Tuscom, Radio Shack, Campus Computer Tech Center, etc.) and downtown Tuscaloosa. These places were the best locations to grab the attention of the target audience. A copy of the poster can be found on A-‐3 of the Appendix. The visual message is simple—the consumer is not cool without the Volit. The poster design is split in half. One half displays a picture of a “nerdy” character, shoulders slumped over and alone and the other half displays a picture of the “nerdy” character with a Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad in hand, smiling, in an upright position and surrounded by beautiful women. The text reads, “Cool It With Volit.” Below, there is a short information section about the product and social media addresses. The campaign logo is in the lower right corner.

This poster has reach out to the target audience beyond social media in a humorous, yet memorable context. 20

Take Away The "take away" promotional print material, a 6x6 square, was distributed to guests at the launch party. It provided more information about the Volit Sp-‐ 500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad and the "Cool It With Volit" campaign. In the "take away" the guest found benefits and fun facts about the product, purchase options, and social media information (see A-‐4).

Evaluation

As the campaign was executed, the team has been evaluating the efforts to see what worked and what did not work. This has been valuable information because it shows if the set of objectives were met. The impact objectives were evaluated by checking if the campaign met the target numbers or not. The campaign team closely monitored all of the objectives: informational, attitudinal and behavioral. To judge whether each of these was successful, the “Cool it with Volit” team evaluated each with a variety of techniques. To figure out whether the campaign team met the informational objective goal of bringing awareness to 500 people, this campaign carefully monitored the social media platforms, taking note of the number of “retweets” and “repins” about the product, the number of “likes” on the Facebook page and the number of followers for all social media platforms. The “Cool it with Volit” team also compared the number of views of the product’s social media pages from the start of the campaign to its end. Lastly, this campaign took into consideration the number in attendance for the launch party and the number of people who either participated in the survey or one of the focus groups. As of Nov. 28, 2012, the “Cool it with Volit” Facebook page reached over 3,000 people throughout the duration of the campaign and 124 people were talking about the campaign on Facebook when measured on November 19, 2012 (see A-‐17 of the Appendix for Facebook charts and graphs). Volit was also mentioned 49 times on Twitter. These statistics prove that the campaign was successful in reaching at least 500 people. The Twitter and Pinterest portions of our campaign did not meet our expectations, but the social media campaign’s reach as a whole far exceeded the number of people stated in our informational objective. The attitudinal objective stated that the campaign would strive to bring a positive feeling of the product to 100 people that were reached. The team evaluated this objective through the number of “likes” on the Volit Facebook page, implying a favorable opinion of the product. As of November 28, 2012, the Volit Facebook page had received 114 likes, which entails that the team met its attitudinal objective of creating a favorable opinion among 100 people that were reached. The evaluation of the behavioral objective was measured by the amount of people who purchased the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid multi-‐pad after the beginning of the campaign. At this time, there has been no increase in sales of the product. The team believes the status of this objective cannot be determined at this time due to sales numbers.

The evaluation of the output objective was measured by whether or not all the programming was implemented. This objective was achieved, with the exception of Reddit. Due to unforeseen costs, the campaign chose to replace Reddit with Instagram, which the campaign believes is a comparable form of social media. Therefore, the “Cool it with Volit” campaign team concluded that the output objectives were reached.

Recommendations

Unfortunately due to time constraints and lack of budget, the “Cool it with Volit” campaign was unable to implement some of the ideas that were discussed. The “Cool it with Volit” campaign discussed a functional and interactive English based website that offers a place to purchase the product with a working customer service phone number based in the United States. The website would offer reviews and a section for frequently asked questions (FAQ). Partnerships with online discount retailers (i.e. Groupon, LivingSocial, and Woot) could benefit the Volit brand with increased awareness and sales in the U.S. market. Obtaining an account with Reddit was discussed but due to unexpected costs, we were unable to implement this portion of our campaign. The implementation of product demonstration stations at big box retailers (i.e. Wal-‐ Mart, Target, and Best Buy) will allow potential customers to interact directly with the product. Brand partnerships with mobile phone companies that target the same audience as Volit would provide exposure and new touch points that Volit has not utilized.

Stewardship

The campaign introduced the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad to the U.S. market through a strong online presence, focus groups, a press release/feature story and a special event. Even though the campaign’s communication activities were short-‐ lived, its efforts should continue to affect the selected target audience and nurture the newly-‐created relationship. The campaign has created relationships with young business professionals, gatekeepers and select businesses. It is important to maintain and strengthen these relationships over a period longer than the actual campaign. The stewards of the campaign should appreciate those that supported it–initiating closure and ending the campaign on a positive note–whether through “liking” the Facebook page or participating in a focus group. All media outlets and businesses that were contacted received a thank you note via email. Participants of the focus group also received a thank you note via email. The campaign also posted a thank you status on Facebook and tweeted a thank you via Twitter to those who have participated in the campaign (A-‐15).

Conclusion

The “Cool it with Volit” campaign increased the awareness of the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad throughout the U.S. market. This campaign jump started the conversation about the laptop cooler and created a positive association with the company among young business professionals that are in the first five years of their careers. This open conversation will allow the Volit Company to gauge the opinions of the U.S. market about their current and future products. The “Cool it with Volit” campaign is modern and fun. The team targeted a young, tech-‐savvy audience and it was crucial that the campaign reflected that. Through the use of social media, a pop culture-‐inspired promotional video and eye-‐catching posters, the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad has been portrayed as a product that is modern, sleek and stylish. The campaign was simple and direct. The team focused attention on carefully selected mediums and social media platforms that have been the most effective in reaching the target audience. However, the campaign paid attention to a range of mediums, covering a wide variety from Pinterest to posters to a promotional video. This ensured that the campaign would reach all types of young professionals and not just those in a particular group. This campaign was thoughtfully planned. The target audience was carefully considered, and the campaign was meticulously planned and carried out to cater to their specific qualities and needs. The team strongly believes in the “Cool it with Volit” campaign and feels that it will continue to provide a smooth transition for the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad into the United States market.

References

Bennett, Shea. (2012, Aug. 3). The State of Twitter [STATS]. Retrieved from http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/twitter-‐demographics_b26352 Best Buy. (2012) Comparison Page. Retrieved from http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=cat13504&type=page&pageId entity=searchDriven&useProductString=true&productString=12183139076 86*1218343870693*1218663133746&unProductString=1218634971231*1 218463149868*1218265772815*1218407815268*1218103734860*12183 20078288*1218463218935*1218313330170*1218500969882*121844320 9248*1218313321481*1218265770290&catId=

Dandapani, V. (n.d.). Productivity at work and on the road. Retrieved from http://4hoteliers.com/4hots_fshw.php?mwi=7068\

Edwards, E. (n.d.). Average age of first-‐time homeowners remains high. Retrieved from http://universe.byu.edu/index.php/2011/10/11/average-‐age-‐of-‐first-‐ time-‐homeowners-‐remains-‐high/ Hepburn, Aden. (2011, Jan. 18). Facebook Statistics, Stats & Facts for 2011. Retrieved from http://www.digitalbuzzblog.com/facebook-‐statistics-‐stats-‐ facts-‐2011/

Hoovers Company. (2012). Targus Group International, Inc. Retrieved from http://subscriber.hoovers.com/H/company360/overview.html?companyId= 48162981 Hoovers Company. (2012). Cooler Master USA Inc. Retrieved from http://subscriber.hoovers.com/H/company360/overview.html?companyId= 961525482 Hoovers Company. (2012).Logitech International S.A. Retrieved from http://subscriber.hoovers.com/H/company360/overview.html?companyId= 42459000000000

Pingdom. (2012, Aug. 21). Report: Social network demographics in 2012. Retrieved from http://royal.pingdom.com/2012/08/21/report-‐social-‐network-‐ demographics-‐in-‐2012/

Spencer, A. (n.d.). Three quarters of young Americans have smartphones. Retrieved from http://mobilemarketingmagazine.com/content/three-‐ quarters-‐young-‐americans-‐have-‐smartphones Your smart phone is lying to you. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://byrong.com/PowerTesting/

Calendar (A-‐1) Week One Oct. 1-‐7

Oct. 2 Lloyd Hall Focus Group Rachael

Oct. 3 Reading Room Evaluation of Focus Group Entire team

Week Two Oct. 8-‐14

Week Three Oct. 15-‐21

Week Four Oct. 22-‐28

Oct. 22 Crimson Copies Take-‐Aways Olivia

Oct. 24 Garage Video preparation/ rehearsal Entire team

Week Five Oct. 29-‐ Nov.4

Oct. 29 Reese Phifer Poster photo shoot Entire team Week Six Nov. 5 Nov.5 –11 Reading Room Evaluation of launch party Entire team Week Nov. 12 Seven Feature story Nov. 12 – 18 drafted Harry

Nov. 7 News release drafted Jessica Nov. 13 Webpage created and published Mischa

Oct. 6 Interviews with local businesses conducted Tyler Oct. 14 Script written for video Mischa Oct. 20 Take-‐Aways Completed Mischa

Nov. 1 Lloyd Hall Launch Party Dai/Entire team Nov. 9 Flash Tweet Entire Team

Nov. 2 Garage Video filming Entire team

Nov. 18 Evaluation of social media outlets Rachael

Nov. 11 Flash Tweet Entire Team Posters Printed Olivia

Week Eight Nov. 19-‐25

Nov. 23 Evaluation of Webpage/Video thus far Jessica

Nov. 25 Thank you notes drafted Jessica

Budget (A-‐2)

Items

Quantity

Cost Per Unit

Total Cost

Donated Yes/No

Take Away (Launch Party)

$0.30

$24.00

Outback Steakhouse Appetizer (Focus Group Gift)

$7.00

$70.00

Yes

Jupiter Bar VIP Pass (Focus Group Gift)

$5.00

$50.00

Yes

$20.00 $20.00 $10.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00 $5.00

$70.00

Refreshments & Serving Supplies (Launch Party):

1 Cookie Platter 1 Fruit Tray 5 1L Sodas Cups 2 Bags of Ice Napkins Small Plates

News Release

$0.00

Campaign Proposal

$0.00

Campaign Book FINAL

$0.00

T-‐shirts (Launch Party Give-‐ Away)

$10.00

$100.00

Yes

Koozies (Launch Party Give-‐ Away)

$5.00

$50.00

Yes

Hats (Launch Party Give-‐Away)

$8.00

$80.00

Yes

Poster (A-‐3)

Take Aways (A-‐4)

Media Advisory (A-‐5)

Press Release (A-‐6)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Volit SP-500 to enter United States market TUSCALOOSA, Ala—Members of the Volit campaign team for a public relations course at the University of Alabama recently began preparations for the 2013 launch of the Volit SP-500 laptop cooling system in the United States market. The Volit company designed the SP-500 laptop cooling system to extend the life span of personal computers by reducing the internal temperature through two cooling fans placed inside a portable workspace. The company is based out of Korea and was founded in 1999. Volit created the SP-500 cooling system in 2011 and sold the product in Korea and on Amazon.com. The Volit campaign team conducted focus groups, surveys and interviews in the United States in order to better understand the market Volit will soon enter. The campaign to launch the product into the U.S. market is called “Cool it with Volit” and is currently in progress. “The ‘Cool it with Volit’ campaign shows the consumer the sleekness and sophistication of the Volit SP-500 laptop cooling system,” said Jessica Ruffin, leader of the “Cool it with Volit” campaign. “We believe that with careful preparation, Volit will be able to enter the U.S. market seamlessly.” The Volit SP-500 laptop cooling system is also equipped with an iPod docking station that allows the user to play music while keeping their personal computer fully charged. The device can be powered through a universal serial bus (USB), or through a wall adapter. The product is expected to launch in the United States market in 2013. CONTACT: Jessica Ruffin “Cool it with Volit” campaign leader jeruffin@crimson.ua.edu ###

Feature Story (A-‐7)

I sat on my bed typing feverishly on my laptop. The deadline for my assignment was looming, and I did not have a second to waste. My laptop was humming loudly, but I paid it no attention. I knew the sound was coming from the fan inside the computer. It was working to lower the internal temperature of my laptop. The bottom of my laptop was scorching hot, but my jeans were working like oven mitts for my legs. I continued typing. Suddenly, my computer started to freeze. I stood up with panic as I lost my entire assignment to what I now know as the blue screen of the death. I took my laptop to a repair shop the next morning to see if they could recover the file and fix my computer. I was told that my data was lost and that it would be cheaper to buy a new laptop than have mine repaired. My laptop was only a year and a half old! The guy behind the counter suggested that I buy a laptop cooling pad with my next laptop. He joked that I should not tell anybody this secret he had just told me because a good portion of his business came from overheating laptops. He followed by saying, “If you tell anybody, tell them to come buy their cooling pad here.” Needless to say, my assignment was late. I had to purchase a new laptop, and I took the man behind the counter’s advice and bought a laptop cooling pad. I did not buy it from the computer store where I received the advice. They can be found much cheaper on the Internet at a place like Amazon. That can be our little secret. The one I purchased was called the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad. I have not had any problems with my current laptop, and it is now the same age as my previous laptop at its time of death due to overheating. It has maintained the speed it had the day I took it out of the box, and I never hear it humming. The cooling pad sits comfortably on my lap, and my jeans don’t have to work like oven mitts anymore. Unlike the fans inside of a laptop, the fans in the cooling pad are really quiet. It also plugs right into my laptop via a USB cable, so I don’t have to worry about being next to a power source when I’m using it. It does have an adapter to plug into the wall if a person were to need the use of all of their USB ports for other things. Some things never change though. Tonight, I’m sitting on my bed with my laptop on my lap. I’m typing feverishly as I try to finish this assignment before a looming deadline, and I don’t have a second to waste. However, this time I have my trusted laptop cooling pad doing its job. There is no humming coming from my laptop, and the bottom of the computer is not scorching hot. And if you are reading this article, you know my laptop has not started to freeze up due to overheating. About “Cool It With Volit” The “Cool It With Volit” campaign was started this fall by six seniors at The University of Alabama as part of a public relations campaigns course. The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness of the Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad in preparation for the product’s launch in the United States. The Volit Sp-‐500 Hybrid Multi-‐pad has been a popular laptop cooling pad in South Korea, and it is now poised to enter a new market.

Facebook (A-‐8)

Twitter (A-‐9)

Pinterest (A-‐10)

Launch Party (A-‐11)

Promotional Video (A-‐12)

Informational Webpage (A-‐13)

Flash Tweet Series (A-‐14)

Thank You Notes (A-‐15) Email-‐ thank you note:

Facebook-‐ thank you status:

Twitter-‐ thank you tweet:

Mobile Website (A-‐16)

Facebook Charts/Graphs (A-‐17)