PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN PROJECT

OVERVIEW
This promotional campaign project will give you the opportunity and responsibility to
develop a professional advertising campaign for a product of your choice. The campaign
will be completed in two phases that will be handed in for review and suggestions during
the semester. The entire campaign will be due on the last class period. You will work
with 2-3 classmates and each group will prepare a written report and brief presentation
during the semester. Peer evaluations will be given out after phase one and at the end of
the semester.
The promotional campaign should span a one year time period. You should recommend a
budget for the campaign that will be optimal in order to satisfy your objectives.
Preliminary Research Needed
Secondary Research
Each group will conduct secondary research to gain an understanding of industry trends
and the product category, the market (and how it is segmented), competition, the potential
target audiences, and their decision making process. You will be able to access a variety
of secondary sources on line and through the UMASS library.
Some recommended sources include:
http://www.library.umass.edu/subject/business/mktg422.htm
This site includes resources compiled by Mike Davis, our
Business Reference Librarian. This is a great place to start.
Simmons Study of Media and Markets (1994) demographics
Lifestyle Market Analyst (psychographic information)
Encyclopedia of American Industries (trends)
Standard Rates and Data
Marketers Guide to Media
Infotrac
Lexis-Nexis
Internet/Web sites of your company and competitors
Encyclopedia of Major Marketing Campaigns
In addition, if you are not able to obtain secondary information on your potential target
audience and their decision-making behavior, you will want to conduct primary research
of your own. This will involve data collection either through interviews, surveys, and/or
focus groups.
Consultation

During the campaign work phases when you are given time to meet with your group, I
will be available to answer questions, provide feedback, and offer suggestions. Please use
this group time wisely. Your participation in these group sessions will be reflected in your
class participation grade and campaign grade. If you need additional help outside of class
time, feel free to see me during my office hours or set up a special appointment. You can
also address questions to me via email.
Length of the Campaign
Your entire campaign should not exceed 50 pages in length (including text, tables,
references, and creative materials). This page limit will lead you to focus on the quality of
your campaign and not on the number of pages you write. You may find it useful to
summarize some of the information gathered in your Situational Analysis in charts or
tables to enhance the organization and clarity of your campaign. A couple of charts may
save you several pages of writing. Charts or tables may also be used in the Situational
Analysis, Marketing and Promotional Plans and are necessary in the Media Plan. The text
of the campaign should focus on interpreting the information you gather, on your
strategies, and rationale.
Grading
The written campaign and presentation represents 30% of your course grade. It is
expected that each group member will contribute equally to the project and presentation
and receive the groups project and presentation grades. Lack of participation on the part
of a group member will significantly affect their grade. Participation is evaluated through
the group activity reports and peer evaluations.
Grammar, Writing Style
Do not overlook the importance of your writing style and grammar in your campaign.
Your grade will be based on your strategies as well as how you convey them. Good ideas
get lost when they are difficult to read and understand. Poor grammar can significantly
hurt your grade while good grammar can work in your favor. Since you will be working
with two or three partners, be sure to read and correct each others work. If you are
responsible for writing a section of the campaign, take the time to make it flow together
(so that the campaign appears to have been written by the same person). Your grade is
also based on your partners work so work together. One or more members of the
group should serve as editors. You should also consider using the services of the Writing
Center here in the Isenberg School of Management. They have office hours throughout
the week.

Remember:
The most important aspect of your campaign development lies in your ability to:
1. Develop and analyze the available research or other information you are able to gather

2. Develop logical objectives and strategies

3. Justify your objectives and strategies with information from your situational analysis
4. Constantly link elements of the objectives, strategy, and tactics together so that you
develop a logical unified campaign
5. Properly target and position your product
6. Express yourself clearly
Due Dates
The campaign represents a major portion of your course grade. Be sure to allocate an
appropriate amount of time for the creation of a logical and effective campaign. Do not
wait until the last minute to throw it all together it will show up in your finished product.
Each phase of the project should be typed and handed in on the dates listed in your
syllabus. Both phases should be turned in on the last day of class. If you would like your
graded project returned to you, turn in a second copy of the project on the last day.
The deadlines are firm so plan ahead. Your time will go quickly.

PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN GUIDELINES

PHASE 1
SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS
The overall goals of the situational analysis are to identify strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats in the market (a SWOT analysis relative to SOM). Cite specific
evidence from your research to support your conclusions. Be as thorough and specific as
you can.
Examine a variety of situational factors in your analysis and include the following:
1. Industry/Company Overview
Describe the industry in which your product competes, its size, growth, current trends
and developments, and any key factors necessary for an understanding of the setting.
Also provide a very brief history of the company, its product lines, sales history, target
markets, current marketing mix and any other factors that make the company what it is
today.
2. Product Review
Describe the product or service that is the focus of your campaign. Include the
products sales history, market share, strengths, weaknesses, key benefits, brand image,
and other factors important for an understanding of the products or services performance
and place among its category competitors.
3. Competitive Review and your Competitive Advantage
Who is the competition? What images do they convey in their advertising and
promotional materials and on their web site (if applicable) vs the image your
product/service conveys? What do they promote as their distinctive competencies? Is
there a difference between consumers perception of the competition and the way the
competition is promoted (their positioning strategy)? From your perspective and the
objective information you have evaluated, what are the actual competitive advantages of
your product/service and that of the competition?
4. Consumer Research
a. Market Segmentation - Identify the various market segments. Consider the
various methods of segmenting a market including demographics, psychographics,
product benefits, usage patterns, buying behavior and decision-making
b. Potential Target Audiences and User Profile - Who are the potential target
audiences for this product or service (consider potential users, actual users,
initiators, influencers, decision-makers, purchasers)? Develop a user profile that
highlights the demographic, psychographic, and behavioral characteristics of
potential users.
c. Consumer Decision Process - Describe how the consumer decision process works
in this context. How is the decision made? Explain what factors would motivate

this purchase, the search process, what attributes might be important at the
alternative evaluation stage, the degree of problem solving, etc. What external
factors might influence consumers decision making process for this product or
service such as culture, subculture, social class and reference group? Who is the
ultimate decision- maker and who are the influencers? What are the demographic,
psychographic and behavioristic factors that influence the buying decision? Is
buying behavior characterized by extended or limited problem solving? Is the
product/brand a high involvement or low involvement purchase? What types of
information needs do the potential target audiences have? What information
sources do they presently use? In short, what are the key factors that influence
buyer behavior for this product or service?
4. Communications and Response Process for the Product
How would you classify the product or service you chose with respect to the
classification used by the Foote, Cone & Belding planning model presented in Figure
5-8 in your book? What are the implications of this classification for planning your
advertising and promotional program for your product or service?
Which of the response hierarchy models discussed in the chapter is most applicable
for your product or service? Specify the various stages in the response process
through which consumers will have to pass before purchasing your product or service.

MARKETING AND ADVERTISING PLAN

1. Marketing Objectives Specify marketing objectives for the campaign. Consider
sales or market share objectives, and pricing, distribution, and promotional objectives.
2. Target Audiences Identify primary and secondary target audiences and justify with
information presented in the situational analysis. Describe the demographic,
geographic, psychographic, and behavioral characteristics of your target audiences as
much as possible. Your target audiences may be a subgroup from the user profile
and/or a totally different group.
3. Positioning Strategy How will you position your product to your target
audience(s)?
Develop a positioning statement that highlights your products differential
competitive advantage (and distinguishes your product from the
competition).
Develop a perceptual map depicting how your product is perceived relative to
the competition on attributes considered most important by your target
audience(s). Suggest how you want to position or reposition your
product on this perceptual map. Support with information presented in
your situational analysis
4.

Communication Objectives - Develop a realistic set of communication objectives

consistent with the marketing objectives. State communication objectives in terms of
the response hierarchy you identified earlier and relative to your target audience(s).
Your objectives should be specific and measurable. Describe how your objectives have
evolved from the marketing and promotional situational analysis you conducted for
your product or service. Do your objectives satisfy the criteria specified by the
DAGMAR model?

5. Communications Mix State the communication task ahead.

Describe your integrated marketing communications plan and how it will address the
objectives you set. Recommend a plan that will allow you to efficiently and effectively
achieve your marketing and communications objectives (recognizing that your clients
resources are not unlimited).

Discuss some of the options you are considering for the three major
communications variables of source, message, and channel or medium.
Who will be the source or communicator for your advertising campaign
and what is the rationale for this choice? What type of message are you
considering using for your campaign? Will any of the message
structures or types of appeals discussed in the chapter be relevant to
your campaign? Analyze the various channels that might be used to
communicate with your target audience and the likely effectiveness of
each with respect to moving your target audience through the stages of
the response hierarchy and to purchasing your product.

What communications vehicles does your agency recommend to reach the

target audience(s)? What vehicles will be most effective in reaching
your target audience(s) and communicating the clients message?
Consider advertising, publicity (press releases), interactive media,
direct marketing, sales promotion, personal selling, etc. Your
recommendations might include enhancements to what the client is
presently doing and/or totally new communications efforts. Justify your
choice of communications vehicles for each target audience(s). Be sure
to explain why the vehicles selected will be most effective and efficient
in reaching the target audience(s). Describe which target audiences are
being reached with each communications vehicle and the geographic
reach of your recommended vehicles.

Describe how your communications mix will meet your communications and
marketing objectives. What is the message you will convey in each
communication vehicle?

6. Budget Recommendation Recommend a budget to your client for the test markets
you will enter or the national campaign you will run. Your budget should be based on a
determination of what it will take to reach your marketing objectives and your proposed
communications objectives (the objective and task method). Explain specifically how you
arrived at your budget recommendation. Describe how you plan to allocate your budget
to each communications vehicle and target audience and justify. How would you allocate
the recommended budget over the life of the promotional campaign (a one year time
frame)? Justify all of your strategies. As you recommend a budget, keep in mind that
your clients resources are not unlimited.

PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN GUIDELINES

PHASE 2
CREATIVE PLAN
1. Creative Objectives What are your message strategy objectives? Some
common message strategies are promoting recall of the brand name, creating brand
preference, invoking a particular type of direct response, creating a particular
brand image, etc. Your objectives should be consistent with your marketing and
communication objectives and positioning strategy.
2. Creative Strategy

Copy Platform - Develop a copy platform that contains the basic creative
strategy for your advertising campaign. What is the advertising campaign
theme you have chosen for your product or service? Describe your Big
Idea and provide support for it. The big idea creates an identity, positions
the brand, is distinctive, holds an audiences interest, defines the look and
feel of the brand, synthesizes product attributes and relates the value of the
brand. Be sure that this follows from your positioning strategy.

Describe the product features that will be emphasized in your promotions

and the benefits your target audience will receive from these features. Be
sure to convey both features and benefits in your promotions.

Specify the advertising appeal and execution style that will be used to
implement your ad campaign. Specify whether you plan on using a
rational or emotional appeal or a combination of the two. What specific
type of advertising execution technique will be used to present your
appeal? Provide some rationale for the creative appeal and execution
approach you plan to use. What specific tactical elements will be important
in developing your print and broadcast message? Will the creative
approach satisfy the guidelines discussed at the end of Chapter 9?

What will your slogan be? Consider a short phrase that will help
establish an image, position, or identity for the brand, and increase
memorability.

Describe the methods you will use to achieve your objectives.

Ex. Objective: Promote Brand Recall
Method: Repetition repeating the brand name within the copy of all
print communications including press releases, direct mail letter, the web
site, etc.
Prepare your creative examples to the best of your ability

MEDIA PLAN
1. Media Objectives
Describe your media objectives in terms of:
Reach of your target audience(s)
Frequency of exposure desired
GRPs
Continuity of your message (continuous, flighting, pulsing)
Geographic scope of your promotions
2. Media Strategy
Present your integrated marketing communications program including the
primary media, secondary media, and promotional tools (sales promotion
and publicity) you will use

Specify specific vehicles (e.g. specific magazines, newspapers, TV stations

or programs, radio stations, etc.)

Describe your general approach to scheduling over the year. Draw up a

monthly schedule of your reach, frequency, GRPs, and continuity over the
year for each media.

Indicate how your budget will be spent over the course of the year and
monthly expenditures required to obtain your level of reach, frequency, and
GRPs. Show your work so that I can see how you arrived at your figures.

Show your proposed spending on each promotional vehicle for each month
and over the course of the year. Again, show your work so that I can see
how you arrived at your figures.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

At the beginning of your written report, include a three page summary of your
campaign. This summary should include a synopsis of your situational analysis,
marketing and advertising plan, creative plan and media plan.