Running head: THE PROVIDENCE BRUINS: ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

The Providence Bruins:

Analysis and Recommendations

Lexie Gardiner

The University of Rhode Island

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Overview

Based in Providence, Rhode Island, the Providence Bruins are the American Hockey League

affiliate of the Boston Bruins, which is a National Hockey League team based in Boston, Massachusetts

(Providence Bruins, 2017). Established in 1992, the Providence Bruins have served as the developmental

minor league for the Boston Bruins for nearly 26 years. The team replaced the original Providence minor

league hockey team, the Providence Reds, which existed until 1977 (Providence Bruins Statistics, 2011).

The Providence Bruins call the Dunkin Donuts Center home, hosting games and events for the Rhode

Island community from early October to mid-April (Providence Bruins, 2017).

The Providence Bruins product and service line consists of hockey games and events which

feature giveaways, entertainment, and fundraisers. The games and events include special theme nights

that benefit specific groups and organizations; these theme nights revolve around the Providence Bruins

company value of giving back to the community. Aside from these services, the Providence Bruins also

sell merchandise sporting their logo, including jerseys, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and water bottles (Providence

Bruins, 2017).

The Providence Bruins community relations philosophy regards benefitting the lives of children

and families in Rhode Island. The teams public relations firm, Providence Sports Entertainment (PSE)

Agency, helps the team accomplish this mission by initiating community events, which correlates the

teams image with service. Their outreach includes planning community appearances and charity events

which directly associate team members and the Providence Bruins Mascot, Samboni the Bear, with

positive impact. The team is involved in over 60 events annually where they provide community service,

and the media coverage of these specific events solidifies the positive image of the team carrying out their

philosophy (Case Study, 2016).

One of the Providence Bruins current publics for community relations is nonprofit organizations.

The Providence Bruins outreach targets specific organizations such as the Gloria Gemma Foundation, the

Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Dream Come True Foundation, to support research for cancer and
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terminal illnesses, as well as patients and families facing those diseases (Providence Bruins Fan, 2017).

With millions of people touched by cancer in Rhode Island, the Providence Bruins outreach establishes a

great reputation by appealing to a broad audience.The Providence Bruins have also formed numerous

partnerships to uphold their philanthropic values, connecting with Hasbro Childrens Hospital, the Rhode

Island Community Food Bank, The Rhode Island Special Olympics, and more (Providence Bruins Fan,

2017). These partnerships between the Providence Bruins and these organizations consequently increase

awareness of the specific needs of different groups in Rhode Island, while also raising funds to benefit

those groups specifically. As a result the Providence Bruins publicly recognizing these groups, the groups

that are supported are more recognizable by the Rhode Island community as a whole.

The Providence Bruins have been recognized for their charitable outreach with numerous awards.

In fact, in 2012, the team received the American Hockey Leagues Presidents Award for their stellar

community outreach, dedication to service, and philanthropy (Gault, 2012). Along with the nonprofit

organization public, the Providence Bruins also target families with younger children to enjoy themed

events at the rink. Not only do these events raise funds for the specific nonprofit organizations that they

sponsor, but they also provide entertainment for families, which shows the community that the

Providence Bruins value families in Rhode Island. As a result, the team is perceived positively by

families with children in Rhode Island who share the same value. This outreach ultimately increases ticket

sales while the team drives philanthropy efforts (Case Study, 2016).

The Providence Bruins succeed in upholding their reputation with their current publics, but

expanding outreach opportunities to include more publics would be beneficial to have a larger audience.

This outreach will ultimately increase the income of the organization, and will allow people outside of the

current target publics to be reached. By expanding this outreach to more publics, the organization can

spread their goodwill to more community members, further solidifying their positive reputation.
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Recommendations

To enhance the perception of the Providence Bruins in the Rhode Island community for the 2018

calendar year, I recommend that the team pursues the following publics:

Hispanic families in Rhode Island

According to the United States Census Bureau, residents from Hispanic descent make up about

15% of the Rhode Island population (QuickFacts, 2017). The percentage of the United States

Hispanic population is expected to increase over the next several decades, making up 30% of the

nations population by 2050 (Wilcox, 2013, p. 57). As a result, the Rhode Island Hispanic population

can be expected to increase. This means that Hispanic buying power will increase, as they will make

up a larger percent of consumers. Targeting Hispanic people as a public will not only allow a large

portion of the Rhode Island population to be targeted, but will also show that the Providence Bruins

recognize and celebrate diversity.

In addition, Hispanic culture tends to place a significant amount of value on family and quality

time. These values align with the current values of the Providence Bruins (Wilcox, 2013, p. 217).

The Providence Bruins are already a family oriented organization; their events already target families

with small children, and will reach even more families if directed towards hispanic people

(Providence Bruins, 2017). By targeting Hispanic families specifically for family events, the

Providence Bruins will appeal to their cultural values and engage the public effectively.

Veterans in Rhode Island

The Rhode Island veteran population is another public that the Providence Bruins would benefit

from targeting. According to the United States Census Bureau, there were approximately 66,076

veterans residing in Rhode Island between 2011 and 2015, which makes up about 6% of the Rhode

Island population (Quickfacts, 2016). Specifically targeting this population would not only show

support for veterans and provide the Providence Bruins with an opportunity to recognize veterans for
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their service, but would also draw in valuable customers for the organization. Veterans are generally

known for their loyalty, especially to their country and branches of service. This trait would make

veterans more likely to be a devoted consumer base, as their dedication usually travels into brand

loyalty. Since consumers are more likely to become loyal customers when their needs and values are

met by a company, reaching out to meet veterans specific needs and recognizing their service would

also solidify the veterans brand loyalty (Grewal, 2015, p. 24).

Additionally, targeting veterans as a public would allow the Providence Bruins to appeal to the

majority of the Rhode Island population. Veterans are well respected, and people usually want to

reach out and thank veterans for their service. By recognizing veterans with special events and

opportunities for recognition, the Rhode Island population would view the Providence Bruins

favorably, as the organizations values would align with the values of consumers. This outreach

would portray the Providence Bruins as patriotic, which appeals to not only veterans themselves, but

the families and community members surrounding them.

Female business owners in Rhode Island

The population of female business owners in Rhode Island is massive, and will likely continue to

grow over time. According to the United States Census Bureau, women make up just over half Rhode

Islands population, with 52% of residents being female. The number of female-owned businesses in

Rhode Island was at a staggering 30,484 in 2012 (United States Census, 2016). These statistics show

that the population of women in Rhode Island is massive, and the amount of businesses owned by

these women shows that female business owners make up a large chunk of the state population.

Female business owners are a great public for a variety of reasons. For one thing, women have

just recently grown to power in the business-ownership industry; previously, the expectation was that

men would own businesses. This societal shift drives support for women in business because female

business owners help establish equality for women in the workforce. If the Providence Bruins showed
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THE PROVIDENCE BRUINS: ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

their support towards female business owners, then their reputation would shift favorably in the eyes

of all women in Rhode Island. This is important to consider because women are more likely to be

influential opinion leaders than men, as they generally share their opinions about organizations with a

larger companion base than men (Wilcox, 2013, p. 213). The combination of womens enormous

buying power and their ability to influence others makes women a valuable public to pursue because

by positively influencing women, the Providence Bruins outreach will be spread.

Competitive Analysis

Other brands, on both a national scale and local scale, reach communities by intertwining their

mission and values into specific events. The following companies implement community relations tactics

that could be beneficial for the Providence Bruins to include in their outreach efforts:

CVS: Customer Value Stores Rhode Island

CVS is a pharmacy, health, and beauty aid company that was founded in Lowell, Massachusetts

in 1963. The founders, brothers Sidney and Stanley Goldstein, launched CVS as a health and beauty aid

store. By 1967, CVS began integrating pharmacy departments into stores, with the first located in

Warwick and Cumberland, RI (Company History, 2017). Over the next several decades, CVS expanded

across the Northeast and began acquiring drug stores in other locations. In order to build a sustainable

competitive advantage over other drug stores, CVS began opening health and beauty aids stores in

enclosed shopping malls to target a convenience-based audience (Company History, 2017). As the

company continued to expand over time, it began integrating health-based campaigns through the CVS

Foundation. Efforts included providing grants to educational facilities, ending the sales of cigarettes in

CVS stores to help create the first tobacco-free generation, and working towards resourcing for opioid

overdose treatment and allergy injectors (Company History, 2017).

CVSs product and service line consists of health and beauty aid products, pharmaceutical

services, and clinic services. The company supplies CVS brand versions of health and beauty products,
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including first-aid supplies, over-the-counter medications, and toiletries. The company also provides

services for health promotion, pharmaceutical care, and lifestyle support (Brand, 2017).

CVSs community relations approach in Rhode Island includes the notable CVS Health Charity

Classic Golf Tournament, from which all proceeds go to nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island. The

tournament runs in mid-June each year at the Rhode Island Country club in Barrington, RI. The Golf

Classic first hosts a food festival, Crave RI, for the first two days. Then, the tournament begins on the

third day, and features professional golfers from across the nation. On the last day, the Golf Classic

invites community members and families to enjoy a free day of watching the tournament and visiting

health and wellness stations. The goal of this community outreach effort is to engage the public in

wellness activities, uphold CVSs positive reputation in the Rhode Island community, and most

importantly, raise funds for nonprofit organizations in New England (CVS Health, 2017).

The impact of this golf tournament is massive; CVS hosts an enormous, community-engaging

golf tournament and donates proceeds to nonprofit organizations. This helps advance CVS by advancing

its reputation positively in Rhode Island, and perhaps more importantly, establishing positive

relationships with partnering organizations and the attending community members. Additionally, the

brand gains traction with its positive community outreach to families by offering free admission to certain

events, and by hosting Rhode Island-specific events like Crave RI (CVS Health, 2017). CVSs brand, as a

result of this community relations tactic, is perceived favorably in Rhode Island, which ultimately

increases consumers desire to support the brand. This differentiates CVS from other drug stores because

this community relations event highlights the companys strong commitment to health and charity.

If the Providence Bruins adopted an annual tournament for charity, they would benefit because

they could further establish positive connections with partners. By hosting events to benefit nonprofits for

children as their target public, the Providence Bruins outreach and fundraising could be immensely

impactful. The team would also gain traction in customer loyalty, encouraging the community to attend
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events more frequently. Implementing an event like this for the recommended publics could help increase

ticket sales and make community outreach more visible.

Ben & Jerrys National Presence

Ben & Jerrys is a world-renown American ice cream brand. Beginning in Burlington, Vermont

at a renovated gas station, brothers Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield opened an ice cream shop in 1978

from a $12,000 investment (Ben & Jerrys History, 2017). The ice cream stand took off, and in 1980, the

company began packaging pints of ice cream and distributing them to family businesses in the area. More

and more businesses reached out to the brand, and the ice creams presence began to sweep through the

northeast and rise to popularity. Due to the magnitude of the companys success, in 2000, Unilever

formed an agreement with the Ben & Jerrys brand and the ice cream company became a subsidiary of

Unilever. This encouaged the expansion of the brand and its social mission, brand integrity, and product

quality (Ben & Jerrys History, 2017). Over the years, Ben & Jerrys has distributed and created a

multitude of flavors and products, which have risen to fame and maintained dominance over the ice cream

industry. Today, Ben & Jerrys storefronts continue to serve many flavors of ice cream and desserts, and

the pints are recognizable and readily available in retail locations across the nation.

The Ben & Jerrys product line includes pints of ice cream featuring both classic and seasonal

flavors, non-dairy ice creams made with almond milk, and frozen yogurts. The brand also distributes Pint

Slices, which feature popular ice creams covered in a chocolate shell, and mini and quart sized containers

of ice cream. The brand also features flavors designed by and honoring celebrities, musicians, and

charities. Select flavors are available in storefront locations as well. All Ben & Jerrys products include

non-GMO and fairtrade ingredients (Ben & Jerrys Flavors, 2017).

Ben & Jerrys community outreach philosophy involves efforts to make the world a better place

(Ben & Jerrys Values, 2017). To fulfill this philosophy, Ben & Jerrys partners with Vermonts

Community Action Team to provide funding and support for local organizations. Their support reaches
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out to groups in Vermont that may lack food, water, and shelter, and the company donates grants to

enhance these peoples lives (Ben & Jerrys Community Action, 2017). Additionally, Ben & Jerrys

employees volunteer within communities in order to improve the quality of life for those communities

(Ben & Jerrys Community, 2017). Specific outreach programs from 2012 included donating money to

camps for children dealing with cancer, donating relief aid to a local food pantry for families affected by

Hurricane Irma, and donating to the needs of the Barre Area Senior Center residents to ensure that they

stayed connected with relatives through learning basic computer skills (Ben & Jerrys Community, 2017).

Additionally, Ben & Jerrys made a grant to Camp Exclamation Point, Inc. to allow children from

agricultural families the opportunity to attend summer camp, which would otherwise be pricy for families

given that parents would work seasonally. Ben & Jerrys community outreach varies on the needs of the

community, but is primarily based around the needs of families and opportunities for children. The impact

of the companys community relations is powerful; the groups supported in Vermont benefit because their

quality of life improves, and as a result, the communities surrounding those groups perceives the

company positively. Ben & Jerrys is then associated with community service and generosity, and is

differentiated as a local, charitable brand.

The Providence Bruins could benefit from incorporating community relations tactics like Ben &

Jerrys because they are already a family-oriented organization, striving to provide opportunities and

entertainment for families with children of all ages. By incorporating a community action plan, the

Providence Bruins could not only provide entertainment and events for families, but they could also help

underprivileged families gain new experiences and receive aid that they need. This would improve the

Providence Bruins reputation further as the team would be known for individualized, charitable support.

Starbucks-National Presence

Starbucks is a coffee chain based in Seattle, Washington that first opened in 1971 in Seattles

Pike Place Market. The goal of the original Starbucks shop, which was opened by three college students,
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was to provide high quality coffee products to storefronts and restaurants. In the late 1980s, stores began

to base themselves off of Italian coffeehouses and espresso bars, serving a plethora of coffee and specialty

drinks. By the late 1990s, the amount of Starbucks stores had soared exponentially, and the values of

Starbucks began to shift towards not only customer service, but also sustainability and conservation in

coherence with their corporate social responsibility. In 2008, a new mission statement was adopted to

further enhance community relations: to inspire and nurture the human spirit one person, one cup, and

one neighborhood at a time, which the brand continues to operate by in present day. In the future,

Starbucks is expected to continue to expand, opening new stores and offering new products to its

customer base (Starbucks Company Timeline, 2015).

Starbucks product line includes Starbucks coffee drinks like iced coffees, hot coffees, cold brew

coffees, and espresso drinks. Specialty drinks produced by Starbucks include Frappaccinos, lattes,

macchiattos, and hot chocolates. The company also sells seasonal drinks in the fall, summer, and during

holidays. Outside of beverages, Starbucks offers a wide array of La Boulange bakery products,

sandwiches, and prepackaged foods from outside brands that customers can purchase in-store. Starbucks

also sells ground coffee, coffee beans, drinkware, single-use coffee pods, and Tazo and Teavana teas

which can be purchased to bring home; these are available in-store or in other various locations, including

grocery stores (Brands, 2017).

Starbucks has a massive community relations approach, but this analysis will focus on their

community relations for two specific segments: women and veterans. Starbucks directs community

relations efforts to veterans, providing them with opportunities and support for advancement in the

workplace. Starbucks values veterans and families of military personnel, and commits to hiring them to

honor them as vital members of our community (Starbucks Military Commitment, 2017). Advocating for

veterans and their families allows veterans to find jobs when they return from combat, which is often

difficult as so many veterans are financially challenged when they return (United States Census, 2017).
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Additionally, Starbucks strives to connect veterans with the rest of the community by advocating for their

significant contributions to the country, making the veterans feel accepted and proud of their

accomplishments for the country. This outreach program allows Starbucks maintain a positive, patriotic,

and respectful image.

Starbucks also reaches out to women, who now make up a large percentage of the workforce in

the United States. A blog on Starbucks website highlights women in a channel titled Women in

Coffee, highlighting women who make Starbucks a success and advocating for their important

involvement in the workforce. Women are valued by Starbucks, and in this subtle community relations

tactic, women are recognized for both charitable contributions to coffee-growing communities and their

contributions to the workforce. As a result, Starbucks gains the approval of women who feel empowered

by this recognition (Women in Coffee, 2017).

Although Starbucks has a whopping international presence, the Providence Bruins could benefit

by incorporating some of their community relations tactics into their local organization. Recognizing and

directly supporting veterans and women in the workforce would allow the company to expand their

publics. Currently, the Providence Bruins seek to entertain a large population, but these publics could be

recognized and celebrated to promote inclusion and diversity. Including the recognition of veterans and

offering direct benefits to them would present the company as patriotic, improving their reputation.

Additionally, reaching out to women in business could establish relationships with other organization,

increasing sponsorship and facilitating mutual support.

Blue Cross and Blue Shield Rhode Island

Blue Cross and Blue Shield is a health insurance company headquartered in Providence, Rhode

Island. The organization began in 1939 as the Hospital Service Corporation of Rhode Island, and over

time developed into an insurance company which provides for families, individuals, and companies of all

sizes (About Us, 2017). In 2005, Blue Cross and Blue Shield began establishing health promotion
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programs and by 2009, the organization was determined to improve health as whole for members. They

achieved this by transforming different aspects of the company to focus on better care, affordability of

healthcare, and overall health of members. By 2010, a quarter of team-based, primary care in Rhode

Island was sponsored by a Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plan. To this day, the organization remains

prominent among Rhode Islands health care providers (About Us, 2017).

Blue Cross and Blue Shields product line consists of health insurance plans for a vast audience.

Affordable plans are available for individuals, couples, families, and businesses of all sizes. The company

provides high-quality, accredited plans across the spectrum; in 2017, the company received an excellent

accreditation with a score of 4.7 out of 5 for quality, placing the company in the top 4% of the nations

health care providers (Blue Cross, 2017).

Blue Cross and Blue Shields community outreach in Rhode Island consists of volunteering,

donating, and financially supporting the community. Employees are involved in volunteer efforts with

over 25 nonprofit organizations and aim to fulfill the companys mission through their work: improving

the health and quality of life for Rhode Island communities. The organization encourages employees to

volunteer and offers paid time for volunteer work, focusing on nonprofit organization needs and

healthcare needs throughout Rhode Island. The company values giving back to the community as much as

their own company, which solidifies the positive, charitable reputation of the company. Because of their

outreach, Blue Cross and Blue Shield is recognized as a generous member of the Rhode Island

community, ultimately propelling the organizations success and positive image.

The Providence Bruins could benefit by implementing volunteer programs for employees to

partake in because although the organization already provides outreach for the community, the main

outreach exists between the mascot or team and organizations. By encouraging every employee in the

Providence Bruins to participate in volunteer work and fundraising, the organization will have the tools to

provide service to their specific targeted publics, increasing the recognition of their community outreach.
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Conclusion

From looking at specific outreach tactics from the national and local brands above, it is evident

that by integrating the values and missions into outreach efforts, companies can deliver successful

outreach campaigns and events. The companies presented in the competitive analysis use their respective

community relations tactics to improve their reputation, establish their brands as charitable organizations,

and create positive brand association. These outreach efforts increase customers desire to support these

brands, establishing loyal customer bases and community support. If the Providence Bruins integrated

community relations tactics like the other four companies, their community relations would reach farther

and help define the companys values to other members of the Rhode Island community. Ultimately,

successful community relations tactics attract customers, and when customers are satisfied by outreach,

the organization benefits from customer retention.

Additionally, the companies analyzed aimed their specific community relations tactics towards

publics similar to the recommended publics for the Providence Bruins to pursue. We can see from

Starbucks community outreach that reaching veterans and women has been effective for the company,

and Starbucks reputation improved as a result of pursuing these specific publics. CVS, Ben & Jerrys,

and Blue Cross and Blue Shields community relations tactics address families and nonprofit

organizations, which are are already integrated into the Providence Bruins outreach. The combination of

successful community relations and specific publics reaches are what make the companies succeed in this

instance. By reaching the publics identified through the recommendationswomen in business, Hispanic

people, and veteransthe providence bruins will encounter new opportunities to improve outreach by

appealing to specific values, combining these values with their current outreach efforts. With time, as

new tactics are integrated, these growing, prominent publics in the Rhode Island community will advance

the success of the Providence Bruins.

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