Communications 

Plan

 
Fall 2018
by Rayna Green 
Table of Contents

Executive Summary
Objectives
SWOT Analysis
Target Audiences
Strategy
Communication Channels
Calendar
Budget
Evaluation
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Background/Brand identity

Black Girls Vote (BGV) is grassroots, nonpartisan organization, headquartered in Baltimore, MD.
Launched in 2015, their mission is to inspire women of color to use the political process to improve
the quality of life for their families and the collective community. Black Girls Vote works to
inspire, engage and educate young women of color to utilize their voice in our political landscape
by exercising their right to vote. At, Black Girls Vote their big idea is to elevate the quality of life
for women of color globally. To further their vision, they work to ensure that each young woman
is registered to vote, educated on how to become leaders, and knowledgeable about how to use
their voice to change policy, and rise to the challenges that impact our future. The Black Girls Vote
target audience are women of color 18-25. Black Girls Vote seeks to uplift and empower
communities of color by educating and inspiring women of color to understand the public policy
decisions affecting their families and communities.

Situation Analysis

Black Girls Vote charge, is to create conditions for black women to be esteemed in society. In
today’s political climate there is a demand by black women for black women to move into elected
offices at the local, state, and national levels. Black women have proven that they are the driving
force behind the Democratic Party, but it is time they received more acknowledgment. To remedy
this issue, we must attack the areas that limit the growth of black women in political activities.
Throughout time Black women have faced clear discrepancies in political representation in
America. However, their current political representation and participation demonstration that
Black women have the immense capacity as voters, candidates, and elected and appointed officials.
Over the past decade, Black women have been trailblazing the political arena. According to the
Black Women’s Roundtable, “In 2008, 68.8 percent of eligible black women voters turned out to
the polls and they exceeded those numbers in 2012 with 70.1 percent of eligible black women
voters cast their ballots.” Black Women shocked the nation and altered voting history in both 2008
and in 2012 presidential elections by becoming the largest demographic group to cast ballots in an
election.

These recorded breaking numbers are crucial because they define black women as the core
supporters of progressive politics and affirms their place as the key public of the Democratic
Party. Although their numbers are growing exponentially, there is much room for Black Women
to expand their political power and assert their presence in the progressive parties.

Core Problem/Opportunity

Despite their voter power and engagement in political activities illuminated by the data presented,
there is still a gap between their voting participation and their participation as political candidates
and black women remain severely underrepresented as both candidates and officeholders at the
local, state, and national levels. This why Black Girls Vote, is an essential organization. Through
their work, Black Girls Vote has made a major impact in voter registration, community
engagement, and policy deployment. Black women made groundbreaking changes to the political
arena over the last decade, but there is a large capacity to grow and more work to do to ensure that
Black women’s representation in elected office reflects their presence in American society.
Through their mission, they are preparing to harness the energy of Black women engaged in
advocacy, community engagement, and public leadership to demand and support Black women
and progressive candidates for elected office. The expansion and continued success of Black Girls
Vote is contingent upon the increase of their brand presence.

Goal

To increase brand awareness and inspire black women to follow, support, and join Black Girls
Vote.

OBJECTIVES

• Increase local and national press coverage for Black Girls Vote events and milestones.
• Engage with stakeholders from all political parties.
• Expand the brand social reach media following, interactions, and impressions.
• Illuminate the core principle and resources Black Girls Vote offer.

SWOT ANALYSIS

Black Girls Vote SWOT Analysis

Strengths Weaknesses
• Utilizing Multiple Social Media • Lack branding consistency for
Platforms communications materials in their
• Posting Relevant and informational physical and virtual efforts.
content to • Lack visibility amongst their key
• Using of brand logo, and colors in public and overall, their social
communications materials and influence is small.
platforms. • Brand image does not reflect key
public. The images and brand
 • Utilizing Grassroots campaign and
WOM marketing
• Strong Reputation that aligns with
brand values, mission and vision.
• Hosting and advertising BGV events
Opportunity
• Growth: because BGV is still
relatively small organization they
can grow the organization.
• Fundraise and Sponsorship
• Advertisements / Campaign
• Increase membership
• Expand chapter sites
• Tap into networks into black
women.
• Define their movement on social
media #BlackGirlsVote.
• Increase press coverage.
• Partner with influencer and
celebrities.
TARGET AUDIENCES
ambassadors do not reflect the
image of their key public.
• Social media platforms lack original
content, BGV repost too often.
• Organization is small which limits
their impact.
• Press coverage is not current, they
have no news story this year.
• Lack money, because the
organization is a nonprofit they
don’t have a large budget for
communication materials
Threats
• There are similar organizations
working to get black women to vote,
i.e. #BlackWomenVote
• Location of BGV could limit their
nation impact.
• Brand audience is narrow which
limit their audience size.
• Political Climate in America will
affect the necessary of BGV.
The target audience for this campaigning are young black women ages 18-25. Our primary
audience are unregistered voters who live in urban areas and rural communities. Our secondary
target group are college age women who can serve as ambassadors for BGV.

Additionally, the campaign will target women from all political affiliations. Thus far, although
Black Girls Vote is a non-partisan organization they are largely backed by the Democratic Party,
we hope to expand this support and invited Black women from all political parties to join Black
Girls Vote in their mission

STRATEGY

To inspire black women ages 18-25 through digital and traditional marketing methods to follow,
support and join BGV and use the political process to improve the quality of life for their families
and the collective community.

Key Messages

Black Girls Vote unites Black Women.

Black Girls Vote is an expert source.
Black Girls are a key player in the political arena.
Voting is our political voice.
Black Girls Vote is a nonpartisan organization.
Black Women are the future of politics
Black Girls Vote Uplifts Black Women

One Liners:
Black Girls Vote Educate, Engage, and Empower black women.
Black Women can use the political process to improve the quality of life for their families and the
collective community.

COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

Social Media
Brochures
Website
New Releases

TACTICS

• Objective 1: Increase local and national press coverage for Black Girls Vote events and
milestones.
o Media Pitching: Through the Cision Database BGV can pitch upcoming events,
and stories to relevant media outlet. Secure a min. of 5 stories.
§ Essence
§ Ebony
§ The Root
§ BlackNews.com
§ TheShadeRoom
§ HuffPost
§ Buzzfeed
• Objective 2: Strengthen brand cohesion across communication channels.
o Website
 o Social Media
o Online Graphics
o Brochure
o News releases
§ Original Branded Content: Black Girls Vote should create original
branded content. The content would be in infographic form and would be
branded with the company logo and use company colors. The organization
already does this to some capacity, but it can be improved by adding
consistency to the content they create.
§ Using BGV color themes, logo, mission, and vision we will create an
identify that will follow BGV.
• Objective 3: Expand the brand social reach media following, interactions, and
impressions.
o Social Media:
o Utilize popular and applicable #hashtags to promote the visibility of the
content.
§ #WomeninChargeWednesday
§ #WiseWomenWednesday
§ #TalkingPoliticsTuseday
§ myVote Challenge: Black Girls Vote should launch an, myVote
Challenge. Using the #myVote and other BVG hashtags. Black Girls Vote
will ask followers to express why they vote and what their vote means in
an Instagram video. Once they post their video the users will challenge a
friend to do the same. Using the BVG hashtags Black Girl Vote can track
the challenge and repost user content. The intent for this project is to
create a viral movement and get celebrities and influencers to participate.
 This challenge will be free promotion for the brand and act as an
empowerment movement for women of color.
• Objective 4: Illuminate the work, core principle and resources Black Girls Vote offer.
o Brochures: Showcase the goal and mission of BGV.
§ Social Media Promoted Post: Black Girls Vote advertisement that
highlight the mission, visions, and pillars of the organization. strict to
budget, we will send 5 promoted post from 2 on Twitter and IG and 1 on
Facebook monthly. The number amount will be tentative and once the
budget is depleted, we will focus our efforts original content.

CALENDAR

The plan that we have created will last for 1 year, however we hope that BGV will continue to
incorporate our tactics and recommendations as they grow.

January- December 2019

• January
o Launch Brochure
o Promoted Post
• February
o Being Pitching for Gala
o Promoted Post
• March
o Promoted Post
o #WomeninChargeWednesday Month of schedule post.
• April
o Promoted Post
 • May
o Promoted Post
• June
o myVote Challenege
o Promoted Post
• July
o Promoted Post
• August
o #TalkingPoliticsTuseday
o Promoted Post
• September
o Promoted Post
• October
• November
o Promoted Post
• December
o Promoted Post

BUDGET

Overall, our tactics are specific to earned and owned media, however we will have an budget for
sponsored social media and Cision membership.

Objective 1: Increase local and national press coverage for Black Girls Vote events and
milestones.
Tactic Name Quantity Cost

Media Pitching: Cision 1 License $3,500 per year

Objective 2: Strengthen brand cohesion across communication channels.

Tactic Name Quantity Cost

Original branded Content In-house $0

Objective 3: Expand the brand social reach media following, interactions, and impressions.
Tactic Name Quantity Cost

Promoted Post Facebook & Instagram $100 $3,000

Twitter Sponsored: $ 150
(1.35 per engagement)
Objective 4: Illuminate the work, core principle and resources Black Girls Vote offer.
Tactic Name Quantity Cost

Brochure Printing X100 $135

Grand Total $6,635

EVALUATION

• Social Media (Analytics and Impressions)

• Websites Traffic (Google Analytics)
• Media relations
• Print/Online/Blogs: 5
• Press Releases: 1-2
• Media impressions: 1 million