Question:This weeks assignment has two parts:? A written assignment related to Lesson 8, and a draft of your strategic commun

Lesson 8: Media Mix, Reach vs. Frequency In this week’s lesson, all of the topics that have been studied in the preceding weeks will begin to take

form as we approach finalizing our strategic plans and media-based products. Everything up to this

point has been studying, learning, analyzing and planning to help support your specific client’s overall

goals. The focus now shifts to taking these concepts that you have learned and putting them together

to form a media-based product (communication tactic) that is deliberate and well-reasoned in its

development.

Audience Reception of Media and Messages As reviewed in last week’s lesson, determining the audience’s general profile and analyzing common

consumer behaviors are important tasks. They can provide insight to media and message choices that

have the greatest chances of being received and spurring action.

Different groups of audiences are more likely to engage with different types of media. For example,

the older/retiree population is more likely to be effectively reached via traditional print media than

electronic media. Therefore, an organization such as AARP might infer that a form of media such as an

ad in a print newspaper is more likely to effectively reach their target audience than a series of posts

or tweets on social media.

Similarly, different groups of audiences are more likely to be responsive to different types of

messages. For example, if an organization’s audience tends to have very cautious and methodical

purchasing behaviors, then an informative webpage, where the audience can research the product or

service, may serve the audience better than a billboard that may be seen only for a moment.

Such behaviors and characteristics of the audience (along with the communications budget available)

help communicators determine the best media to use for their messages and the best types of appeals

to increase attention and desired actions. Having a media message that seems perfectly designed with

attention-grabbing imagery, catchy music, celebrity endorsements and so on will ultimately be a

failure if it does not reach or interest the target audience.

Please read the supplemental article, “Stand Out from the Crowd—7 Tips for Creating a Marketing

Message that Sticks,” by Beesley. It can be found in this week's reading collection.

The Media Mix There is a wide variety of traditional and new media technologies available for communicating with

audiences, and the best ones for your client should have been identified in last week’s analysis. There

is no predetermined set of media channel options to follow; the right kind(s) are dependent upon the

unique characteristics and preferences of the specific audience. Generally speaking, an organization

would consider media options based on class and vehicle:

● Media Class—This is the broad category of media that has been identified as likely to

be most effective for the audience, such as newspaper, television, radio, social,

website, point-of-purchase, special event, etc.

● Media Vehicle (aka communication tactic)—This is a specific option for

communication within the media class (e.g. The Daily Athenaeum as a newspaper; a

media kit for a special event; a YouTube video for social ….)

After identifying the best media classes to pursue and the respective vehicles related to them, the

amount of use of each type of media communication method must be decided. This is called the media mix; the combination of media classes and vehicles that is intended to produce the highest level of audience awareness, interest and potential action.

Reach vs. Frequency There are two factors that may help determine an appropriate media mix. The first is reach. Reach is

the number of individuals within the target audience who receive a message delivered by a media

vehicle. Example: A newspaper print ad (media class) in The Daily Athenaeum (media vehicle)

targeting male WVU students (target audience) runs for an academic week of 5 days, Monday through

Friday. In that time, it is read (received) by 40% of the WVU male student population. This 40%

figure would be its reach.

The second factor in the media mix is frequency. Frequency is the average number of times an

individual is exposed to a message delivered by a media vehicle in a certain amount of time. Example:

A newspaper print ad (media class) in The Daily Athenaeum (media vehicle) targeting male WVU

students (target audience) runs for an academic week of 5 days, Monday through Friday. In that time,

it is read (received) an average of two times (frequency) by 40% of the WVU male student population.

An organization may concentrate its efforts more on reach more or frequency; it depends on their

specific communication goals and objectives. For example, a national retailer wanting to advertise a

huge upcoming sale could run a television ad one time during the Superbowl and reach millions of

individuals within the target market (this is an example of more reach emphasis). Alternatively, a

smaller, local retailer wanting to advertise their upcoming sale could opt to run a television ad locally

5 times a day for 15 days—a frequency emphasis).

You can see how the choice of emphasis is appropriate for the organization in each example if you

change them around—a national retailer would not be best served by a frequency emphasis contained

to a small geographical area, because such a strategy would quickly saturate a relatively insignificant

portion of the target market while neglecting the remaining significant portion. Similarly, even if a

small, local retailer whose customers reside in the community could afford the millions it would take to

run an ad during the Super Bowl, it would not need a nationwide reach, and thus the money spent

would be largely wasted.

Other Considerations In addition to thinking about reach and frequency, savvy communicators understand that repetition is

often needed to help gain attention and ensure people receive your message. Therefore, the repetition

of key messages and consistent campaign branding is important. The timing of messages also can be

important. Linking your messages to timely news “hooks” or events or appropriate times of the year,

when your audience may be more likely to be interested in your client’s products or services, are all

part of the strategic plan and its timetable.

Finally, one needs to keep in mind the objectives the communications are intended to achieve. Such

outcomes may include:

● Increased awareness

● Increased sales

● Positive publicity

● Increased donations

● More volunteers

● Enhanced image

● Word-of-mouth

● Healthier behaviors

● Votes for a particular issue or candidate

● Positive associations/emotions/attitudes …

Sometimes, if an organization is fortunate enough, these positive outcomes could happen even

without their trying. An example would be local Morgantown restaurant Atomic Grill, and their

Memorial Day 2014 special that they advertised via social media. The creative special helped them

realize a number of the outcomes listed above. You can read a brief version of the story in this People

Magazine article. It can be found in this week's reading collection.

References

● Beesley, C. (2010, Jun 24). Stand out from the crowd—7 tips for creating a

marketing message that sticks. U.S. Small Business Administration. Retrieved from

https://www.sba.gov/blogs/stand-out-crowd-7-tips-creating-marketing-message-stic

ks

● Heigl, Alex. (2014, May 20). West Virginia restaurant responds brilliantly to request

that servers ‘show more skin.’ People Magazine (Online). Retrieved from

http://www.people.com/article/atomic-grill-sexism-remark-response

● MarketingCharts. (2014, Aug 19). How is the marketing media mix changing?

MarketingCharts. Retrieved from

http://www.marketingcharts.com/traditional/how-is-the-marketing-media-mix-chang

ing-45058/

Specific: Due to the early-morning TV commercials and print flyers posted all around Morgantown, the Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club will see an increase in parents visiting the official club website.

This should lead to an increase in donations and/or enrollment.

Measurable: An increase of 50 new parents supporting the afterschool program.

Attainable: An increase of 50 new parents who live in Morgantown, or in one of the immediate neighboring towns, supporting the afterschool program.

Relevant: An increase of 50 new parents who live in Morgantown, or in one of the immediate neighboring towns, supporting the afterschool program which will in turn better extend the Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club reach towards having a positive impact and influence on the community and its young folks.

Timely: By December 31, 2021, an increase of 50 new parents who live in Morgantown, or in one of the immediate neighboring towns, supporting the afterschool program which will in turn better extend the Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club reach towards having a positive impact and influence on the community and its young folks.

When you put it all together, the SMART objective for my client is: Due to the early-morning TV commercials and print flyers posted all around Morgantown, The Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club will see an increase in parents signing up to support the afterschool program by signing up for the email newsletter and pledging a monthly donation. By December 31, 2021, there will be an increase of 50 new parents who live in Morgantown, or in one of the immediate neighboring towns, supporting the afterschool program which will in turn better extend the Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club’s reach towards having a positive impact and influence on the community and its young folks.

The media products of our TV commercials and Radio commercials advertising the Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club will help support this objective because it’s visually how we’re going to be convincing the parents that this afterschool program is an amazing and safe space for the children of the community, and that it’s important for the community to recognize how important it is to support afterschool programs, such as the one provided by the Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club, for the betterment of our children and the community.

Parents are busy people with busy lives. They don't want any of their time wasted. Therefore, when advertising to parents, it’s mandatory to stand out quickly and effectively. The advertisement should immediately catch their interest and keep them interested as well.

A creative strategy that comes to my mind is a “You deserve more” print/flyer ad campaign, directed at parents while also including children as well. The idea of this campaign is to get it across to parents that more is out there, “more” being defined as more positive influence for their children, less stress for parents and members of the community worried about their kids going down the wrong path when not being attended to in a healthy and positive manner, etc. The Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club is ultimately the better child care choice, out of all the other choices parents have for supporting similar options.

The “You deserve more” ad campaign will be big and bold, catching the attention of parents instantly. The rest of the ad space will inform parents of the many specific and broad benefits they can expect from trusting The Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club with their child.

The key messages that my client should be translating to the Morgantown community include trust, positive influence, peace of mind (eliminating stress) and positive mentorship. Ultimately, I want the target audience of my client to fully understand and appreciate the huge benefits of The Mountaineer Boys & Girls Club, so much so that they sign up for our newsletter and maybe even pledge a monthly donation to the afterschool program.

Final Project Guide – JRL 485 – MDS Capstone

1. Strategic Communications Plan (50 Points)

a. All components are included and adequately described using information from the course and

other related, cited materials.

i. Business Description?

ii. Overall problem or opportunity?

iii. Larger Industry Overview?

iv. Segmented target audience including demographics, psychographics, and likely existing

perceptions? Rationale for choosing this particular segment?

v. Internal and external operating environment operating environment, detailed through a

SWOT and PEST analysis?

vi. Realistic overall goal, with specific type of goal noted and SMART communications

objectives that support it.

vii. Relevant key messages, media and other communications strategies to employ with

justifications as to why and how they could be used?

viii. Description of how your media product/s incorporate the key messages and helps

support a SMART objective?

ix. How you would measure success and whether those measurements are qualitative or

quantitative?

x. What timeframe you would propose to implement your communications plan and

measure results?

2. Executive Summary (20 points)

a. A one-page synopsis (should include subheads and bullets) of your communications plan that

would be suitable for a busy executive to read and understand the overall communications

effort. Should include the problem/challenge the organization faces, the overall goal the

communications plan should support, the plan’s specific objectives, how the media product/s

you develop support at least one of the objectives and how you would evaluate your product/s

success.

3. Media Product/s (50 points)

a. Suitability of product to client’s goal

b. Suitability of product to plan’s target audience

c. Relevant to your professional goals

d. Media-oriented knowledge/skills are evident

e. Finished product is of high quality; adequately developed and designed

4. Professionalism (30 points)

a. Excellent writing (no typos, grammatically correct)

b. Good design and readability (e.g. plan and/or media product is well presented with headings,

subheadings, white space, adequate font size and style, cover sheet with student name, page

numbers, and has a good style and appearance.

c. Consistent style throughout.

TOTAL Points Possible: 150

Lesson 3: Industry Overview, Markets, Segments Industry Overview Every product or service has different groups of audiences that are recognized as the most likely to

need or want it. For this reason, promotions/communications need primarily be focused on these

audiences. Typically, these audiences are identified and defined by narrowing the market based on a

variety of factors. Primary and/or secondary research can help further narrow and define audiences to

help ensure message effectiveness.

As you may recall from previous courses, primary research involves the discovery of new or unique information that has not been collected before, such as information gained by the researcher through

interviews, focus groups, surveys, new political opinion polls, or audience observation. Secondary research involves finding information that has already been gathered or collected by others, such as sales data, magazine subscribers, television or radio audience numbers and engagement (e.g. Nielsen

ratings/data), government data (e.g. Census numbers, public health figures), previously conducted

public opinion or political polls (e.g. Gallup or Pew Research polls), etc.

Markets The total market for a product or service is an umbrella term that refers to the overall potential demand for a product or service. It is overly generalized with broad implications, so the total market

must be reduced to find the best audience for the product or service. For example, the potential market for a music video intended to spread the word about a specific artist would be anybody who enjoys hearing about new music. However, if the video will be available to view only online (like on

the artist’s website or on YouTube), then the market must be narrowed even further to the available market – that is, those from the potential market who have the financial means for, and access to, the product or service. In this case, it would be anybody who enjoys hearing about new music, who

also has access to the Internet.

But just because somebody enjoys hearing about new music and has access to the Internet, does not

mean that they will automatically see the music video the next time they open up a web browser.

Therefore, the market becomes even narrower, this time being reduced to the qualified available market – anybody who enjoys hearing about new music, who also has access to the Internet, and who also actively engages in at least one of the outlets in which the video will be available on (e.g.,

YouTube, Facebook and so on).

Finally, from the qualified available market, we can separate the group one more time to arrive at the

final audience whom the video is intended to reach – the target market. The target market would be anybody who enjoys hearing about new music, who also has access to the Internet, and who also

actively engages in at least one of the outlets in which the video will be available, and who has an

interest in the genre of music being featured in the video. If one of the members of the target market

does end up watching the video, then that individual becomes a part of the penetrated market – those in the target market who have purchased or engaged in the product or service.

Segments After figuring out which audience comprises the target market, there can be even smaller, more

specificgroups that can come from the target market. These groups are known as segments. Segments are a specific group of the market that has similar needs, purchasing habits, characteristics,

etc. Segmentation divides the market. It is an important concept to be cognizant of, because different

groups of consumers can have different desires and different perceptions for the exact same product.

For example, a target market of people who use body wash can be divided into distinct segments

whom all have similar characteristics to each other:

● How body washes generally market to women:

○ Pink or soft-colored bottles

○ Perfume or flowery scents

○ Moisturizing effects

○ “Shapely” bottles to appeal to them (notice how many bottles are shaped like

a woman’s figure)

● How body washes generally market to men:

○ Black, gray or dark-colored bottles

○ Ocean/water/rain or musk scents

○ Odor-blocking effects

○ Ergonomic or “tool”-shaped bottle design

● How body washes generally market to kids:

○ Bright, colorful bottles often labeled with a character

○ Fun, fruity, novelty scents

○ Tear-free formula

○ Swirling, playful bottle design

Note that segments are not always based only on such demographics as gender or age. They can also be based on the geography of the market (e.g., pepperoni rolls being marketed and sold in West Virginia or winter gear being marketed in Colorado).

In addition to demographics and geography, professional communicators need to think about more

individual characteristics as well (i.e., hobbies, interests, family type/size, political and religious

leanings, supported social causes). These more nuanced characteristics that involve a person’s values,

attitudes and lifestyles are called psychographics. Examples of these audience segments might include physical activities (e.g., shoes and how there is a different shoe for every different physical

activity or sport), desired social image (e.g., having an expensive, fast car or carrying a coffee cup

with the Starbucks logo) and so on.

Finally, there are behavioristic segments that are based on individual purchasing habits and usage behaviors. The different segments are detailed in more depth below, along with examples for each.

The main thing to look over here is the difference between the two concepts (markets and segments). After going through the process of identifying markets and narrowing it down to the qualified available and target markets, the different segments should be derived from whatever you

conclude (i.e., the different sets of groups that can be found in those markets).

The target market should receive the most focus, as those in the target market are most likely to be interested in or respond to a good or service.

However, those in the qualified available market are also interested in and eligible to obtain the good or service, too. They are not as likely to respond as

those in the target market, but they could still become customers. Therefore,

they should not be ignored.

Markets: A Walk-through with Example It's probably easier to understand markets after seeing one written out in an actual example. Let's use

the local Morgantown bar and nightclub Bent Willey's for illustration:

1. Total Market

Total market is comprised of all potential customers

This means any person who may or may not be interested in acquiring the good

or service… You are considering ALL potential / possible consumers. Any level

of interest from this market is not gauged at this point.

2. Potential Market

Potential market includes all people from the pool of potential consumers who actually express interest

in the product or service

In this example: Any person with an interest in evening/late night recreation

Keep the market broad here… You don't want to exclude too many people right

from the start.

3. Available Market

Available market includes all people who have interest, plus the financial means for, and access to, the

product or service

In this example: Any person with an interest in evening/late night recreation,

and has the discretionary income available to participate, along with a way to

get to the Bent Willey's establishment

Do they have the discretionary income to spend (meaning not only do they have

money, but do they have the extra money left over to spend on the good or

service after all bills and obligations are paid?). Discretionary spending typically

refers to non-essential goods and services; the "fun" things that we want but

don't necessarily need.

And if someone has the money to spend, that doesn't really mean anything if

they can't get to the place to spend it! So that is where access comes into play.

This doesn't always mean some form of transportation to get to a physical

storefront or establishment. If there's a product that someone wants available

only on Amazon.com, then access would be considered a device (desktop,

laptop, smartphone) with enabled Internet access.

4. Qualified Available Market

Qualified available market includes all people who have interest, financial means, access, and any

needed qualities to be eligible for the product or service

In this example: Any person with an interest in evening/late night recreation,

and has the discretionary income available to participate, along with a way to

get to the Bent Willey's establishment, and who is of required legal age to enter

the establishment

In this example, you could go even farther and specify that the person must be

of legal age with a valid form of identification.

QAM often deals with age as an eligibility requirement (e.g., 21 to purchase

alcohol, 18 to buy tobacco, 18/21/25 to reserve a hotel room [varies by hotel],

etc.)

The QAM is not always narrowed down by legal age requirements, though. For

example, a quality of the QAM for a political figure campaign could be "has a

current voter's registration card."

5. Target Market

Target market meets all criteria #2-5

Target market includes all people who have interest, financial means, access, eligibility, and would be

the most interested or most likely to respond…. Meaning, whichever market that makes the most

"sense" for the organization to focus on

In this example: Any person with an interest in evening/late night recreation,

and has the discretionary income available to participate, along with a way to

get to the Bent Willey's establishment, who is of required legal age to enter the

establishment, and who enjoys loud music, dancing, or an energetic

environment.

6. Penetrated Market

Penetrated market includes those who have purchased the product or have been served by the

organization

In this example: Any person who has paid admission to enter the establishment

and/orpurchased a product at the establishment

Segments: A Walk-through with Examples As detailed above, segments typically fall under 4 distinct categories:

1. Geographic Segments (location)

● By specific division

○ Country, state, county, city, borough, etc.

● By general location

○ Region, direction, route

● By quantifiable measurement

○ Distance, miles, radius

● By territory

○ License (such as a license to practice in certain states)

2. Demographic Segments (profile of a population–think statistics or census-related info)

● Age

● Gender

● Ethnicity

● Occupation or profession

● Employer

● Income

● Education

● Marital status

● Children

● Generation (Baby Boomers, Generation X, etc.)

3. Psychographic Segments (consumer lifestyles, preferences, attitudes)

● Leisure activities

● Hobbies

● Interests

● Personal values

● Political views

● Social causes

● Personality and character traits

4. Behavioristic Segments (purchasing habits and usage behaviors)

Why someone makes a purchase or engages in a service

● Buying laundry detergent (because you ran out of it and need to wash your clothes)

● Buying a car seat (because of the birth of a child)

● Buying a movie ticket (because you’re out with friends and that’s what they want to

do)

● Going to the doctor (because you proactively want a flu shot to prevent the illness,

or because you reactively need antiviral medication after getting the illness)

Loyalty & desired benefits

● Price-based (lowest price, discounts or rebates offered) ● Brand-based (reputation, perceived quality)

● Influence-based (positive reviews, word-of-mouth) ● Incentive-based (frequent shopper/rewards program, referral bonuses) ● Experience-based (previous positive experiences, strong customer service) ● Convenience-based (close location, open 24 hours, variety of selection)

Motivation

● Rational motivation (based in logic or reasoning; quantifiable or objective)

○ Motivators: Quality, practicality, efficiency, utility, security, savings

○ Decisions are influenced by: Reviews, testimonials, statistics, product

demonstrations

Examples:

○ Taking a vehicle in for service when a dashboard warning light comes on

○ Purchasing a pair of steel-toe boots after getting hired for a job in

construction

● Emotional motivation (based in feelings or perceptions; personal or subjective)

○ Motivators: Appearance, prestige, fear, empathy, happiness, habit, vanity,

insecurity

○ Decisions are influenced by: Feelings, emotions, impulses, reactions

Examples:

○ Donating to a humane society after seeing a sad animal commercial

○ Purchasing a pack of cigarettes because of habit and perceived need

Purchasing Behavior

How much planning (financial planning, price comparisons), research (reading reviews, asking for

opinions), decision-making (complexity of choosing between options, finding acceptable substitutes) is

involved?

● Impulse purchases

○ No conscious planning beforehand; spontaneous purchases

○ Example: Picking up a candy bar while waiting in line at a checkout register

● Routine purchases

○ Very little planning and decision-making involved; almost automatic

purchases

○ Examples: Milk, cleaning products, toilet paper

● Limited purchases

○ Occasional-purchase items; require some level of research and

decision-making

○ Example: Clothing—when, for example, you are familiar with what jeans are

but you are not familiar with a specific brand of jeans

● Complex purchases

○ Can be complex for a variety of reasons (unfamiliarity, expense of purchase,

infrequently purchased product, high commitment purchase); require

extensive research and decision-making

○ Examples: Vehicles, homes, college education

Lesson 5: SMART Objectives & Creative Strategy SMART Objectives To achieve success, one must define what “success” means and outline the specific steps needed to

achieve it. In previous lessons, you decided on your client, identified what their overall goal is, to

whom their messages should be geared to help achieve the goal, and what internal and external

factors might affect their success. Now that you have a better understanding of the what and whom of

your project, you can begin setting reasonable and obtainable objectives. These objectives should

directly support the achievement of your client’s end goal.

When setting your project&#x2

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