Attracting more women to join the army

A) Using the information provided herein, develop a Public Relations (PR) plan (also known as a communication plan) using the eight basic elements our text (chapter 6.3) highlights as part of public relations plans.
B) Every public relations plan, including this assignment, must include…
1) Situation (chapter 6.3.1)
2) Objectives (chapter 6.3.2)
3) Audience (chapter 6.3.3)
4) Strategy (chapter 6.3.4)
5) Tactics (chapter 6.3.5)
6) Calendar/timetable (chapter 6.3.6)
7) Budget (chapter 6.3.7)
8) Evaluation (chapter 6.3.8)
C) More details: Reference the Ketchum Company example in your text and at the end of this document.
1) Draft a situation statement. Valid PR objectives cannot be set without a clear understanding of the situation that led to the conclusion that a PR program is needed. Three traditional situations which often prompt a PR program: A) The organization must conduct a remedial program to overcome a problem or negative situation B) The organization needs to conduct a specific, one-time project to launch a new product or service or C) The organization wants to reinforce an on-going effort to preserve its reputation and public support. Each student must draft a valid situation statement for their “Attracting more Women to join the Army” PR plan. The situation statement is always bullet #1 in a PR plan’s outline. Use the “background information” sheet provided herein “Attracting more Women into the Army,” for details to help you draft your situation statement.
2) Objectives: Each student must draft three objectives for our client. A stated objective should be evaluated by asking A) Does it really address the situation; B) Is it realistic and achievable? C) Can success be measured in meaningful (quantifiable) terms? Each of your objectives MUST have a number attached to it.
a. Each student must include one awareness objective. Using the “background information” sheet provided herein, what bits of information about the Army might you want to communicate to females, who are ignorant of what the Army offers women, to make them “aware” of the Army’s opportunities? For example, you want to increase awareness by “X” percent (replace the “X” with a number. A quantifiable measurement).
i. An awareness objective is when an organization/product/service/cause (you’re working for) wants to make audiences aware of something.
ii. Raising awareness is an important step to get your organizations audiences’ “attention,” “interest,” “comprehension,” “retention,” or “acceptance of positive or negative attitude,” or “goodwill promotion,” about something your organization wants to promote/talk about.
b. Each student must include one communication objective. Using the “background information” sheet provided herein, what benefits does the Army offer that you would want to communicate to females, who are ignorant of what the Army has for women, to make them “generate action” to join the Army? For example, you want “X” number of women to join the Army (a generated action) because of this communication plan (replace the “X” with a number. A quantifiable measurement).

i. A communication objective is when the organization/product/service/cause you work for, wants to communicate to your audiences to “change,” “inform,” or “generate opinion/behavior,” or “generate action.”
c. Each student must include one media objective. How many media impressions, ads, or interviews, would you want in the published to successfully communicate to females, who are ignorant of what the Army has for women, to be heard? For example, you want “X” number promotions placed on streaming TV (a “seen” or “sharable” media action) using messages from this communication plan (replace the “X” with a number. A quantifiable measurement).
i. A media objective is when the organization/product/service/cause your work for, wants to get “seen,” “heard,” “viewed,” “shared,” “read,” “photographed,” “interviewed,” or “written about,” in local, regional, national, international or cyber publications, programs, magazines, websites, social media or other media outlets benefiting the organization with increased traffic or “visibility.”
3) Audiences: Whom should the client should talk to reach their objectives? Each student must identify three audiences you believe need to hear the information listed on the “background information” sheet provided herein. Also, each student must list WHY they feel the audience they listed is a viable audience. Finally, each student must list “audience descriptors,” such as those listed in 3b below.
a. Determine which groups you need to communicate with. Who needs to be involved with your business/product/service? Whose support do you need? Who will be affected by issues related to your business/product/service? Who has something to gain or lose from their relationship with you?
b. In describing your audience, be as specific as possible. Include audience descriptors like:
i. Gender, age, race, religion, ethnicity,
ii. Education level (HS dropout through doctorate level. Don’t forget trade schools).
iii. Role in life (e.g. job: CEO, boss, middle management, worker-bee, homemaker, etc.)
iv. Family background (e.g. Single parent/duel parent homes, adopted, raised in foster care, raised by non-biological parent figures).
v. Social status (poor, middle-class, upper class, etc., economic influencers (employed, unemployed, retired, disabled, adult kids still at home, receiving governmental assistance for food/housing/finances, etc.).
vi. Income level, both monetarily (how much made) and number of contributors (e.g. single “bread-winner” or dual-income households).
vii. Associations/membership: Club memberships; sports affiliations; religions activities, veteran groups, political groups, civic groups, non-profit groups, charities, etc.
4) Strategy –NOTE: FOR THE ASSIGNMENT, STUDENTS CANNOT USE SOCIAL MEDIA AS A STRATEGY OR TACTIC.

A strategy describes the how and why campaign components will achieve their objectives. A strategy provides guidelines and key message themes for the overall PR plan and offers rationale for the actions and program components planned. Strategy is general, tactics are specific. For example: Using TV for ads would be a general strategy.
a. Each student must list at least one strategy for each objective (so three total).
b. Draft two recommended key messages for each of your audiences. Based on the “background information” sheet provided herein, what information is contained there, what messages would you want to convey to your chosen audiencesto increase women’s level of interest in the joining the Army?
5) Tactics: NOTE: FOR THE ASSIGNMENT, STUDENTS CANNOT USE SOCIAL MEDIA AS A STRATEGY OR TACTIC.

In contrast to strategies, tactics are the nuts & bolts, the specifics to the PR plan. Tactics describe the specific activates you as the PR professional will complete, to put each strategy into operation and help achieve the stated objectives. For example: Creating TV ads and placing them on specific TV shows known to be watched by your target audience, would be a specific tactic to support the general strategy of using TV ads.
a. Come up with two tactics for each strategy (six total tactics)
6) Calendar/timetable: Knowing the size and scope of this project and client, recommend a timeframe for this PR plan. Hint: The client in our scenario, the U.S. Army in an international organization, and we need to speak to all the women in the USA who fit into the demographic that is eligible to serve in the Army. So, this is not a one-month campaign. Recommend a time frame.
7) Budget: Knowing the timeframe you recommend in #6 about, and the average advertising/promotional costs listed below, develop a recommended budget for our client.
Average costs are:
a. $250,000 for a National Magazine advertisement;
b. $113,000 for a National Newspaper Ad;
c. $342,000 for a 30-second primetime Network TV spot;
d. $13,100 for a 30-second TV spot on the top 15 cable networks (ESPN, TNT, etc.).
e. $5,000 for a 30-second radio spot in a large market (like New York City).
f. $250.00 for a 3-day Facebook banner ad
8) Evaluation: For each of the three objectives you listed in #2 above, draft an evaluation criterion for each. Remember, each objective has to me measured in meaningful (quantifiable) terms, so each evaluation must reflect the measurable term you used in your objective.
a. For example, if you wanted to increase awareness by “X” percent, did you reach or exceed “X” percent? If you did, your communication plan is a success. If you did not reach X” percent, they the communication plan failed.
b. Your evaluation section must relook at EACH objective you listed in #2 above, AND must review the exact, same data/number you used in your objective.
c. Write it out. For example:
i. “We did not reach our awareness goal of “X” percent.”(“X” percent being the exact same number used in your awareness objective)
ii. “We recruited “X” number of new female soldiers during this communication plan, exceeded communication objective’s goal.” (“X” number being the exact same number used in your communication objective)
iii. “We met our media objective of “X” number promotionsplaced on streaming TV” (“X” number being the exact same number used in your media objective)
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