Katherine Gillespie, Irene Galvez, Bianca Bijarro, & Lena McKenna Shannon

Branded for

Success

Lone Star Marketing2030 Sam Houston Ave. • Huntsville, Texas 77340

(832) 764-9642

April 20, 2015

Ms. Meghan BurtonEnrollment Management Marketing CoordinatorSam Houston State UniversityP.O. 2056Huntsville, TX 77341-2056

Dear Ms. Burton:

Subject: “Branded for Success” marketing major campaign

The campaign, “Branded for Success,” is designed to help you in your effort to create awareness and expand the marketing degree at Sam Houston State University. The primary goal is to capture the attention of prospective and current students by generating interest in the marketing field and everything that it has to offer. With this strategy, the Department of Management and Marketing will see an increase in declared marketing majors.

“Branded for Success” creates the idea that by choosing marketing as your field of study, you are branding yourself for success for later on in life. To brand the students for success, the campaign will showcase the personalized learning environment of the marketing degree. The campaign will show the students how the marketing classes will engage and teach in ways that will prepare them for the real world.

By utilizing the media, public relations, and promotional items, the marketing major will be set apart from other business majors at the university. These tools will aid in gaining more exposure and in return increase awareness among current and prospective students.

It was a pleasure developing this campaign and we hope you enjoyed our presentation.

Thank you,

Katherine Gillespie Lena McKenna Shannon Bianca Bijarro Irene Galvez

Branded for

Success

Our Proposal....................................................................................................................................1

Integrated Marketing Communications Mix....................................................................................2

Situation Analysis ...........................................................................................................................2

Objectives .......................................................................................................................................2

Target Market Analysis................................................................................................................3-4

Primary Target Market:

The Freshmen...........................................................................................................................3

The Transfers........................................................................................................................3-4

Secondary Target Market:

The Lifelong Learners..............................................................................................................4

Message Strategy.............................................................................................................................4

IMC Recommendations...................................................................................................................4

IMC Tools and Executions.........................................................................................................5-10

Advertising ..............................................................................................................................5

Public Relations....................................................................................................................5-6

Promotional Items ................................................................................................................5-6

“Branded for Success” T-Shirt.........................................................................................................6

USB Bracelet...................................................................................................................................6

Sticky Note Pad ...............................................................................................................................6

Evaluation........................................................................................................................................6

Visuals of the Executions...........................................................................................................7-10

Appendix..........................................................................................................................................1

Table of Contents

Integrated Marketing Communications Plan

Introduction:Sam Houston State University is known for its criminal justice and education degrees but

that is not all the school has to offer. You and your staff are exploring ways to put the spotlight on the BBA Marketing Degree. Getting your target market interested in pursuing this degree requires reaching them in an effective way that doesn’t go over the $20,000 budget. Using methods that have proven to work in the past is a good foundation for any campaign. Additionally you want to consider new approaches to make the SHSU Marketing Degree stand out among the rest.

Situation Analysis: In an environment were criminal justice and education degrees dominate SHSU, it can be

challenging to get the marketing degree to stand out. The marketing degree has been overshadowed because it doesn’t carry the clout of flagship programs like a criminal justice degree.

Objectives: To increase enrollment in the marketing major by 10% for Fall 2016. To increase awareness of the marketing degree by 12% among freshmen, transfers and

adult learners by Fall 2016. To increase the amount of recognition the marketing degree receives from students at

Sam Houston State University, a school that is largely known for its criminal justice and education degrees.

Target Market Analysis: Primary Target Markets:

The Freshmen: First year college students making the transition from high school to college. They have yet to declare a major and tend to change their majors multiple times during the early college years. Looking for information about the Undergraduate degrees offered at Sam Houston State University. Most will be living on campus and will be exposed to a variety of programs. They want to earn a valuable degree that leads to a job that will be in high demand following graduation. Highlighting the positive job outlook for marketing majors will get and keep the attention of these students.

The Transfers: Transfer students who have started their earning their basic credits at other colleges and are looking to transfer to a state university. They have a better idea of what they want to do with their life. Their previous college just wasn’t the right fit for them. They want the small classes of a community college but with the quality of state university professors. Want maximize the number of transferrable credit hours earned for this degree to avoid repeating a class.

Ages: 18-24

Where are they from? Primary focus will be on Houston in addition to San Antonio and Dallas

Commuters: Most students leave the Huntsville area on the weekends.

Secondary Target Market: The Lifelong Learners: Adult students who are completing their degree or who have

decided to pursue a degree. They are usually part time students with full time jobs and are attracted to flexible class times that fit their busy schedule. Our satellite campuses and online courses make this possible with both day and night time classes available. Adult learners relate their life experiences to what is being taught classes. They intend to use the marketing degree for their current job in hopes of advancing in their career. Additionally, some adult learners are motivated to pursue a marketing degree at this stage in their life because they plan on changing their career path.

Ages: 25-45 Where are they from? Houston area Commuters: Leaving from work or home to attend campuses.

Message Strategy:To be “Branded for Success” means that when students choose to earn a SHSU

Marketing Degree they are choosing an opportunity to succeed beyond the classroom. Our message is about how the SHSU Marketing Degree will get students “Branded for Success” by exposing them to real world opportunities. What sets this degree apart from the rest is the marketing professors’ applied teaching styles. This degree prepares students for the professional world by staging real life scenarios that require students to think like a marketer. The smaller classes encourage dynamic interaction among peers where each student contributes to the team. Professors deliver personal feedback to draw out the students’ richest ideas. The Marketing Degree at Sam Houston State University will mold freshmen, transfer students and adult learners to be “Branded for Success.”

IMC Recommendations: The plan will communicate the “Branded for Success” message by concentrating on producing a radio advertisement for the marketing degree that will reach our target market in the Houston and surrounding areas. This medium is both a cost efficient and unique way of promoting the marketing degree offered at Sam Houston. The plan incorporates an event that provides a platform for students to pitch their own campaign ideas to a panel of representatives from businesses. The marketing brochure will be designed to provide relevant information such as the types of courses required, and the career opportunities to look forward to for students earning a marketing degree. To bring further awareness to the marketing degree the promotional items will present the message of “Branded for Success,” in a way that is both memorable and functional for the desired target audience.

IMC Tools and Executions:*Visuals of the executions can be found at the end of this report.Advertising:

Radio : We believe that the use of radio ads will differentiate the marketing degree from other

programs because it is a tool that has not been used by SHSU for its degree programs. Radio ads reach thousands of listeners daily, whether they are driving in the car or on Pandora. We are directing this ad to our targeted listeners who live in the Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and surrounding areas.

With only a brief amount of time to connect with the listener the ad will address the high points of the professional and personalized education that the SHSU Marketing Degree delivers.

o In an effort to reach the freshmen already attending the school, who haven’t decided on a major, we recommend running the radio ad on the SHSU radio stations: KSam, El Gato and The Kat. For these stations the ads will be aired throughout the year, particularly in the early Fall and Spring semesters. Less emphasis should be put on the ads in the Summer because most students are not on campus between June and July unless they are attending summer courses.

o To reach transfer students and adult learners it is suggested that you have the ads play in local Dallas & San Antonio stations as well as radio stations in the greater Houston area such as: 96.5, 104.1, 106.9 and 92.9.

o They will receive the most airtime for Houston stations in November and December to get on the radar of incoming freshmen looking at college programs. February and March will focus on the adult learners. During the summer months of May and June is the prime time to attract transfer students who want to continue their education by the Fall semester.

Public Relations: Event Idea: The Pitch to Win! The event will be open to any student organization or

department at Sam Houston State University. The groups may have up to 5 members and will pitch an idea to 4 major corporations such as Nike, Shipley’s, Coca-Cola, etc. The winning pitch entitles $1,000 donated to the organization or department that created it. Groups will have to register in advance, then attend a meeting to receive information on which companies the groups will be pitching to and learn the procedure in how to create a perfect pitch. The event can be held mid-fall and spring semesters for a best turn out.

Direct Marketing: Email: The emails highlight the positive aspects of the SHSU Marketing Degree and are

to be sent to the target market at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. They are meant to encourage these students to visit the Marketing Major website for more information concerning the degree.

Postcard: The personalized postcard will communicate to the student that the Marketing Degree will set you up for a successful career in this field. The “Branded for Success” postcard will be sent to prospective students prior to the start of the Fall semester, with an emphasis on the incoming freshmen.

Promotional Items: Promotional items are a great way of getting the attention of our target market. Students should see these products and be reminded of the marketing degree from the design and our message “Branded for Success.” The target looks for tangible items that are visually interesting and practical.

USB Bracelet : We are particularly excited about the USB bracelet for the marketing degree. A USB is a necessity for marketing students, as they will create many reports and projects throughout their time at SHSU. Instead of a typical thumb drive, which could be easily lost, we decided to fashion the USB into a bracelet. It’s a convenient way of storing important projects and files while still remaining stylish. Available in SHSU colors: Orange & Navy with “Branded for Success” written in white text. This USB bracelet will be distributed on the Main Campus in front of the Smith-Hutson Business building as well at our satellite campuses in The Woodlands & College Park at the beginning of the semester.

Marketing Major T-Shirt : One way of getting the Marketing Degree noticed is by actually seeing current marketing students show that their proud of their degree by wearing a t-shirt specifically for the marketing major. For your program we have designed a SHSU Marketing Degree T-shirt. Keeping with our “Branded for Success” message, the shirt is designed in SHSU colors: Navy Blue cotton t-shirts available in multiple sizes. The front has the trademark SH logo with the word, Marketing printed below it. “Branded for Success” is printed on the back of shirt along with the Bearkat paw print. The font and letter color is easy to read and stands outs.

o Make these available at student orientations, career fairs and the Business building.

Sticky Note Pad: The sticky note pad will have a watermark of both the BearKat paw print and “Branded for Success.” At the very top each sticky note will have the website directing students to the Marketing Degree landing page. Each note will also provide different facts about the SHSU Marketing Degree. For example, possible careers for marketing majors, the classes to look forward to and internship opportunities. This product helps to inform your target market of the various aspects of the degree.

Evaluation:To gauge the effectiveness of the campaign, “Branded for Success,” Lone Star Marketing

suggests comparing the enrollment of students in the Marketing major to those from the previous year. Conducting end of the semester questionnaires asking how the “Branded for Success” campaign influenced the students’ decision to select Marketing as their degree.

Visuals of the Executions

Email:Program: College of Business Administration Date to Send: November, February, May Sending To: Prospective Students (Transfer Students, Incoming Freshmen, Adult Learners) Targeted Major: Marketing

Are you eager to be successful?

Sam Houston State University’s Marketing Department will have you “Branded for Success.” Our BBA Marketing Degree will give you real world experience so that you are prepared for the field of marketing upon graduation. With our smaller class sizes, you will have an opportunity to study in a hands on learning environment with professors that have marketing experience. You don’t have to be worried about your future. Set yourself apart from everyone else and brand yourself for success.

Please visit our website at www.shsu.edu/see/marketing to learn more about our program.

Sam Houston State UniversityDepartment of Marketing

Postcard:

Are you ready to be“Branded for Success?”

Students in the Department of Marketing

Sam Houston State UniversityDepartment of Marketing

USB Bracelets:

Are you ready to be“Branded for Success?”

Students in the Department of Marketing

Radio Ad:FADE IN: SHSU AMTired of your dead end job and want a new start!Come check out Sam Houston State University’s Marketing Degree Program. With online classes available and campuses located in The Woodlands and Huntsville there is no excuse to wait any longer. Become a Bearkat and be Branded For Success!For more information go to www.shsu.edu/see/marketingEAT EM UP KATS! (CAT GROWL)FADE OUT: SHSU AMRUN TIME 00:00:45Marketing T-Shirt:

Front Back

Sticky Note Pad:

www.shsu.edu/see/marketing

Marketing Major “Branded for Success”

Marketing Facts