Letter of Transmittal Cancer Crushers Chelsea, Jess, Katrina, Angela 2121 Euclid Ave Cleveland, Ohio 44115 11/5/12

American Cancer Society 123 Fake Street Cleveland, Ohio 44114

Dear Mr. Dave Grams,

I am sending you this campaign proposal in regards to your Relay for Life Fundraiser at Cleveland State University.

Attached you will find the strategies and tactics we would use, our situation analysis, a calendar of events, budget, our goals and objectives, the audience we would like to reach and other important information to the campaign.

Thank you for your time and as always please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

Cancer Killers

Executive Summary American Cancer Society

Client Background

The American Cancer Society was created to bring

awareness, raise money, and educate everyday people about

the causes, effects and processes of cancer. Since 1945, the

American Cancer Society has been raising money to help

fund ground breaking developments and research in hopes

to find a cure for this unfortunate illness. Some examples of

fund raising events they host are Coaches vs. Cancer, Making

Strides against Breast Cancer, and Relay for Life. These events

are held all throughout the country and are primarily run by

volunteers.

Situation Analysis

The American Cancer Society is hosting a Relay for Life event

at Cleveland State University in April of 2013. The following

public relations campaign is a plan devised by the Cancer

Killers to create awareness, increase participation,

attendance, and donations among the CSU campus

community. The outreach to college students benefits the

American Cancer Society because it encourages a younger

audience to participate in future fundraising events.

Audiences

The primary target audience for the Relay for Life campaign

is CSU students, since they make up the largest population of

the campus community. The secondary target audience is

faculty and staff members of Cleveland State, because they

can tell their classes about the Relay for Life event. Finally,

the tertiary target audience is community people who live

near Cleveland State, because the event is open to all

publics, but this population may not have as much exposure

to the event.

Objectives

The main objectives for this campaign are to increase

awareness about the Relay for Life event, as well as increase

attendance, donations, and participation among students

and campus community members alike.

Strategies

The strategies that will be used to obtain these objectives are

using internet communications to reach the student

population, as well as campus newspapers and publications

such as the Cauldron and Cleveland Stater. In addition to

these, there will also be promotional materials posted

around campus, and novelties handed out to volunteers and

participants.

Tactics

The tactics that will be used to implement these strategies

are a frequently updated Facebook, Twitter and webpage to

communicate the event to students. There will also be a

news release about the event that will be placed in the

Cauldron and The Cleveland Stater, as well as fliers posted

about busy areas on campus.

Evaluation

In order to evaluate the efficacy and success of the

campaign, the participation and donation totals will be

compared to those of the previous year. Hourly attendance

counts will be done in order to determine the increase in

overall event attendance. As well as survey distribution to

determine how and where attendees learned about the

event.

Client Background

Organizational Structure

The American Cancer Society is the largest voluntary health

organization in the United States. The headquarters or

National Home Office is located in Atlanta, Georgia. The

National Home Office facilitates the overall planning,

development, and implementation of all of the society’s

programs and events.

The National Home Office is overseen by the National Board

of Directors, consisting of 11 officers, 24 directors, and eight

directors-at-large, all elected for a two year term. The CEO is

selected and reports to the Board of Directors. This is a paid

position is responsible for the operation of the National

Home Office, selects the key national staff officers; as well as

coordinates the work of the NHO and divisions.

The Society is then broken down into 12 chartered divisions

throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. These division

offices are responsible for creating awareness, fundraising,

and ensuring programs are carried out successfully in their

region.

These division offices are broken down even further into 900

smaller local offices. These offices are responsible for

bringing awareness and fundraising opportunities to our

local communities. On the community level are the

volunteers, the American Cancer Society has nearly three

million volunteers that really make the society what it is

today.

Key Manager Bios

JOHN R. SEFFRIN, Ph.D. has been chief executive officer of the

American Cancer Society since 1992. As CEO, Seffrin has

helped the Society become the world’s largest voluntary

health organization fighting cancer, with a billion dollars in

resources to save lives by helping people stay well and get

well, by finding cures, and by fighting back.Dr. Seffrin has

made his organization’s voice heard in legislatures around

this country and in forums worldwide.

He spearheaded the creation of the Society’s nonprofit,

nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society

Cancer Action NetworkSM, of which he is also the chief

executive officer. Seffrin is a past president of the Geneva-

headquartered International Union Against Cancer, the first

globally-oriented cancer non-governmental organization

(NGO). He served as chairman of the board of Independent

Sector, the largest coalition of nonprofit groups, and he

helped to create the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids

(now the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids), among his many

collaborations and affiliations.

CYNTHIA M. LeBLANC, Ed.D., has been volunteer board chair

for the American Cancer Society, as well as an active Society

volunteer at the local, state and national levels for over 22

years. She has been a member of the National Board of

Directors since 2006 and currently serves as a member of the

Compensation, Governance, Strategic Planning and Agenda

Development Committees, and National Board Advisory

Committee on Transformation. A St. George National Award

winner, Mrs. LeBlanc is also a Road to Recovery volunteer,

Legislative Ambassador, and an ACS National Leadership

Development Program coach.

LeBlanc has a Bachelor Degree in Psychology from Holy

Names College and received a Masters Degree in Education

from San Francisco State University and a Doctorate Degree

in Education, with a focus on Organization and Leadership,

from the University of San Francisco.

GREGORY P. BONTRAGER is chief operating officer for the

American Cancer Society, oversees the overall day-to-day

operations of the world’s largest voluntary health

organization. Bontrager served as deputy chief operating

officer and chief mission officer at the NHO. Prior to these

positions, he was chief executive of the Society’s Great Lakes

Division, which encompasses the states of Michigan and

Indiana. Under his leadership, the Division became one of the

most successful of the Society’s 12 regional affiliates.

Bontrager first joined the American Cancer Society in 1988 as

director of development for the former Michigan Division. He

later served as the Division’s vice president of development,

senior vice president for operations, chief operating officer,

and chief executive officer. He holds a bachelor’s degree in

psychology and business administration from Spring Arbor

University, a master’s degree in administration from Western

Michigan University, and is a graduate of the Emory

University Business School Executive Development Institute.

Financial Information

According to the 2011 annual report the Society had a total

amount of $2,104,359 in assets in 2010 and in 2011 the

amount was $2,039,204.The assets included items such as:

cash and cash equivalents ($117,968 in 2010 and $129,289 in

2011), short term investments at fair value ($844,921 in 2010

and $959,019 in 2011) and gift annuity investments at fair

value ($34,838 in 2010 and $34,946 in 2011).

The Society’s liabilities and net assets totaled $2,104,359 in

2010 and $2,039,204 in 2011. It included items for research

and program awards and grants which totaled $212,571 in

2010 and $217,591 in 2011.

The revenue, gains and other support total was broken down

via items such as contributions, special events, other special

fundraising events, legacies and bequests, change in value of

split-interest agreements, contributed services, merchandise

and in-kind contributions. In 2010 the total support of the

public came to the amount of $903,200 in 2010 and $888,314

in 2011.

The total revenue, gains and other support in 2010 came to

the amount of $956,159 and in 2011 the amount totaled

$953,576. The totals included items such as grants and

contracts from the government ($11,180 in 2010 and $10,945

in 2011) and other revenue (loses) ($3,695 in 2010 and $4,583

in 2011).

The Society’s expenses consist of the following program

services and totaled $680,540 in 2010 and $680,573 in 2011:

research ($148,644 in 2010 and $148,468 in 2011), prevention

($148,982 in 2010 and $149,719 in 2011),

detection/treatment ($112,262 in 2010 and $102,741 in 2011)

and patient support ($270,652 in 2010 and $279,645 in 2011).

Other expenses came in the form of supporting services:

management and general –direction of the overall affairs of

the society through executives, financial and administrative

services ($68,373 in 2010 and $63,456 in 2011). There were

also expenses for: Fundraising-programs to secure charitable

financial support for programs and supporting services

($202,210 in 2010 and $202,941 in 2011). The total amount

for supporting services in 2010 was $270,583 and $202,941 in

2011.

Since 1985 the relay events have raised a total of $4.2 billion.

In 2011 $148.5 million was invested in research to help find

cures for cancer. $121.7 million have come in charitable

legacy and bequest income. E-revenue has increased by

more than 10% n 2011, now represents 17% of public

support. Fund raising goes towards: Hope Lodge (free short

term stay for cancer patients), Patient Navigator Program

(connect patients with resources and informational),

Transportation and college scholarships for students with a

history of cancer.

Brief History of the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society began in 1913 and was

originally named the American Society for the Control of

Cancer. The organization was created by 15 physicians in

New York City who felt they needed to raise awareness of a

disease that was not publically spoken about and was

basically considered a taboo subject. They began to send

writing articles and in journals in order to reach colleagues in

the medical field and publishing Campaign Notes, which was

a monthly bulletin with information about cancer.

The sword in the organizations Sword of Hope logo was

created in 1928 by George E. Durant who won nationwide

poster contest held by the ASCC and the New York City

Cancer Committee. According to the American Cancer

Society website, Durant chose the sword “to express the

crusading spirit of the cancer control movement. The twin-

serpent caduceus, which forms the handle of the sword,

emphasizes the medical and scientific nature of the Society's

work. Classically, twined serpents represent healing of the

sick and creativity of the healthy.”

The Women’s Field Army was established in 1936 based on a

suggestion by Marjorie G. Illig, an ASCC field representative

and chair of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs

Committee on Public Health. She felt that there should be an

organization of volunteers who’s main purpose was fighting

cancer.

In 1945, after the end of World War II, the ASCC became what

is now known as the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Philanthropist Mary Lasker and some of her colleagues

helped the ACS raise over $4 million dollars, $1 million was

used to fund the Society’s research program. In 1947 the

Society began educating the public on the signs and

symptoms of cancer. During this time, Dr. Sidney Farber

achieved the first temporary cancer remission in a child with

acute leukemia.

Some of the accomplishments of The ACS: helped establish

the link between cancer and smoking; demonstrated the

effectiveness of the Pap test; developed cancer-fighting

drugs; increased the cure rate for childhood leukemia as well

as proven the safety and effectiveness of mammography.

The Society has given nearly $3.6 billion in research,

including giving 46 future Nobel Prize winners the funding

they needed to get started in their work.

In the 1960’s due to studies sponsored by the ACS, the

Surgeon General reported on the link between smoking and

cancer. In 1971, the National Cancer Act was passed, it

granted more funding and allowed the expansion of the

National Cancer Institute (NCI). Today the ACS has over $1

billion in revenue and due in part to the Society’s work

almost 12 million cancer survivors (350 per day) in the United

States.

History of Relay for Life

Relay for Life started in Tacoma, Washington, as the City of

Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer. In the mid-

1980s, Dr. Gordy Klatt, came up with the idea to run

marathons as a way to help raise money for his local

American Cancer Society chapter. In May 1985, he ran around

the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound

in Tacoma for 24 hours. During the night, many of his friends

paid $25 to run or walk 30 minutes with him. He raised a total

amount of $27,000. Months after completing the race he

created a committee to plan the first team relay event known

as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer.

The following year, 19 teams took part in the first team relay

event on the track at Stadium Bowl and raised $33,000

Situation Analysis Cancer is something that affects virtually everyone in one

way or another. The American Cancer Society is one of the

leading nonprofit organizations that provides funds for

cancer research and cancer patient support services.

A majority of the funds that the American Cancer Society

raises come from a fundraiser called Relay for Life. Relay for

Life is held in cities, military bases and on college campuses

around the world.

Some of the money that is raised at a particular Relay for Life

event is used for patient services in that same city. Cleveland

is known for their hospitals, cancer research and cancer

patient care. Although other schools and cities surrounding

Cleveland have Relays, with all of the hospitals in the area

more Relay for Life fundraisers are needed.

Up until April 2012 Cleveland State University had been one

of the only college campuses in Ohio to not have held a

Relay for Life. Cleveland State had not been a strong enough

campus to hold one until now. The first year Cleveland State

raised almost 17,000 dollars.

The American Cancer society is holding another Relay for Life

at Cleveland State in April of 2013 to raise even more money

than was raised previously. Cleveland State is growing each

year. With more people to reach to participate in the

upcoming event the bigger the PR campaign needs to be.

Audience

Primary Audiences

Relay for life will be held at Cleveland State University, the

primary target for teams would be Cleveland State students.

CSU is still a commuter campus with low involvement in

student organizations, special events, or other activities

outside of classes. It is necessary to target students that

would be interested in participating. Students who would be

interested in participating would most likely already

participate in activities at Cleveland State. This means that

students that stay on campus and participate or attend

events at Cleveland State even after their classes for the day

are over. The primary audiences are past Relay for Life

participants that now attend Cleveland State, student

organizations, athletic teams, and residents of the

dormitories.

Students that may have participated in a Relay for Life in

their hometown and now attend Cleveland State would be

likely to participate and form a team with their friends. Many

students that stay on campus after classes are involved in

Student Organizations. These student organizations have

specific purposes that bring all the members together. The

different student organizations can form teams with their

members. Similarly, the athletic teams such as men’s and

women’s soccer, basketball, softball, tennis, etc. can all form

Relay for Life teams and participate in the event as well. CSU

Residents stay on campus throughout the week and often

look to participate in events on campus during their free

time. They would most likely form teams with their

roommates or other residents on their floors.

Secondary Audiences

Those that will intervene for Relay for Life would be faculty

and staff at Cleveland State University. Faculty including

professors, instructors, and lecturers can let their classes

know of Relay for Life and encourage participation. Staff

members throughout the different departments can also

encourage students. Many faculty and staff members are

Faculty Advisors for groups on campus and therefore

communicate with students outside of academics.

Tertiary Audiences

Organizations such as Student Life, Athletics, Residence Life

and different departments on campus would be able to

communicate with students who are most involved in

various activities on campus. These three Cleveland State

departments oversee and run many smaller groups. All 223

student organizations must report to Student Life. Student

Life communicates with these groups through email,

OrgSync, Campus Mailbag, and by posting materials within

the Student Organization offices. Cleveland State Athletics

also runs all of the Division I teams. Athletics can then

encourage and communicate the different teams to

participate.

The Department of Residence Life also can communicate

with the residential audience by hanging promotional

materials, utilizing their staff, and sending emails. Residence

Life can hang promotional material throughout the

dormitories to raise awareness of the event to the residents.

Residence Life can also utilize their student staff of Resident

Assistants to encourage their respective floors to form teams

at their mandatory floor meetings. When sending out emails

about updates or evaluations, they can also include

upcoming events such as Relay for Life.

Goals

Overarching Client Goals

To reduce and eliminate cancer as a major health problem in

the United States.

To raise money to help research cures, and different

treatment methods.

To encourage people to stay well and maintain a healthy

lifestyle, get well and take necessary health precautions, and

help find cures and fight back against all cancer.

To create a world with more birthdays and less cancer.

Campaign Goals

To create awareness among CSU students about the Relay

for Life event.

To recruit students to participate in Relay for Life.

To encourage students to donate to the Relay for Life cause.

To encourage students to attend the Relay for Life event.

   

Objectives

Informational Objectives

To increase awareness among CSU students about the Relay

for Life event.

Motivational Objectives

To increase participation in Relay for Life 10% from last year.

To increase donations to Relay for Life 10% from last year.

To increase attendance to Relay for Life 10% from last year.

Strategies and Tactics

Strategy

Create a CSU Relay for Life event Facebook page

Tactic

Use the Facebook page to promote the event, include information such as the date, time, location and event contact person. Also include instructions on how to sign up and/or make a donation.

Strategy

Create a CSU Relay for Life event Twitter Account

Tactic

Use the Twitter account to send out announcements prior to the event, can also be used to live tweet during the event.

Tactic

Send fact sheets to the Cauldron and The Cleveland Stater to inform the CSU student body about the event as well as to encourage participation and/or donations. We can also have the event added to the CSU website event calendar.

Strategy

Promote the Relay for Life event using posters

Tactic

Have Relay for Life posters hung in all buildings throughout the CSU campus. Posters will be recognition of the logo and name of the event.

Strategy:

Create a flyer to promote the event

Tactic:

Flyers will include information about the event and posted throughout the campus

Budget

Flyers: 25 flyers for $45 = $0.55 per flyer. 1000 flyers

dispersed around CSU’s 20 main buildings would allow for

approximately 50 flyers in each building and would all

together cost $550.00.

Posters: The CSU Print Shop has 22 bulletin boards available

to display posters. A single-sided color poster from the Print

Shop costs $.065. All together it would equal $14.30.

Banner: The banner could be displayed in the Student

Government office to be displayed. A full-colored 3’x2’ costs

approximately $26.99

Total: $591.29

Calendar of events

Entirety of Campaign November 26th-April 15th

Save the Date for the event on April 12th- 13th to be sent out

on November 26th via Facebook

Start making posters- January 2 – 14th

Create Twitter and Facebook- January 14th

Daily Facebook updates start – January 15th

Weekly Facebook follower drawing winner contest begins -

January 15th

Daily Twitter updates- January 15th

Posters are to be hung up at school- January 15th – April 13th

Start making flyers - January 2nd- 9th

Flyer will go to print- January 9th

Flyer distributed- January 15th

Fact sheet prepared to be sent to The Cauldron and The

Cleveland Stater –March 1st

Fact sheet sent to be printed- March 15th

Flyer redistributed upon students returning from spring

break

Live Twitter feed during event- April 12th -13th

The evaluation of the campaign- April 15th

Evaluation Compare monetary and attendance totals from Relay for Life

to other student fundraisers held throughout CSU in 2013.

Distribute surveys to participants inquiring how they found

out about the event, what they’ve learned, if they would like

more information, etc.

Compare the Relay for Life participation lists from this year to

the previous year.

Compare the Relay for Life donation totals from this year to

the previous year.

Determine if there is an increase in participation in the

American Cancer Society’s programs and services after Relay

for Life has taken place.