1. Celebrating COM’s 100-Year Legacy
Media Relations Plan
Celebrating COM’s 100-Year Legacy
Nicole Briguet, Allison Cohen, Lauren Covey, Natalia Driessen

2. Situation Analysis
Starting in February 2014, Boston University’s College of Communication will celebrate the first advertising and journalism classes taught in 1914
COM is planning two special anniversary issues of COMtalk, the alumni magazine, to celebrate.
Objectives:
To communicate as widely as possible that BU/COM has consistently led the field in the areas of all three departments/fields covered by our curriculum
Our curriculum is focused at staying progressively at the forefront of the industry

3. Situation Analysis Strengths - Local interest
- Success stories/alumni relations
- Strong study abroad internship programs
Weaknesses
- Mostly relevant to only the BU community
Opportunities
- Potential students and grad students
- Trade publications and professional organizations
- News value: predictability
Threats
- Other universities: Syracuse, Northwestern, UCLA, NYU

4. Recommended Research COM’s Legacy/Firsts
Conduct a third party survey of undergraduate advertising & journalism students
Notable Alumni
SMG 100
Analysis of the competition
COM’s Legacy/Firsts- Research what makes COM the first, best, and only
The survey would be used to better understand the perspective students attitudes and pre-existing knowledge of COM
Notable Alumni
SMG 100 Years- research how SMG handled their 100 anniversary: what events they put together
Analysis on the competition
How other universities with strong advertising and journalism programs handle their program’s anniversaries i.e Syracuse, NYU, Northwestern, etc.

5. Goals Increase COM graduate program applications
Increase number of “hits” on the COM 100 landing page
Increase media coverage of COM
Positively influence the College of Communications national ranking among communications schools

6. Audience COM alumni Future and current students BU faculty and staff
Industry professionals and influencers
US News and World Report to influence rankings
COM Alumni- Alumni newsletter
Future students- College rankings, Post on popular blog i.e. BuzzFeed, social media campaign
Current BU students, faculty, and staff- local BU related media- BU Today, Daily Free Press, BUTV, WTBU, social etc.)
Industry professionals and influencers- Trade publications and professional organizations
US News and World Report- Forbes, Princeton Review, etc.

7. Strategy
Focused effort at key moments in time over the course of 10 months to amplify the COM 100 image
Commitment to excellence in education
Promotes hands on learning experiences
Professors with strong professional backgrounds in prospective fields
Key Moments to focus on:
1. February Kick off campaign
2. May Graduation
3. Summer Orientations
4. October Alumni Weekend
Hands on learning experiences - AdLab, AdClub, BUTV, Daily Free Press, WTBU, Abroad/Local Internships

8. Tactic: Sponsored Content
Pitch: How BU’s College of Communication is Secretly Running the World
Original post on Buzzfeed
National coverage
Sponsored Content - BuzzFeed article, sponsored content
For Editorial & General Inquiries:
Ashley McCollum: VP Business Development and Communications
Catherine Bartosevich: Press Director
Contact them for posting information. The cost comes with the advertisements.
Will garner national coverage through internet post
Appeals to both prospective students and current students
BuzzFeed consistently delivers successful social distribution for branded content.
On average, for every 100,000 views generated through paid media to advertiser content, an extra 30,000 views (earned media) were generated from sharing activity
Story idea: List of notable alumni, name, picture, description about what that alumni is doing
Title: How BU’s College of Communication is secretly running the world

9. Tactic: Trade Publications
Pitch: Notable alumnus present “revolutionary” industry research on campus
Boston Magazine
Steve Annear
Advertising Age
Tim Peterson
Specific Trade Publications
Journalism Trade Publications
Boston Magazine
Reporter: Steve Annear (Covers stories similar to COM’s 100)
Advertising Trade Publications
Advertising Age
Tim Peterson: Ad-Technology/Digital Media Reporter
Notable alumni presenting their research in the industry on campus
Can pitch this to Trade Publications because it is research based. The idea is that the alumni has just completed research that is “revolutionary” or about a current industry trend

10. Tactic: Study Abroad Programs
Pitch: COM is redefining “abroad” with its programs in LA and DC
The role of abroad programs today
Internship based
LA Times Higher Education Reporter
Carla Rivera
Internship based
Allows COM students to get a foot in the door and offers valuable networking opportunities
Gives COM students opportunity to intern in a location where they are likely to get a full time job
LA Times Reporters: Focusing on higher education:
Carla Rivera (Cal State, community colleges/higher education)
Jason Song (higher education)
Teresa Watanabe
Washington Post Reporters:
Valarie Strauss: Education Reporter in the D.C. local area
Lyndsey Layton: Education Reporter in the D.C. local area
Can talk to BU student in LA/DC with awesome internship at a nationally recognized company

11. Tactic: NYT article
Pitch: Boston University students win National Student Advertising Competition
Responsible for National Ad campaign
Reporter for NYT Advertising Column
Stuart Elliott,
This particular story is attractive to this reporter because it has national reach. Boston University students are responsible for a national ad campaign.

12. Tactic: Local Boston Print Media
Pitch: How COM students positively affect Boston’s ad/journalism industries/economies
Boston Globe
Mary Carmichel
Pitch story to Boston Globe reporter
How students, particularly BU students, effect Boston’s industry/economy
Huge student city
How many BU graduates stay in Boston post grad
Boston Globe Reporter:
Mary Carmichel
Reporter for the Metro section: covers higher education around Boston
Phone:
Social Media Campaign - the rest of the tactics can be used as content for the social media

13. Timeline February 2014 - Campaign launch
New York Times Article on National Ad Campaign designed by BU AD Club
Release of the first special edition of COMtalk
May Graduation
Local Boston Print Media Pitch
Summer Orientations (incoming class of 2014)
Study Abroad Programs Pitches
October Alumni Weekend
Research presentation from notable alumni
Campaign to end December 31, 2014
Focus campaign coverage around these events

14. Budget $20,000 Sponsored BuzzFeed article, x %
News Release dollars
Alumnus Presentation
Venue Cost
Video Equipment
Travel Cost of Alumnus
Documentary Series
Travel Costs
Equipment Costs
Production Costs
News Release - National distribution through Business Wire begins as low as $275 for a 400 word news release
Research the specific costs for the different kinds of posts on Buzzfeed, i.e. “Partnered Post” and “Sponsored Post”
Alumnus Costs
Venue: We will use an on-campus venue i.e. Morse Auditorium or Tsai Performance Center in an effort to keep venue cost down
Video Equipment: Cost of video/recording equipment (can keep cost down by renting equipment through COM)
Travel Cost: the cost of getting the speaker to and from Boston and lodging
Documentary Series
Travel Cost: The cost of getting the crew/equipment to each city
Equipment cost: Cost of video/recording equipment (can keep cost down by renting equipment through COM)
Production costs: the cost of creating the video series will be almost nothing because we will be using actual COM film/TV students. They will be proving
their services in exchange for a 1 credit internship

15. Evaluation We will know we’re successful if we…
Increase applications from top-tier colleges for COM graduate programs by X %
Get X number of hits on COM 100 landing page (to be launched Feb. 2014)
Increase media coverage of COM by X %
Exact percentages will be calculated later on by COM staff.