1. HTC Influencer Program and Social Media Outreach Proposal 1.11.13

2. Top Line Summary
This proposal will outline how we plan to enlist Influencers to be part of an organic Influencer Program.
This group will include:
•      Existing HTC advocates and owners
•      Influencers willing to learn and try HTC phones
•      Target content creator lifestyles: Music, Sports, Comedy, Fashion/ Design and Photography.
•      Influencer Network of unpaid brand evangelists driven by passion
This proposal includes:
·        Outreach Campaign (to coincide with device launch)
·        Strategy to build out Influencer Network over time
The program should:
·         Be nimble enough to adapt to changes within the social media landscape, current events, change in brand goals, etc..
·         Flexible as to include more lifestyle affinities that HTC customers/advocates share
·         Deliver relevant and timely content to increasingly niche groups as the programs grows
·         Make those we engage with feel important and valued

3. Influencer Defined An Influencer (for our purposes)
An individual who has a significant sphere of influence within Twitter, Blogs, Message Boards, Pinterest, etc..
Where do we find them?
Blogs and Twitter are intrinsically linked (bloggers tweet) and many significant social media influencers do maintain a blog. Therefore, we will be reaching out to most influencers via their blogs.
You can tell a compelling brand story through blogs and that message will be amplified by Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook Groups and Message Boards.
Many influencers do focus specifically on Twitter. So, we will engage with Influencers on their preferred channels as well.
Measuring Influence Includes
Blogs – Unique Visitors Monthly (their readership)
Twitter – Second Order number of followers per Tweet
Pass-Along – message migrating from channel to channel, Re-Tweets
Engagement – Reader Comments, Re-Tweets

4. Goals Top Level Program Goals Campaign Level Goals
Build a network of loyal influencers
Increase share of voice within social media conversation
Utilize Influencers to tell brand story
•      Link phone benefits, features and functionality with Music, Sports, Comedy, Fashion/ Design and Photography
Campaign Level Goals
Create large scale “Earned Media” impressions with “Peer-to-Peer” recommendations
Facilitate and measure viral pass-along
Continually refresh the Influencer Network

5. Rollout Schedule (Campaign)
Phase 2
Phase 3
Phase 1
2/1 – 2/15
2/16 – 4/31
Live Campaign
5/15
Development
Final Report
Phase 1 – Campaign Development – Site list, aggregate assets, develop messaging, review strategy and tactics, etc.
Phase 2 – Live Campaign – Outreach, securing coverage and embeds with Bloggers and Twitter, Social Networks and Message Boards. Weekly reporting.
Phase 3 – Final Report – this report will aggregate all the reporting that will be done during the campaign as well as organizing data collected with the perspective you only get at the end of the campaign. Also, we include conclusions about what worked, opportunities missed, etc. and recommendations for future campaigns.

6. Engagement Channels – Social Media Outreach
Blogs
Reach out to bloggers and encourage them to share key messaging with audience
Distribute assets (Videos, Images, Contests, etc.) via Social Media Release (SMR)
Establish rapport with interested bloggers for additional rollouts of assets and secondary calls-to-action
Twitter
Organic Twitter coverage via pass-along from Blog coverage
Design blog outreach to include Twitter ready tweets for pass-along
Find Influencers via Twitter
Facebook
Share content with pre-existing Facebook Groups
Share links to digital destinations
Pinterest
Compel Influencers to engage with HTC Pinterest Board
Facilitate Influencers to share content via Pinterest
Message Board/Discussion Forums
Activate passionate base surrounding topical discussions
Create rapport with forum members by way of providing valuable content and timely responses
Offer specific content that is relevant to each thread
Forum discussions leaves legacy long after campaign flight ends as conversations continue

7. Engagement – Campaign Blog/Twitter Flow
Reach out to Bloggers about in a way to encourage Twitter distribution
Offer Bloggers language and truncated links so that it is more attractive to share information via Twitter
Offer new phones to Top Tier Influencers – All Groups
Great introduction to the program
Offer extra for Bloggers to do giveaways with their audience
This tactic is proven to elicit powerful brand centric coverage
Music
Offer Beats by Dre product
Have music blogger cover HTC Music Event with phone functionality
Sports
Engage people that are at the frontlines of emerging sports (eg: cross fit) about how their phone is a part of their lifestyle (videos, pictures, apps, etc.)
Offer exclusive sporting event tickets
Focus on social networks (vs. traditional blogging)
Comedy
Invite comedy enthusiasts to use phone functionalities for reviewing shows, products, foods, etc.
Fashion/ Design
Invite Influencer to HTC Fashion Event as a VIP
Have Fashionistas cover event with phone functionality
Photography
Exceptionals use photography to share their experiences – connect with these people when there are unique photo opportunities

8. Projected Reach All Channels Channel Outreach Posts Impressions TOTAL
Channel
Outreach
Posts
Impressions
Blog
1,000
20-50
2,000, ,000,000
Facebook Pass-Along
n/a 10
20,000
Twitter
250
300,000
Message Board Seeding 50
5,000
TOTAL
1050
2,325,000 – 5,325,000
*These are projected numbers and are subject to change depending on unforeseen circumstances.

9. Pass-Along
The goal of Digital Word of Mouth is to get consumers talking to each other and creating a pass-along. The G2X Relay Rate study done by Dr. Walter Carl of Northeastern University indicates that the pass-along online could be anywhere from 2X to 42X the original message. This study was based on discussions involving household products. Music, Fashion, Photography and New Technology Launches prove to be passionate ‘buzz worthy’ subjects online and we expect that the pass-along rate to be high for this campaign. Putting a specific number to this would be purely subjective. What we hope to do is report on everything that we can measure and build a case that will show that the message was worthy of pass-along.
Example of Pass-Along:
Bloggers:
Community Ambassador reaches out to a blogger (one-to-one).
The blogger chooses to share with her readership of 30,000.
The blogger passes along links to the mini-page, etc.
Since this pass along came from a trusted source (the blogger), according to the G2X Relay Rate, these 30,000 loyal readers will pass the message to anywhere from 2 to 42 people.
This one-to-one engagement with a blogger has a real influence of 30,000 (the number of readers we can count) and a possible pass-along of anywhere from 60,000 to 1,260,000.
Is it likely that all 30K will pass along to 42 peers? Probably not. Is it likely that a realistic pass-along generated by group who is already passionate about the subject would be greater than 2X? Absolutely.

10. Sample Influencer - Music
David Peter Simon – blogger from IndieShuffle.com (56,000 UVPM)
Creativity takes precedence in David’s life: he uses Indie Shuffle to get the word out about his favorite songs; writes for Holiday Matinee, a music and inspiration blog; and is a consultant for an IT software company.
Also maintains a personal site, including inspirational photos and his own Instagram shots
Tweets actively about a myriad of interests, including design, software, and art.

11. Sample Influencer - Sports
Sports Enthusiast and Comedian Sean Keane
Active in the world of young sports enthusiasts
Blogs on a variety of sites:
His own (SeanKeane.com, UVPM n/a)
And Tumblr blogs (all UVPM n/a)
SportsCentr
NBA Off Season
MLB Off Season
NFL Off Season
The World’s Game
Tweets to nearly 1,000 followers on Twitter

12. Sample Influencer - Comedy
Braden Graeber, Writer and Comedian
As the comedy target usually overlaps with other areas of interest (like art, writing, and acting), Braden is active on a variety of outlets, including his Tumblr blog (UVPM n/a). Though the majority of his audience exists outside of the blogosphere, he uses his Tumblr to post the occasional joke.
Active on Instagram with over 8,000 followers
Regularly uses His account has 137,323 followers

13. Sample Influencer – Fashion/ Design
Dan Hwang, blogger at Freshness Magazine (118,000 UVPM)
Values aesthetics, innovative fashion, and smart design, as evidenced by his posts on Freshness
Also posts on Dan-Hwang.com, a personal blog used to post “inspiring images and content” – anything from footwear to musicians
Dan also maintains a Twitter where he mostly shares personal posts, occasionally interspersed with Instagram photos

14. Sample Influencer - Photography
Lauren Randolph, Professional Photographer
Lauren is active on many social networks and uses Tumblr (UVPM n/a) as her main outlet for traditional blogging.
Blog updates usually incorporate her photos, including info about new projects and partnerships
Though she actively blogs, her audience is primarily located in other networks.
Most active on Instagram She uses this network to share inspirational photos with over 216,901 followers and the rest of the Instagram community
Also maintains a Twitter which has 2,930 followers

15. Implementation - Instagram
Our target audience is extremely active on Instagram, providing an opportunity for us to engage users on this network for the HTC promotion. Contests are the most successful form of promotion on this network – see example below.
Contest Ideas
Win concert tickets by posting a photo of your all-time favorite band, with tag #HTCmusic, for example
Give away passes to NY Fashion week by asking users to take a photo of a great outfit using their HTC phone (tagged with #HTCNYC on Instagram)
Recommendations:
Any Instagram promotion conducted should be planned using an official HTC account for transparency and best results.
Step 1: Create account
Step 2: Build followers
Step 3: Conduct Contest

16. HTC Influencer Program – Long Term Strategy
Aggregate List of Possible Influencers
Sources
Social Chorus List
American Pop List
Source Twitter Influencers already taking about HTC
Long Term Influencer Strategy
Rolling out compelling events, offers, etc. on a regular basis will keep Influencers Engaged
Schedule 4-6 campaigns similar to the example given earlier in the proposal
Schedule smaller outreach events around HTC calendar
Nurture relationships as they develop
Establish Influencer Tier – Top Tier, Middle Tier, etc.
Music/ Sports/ Comedy
#TeamHTC (if applicable):
Give Influencer tickets for giveaways to concerts, sporting events, comedy shows
Give Influencer VIP access to special events
Fashion/ Design
Issue Fashion objectives involving Cell Phone Bling
Engage with Pinterest
VIP access to Fashion Events
Photography
Seasonal – Fall Foliage, Christmas, Snow
Personal milestones – Friends, family, achievement-based, etc.
Blend Groups
Photography blurs into Music and Fashion

17. Long Term Strategy - Continued
Contacting Potential Influencers
Sources
Social Chorus List – looking at the social channels each influencer uses. Ascertain the most organic way to reach out:
Blogs are the least spammy way of contacting potential Influencers
Twitter is less spammy if we use the official HTC Twitter handle to reach out (even an Influencer who wield the most influence via Twitter may have a blog or a less spammy way of contacting
American Pop List
Primarily Blog Based
Source Twitter Influencers already taking about HTC
Contact via blog if available
Contact via official HTC Twitter
Reporting/Client Communication
Weekly or Bi-Weekly calls with American Pop, Spring Creek and HTC Teams
Weekly Reporting
Metrics
Highlights
Monthly or Quarterly Reporting
More drill down on numbers
Analysis of trends
Starts discussion of learnings and course correction for the next month or quarter

18. Long Term Strategy - Continued
Constant Monitoring
Consistently Sourcing New Influencers
Feedback from HTC Social Profile Team to add active Twitter and Facebook fans
Finger on the pulse of what consumers are saying about HTC and their competitors
Monitoring any interesting programs competitors are executing via Influencers
Constant Learning From Influencers
We can ask our Influencers questions that can offer actionable intelligence to the brand
Polling their sphere of influence
Constantly Define what Influence is and metrics surrounding influence
Direct Influence (Examples)
Blog Readers
Twitter Followers
Facebook Group Members
Pinterest Followers
Engagement Examples
Blog Comments
Re-Tweets
Re-Pins
Community Connections
Writing for Established Blogs
Writing for offline publications
Thought leaders in groups

19. Reporting
Within reports we include cumulative data reflecting our quantity of outreach, volume of campaign posts, unique reach, and impressions created – both per channel and as an overall total. Data is collected via Quantcast/Compete, Radian6, and other available sources.
The goal of reporting is to represent the numbers of impressions and engagements in an accurate and honest way coupled with real world success stories.
There is no “Universal Number” that points to word of mouth success.
Our reporting tells a story and builds a case for success, sustained return on engagement, and ROI.
TOTAL COVERAGE
POSTS
IMPRESSIONS
ENGAGEMENT
BLOGS 35
9,249,442
302
TWITTER
1,294
8,736,147
n/a
FACEBOOK 32
454,072
1,088
TOTAL
1,361
18,439,661
1,390
RESPONSE SENTIMENT # %
Positive 41
82.00%
Neutral 6
12.00%
Polite Decline 3
6.00%
Total 50
100.00%
Target Breakdown
Placement
Impressions
Comments
Entertainment 14
4,559,912
100
Rap/Hip Hop 17
4,329,546 87
Urban Culture 2
151,706
114
City News 1
139,376
Music
68,902
TOTAL 35
9,249,442
302
Twitter Metrics #
Total Tweets
1,294
Cumulative Impressions
8,736,147
Average Followers
6,751
Most Followers
437,314
In addition to statistical reporting, we include screen shots of placement and data to illustrate how campaign information was passed along from our ambassadors throughout blogs, Twitter, forums, and social networking channels.
Influence: 41,839
Influence: 845,105

20. Budget
Budget – HTC Device Giveaway Campaign
$25,000 - $35,000
Budget – Research
$20,000 - $30,000
Budget – Influencer Network Monthly
$15,000/Monthly - $40,000/Monthly

21. CASE STUDIES

22. Objective Strategies Results Agency Partner Campaign Target
Translate the live excitement of Mark Salling’s (from Glee) record release party to the online universe
Activate Glee Fans and Entertainment/Gossip Bloggers to spread the word
Bring Brand Message back to Blackberry BBM along with exclusive Celebrity images
Strategies
Drive influential bloggers to attend the event
Offer reader giveaways to influential bloggers
BBM instant messaging was incorporated into the event (live games and contests), and was part of the brand promotion pitch to bloggers
Follow up with exclusive images of celebrity attendance to bloggers
Results
42+ million direct blog impressions
90 million blog impressions created via organic pass-along
Bloggers’ coverage included celebrity and Glee pitch angles, plus info about how BBM functionality was incorporated into the event
Agency Partner
Campaign
BBM Lounge – Mark Salling (Glee) Record Release Party
Target
Glee Fans, Entertainment/Gossip, Techies
Campaign Duration
Four Weeks

23. Objectives Strategies Agency Partner Results Campaign Target
Drive entries to the Unlock The TC contest
Create engagement with the game
Strategies
Secure Blog Placement
Blog Coverage spilled over to Twitter
Message Board Seeding
Social Network Seeding
Grassroots Syndication of Content
Agency Partner
Campaign
Scion – Unlock The TC
Target
Gen Y Males
Racing/Drifting Enthusiasts
Gamers
Car enthusiasts
Campaign Duration
Eight Weeks
Results
Created 80+ million campaign impressions
Measured an organic reach of campaign materials to 32+ million
Resulted in high percentage of “Dealer Contact”
Created over 1,800 campaign posts
Placement on 600+ Blogs