Public Relations Campaign for Deakin University - Case Study Example

Public Relations Campaign Plan for Deakin University 1. Situation Analysis Deakin University has two campuses situated on either side of Elgar road. The two campuses are namely Burwood (which is experiencing a rapid population growth) and MBT campus. So in order to make the two campuses easily and safely accessible to its students, they have proposed to build a bridge which will connect the two campuses due to the growth of Elgar road potion campus as well. The University communications department has accessed the situation on the ground and found out that the Deakin University problems that need to be addressed are: a) The students, teachers, including people with special needs i.e. the disabled ones and other people as well, are getting it difficult to safely cross the Elgar road while trying to access both the Burwood and MBT campuses while going on with their daily learning activities. b) Poor accessibility of University services and connection by the community. c) Steady population growth of the Burwood campus that call for building of a bridge. There are approximately 500 objections to the proposed plan from different quarters. Some of the park users of where the bridge will occupy also are worried about the creation of precedents for other businesses in the surrounding area. The construction of the bridge will also degrade the environment at the time of its construction because roughly 115 trees will be uprooted to pave the way for the project. However they have to get a go-ahead permit from Whitehorse Council to let them proceed with the proposed bridge construction which is also a challenge to their success of implementing the plan. 2. Goals and Objectives Goals 1. The goals of Deakin University’s bridge construction plan are to make the two campuses easily and safely accessible to its growing population of the students, teachers and the community at large. 2. Connect and allow the community to access the University services. Objectives Safety measures The proposed construction of the bridge will provide the students, teachers and other people who will be using the bridge a safer means of crossing the road in that they will now be free from confrontation of the frequent passing and most probably over-speeding cars on the Elgar road. The construction plan will also comply with the federal disability rules and regulations. Time saving The students, especially the ones with disability, will also have a much convenient time attending and switching classes since they will not be waiting by the roadside for the cars to pass or when the road is clear for them to safely cross on the other end of the campus. Engage the surrounding community in the proposed project They will have to convince about 90% of the people living in the surrounding areas where the bridge will occupy that the project will also be of benefit to them. The achievement of this objective will be measured by contacting the community opinion leaders, through the media press releases, billboards, newspapers and TV advertisements. 3. Target Publics According to the conducted research by the PR specialist, the below findings were gathered: The target publics are listed below: i. Deakin University Students ii. Deakin University Teachers iii. Park users iv. The surrounding community The key targets are the Students, Teachers and the surrounding community. The secondary research as reflected from the available file indicates that most of the respondents are university students, teachers and workers, and most of the surrounding businessmen. Their primary research based on the above profile showed that: a) The respondents unanimously agreed that the proposed project will subsequently turn around their lives. They believe that the bridge will ease the conflict of human and motorists, possible accidents, and congestion of the road caused by both human and cars used by the same road at the same time bearing in mind that the road is currently being mostly crossed by a large number of students while trying to access the two campuses concurrently. b) The research also showed that they are environmental friendly They care so much about the environment and they were not happy to hear that approximately 115 trees were going to be fallen to pave way for the bridge construction. 4. Strategy However they were relieved to learn that the felled trees will be replaced with over 200 seedlings to be planted. The over 200 trees will be planted to replace the 115 trees that will be fallen in the construction process to avert the possible environmental degradation which is harmful to both humans and animals. Workplace strategy: Convinced the workers to participate in the public support promotion and convince their colleagues who were still opposed to the plan. Community strategy: The PR team initiated public addresses and media events to sway the surrounding community dwellers opinions so as to make an impact on their final decisions and judgments. Business strategy: Involved the willing businessmen to talk and explain to their counterparts on the benefits of the proposed projects so that they could also join and support its instigation. By means of paving the way for the bridge to be constructed, it will help both the community at large and the University students in their day to day business and academic activities. After confirming that all the participants of the carried research acknowledged the proposed project, the Whitehorse Council did not see the reason as to not provide the permit to oversee the go-ahead to build the bridge. 5. Tactics The following below tactics were applied while communicating to the students, teachers, and the surrounding community as a whole to convince them to change their negative attitude towards the implementation of the project: The PR specialist worked with the University communication department to develop a strategic plan, the associated tactics and other key messages. The PR specialist improved the proposed project awareness and pilot the University’s communication department through PR program consisting of a letter from the PR specialist to the media industry, a notice pinned to the notice board of the University for the students, billboards, newspapers and TV advertisements to the community, email messages and the University’s periodical articles pinned in the employees’ newsletter to all the University’s members of staff and press releases to the surrounding local community. The PR team of specialists frequented business buildings and residential houses to explain the benefits that will be brought about by the building of the bridge. The decision to use the above mentioned tactics to communicate to the relevant audiences was reached after consulting and sharing ideas with other PR practitioners, the experience of colleagues and other relevant research conducted to determine the most suitable method for each and every audience to get the relevant information and be convinced. 6. Calendar The scheduled events were planned early enough to avoid much inconveniences and possible obstacles. Deakin University Public Relations Campaign Planning Calendar SUBJECT TO CHANGE 2009 March, 25th Introduction and orientation Community forum meeting held at Hill Town Hall Aprill,2nd Teams meets and discuss with Students and University Staff June, 4th Planning Process & Status Reporting. Team meets to work on plans project commencement due. June 6th Team Builds Creative Brief July, 11th Team Build Research and SWOT for plan August, 13th Team meets and start research and SWOT analysis October, 18th Team conducts Research and SWOT analysis Nov, 20th Team puts adverts on TV and newspapers, works on objectives/Evaluation plans (NO FORMAL MEETINGS) Dec. 27th Team works on Creative and Campaign (NO FORMAL MEETING) status reports due 2010 Jan, 2nd Results review (No Formal Meetings) Feb, 4th Media contact strategies March,9th Review session with community representatives April,11th Results report and review and evaluation May, 1st Team represents results reports 7. Evaluation In Nov 2009, the PR specialist and the team he had mobilized for the entire campaign activities rolled out TV adverts, seminars, billboards mounting and press releases which spawned over 600 press mentions which also saw the publications of headline stories about the proposed bridge construction on the daily newspapers. The entire PR team met every month on the scheduled dates to plan and strategies on the way forward. All the participants did come up with diverse tactics and ideas after which the relevant ones which reflected on the themes and ideas were picked and implemented. The majority of the community dwellers, students and University staff attended seminars, read the newspapers, billboards and even watched TV adverts about the proposed projects. Demonstrations were welcomed and invitations sent to media houses. The entire PR campaign increased a good mutual relationship and cordial participation between the surrounding community and the Deakin University community. The community made no objections and the Whitehorse Council issued a permit for the project to go on as planned. Read More