Top Banner
Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal. Copyright © 2015. Think Tank Marketing. CONFIDENTIAL. Proposed for: Prepared by: TH NK TANK ! m a r k e t i n g An IMC Proposal for Make-A-Wish Michigan To engage and inspire Generation X to participate in the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan through donations, volunteering, and lifelong support of the organization 123 Main Street, Morgantown, WV 26508 December 21, 2015
117

IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

Feb 11, 2017

Download

Marketing

Jamie Huggins
Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Page 1: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal. Copyright © 2015. Think Tank Marketing. CONFIDENTIAL.

Proposed for: Prepared by:

TH NK TANK! m a r k e t i n g

An IMC Proposal for Make-A-Wish Michigan

To engage and inspire Generation X to participate in the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan through donations, volunteering, and lifelong support of the organization

123 Main Street, Morgantown, WV 26508 December 21, 2015

Page 2: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION OPENING LETTER……………………………….……………………………………………………………..…4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY………………………………………………..…………………………………………5

AGENCY MATERIALS BUSINESS CARD…………………………………………………………………………………………………..6 LETTERHEAD..…………………….………………….………………..……………………………………..……7 AGENCY CREDENTIALS AND IDENTITY……….……..…………..….……………………………..………8 PRESS RELEASE………………………….…………..……………………………………..……..……………..10

SITUATION ANALYSIS MAKE-A-WISH MISSION……………………………………………………………………………………….11 MAKE-A-WISH HISTORY……………………………………………………………………………………….11 THE IMPACT OF A WISH………………………………………………………………………………………12 THE MICHIGAN CHAPTER…………………………………………………………………………………….12 FINANCIALS…………………………………………………………………………………………..…………..13 SIGNATURE EVENTS………………………………………………………………………………………..…..13 KEY THIRD PARTY EVENTS IN 2014..……………………………………………………………………….14 DONATION PROGRAMS………………………………………………………………………………………15 FUNDRAISING PROGRAMS………………………………………………………………………………..….16 VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES……………………………………………………………………………….16 PARTNERSHIPS AND SPONSORSHIPS……………………………………………………………………..16 SOCIAL NETWORKING………..………………………………….……………………………………………17 OTHER COMMUNICATION TOOLS…………………………….………………………………………..…18 OUTSTANDING CAMPAIGNS………………………………………….……………………………………..19 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE……………………………………………….………………………………….20 CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES………………………………………………………………….…..25

TARGET AUDIENCE MEET GENERATION X…………………………………………………………………………………………28

DEMOGRAPHICS……………………………………………………………………………………….…28 PSYCHOGRAPHICS………………………………………………………………………………………. 29 DIVERSITY………………………………………………………………………………………………..…30 TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA CONSUMPTION………………..……………………………………….31 ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS TOWARD NONPROFITS………………………………………………..32 BUILD TRUST THROUGH TRANSPARENCY……………………………………………………………33

SECONDARY AUDIENCE………………………………………………………………………………………33

SWOT ANALYSIS SWOT ANALYSIS DIAGRAM…………………………………………………………………………………..35

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 2

Page 3: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

SWOT ANALYSIS RATIONALE…………………………………………………………………………….….35

RESEARCH FOCUS GROUP REPORT……………………………………………………………………………………….37

MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN BRAND BRAND PERCEPTION…………………………………………………………………………………………..43 BRAND PERSONALITY………………………………………………………………………………………….44 BRAND POSITIONING………………………………………………………………………………………….47

CREATIVE MATERIALS ICSS STATEMENT………………………………………………………………………………………………..50 CREATIVE BRIEF………………………………………………………………………………………………….52

COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA PLAN CREATIVE THEME……………….…..…………………………..………………………………………………53 CAMPAIGN GOAL……………………………………………………………………………………………….54 CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES………………………………………………………………………………….…..55 CAMPAIGN TACTICS……………………………………………………………………………………………55

THE PROJECT IMPACT CAMPAIGN…………………………………………..………………………..57 WISHES IN FLIGHT……………………………………………………………..…………………………68 THE WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR……………………………………………………….……………..71 DETROIT WALK FOR WISHES……………………………………………………………………………74 CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS……………………………………………………………………………78 INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS PLAN……………….…………….………………..…………………81 CREATIVE EXECUTIONS……………………………………………………………………………….…83 BUDGET SUMMARY………………………………..………………………………………..……………99 2016 INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS FLOWCHART………………………………….………..101

EVALUATION PLAN CAMPAIGN SURVEYS…………………………………….………………….……………..…………………104 INTERNAL SURVEYS…………………………………………………………………………………..105 FOCUS GROUPS……………………………………………………………………….……………..…….….105 SOCIAL MEDIA REPORTS…………………………………………………………….……..………….……106

CONCLUSION CAMPAIGN CONCLUSION……………………………………………………………………………….…108

APPENDICES APPENDIX A: FOCUS GROUP MODERATOR’S GUIDE…………………….….……………………..109 APPENDIX B: REFERENCES…………………………………………………….….……………………..…112

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 3

Page 4: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

December 21, 2015

Ms. Karen Davis PresidentMake-A-Wish Michigan7600 Grand River Ave. Suite 175 Brighton, MI 48114 Cc: Ms. Sherri CollinsVice President of Marketing and Brand Advancement

Dear Ms. Davis:

On behalf of Think Tank Marketing, thank you for the opportunity to submit this integrated marketing communications proposal to Make-A-Wish Michigan. Your organization’s efforts to enrich children’s lives by granting wishes have made a lasting impact on young people, their families, others across Michigan communities, and beyond. As personal supporters of your cause, we would consider it an honor to partner with such an impactful organization on this project.

The strategy outlined in the following pages seeks to engage and inspire the Generation X demographic to participate in the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan through donations, volunteering, and lifelong support of the organization. We believe this market to be crucial to Make-A-Wish Michigan’s future. In this document, you will find proven research and innovative marketing tactics, which will allow your organization to successfully appeal to and attract this generation long-term.

Think Tank Marketing was founded on the philosophy that the smallest ideas have the potential to be extraordinary. Much like the wishes your organization grants, ideas have the power to impact lives, and we believe the best life stories happen when a group of people unite their ideas for good. This belief has laid the foundation of our sole mission, which is to be apart of the life-changing work nonprofits do and take their stories to the public.

Think Tank Marketing exclusively works with nonprofit organizations to help solve a variety of marketing and communications challenges. We offer a mix of both traditional and digital services, grounded in a storytelling approach, to ensure that your organization can build long-lasting relationships with its target audiences.

We are very excited about the possibility of partnering with Make-A-Wish Michigan. I will call your office on December 28, 2015, to discuss this proposal in greater detail. Sincerely,

Jamie Huggins Founder & CEO — Think Tank Marketing

123 Main Street | Morgantown, West Virginia 26508 | 304.123.4567 | thinktankmarketing.com

TH NK TANK! m a r k e t i n g

Page 5: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

It all began with one wish. One wish that had a lasting impact on a little boy, on his family, on a group of co-workers and friends, on complete strangers, and even around the world. Make-A-Wish Michigan was founded on the principles behind that wish. The organization has a rich history of granting wishes to provide hope, strength, and joy to children with life-threatening medical conditions. These wishes have been proven to provide a real impact.

In the research stage of this proposal, Think Tank Marketing discovered something important about Generation X, our target audience for this campaign. Generation X strives to make an impact as well. Here, within this often-forgotten demographic, lies a group of individuals who truly want to be involved with nonprofits. They want their donations, time spent volunteering, and participation with fundraisers to have a positive, transparent impact in their local communities, but they often feel like their efforts are not needed or even wanted. This reasoning led to the creation of our ICSS, which is: For 35-50 year olds wanting to make a positive impact in their local communities, Make-A-Wish Michigan is a premier nonprofit, which provides a direct outlet for helping children across the state of Michigan.

PROJECT IMPACT was created so Make-A-Wish Michigan could meet the driving, charitable needs of Generation X. It blends the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan with the idea that Generation X can directly be a part of the wish granting process to make a positive impact locally. It delivers the message that we all have the ability to make an impact — in a child’s life, in their families’ lives, or in our local communities. The possibilities for impact are endless.

The tactics and touch-points laced throughout PROJECT IMPACT seek to achieve the stated campaign goal of increasing donations to $1.25 million and increasing the number of volunteers by 20 percent from 690 to 830 by uniting the target audience under the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan. Through the integrated use of social media, a responsive microsite, email marketing, digital advertising, digital video creation, event marketing, and traditional advertising tactics, Generation X’ers will regularly come into contact with the campaign. Whether it be while eating at the IMPACT of the Food Trucks Festival, donating at their favorite store during IMPACT for Wishes, or starting their own IMPACT campaign, this campaign will forge personal connections with our target audience that they can easily share with others.

#MAKEYOURIMPACT, which is integrated throughout the campaign, was created as a challenge to Generation X, but it is also the start of a movement. It is a call-to-action designed to create engagement in any way possible. It seeks to inspire teamwork and camaraderie. Perhaps, most importantly, it allows people to unite under something much bigger than themselves. To give, to volunteer, and to participate, simply to help others in their local communities. This connection, this impact, with Make-A-Wish Michigan is something that Think Tank Marketing believes will truly last for years to come.

Page 6: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

BUSINESS CARD

Front:

Back:

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 6

TH NK TANK! m a r k e t i n g

i m c a g e n c y

jamie hugginsfounder & ceo

123 main street morgantown, wv

[email protected]

thinktankmarketing.com@thinktankmarketing

304.123.4567

t h i n

k t a

n k

m

a r k

e t

i n g

Page 7: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

123 Main Street | Morgantown, West Virginia 26508 | 304.123.4567 | thinktankmarketing.com

SAM

PLE

LETT

ERHEA

D

TH NK TANK! m a r k e t i n g

Page 8: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

WELCOME TO THE THINK TANK

Think Tank Marketing is a full-service, integrated marketing agency located in Morgantown, West Virginia. Think Tank Marketing was founded on the philosophy that the smallest ideas have the potential to be extraordinary. Ideas have the power to impact lives, and we believe the best stories in life happen when a group of people unite their ideas under a positive cause. This is why Think Tank Marketing seeks to partner with nonprofit organizations committed to achieving the greater good in their communities. We believe that together we can truly make a difference and inspire change — all it takes is one idea.

OUR MISSION

At Think Tank Marketing, we have made it our sole mission to be a part of the life-changing work nonprofits do and take their stories to the public. Whether it’s raising awareness, building a community, or inspiring donors, Think Tank Marketing’s integrated marketing approach allows your organization to showcase innovative ideas crafted precisely for today’s audiences.

OUR APPROACH

In order for nonprofit organizations to achieve their goals, Think Tank Marketing believes that good ideas must get more than noticed to inspire change — they need to be believed. This is why we take a storytelling, rather than sales-oriented, approach to help strengthen your organization’s brand. We help give your brand a relatable identity by listening to your audience and crafting stories that are genuine, inspirational, and creative.

Think Tank Marketing exclusively works with nonprofit organizations, who need a full-service creative team to carry out marketing and communications initiatives beyond existing staff. We conduct in-depth market analysis and research in order to craft integrated marketing content and build a cohesive brand identity. This, in turn, works to target possible supporters with the purpose of turning them into brand advocates.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 8

TH NK TANK! m a r k e t i n g

Page 9: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Tell us about your cause and the vision you have for your organization, and we will evaluate your current marketing strategy and best determine your marketing needs. Our integrated approach has repeatedly been proven to increase donations, increase volunteer numbers, create positive buzz from the press, and result in increased engagement on social media. Think Tank Marketing values a close-knit collaboration with our clients, and through collaborative brainstorming, we will help you develop a strategy that will best address your goals, opportunities, obstacles, and budget.

OUR SERVICES

At Think Tank Marketing, our agency provides a mix of traditional and digital marketing and communications services to our clients to transform collaborative ideas into vision and achieve strategic goals. We are committed to providing the right combination of integrated creative tools to get good accomplished.

We have in-house expertise on a wide-range of services including:

• Analytics • Branding • Creative • Digital Engagement • Email Marketing • Guerilla Marketing • Internal Communications • Market Research • Media Placement • Media Relations • Mobile Marketing • Public Relations • SEO • Social Media Marketing • Video Production • Website Design and Development

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 9

Page 10: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release January 1, 2015

Integrated Marketing Agency Think Tank Marketing Opens For Business New agency seeks to help nonprofit organizations “re-think” marketing strategies

Morgantown, WV (January 1, 2015) — Think Tank Marketing, a full-service, integrated marketing agency in Morgantown, WV, has officially announced that it is open for business. Unlike other agencies in the Appalachian region, they exclusively work with nonprofit organizations across the country to help them “re-think” marketing strategies to successfully connect with their target audiences.

Think Tank Marketing places a heavy focus on storytelling, and the agency believes that believable, genuine stories are the foundation to successful brands. “Storytelling is important because it’s inherent to being human. Stories allow us to pass on our values and beliefs to one another,” said Jamie Huggins, founder of Think Tank Marketing. “However, the most powerful storytelling takes place in the hearts and minds of our audiences when they create their own imagery and meaning from the stories we share.”

Think Tank Marketing provides services in both digital and traditional media grounded in an integrated marketing framework, which ensures organizations can build long-lasting relationships with their target audiences. The agency assists clients on a wide range of services from creative and social media marketing to analytics and branding.

“We are excited to collaborate with nonprofit organizations, who are committed to achieving the greater good in their communities. We use an integrated marketing approach and provide the right combination of tools to transform collaborative ideas into vision and achieve the strategic goals of our clients,” said Huggins.

To advertise the agency’s opening, Think Tank Marketing has created a video news release to give the public a behind-the-scenes look at the agency, in hopes that they can understand how its mission and existence came about. The VNR will be aired on January 5, 2015, on the 6:00 PM segment of Channel 4 ’s Local Evening News.

Think Tank Marketing is currently accepting new clients. For more information visit thinktankmarketing.com or tweet @ThinkTankMarketing.

###

Contact Jamie Huggins — Founder & CEO Think Tank Marketing [email protected] 304.123.4567

About Think Tank Marketing Think Tank Marketing is a full-service integrated marketing agency based in Morgantown, WV. Think Tank Marketing exclusively works with nonprofit organizations to help solve a variety of marketing and communications challenges. The agency offers a mix of both traditional and digital services to ensure organizations can build long-lasting relationships with their target audiences. To learn more about Think Tank Marketing, visit us online at thinktankmarketing.com or tweet us @thinktankmarketing.

123 Main Street | Morgantown, West Virginia 26508 | 304.123.4567 | thinktankmarketing.com

TH NK TANK! m a r k e t i n g

Page 11: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

SITUATION ANALYSIS

MAKE-A-WISH MISSION

The mission of the Make-A-Wish Foundation is to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope,

strength, and joy (Our Mission, 2015).

Make-A-Wish is unlike any other foundation. They can proudly say that they grant a new child’s wish every 37 minutes. With a focus on putting others first and asking nothing in return, Make-A-Wish has helped hundreds of thousands of medically ill children realize the power behind one wish. While wishes certainly impact the children involved, they also inspire volunteers, donors, medical professionals, and local communities. “Whatever the odds, whatever the obstacles . . . wishes find a way to make the world better” (Our Mission, 2015).

MAKE-A-WISH HISTORY

It all began with one wish.

Tommy Austin was a U.S. Customs agent with a problem. His wife’s friend, Linda, had a young son named Chris Greicius, who was diagnosed with leukemia. More than anything, Chris wanted to be a police officer, so he could “catch the bad guys” with Austin. Austin desperately wanted to help Chris, so he took the 7 year old’s request to the Arizona Department of Public Safety (How it all Started, 2015).

With no charities in existence to support Chris, a group of DPS officers decided to work together to grant the wish. The officers commissioned a uniform, organized a helicopter ride, and put Chris through the necessary exams so he could receive his very own motorcycle officer wings. On the day his badge arrived, Chris had to be rushed to the hospital, but the DPS officers brought the badge there to give to him. A day later, Chris passed away, tightly clutching his badge (How it all Started, 2015).

After Chris’s passing, word of his story began to spread. DPS officers, Frank Shankwitz and Scott Stahl both concurred that Chris’s wish experience was the beginning of something wonderful for children. In July of 1980, a group of DPS officers, friends, and families gathered

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 11

Page 12: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

for the first meeting of what was to become a wish-granting organization. By 1983, the national Make-A-Wish Foundation was officially incorporated, and local chapters began to open across the country (How it all Started, 2015).

Years later, the story of Chris Greicius has gone on to inspire the world. Make-A-Wish has evolved into more than 60 chapters nationwide and is located in nearly 50 countries internationally. Nearly 250,000 wishes have been granted worldwide (FAQ, 2015). The fuel that ignited and motivated Make-A-Wish as a foundation can best be illustrated by the words of co-founder, Kathy McMorris, “Make-A-Wish was about the community taking care of the families and the needs of others. And it did! That was the draw into it: people giving of themselves and asking for nothing in return. What we received from giving was the gift in return. This is still true today” (Timeline, 2015).

THE IMPACT OF A WISH

According to the results of a 2011 Wish Impact Study, a granted wish allows children with life-threatening medical conditions to fight harder against their illnesses. “A combined 89 percent of doctors, nurses and health professionals surveyed say they believe a wish experience can influence wish kids' physical health” (Wish Facts, 2015). Granted wishes have additionally been proven to enhance the mental state of both children and their parents. “Ninety-nine percent of parents reported that the wish experience gave their children increased feelings of happiness and 96 percent said that the wish experience strengthened their families” (Wish Facts, 2015). Finally, granting wishes also works to strengthen communities. “Ninety-five percent of community volunteers reported an increased sense of compassion and 84 percent felt an increased faith in humanity” (Wish Facts, 2015).

THE MICHIGAN CHAPTER Make-A-Wish Michigan was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Brighton, Michigan. It has additional offices in Detroit and Grand Rapids. The organization has 700+ volunteers to help further its mission in various capacities, but all locations work together to serve families across all 83 Michigan counties (FAQ, 2015). Additionally, Make-A-Wish

Michigan has been rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator, which is its highest rating given to a nonprofit.

Since its inception, Make-A-Wish Michigan has granted more than 8,000 wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions. Currently, there are around 450 eligible Michigan children awaiting their wishes to be granted. However, the average value for a Michigan wish to be granted is around $8,000. This high cost is, in part, due to travel expenses. “More than

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 12

Page 13: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

78 percent of Michigan wishes require air travel, making it a critical – and costly – resource” (FAQ, 2015). The Michigan chapter estimates that 300 wishes this year will involve travel, which will incur approximately 98 million airline miles. Make-A-Wish Michigan’s goal is to reach more than 400 kids this year, which equals out to more than one wish granted per day (FAQ, 2015).

FINANCIALS

Make-A-Wish Michigan’s “fundraising efforts, fiscal practices, and business operations all are designed to support a single purpose: to grant wishes that change lives” (Managing Funds, 2015). More than 80 cents for every dollar spent goes directly to program services — i.e. wish granting. For the 2014 fiscal year, contributions and investments for Make-A-Wish Michigan totaled $6,950,049. Included in that amount were in-kind gifts, which totaled $1,558,960. At the end of the year, net assets totaled $1,812,208 (Make-A-Wish Michigan, 2014). The total number of wishes granted in 2014 was 366 — with the majority of children (181) wishing to go to Walt Disney World (Make-A-Wish Michigan, 2014).

SIGNATURE EVENTS

WALK FOR WISHES

Walk For Wishes is a nationwide Make-A-Wish fundraiser that celebrates the thousands of wishes, which have already been granted. It also raises money for future wishes to be granted. Make-A-Wish Michigan’s Walk for Wishes events are held annually in both Detroit and Grand Rapids. The most recent Detroit Walk for Wishes raised more than $460,000 and had a record-breaking number of over 4,000 participants. The most recent Grand Rapids Walk for Wishes raised more than $115,000 and had 600 registered walkers (Walk for Wishes, 2015).

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 13

Page 14: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR

Make-A-Wish Michigan’s largest fundraiser is the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour. The WAM Tour celebrates the accomplishments of the cyclists and raises money for wish families. The WAM Tour consists of three, distinct tours: the WAM 300, the WAM 50, and the WAM Jr. The WAM 300 is a three day tour covering 300 miles of Michigan countryside, while the WAM 50 is a one day, 50 mile bike ride. The WAM Jr. is a half-mile kids ride geared at children ages 5-13. The most recent WAM Tour raised more than $2.1 million and included nearly 1,000 riders and 300 volunteers at the event (Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour, 2015).

WISH BALL

Make-A-Wish Michigan hosts two black-tie galas, known as the Wish Ball. These galas take place in Grand Rapids and Detroit, and they feature a magical night of wish granting to help support the wishes of children with life-threatening conditions. The most recent Wish Ball in Grand Rapids had nearly 700 guests attend the event to celebrate and raise money for Michigan children (Wish Ball, 2015).

KEY THIRD PARTY EVENTS IN 2014

BLAKE’S HAUNTED HAYRIDE

The Agosta family hosted Blake’s Haunted Hayride in support of their son, Jordan, who received a wish to travel to Walt Disney World in 2013. “The Agosta’s event at Blake’s Haunted House in Armada, Michigan, raised more than $10,000 to help make wishes come true for Michigan kids” (Make-A-Wish Michigan, 2014).

SNOWFEST SNOWMOBILE RIDE

“The annual Snowfest Snowmobile Ride is a gathering of snow-lovers who enjoy snow fun, while raising funds for Make-A-Wish Michigan” (Make-A-Wish Michigan, 2014). In 2014, the Snowfest event raised more than $18,000 to help grant the wishes of Michigan kids.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 14

Page 15: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

TRI-COUNTY JR. EAGLES

“The Tri-County Jr. Eagles planned yearlong fundraising events at the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Sand Lake, Michigan. The Eagles sold Make-A-Wish stars, as well as hosted a Mother’s Day Tea and Silent Auction to support the Kids for Wish Kids program” (Make-A-Wish Michigan, 2014). In 2014, the Tri-County Jr. Eagles raise $4,400.

WINGS FOR WISHES NIGHT WITH THE DETROIT RED WINGS

“The Detroit Red Wings hosted the annual Wings for Wishes event and raised more than $20,000 to help make wishes come true for Michigan kids. Henrik Zetterberg, the Red Wings captain, also hosted three wish families in the Zetterberg Foundation Suite” (Make-A-Wish Michigan, 2014).

DONATION PROGRAMS

WISHES IN FLIGHT

“Nationally, Make-A-Wish would need more than 2.5 billion miles, or 50,000 round-trip tickets, to cover every travel wish each year” (Donate Airline Miles, 2015). However, with the Wishes in Flight program, individuals can donate their frequent flier miles to help wish kids and their families travel to destinations around the world. Several major airlines are apart of this program including the following: Delta, JetBlue, United, and American Airlines.

WHEELS FOR WISHES

Wheels for Wishes is a nonprofit car donation program established to benefit local chapters of the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Since 2009, “Wheels For Wishes has donated over 25 million dollars to the chapters of Make-A-Wish helping them grant thousands and thousands of wishes for children across the country” (About Our Charity, 2015). Wish children benefit when individuals chose to donate their RVs, cars, trucks, motorcycles, or boats to Wheels for Wishes. This charity car program allows local residents to give back to their communities by donating unwanted vehicles to help to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

ADOPT-A-WISH

The Adopt-A-Wish program allows individuals to donate gift increments of $6,000 or $10,000 to completely fund a child’s wish. Make-A-Wish Michigan has used donations from its Adopt-A-Wish program to fund trips to Disney World, allow Michigan kids to meet celebrities and sports heroes, and even send kids a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Hawaii (Adopt-A-Wish, 2015).

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 15

Page 16: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

MORE WAYS TO GIVE

Whether it is a one-time donation or through monthly gifts, Make-A-Wish Michigan offers programs that make it easy for any Michigan resident to donate. Make-A-Wish Michigan additionally accepts donations through workplace giving, in-kind giving, planned giving, and through stock donations (Ways to Help, 2015).

FUNDRAISING PROGRAMS

WISHMAKERS ON CAMPUS

Wishmakers on Campus is a fundraising program geared at college students. This program allows college students in Greek, honors, professional or social organizations, or groups of friends to come together and raise money for wish kids (Wishmakers on Campus, 2015).

KIDS FOR WISH KIDS

Kids for Wish Kids “fosters the value of community service by providing students with hands-on experience in helping to grant wishes through their local Make-A-Wish chapter” (Kids for Wish Kids, 2015). Additionally, this program provides a mechanism for leadership skills, school spirit, and teamwork building. While parents and teachers often serve as advisors, ownership of the project belongs to the children involved.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Make-A-Wish Michigan depends on the assistance of its volunteers. Volunteer opportunities vary across the state of Michigan, but a few of the more common opportunities offered are wish-granting volunteers, special events volunteers, and office volunteers. Wish-granting volunteers associate with kids and their families through the entire wish-granting process. Special events volunteers participate in local Michigan fundraising events and do anything from registration to passing out t-shirts. Office volunteers help staff with mailings, filings, answering phones, and other clerical duties (Volunteer Opportunities, 2015).

PARTNERSHIPS AND SPONSORSHIPS

Make-A-Wish offers companies a unique opportunity to become a corporate partner with the organization, so more children can be reached and more lives can be changed. Make-A-Wish offers three different types of partnerships: sponsorships, cause marketing, and employee giving.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 16

Page 17: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

To date, Make-A-Wish has amassed a wide range of corporate partners including big names like: Disney, Mattel, Royal Caribbean, United, Kia, Build-A-Bear (Corporate Partners, 2015). Specifically, Make-A-Wish Michigan has amassed its own local sponsors, which include names like Amway Global, Pepsi, Planet Fitness, Meijer, Farmer’s Insurance, and Quicken Loans, to name a few (Our Sponsors, 2015).

SOCIAL NETWORKING

Make-A-Wish Michigan has a social networking presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Make-A-Wish Michigan has sent children to Walt Disney World, let them go on shopping adventures, and even introduced them to celebrities. All of these unique, yet personal stories, provide excellent material for content, and Make-A-Wish Michigan has found a way to bring all of it online through the power of social media. Make-A-Wish Michigan uses social media for storytelling to inspire potential donors and volunteers through brief posts and images centered around wish granting, events, and volunteer opportunities. This humanization of wish kids helps increase relatability among Make-A-Wish Michigan supporters.

It is important to note that much of Make-A-Wish Michigan’s content is used across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. However, the content uploaded is native to the platform. Pictures, videos, and articles are uploaded to Facebook. High quality, yet personable images, are uploaded to Instagram, and pictures and applicable articles are uploaded to Twitter. The posts with the most engagement appear to center around the granting of wish stories. On Facebook and Instagram, these posts average anywhere from 50-100 “likes.”

However, Make-A-Wish Michigan does fall short with its social media strategy in a few, key areas. • YOUTUBE: Though Make-A-Wish has a YouTube channel, which is linked via their website, it

is rarely updated. The last video was uploaded approximately 6 months ago. Make-A-Wish Michigan is missing a huge opportunity by not posting more consistently on its YouTube channel. “The video content that is winning the hearts and minds of people around the globe is personal, not corporate or political, and usually funny or heartwarming” (Dawson, 2015). The wishes that Make-A-Wish Michigan grants help strengthen families, rally communities together, and change lives. That type of content qualifies as prime YouTube content — it is certainly heartwarming and personal. YouTube’s statistics show that more than 1 billion users visit the website each month, and they watch over 6 billion hours of content (Stelzner, 2013). When these statistics are taken into account, it is evident that YouTube is an amazing tool that Make-A-Wish Michigan should be using more often to connect with its audiences.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 17

Page 18: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

• PINTEREST: Though Make-A-Wish Michigan has a Pinterest account, it is not linked on their website, and it is rarely updated. The last item was pinned approximately a year ago. It is important to add that people use Pinterest to discover, save, and do things that inspire them. “The average pin gets re-pinned 11 times” (Knight, 2015). Whether it is pinning the story of a wish kid or a even motivational quote about giving, Make-A-Wish Michigan can use Pinterest as a gateway to connect with their audiences by curating interesting, high quality, and inspiring pins. The Pinterest account should also be linked to the website for increased visibility.

• ENGAGEMENT: There are quite a few missed engagement opportunities, which can be seen across Make-A-Wish Michigan’s social platforms. On Facebook, for example, there are some questions and posts from users that go by unanswered and unengaged. These posts range in topics from asking about volunteer opportunities to thanking Make-A-Wish Michigan for granting a wish. Engaging with these users is crucial. Engagement is as important as content. Consistent engagement will allow Make-A-Wish Michigan a way into the world of their core audiences. It will help to strengthen relationships and build trust.

• LACK OF DONATION REQUESTS: While Make-A-Wish Michigan succeeds in the area of storytelling by featuring “Wish Stories” on their social media channels, there seems to be very few calls-to-action asking for donations. While it is certainly important not to over-flood their followers with donation requests, very few posts actually ask the public for donations. This could lead to a misconception from their audiences that the organization does not need donations outside of in-kind donations, national partnerships, and local sponsors. Intermittently asking for donations lets their followers know that there is a real need.

OTHER COMMUNICATION TOOLS

Make-A-Wish publishes the Wish Nation blog, which shares stories from all of its local chapters. The blog gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on at Make-A-Wish, so they can see how wishes come together and change the lives of those they impact. They feature stories about wish kids and their families, Make-A-Wish employees, and volunteers (Wish Nation, 2015). The blog posts have a comments section, but the majority of the blog posts show no recent comments from readers.

Besides social media and the corporate blog, Make-A-Wish Michigan has a media section on their website, which shares local news media articles and videos, press releases, and media kits. Overall, this section seems to be regularly maintained and easy to navigate. Additionally, the organization offers email, mobile, and mobile sign-ups, where individuals can receive information about wish stories, news and updates, and ways to donate. Finally, Make-A-Wish Michigan publishes Our Best Wishes newsletter, which shares wish stories, event information, and other relevant information about the local chapter. The newsletter can be found and

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 18

Page 19: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

viewed on the Make-A-Wish Michigan website, however, the web-version appears to not have been updated for at least a year.

OUTSTANDING CAMPAIGNS

BATKID CAMPAIGN

The story of a 5 year-old named Miles Scott, also known as Batkid, caused thousands of people to unite under the power of one wish. Miles, who is in remission from leukemia, had his wish granted when he became a crime-fighting San Francisco superhero. He cruised around in a Lamborghini and fought terrifying villains like the Riddler and the Penguin. On that day, Miles received tweets from President Barack Obama, Brittany Spears, and millions of others — not to mention, he had thousands of people cheering him on in person (Schwartz, 2013).

This event did not go viral on its own. It was a cleverly crafted campaign. Social media was utilized to alert the public of the Batkid event. On Twitter, the handles @SFWish and @PenguinSF were used, and the hashtag #SFbatkid was placed on all content. Tweets linked back to the Make-A-Wish website, where details told of Batkid’s upcoming adventure. “The final piece of the social media campaign was a Twitter chat the morning of Batkid's big day, focusing on heroes and sending out a call-to-action for Make-a-Wish donations” (Schwartz, 2015).

The results from the campaign were impressive. In just a few days, there were approximately 600,000 tweets and 1.7 million Twitter impressions. At the peak of traffic time, the Make-A-Wish website even crashed, due to receiving 1,000 hits per second. In the end, this campaign became so large that 20,000 people came to see Miles receive his very own key to the city (Schwartz, 2015).

Today, the power of this event still carries on throughout local chapters of the organization. Specifically, Make-A-Wish Michigan holds a fundraiser, which includes a silent auction and a special viewing of Batkid Begins. Batkid Begins is a documentary film about the story behind Batkid. The money raised will help support the wishes of other children, like Miles, who have life-threatening medical conditions.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 19

Page 20: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

BELIEVE CAMPAIGN

Set to be running for its 8th consecutive year, the Believe campaign combines the forces of Make-A-Wish and Macy’s to help wishes come to life. The Believe campaign kicks off every year in November, and it lets children write letters to Santa to help meet the goal of raising money for Make-A-Wish. For each letter mailed, Macy’s donates $1 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Last year, the Believe campaign raised $2 million for Make-A-Wish. Over past years, Macy’s has donated more than $83 million to the Make-A-Wish foundation, and last year alone, they helped make it possible for Make-A-Wish to transform the lives of 1,200 children (Macy’s Believe Campaign, 2015).

WORLD WISH DAY CAMPAIGN

World Wish Day, held on the 29th of April, is a global celebration of wish-granting. “It celebrates the day in 1980 when Chris Greicius received his wish to be a police officer for the day, inspiring the creation of Make-A-Wish and the organization’s global wish-granting movement” (World Wish Day, 2015). Through the support of Make-A-Wish affiliates, corporate sponsors, and celebrities, this campaign has generated significant buzz across social media platforms. Below, are a few statistics highlighting the success of the campaign:

• Over 200 wishes granted • 20+ national and international events • Activation in 40 countries • 90,000+ mentions of World Wish Day on social media • National and international celebrity support (World Wish Day, 2015).

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

All organizations, whether they are profit or nonprofit, are competing for something — perhaps its donors or maybe its more volunteers. However, in the nonprofit sector, competition is viewed differently. While the for-profit sector is all about the bottom line, the nonprofit sector works to advance the greater good. It is more about differentiation than strict competition. However, nonprofits should be aware that today there are more marketing messages than ever

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 20

Page 21: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

bombarding potential donors. Make-A-Wish Michigan needs to think strategically and do its best to stand out if it seeks to accomplish its goals.

ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital was started in 1962. Its founder, Danny Thomas, sought for a place that would allow children to be treated regardless of race, religion, or their family’s ability to pay. Since that time, St Jude has made incredible strides in childhood cancer research. “They have helped improve the survival rate of childhood cancer from 20 percent to 80 percent. ALL, the disease with a virtual death sentence in 1962, now has a survival rate of 94 percent” (How St. Jude Began, 2015). St. Jude has also become a world leader in developing new, improved treatments for children with cancer, and they

create more clinical trials for cancer than any other children’s hospital. Also outstanding is the fact that no family ever receives a bill for any treatment, travel, housing or food while their child is at St. Jude (How St. Jude Began, 2015).

In the last 20 years, St. Jude has increased fundraising by 50 percent. The hospital’s fundraising strategy targets donors of all ages and socioeconomic levels. They refer to this approach as cradle to grave. “The hospital holds fundraising events that target all ages, such as tricycle races for toddlers, golf tournaments, all-night dance parties, and Greek events on college campuses” (How St. Jude Built, 2012). This fundraising strategy allowed the hospital to raise $698 million in 2011. Today, there are more than 9 million active St. Jude donors, who donate an average of $30 individually. Additionally, “the hospital's fundraising arm now comprises more than 1,000 staffers, rivaling the medical staff, which is made up of 1,483 researchers, physicians, and nurses” (How St. Jude Built, 2012). THE DREAM FACTORY

Founded in Kentucky in 1980, the Dream Factory has grown into the second-largest wish granting organization in the United States. The organization has

granted the wishes of over 25,000 children — all while maintaining a grassroots approach.  It operates 38 local chapters and has a network of 5,000 dedicated volunteers nationwide.  Because the Dream Factory does not employ people on a local level, 90% of money raised by the organization is used to grant the dreams of critically and chronically ill children. “This record of success has been recognized by Charity Navigator as a four-star charity, it’s highest rating” (Mission, 2015).

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 21

Page 22: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Though this organization sounds quite similar to Make-A-Wish Michigan, it differs in the fact that it does not limit wish granting to children with life-threatening illnesses. “The organization believes children with chronic illnesses and disorders also suffer from substantial emotional and physical pain” (Mission, 2015). However, like Make-A-Wish Michigan, they work to provide hope and relief to children and their families on a daily basis by granting wishes, or as Dream Factory calls them “dreams.” The average cost for a dream factory dream to be granted is $5,000.

Concerning events and fundraisers, Dream Factory has a Run for Dreams event, Jewelry in Candles partnership, Amazon Smile account, GiveExpress account through American Express, and a listing through eBay Giving Works (Other Ways to Help, 2015). However, there is little information on the website concerning their success from a numbers standpoint. Dream Factory’s core partners range from Walmart and American Airlines to Millennium Hotels and Resorts.

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

The American Cancer Society was founded in 1913 by 10 doctors and 5 laypeople in New York City to help control the spread of cancer (Our History, 2015). Over 100 years later, the American Cancer Society has grown into the largest nationwide volunteer organization in the United States, and they are committed to helping people stay well, finding cures, and fighting against cancer. Since 1946, the American Cancer Society has spent more than $4

billion on cancer research (ACS Fact Sheet, 2015).

The American Cancer Society relies on the strength of its 2.5 million volunteers to help raise funds for research, transport cancer patients, work events, and give support to patients and their families. Every year, the American Cancer Society hosts its Relay for Life campaign. Since its origin in 1985, the Relay for Life movement has raised more than $5 billion to help fight cancer (What is Relay, 2015). Relay for Life also has a strong social media presence. Their Facebook page has almost 500,000 likes, while the Twitter profile has over 43,000 followers. It is evident that the American Cancer Society has embraced social media as one of their most impactful marketing channels. Posts typically receive thousands of “likes” on Facebook, their followers appear to be engaged, and the organization does well in responding to comments and questions.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 22

Page 23: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES

The first Ronald McDonald House opened its doors in 1974. Since that time, the McDonald’s System has continuously supported the organization through monetary donations, volunteer contributes, board participation, and media donations (Our Relationship With McDonalds, 2015).

The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities is thinking globally, acting locally to provide resources for children and their families (Mission and Vision, 2015). They act out their mission

through providing stability and resources to children and their families. Ronald McDonald Houses and Family Rooms provide housing to families near their hospitalized child. Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles allow children to get basic medical and dental care in rural communities. Today, there are 353 Ronald McDonald Houses, 196 Ronald McDonald Family Rooms, and 50 Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles (What We Do, 2015).

Ronald McDonald House Charities has local chapters in more than 60 countries and regions nationally and globally. Last year, they served the needs of nearly 5.7 million children and their families. Additionally, the organization has raised more than $200 million through Ronald McDonald House Charities donation boxes. “At least one Ronald McDonald House Charities core program provides care for children and their families being served at 89 percent of the top children’s hospitals worldwide” (What We Do, 2015).

Ronald McDonald House Charities also partakes in fundraising throughout the year with event hosting and outings. One of their most successful Michigan events is the GOah Noah! bike-ride, walk, and 5K trail race. This year, the event drew 100 participants and raised $12,000 for the organization. The family-friendly event was started to help parents cope with medical crises by coming together as a community. “It is named after, Noah Wexler, who was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor, medulloblastoma, at age 9” (7th Annual, 2015).

THE UNITED WAY

In 1887, the United Way movement was founded to “collect the funds for local charities, to coordinate relief services, to counsel and refer clients to cooperating agencies, and to make emergency assistance grants for cases that could not be referred” (History, 2015). Since that time, the United Way has evolved into a worldwide organization with the mission to improve the lives of

communities around the world. In many communities, they are the only nonprofit working to

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 23

Page 24: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

build education, financial stability and health processes — and the only nonprofit uniting people together to be apart of location solutions. They are engaged in nearly 1,800 communities across more than 40 countries (History, 2015).

In Michigan, the United Way has more than 300 program sites serving local communities. Through their No Kid Hungry initiative, the United Way served 1.65 million meals to hungry children in Michigan in 2014 (Results, 2015). Furthermore, the organization helped more than 1,200 Red Cross clients last year. “Approximately 100 volunteers drove more than 394,000 miles to get qualified residents to and from appointments” (What This Place Needs, 2015). Furthermore, the Michigan United Way’s hotline received more than 2 million calls last year to restore assistance to low-income families. Call topics ranged from help with gas bill payments to needed food pantry items (Results, 2015).

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

• PROMOTE VALUE PROPOSITION: Promoting value proposition is essential to attracting donors. This proposition conveys to the donor the benefit of contributing to the nonprofit. St. Jude Research Hospital does this by promoting that they are the only national cancer institute designated solely at children, and they allow children to be treated regardless of their family’s ability to pay. This message is an integral part on all St. Jude’s marketing and communication elements.

• CREAT RECIPROCAL RELATIONSHIPS ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Social media offers nonprofits an opportunity to create reciprocal relationships with their audiences. They can ask questions, answer questions, or even just listen to what people are saying. The American Cancer Society takes advantage of this, from a fundraising perspective, with their Relay for Life event. This cultivation on social media helps turn their audiences’ cause-driven interest to action and ultimately donations.

• PUT THE “FUN” IN FUNDRAISING: Potential donors often need to be reminded that giving to a cause they care about is a joyful experience. Fundraising allows families and kids to work together to truly help make a difference in people’s lives. Ronald McDonald House Charities uses fundraising not only to raise money and awareness, but they also make fundraising events fun. GOah Noah! is a family-friendly event in Michigan open to both kids and their families. Whether participating in a 5K or going on a pony ride, GoNoah! has something for everyone, and nobody has to be excluded from the event.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 24

Page 25: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

CURRENT STATE OF THE ECONOMY

Make-A-Wish Michigan, like many other nonprofits today, must operate in a challenging and volatile economic environment. The United States got off to a weaker-than-predicted start in 2015 and reported dismal trade performance and continued economic caution from businesses and consumers alike. The 0.7 percent annual rate of decline in economic output in the first quarter of this year was a reversal of the initial 0.2 percent advance of the period reported in April. This lackluster report shows that the country is struggling to gain economic momentum. “After the economy grew at an annual rate of nearly 5 percent in the spring and summer of 2014, some experts concluded that the economy had found its footing and predicted that a healthier, sustained growth rate of near 3 percent was finally at hand” (Schwartz, 2015). This new data does not show that to be the case here at the end of in 2015.

Though cloudy, the economic situation is not yet considered dark. Unemployment rates are still falling and stand around 5.4 percent as of current. Experts expect the rates to fall to around 5 percent by the end of 2015. The unemployment rates have improved since 2013, however, where they stood around 8 percent (Schwartz, 2015).

THE NONPROFIT INDUSTRY

There are over 1.5 million tax-exempt organizations registered with the IRS. In 2013, these nonprofits reported over $1.74 trillion in total revenues and $1.63 trillion in total expenses (Quick Facts About Nonprofits, 2015).

In 2015, 76 percent of nonprofits reported an increase in demand for services. This is the 7th consecutive year the majority have reported overall increases. However for the third year in a row, 52 percent of nonprofits are unable to meet these demands. This results in their clients’ needs remaining unmet (Edgington, 2015).

Another area of struggle for nonprofits is making ends meet. “While some nonprofits are achieving financial sustainability (47 percent ended 2014 with a surplus), many still face real challenges” (Edgington, 2015). For example, 32 percent of nonprofits find achieving long-term sustainability a top challenge and 19 percent cannot raise funds to cover their own costs. However, there is growth in the industry, especially in the area of giving. In 2014, individuals gave $258.51 billion; this was an increase of 5.7 percent from 2013. Additionally in 2014, charitable contributions by individuals, foundations, bequests, and corporations reached $358.38 billion. This was an increase of 7.1 percent from the year prior. Finally, foundations gave 50.9 billion in 2012, which was a 1 percent increase from 2011. The period of the most

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 25

Page 26: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

giving typically occurs around the holidays — 50.5 percent of organizations surveyed said they received the majority of their contributions between October and December.

The volunteer rate has stayed pretty consistent over past years. “Approximately 25.3 percent of Americans over the age of 16 volunteered through or for an organization between September 2010 and September 2014” (Quick Facts About Nonprofits, 2015). Women continued to volunteer more often than men across all age groups and demographics. However, by age, Generation X was the most likely demographic to volunteer at 29.8 percent (Quick Facts About Nonprofits, 2015).

SOCIAL ISSUES FACING NONPROFITS

COMPASSION FATIGUE

Compassion fatigue results among potential donors when they feel burnt-out or overwhelmed at the prospect of giving, especially if they are struggling to meet their own financial needs. Compassion fatigue can occur when potential donors are repeatedly exposed to multiple donation requests in a short period of time. This eventually leads to desensitization (Kirkwood, 2012).

In order to counteract this issue, it is recommended that Make-A-Wish Michigan consider alternative approaches to giving. One emerging, popular method is no cost giving. No cost giving combines shopping with giving. Links to participating retailers are listed on the host organization’s website. After clicking on the link, potential donors are able to do their normal online shopping, and a certain percentage of the sale is automatically donated to the nonprofit.

INFORMATION OVERLOAD

People live in a digital age of information overload. This means that there is more information being fed to them than ever before, and there is no chance that they will make sense of it all. Therefore, people are selective with their information. They absorb information they like and trust, and they discard and ignore all other information. In this overloaded digital information landscape, attention has become a sacred resource. The success of philanthropy and charity work are driven by attention — a commodity that nonprofits must acquire and sustain if they wish to be successful (Guo & Saxton, 2014).

In order to counteract this issue, it is recommended that Make-A-Wish Michigan target relevant audiences with appropriate messages. It is important to remember that audience precedes attention — if there is no connection with an audience, there will be no attention. Audiences should be researched and studied, and from that information, content should be crafted.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 26

Page 27: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Furthermore, audiences need nurturing. Ties must be built and deepened to preserve attention and long-term interest. Whether it is through informational messages or creating an interactive conversation, enhancing and sustaining Make-A-Wish Michigan’s supporters will help build and strengthen their community. Finally, Make-A-Wish Michigan should seek attention, but know that it is a means and not an end (Guo & Saxton, 2014). If too much of a focus is set on seeking attention, it can result of losing sight of the organization’s mission and accountability. The mission should be first-priority, and attention should be leveraged to produce substantive outcomes — not chased at any cost.

FUNDRAISING ISSUES IN TODAY’S MULTI-MEDIA SOCIETY

One of the top fundraising issues faced by nonprofits today is that of an ever-changing technology landscape. “Technology is causing an ongoing transformation in the nonprofit sector, from the way supporters engage with their favorite nonprofits to the way organizations fundraise, market, and manage information, and this trend will only continue to evolve throughout years to come” (Westmoreland, 2014). However, tremendous opportunities exist for the nonprofits that are able to harness the power of emerging technology and use it to deliver their messages in an effective way.

MOBILE FUNDRAISING GROWTH

For years to come, it appears that mobile will be an essential part of how nonprofits engage and reach their supporters and staff. “Nearly half of all emails are now read on mobile devices, which means having a mobile-friendly approach to engaging donors has never been more important” (Westmoreland, 2014). Furthermore, 2/3 of nonprofits believe it is necessary to have a mobile-optimized website, and 1/3 of nonprofits will use mobile as part of their overall fundraising strategy (Barry, 2012).

MULTI-CHANNEL FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITY

According to data from blackbaud, nonprofit organizations, which implement a multi-channel fundraising strategy, have a higher level of optimism about their ability to attract more donors. Events, Facebook, Twitter, direct mail, website, mobile, and peer-to-peer should all be part of Make-A-Wish Michigan’s fundraising strategy. While the organization probably will not use use of all these elements in every campaign, multiple elements should be used to help raise necessary funds. “Those who implement multi-channel fundraising strategies see up to 3x’s better results” (Barry, 2012).

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 27

Page 28: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

TARGET MARKET MEET GENERATION X

Often referred to as the neglected “middle-child” generation, Generation X finds itself caught between the two larger, and more popular generations of Millennials and Baby Boomers. This forgotten generation’s distinctive traits remain somewhat of a mystery — even to Generation X. “In 2010, when Pew Research asked adults of all ages if they thought their own generation was unique, about six-in-ten Boomers and Millennials said yes. But only about half of Generation X’ers said the same” (Taylor & Gao, 2014). Even among those who did, there was very little consensus on what made their generation unique. However, just because there is some confusion surrounding Generation X, it does not mean that they do not want to be understood. Generation X wants to be heard, they want to be valued, and they want marketers to make room for them.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Born between the years of 1965 and 1980, there are well-over 60 million Generation X’ers, and they comprise 25 percent of the U.S. population. These numbers, however, are disproportionate to their buying power. With 29 percent of estimated net worth dollars and 31 percent of total income dollars, Generation X has more buying power than any other generation. From a financial perspective, this generation is divided into two subgroups: upscale and mass market. Accounting for 6 million Generation X’ers, upscale members have a household income of $250,000 or a personal net worth of over $1 million. The rest of Generation X falls into the mass market category, but these members still have higher incomes than Millennials or Baby Boomers (Lesonsky, 2015).

However, even with that level of income, it is important to note that Generation X deals with financial stressors, which mainly include debt accumulation. A recent report by Experian showed that Generation X carries more debt than any other generation — $30,000 worth of credit card debt — and carry the most debt per card — $5,343 per card (Woodruff, 2013). This debt accumulation may be the result of the fact that many Generation X’ers are helping support their Baby Boomer parents and Millennial and Generation Z children. “According to Pew Research Center, nearly half of adults in their 40’s and 50’s have a parent age 65 or older and are either raising a young child or financially supporting a grown child. About one-in-

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 28

Page 29: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

seven middle-aged adults are providing financial support to both an aging parent and a child” (Wallace, 2015).

Finally, Generation X is one of the best-educated generations in U.S. history. Ten percent have a graduate degree and 43 percent have earned a 4 year college degree. “Almost all Generation X’ers — 86 percent — are employed either part-time or full time” (Keen & Handrich, 2011).

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

• Generation X’s small numbers are not representative of their buying power. They are an untapped market with a purchasing power greater than any other generation.

• Generation X deals with financial stressors — like debt accumulation. This factor could influence their charity giving habits to some extent.

PSYCHOGRAPHICS

In addition to demographics, it is equally important for Make-A-Wish Michigan to understand the psychographics of Generation X. What does this generation like to do in their spare time? What values shape how they feel about important issues?

Once described as slackers, pessimists, and cynics, the descriptive definitions of Generation X have, for the most part, positively evolved over the past 15 years. Today, Generation X is often described as a very individualistic generation. They value independence, honesty, and sincerity. They are actively engaged in their communities, and maintain strong friendship ties. Generation X’ers are most active in organizations that support children, book clubs, professional associations, and other groups (Keen & Handrich, 2011).

Family is very important to Generation X. Roughly 2/3 of Generation X’ers are married and 71 percent are reported to have children at home. They are committed to supporting their children through volunteer activities and hands-on assistance (Keen & Handrich, 2011).

Besides socializing with friends and family, Generation X enjoys the outdoors. They describe hiking, water sports, hunting or fishing, bird watching, skiing or snowboarding, and mountain

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 29

Page 30: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

climbing as some of their favorite outdoor activities. Only 13 percent did not report engaging in any of these activities. “When they are not doing physical activity themselves, they enjoy professional and amateur sports as well as frequenting the arts” (Keen & Handrich, 2011).

Overall, Generation X has a positive outlook on life and the future. Two-thirds reported being “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with their lives, and 77 percent of upscale Generation X’ers and 68 percent of mass-market Generation X’ers are confident their financial situation will improve in the next 12 months (Lesonsky, 2015). The majority of Generation X’ers appear to be active, balanced, and happy. From a marketing perspective, they value content that is straightforward, truthful, and personalized to their generation (Wallace, 2015).

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

• Generation X’ers are actively involved in their communities — particularly with organizations that support children. Since these attributes align with the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan, it should help make the organization attractive to Generation X from a volunteering standpoint.

• Most Generation X’ers have children, and they are committed to supporting their children through volunteering and hands-on activities. Again, since these attributes align well with the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan, it should help make the organization appealing to Generation X from a volunteering and donation standpoint.

• The majority of Generation X loves the outdoors. Fundraising events like bike rides, walks, sporting activities, etc. will appeal directly to this generation.

DIVERSITY

Generation X contains a higher number of immigrants than any other generation. Approximately, 22 percent of Generation X’ers are immigrants, and the result of this is a generation that is very ethnically diverse. The ethnic makeup of Generation X is as follows: White, 62 percent; Hispanic, 18 percent; Black, 12 percent; Asian, 6 percent; and Other, 2 percent” (Kile, 2012).

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

• Generation X contains the highest number of immigrants of any generation. Because Make-A-Wish Michigan is looking to expand their numbers of Spanish and Arabic speaking volunteers, they should target Generation X, since they are ethnically diverse.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 30

Page 31: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA CONSUMPTION

Despite what many marketers may think, Generation X is digital-savvy. In a recent survey done by Millward Brown, the organization reported that 60 percent of Generation X’ers use a smartphone on a daily basis, while 67 percent use a laptop/PC daily. Eighty-six percent of Generation X’ers go online daily for personal needs like: shopping, banking, researching products or organizations, or reading the news (Wallace, 2015).

Make-A-Wish Michigan should also consider these additional media consumption statistics for Generation X:

• 62.2 percent of Generation X mobile users used the Internet via mobile monthly. • 74.5 percent of Generation X web users used social networking sites monthly. • 65.6 percent of Generation X use Facebook and 14.7 percent use Twitter. • 78.7 percent of Generation X Internet users downloaded or streamed video online monthly

(Moats, 2013). • The second largest percent of Pinterest users — 30 percent — fall into the Generation X

demographic. • Instagram has a smaller audience in the 35-54 target audience, with 27 percent of its users

classified as Generation X (Fox, 2014).

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

• Generation X is technology-savvy. Therefore, it is imperative that Make-A-Wish Michigan have a multimedia strategy in place to reach this audience.

• Generation X are heavy social media users. They particularly use Facebook and Twitter, but they also have a strong presence on Pinterest and Instagram. Make-A-Wish Michigan should not neglect any of their social channels.

• Generation X downloads and streams a lot of video content. Make-A-Wish Michigan’s YouTube channel must be utilized if they wish to appeal to this generation.

• Generation X are frequent users of mobile, therefore, mobile content should not be neglected. It is imperative that Make-A-Wish Michigan take advantage of Generation X’s online mobile usage by appealing to them through mobile social networking channels — like Instagram — and through mobile-optimized content.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 31

Page 32: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

ATTITUDES AND ACTIONS TOWARDS NONPROFITS

There is a lot of discussion in the nonprofit sector about Baby Boomers and Millennials, but almost no analysis of Generation X. Generation X was actually the first generation to donate online, and this generation also pioneered web design, email, blogging, and online advocacy (Why Nonprofit Fundraisers, 2015). Many Generation X’ers are currently entering the peak of giving years and to ignore this generation would be a huge mistake for Make-A-Wish Michigan.

Generation X gives generously to nonprofits. Compared to Millennials, who only give around $650 annually, Generation X’ers give an average of $1,033.28 to nonprofits every year. They donate more frequently than other generations and primarily donate to health, child causes, animal rescue, and environmental protection. Also important to note is the fact that the Generation X Hispanic donor community gives more than any other generation (Why Nonprofit Fundraisers, 2015).

Concerning donation engagement, Generation X engages with nonprofits through direct donations, visiting the organization’s website, volunteering, and supporting a friend participating in a charity walk or run. However, of all the generations, they donate the most through websites. Additionally, Generation X’ers volunteer more than any other generation — 29.7 percent volunteer. “Thus, nonprofits should give special attention to their Generation X volunteers, since they give twice as much as non-volunteers” (Why Nonprofit Fundraisers, 2015). They also like to participate in peer-to-peer fundraising events, and they appreciate nonprofits that embrace digital communications and fundraising — including mobile.

Generation X learns about their top charities through multiple different sources. In priority order they are as follows: the mainstream media, word-of-mouth, mail, peer-to-peer events, work, and product purchases. Interestingly enough, almost one-third of Generation X’ers learned about their favorite charity during their childhood (Herrell, 2012).

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

• Generation X gives generously to nonprofits — especially to health-related and child-centered causes. Make-A-Wish Michigan is a child-centered and healthcare-centered organization. This gives it an immediate advantage with the Generation X demographic.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 32

Page 33: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

• The Generation X Hispanic community donates more than any other generation, and Make-A-Wish Michigan is seeking to expand its number of Spanish-speaking volunteers. Make-A-Wish Michigan should give special attention to its Generation X Hispanic volunteers, since they typically give twice as much as non-volunteers.

• Generation X donates primarily through websites, so it is imperative that Make-A-Wish Michigan’s marketing content have calls-to-action linking back to website — especially on any content centering around giving. Once again, Generation X’ers are mobile users, so content should be mobile-optimized as well.

BUILD TRUST THROUGH TRANSPARENCY

In order to win the support of Generation X, nonprofits have to make transparency one of their top values. “Half of Generation X respondents say that their decision to donate hinges greatly on whether they can see their gift’s impact” (Chung, 2015). One of Generation X’s biggest concerns when donating to nonprofits is that they are worried about where their donations are really going. Creating trust through transparency — i.e. detailing exactly where the donations are going to go — will help motivate Generation X to engage and give.

KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

• When donating to charity, Generation X demands transparency. They want to know where their money is going, and whether or not they can see their gift’s impact. It is imperative that Make-A-Wish Michigan work to build trust through transparent actions. The organization needs to make sure that its website clearly details exactly where Generation X’s donations will go (Chung, 2015). By translating dollar amounts into tangible results and providing proof of impact (through photos and videos), Make-A-Wish Michigan can help build trust among Generation X and truly win them over.

SECONDARY AUDIENCE

As important as it is to engage Generation X, Make-A-Wish Michigan cannot forget about its internal constituents. This group would include: current management, employees, volunteers, and event leaders. These targets should be important to Make-A-Wish Michigan because their buy-in to the campaign is vital to its long-term success.

Additionally, if these internal stakeholders are engaged properly, they can evolve into Make-A-Wish Michigan’s strongest brand advocates. As brand advocates, they have the power to extent Make-A-Wish Michigan’s reach and directly influence Generation X. It is important to remember Make-A-Wish Michigan management, employees, volunteers, and event leaders are essentially the Make-A-Wish Michigan brand. Whenever they post a photo on social media or

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 33

Page 34: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

tell a friend about the organization, they’re contributing to its overall reputation. By harnessing the power of employee brand advocates in their marketing strategy, Make-A-Wish Michigan will expand its reach and influence and establish trust with Generation X.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 34

Page 35: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

SWOT ANALYSIS Pictured is a SWOT analysis for Make-A-Wish Michigan. This SWOT was created to better understand Make-A-Wish Michigan’s internal strengths and weaknesses, and the external opportunities and threats it may face in the marketplace. A SWOT rationale, which explains the diagram in greater detail, is listed below.

SWOT ANALYSIS RATIONALE

Make-A-Wish Michigan is a four star charity with a high level of positive brand recognition. Part of Make-A-Wish Michigan’s recognition is grounded in the fact that it has a unique mission and role in helping grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. To

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 35

S WO T

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

I N T

E R

N A

LE

X T

E R

N A

L

P O S I T I V E N E G A T I V E

• High level of positive brand-recognition • Named a 4 star charity on Charity Navigator• Supporters are passionate about the organization • Granted more than 8,000 wishes for Michigan kids• Nationally-recognized donation campaigns• Unique mission & role in helping children • Great use of storytelling on website & social media channels • More than 80 cents for every dollar spent goes directly to program services -- i.e. wish granting• 700+ volunteers in Michigan alone• 100% local; the mission is delivered at grassroots level & all funds raised stay in Michigan

• Neglects opportunity to connect with Gen X by rarely updating YouTube & Pinterest accounts• Social media audience needs to be engaged with more often in two-way conversation• Average cost for a Michigan wish to be granted is $8,000 • Traditional and digital advertising efforts are lacking in overall reach & connection with Gen X • Signature events are similar to those of the competition• 78 percent of Michigan wishes require air travel, which makes it a costly, but required, resource• Needs more funding to grant wish needs

• Gen X is more willing to volunteer time than any other generation• The Hispanic community of Gen X donates more than any other generational ethnicity • Possible opportunities for partnerships with local sports teams, hospitals, schools, employers, etc. • Gen X donates more frequently than other generations, especially to children & health-care causes• Social media reach & impact is high for Gen X • Online video streaming is popular with Gen X • Gen X has a high number of immigrants • Passionate employees & volunteers can be brand advocates

• Increased competition from other nonprofits fighting for donations & volunteers • Compassion fatigue from potential donors• Information overload from potential donors • Outside perception that wishes are “nice,” rather than essential• Gen X expects to see the impact of their support • Economy is still recovering from the Great Recession • Gen X deals with economic challenges -- i.e. debt accumulation, still supporting parents & children, etc. • Increased difficulty for nonprofits to make ends meet • Many Gen X’ers support of a nonprofit is contingent on a personal connection with the organization

,

Page 36: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

date, it has granted the wishes of over 8,000 Michigan children. This strong mission helps its supporters and network of 700+ volunteers to truly be passionate about the organization. Equally important is the fact that Make-A-Wish Michigan is 100 percent local. Its mission is delivered at grassroots level, and all funds raised stay in Michigan.

Opportunities abound for Make-A-Wish Michigan. There are plenty of opportunities for partnership expansion, whether it be through a local sports team, school, employer, or hospital. Passionate employees and volunteers can be turned into strong brand advocates. Additionally, if Make-A-Wish Michigan choses to target the Generation X market, they will be attracting a demographic that volunteers and donates more frequently than any other generation — especially to children and health-related causes. Since they are seeking to expand their network of Spanish and Arabic-speaking volunteers, it is important to note that Generation X has a higher number of immigrants than any other generation. Generation X’s Hispanic community also donates more than any other ethnic demographic. Furthermore, Generation X frequently streams online video and is heavily involved in social media. If Make-A-Wish Michigan chooses to increase its social and video content, it will have a direct opportunity to attract and connect with this demographic. This exposure will be imperative as the organization seeks to expand existing and future events and increase donation amounts and volunteer numbers.

Where Make-A-Wish Michigan falls short is in the areas of social media and targeted advertising. All social media channels need to be updated regularly. Make-A-Wish Michigan is missing a huge opportunity to connect with Generation X by not updating its YouTube and Pinterest accounts. As previously stated, this demographic uses social media regularly, and they stream video frequently. This is resulting in missed advertising, targeting, and engagement opportunities. Without correctly targeting this audience on social media, the organization will have trouble raising the needed $8,000 it needs to grant one wish.

Additionally, Make-A-Wish Michigan should be concerned about external threats. There is an increased competition from other nonprofits fighting for donors and volunteers. This market saturation often results in compassion fatigue and information overload from potential donors. Furthermore, nonprofits and donors alike are still recovering from the Great Recession. Nonprofits still struggle to make ends meet, and Generation X is currently dealing with its own economic issues like debt accumulation and financially supporting their parents and children. If Make-A-Wish Michigan truly wants to cut through the clutter and attract this demographic, they will need to be transparent and show Generation X the impact of their support — through storytelling and numbers. This way, Generation X can be reminded that granting wishes is more than a “nice thing” — it is essential to the well-being of children, their families, and their communities.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 36

Page 37: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

FOCUS GROUP REPORT Think Tank Marketing conducted a focus group with a total of 6 participants (4 females and 2 males) representative of the target audience — Generation X. The session was located in Morgantown, West Virginia, and it took approximately 45 minutes to complete. Though the data presented from this focus group was not designed to be conclusive, it provided deep insights into the philanthropic perceptions, interests, wants, and needs of the target audience.

THREE CONCEPTS PRESENTED

Think Tank Marketing presented 3 campaign concepts to the focus group participants. Each concept centered around a different need of the target audience. The purpose was to discover which needs resonated with them the most. The needs presented were as follows: donation needs, volunteering needs, and fundraising event needs. For each need, the moderator read a series of statements to the group describing that need in particular. After each statement was read, the participants were asked to discuss it. Finally, after all of the statements were read, the participants were asked to compare one against the other, until they were left with 1 or 2 statements that were most agreeable to the group as a whole.

KEY FINDINGS FROM CONCEPT STATEMENTS

DONATION NEEDS OF GENERATION X

The first concept presented to the group was regarding their donation needs. Out of all of the statements Think Tank Marketing presented, the group chose the following two as the most agreeable:

1. It is important to me to feel like my donation dollars are being used effectively. 2. It is important to me to donate to local nonprofits and charities.

All 6 of the participants agreed that it was important to them to feel like their donation dollars were being used effectively. One participant stated, “I want to make sure that my money is being used properly. If I can’t see where it is going to make a difference in someone’s life, that’s an automatic deal-breaker for me.” This mentality seemed to be the overall consensus for the group. They appear to be seeking transparency, openness, and honesty from a charity regarding donations.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 37

Page 38: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Concerning the second statement, 5 out of the 6 participants agreed that it was important for them to donate locally. The majority of the participants believed that donating to local nonprofits and charities had a direct, positive impact on the overall state of their communities. Helping a local nonprofit support the community was more important than helping to support a national organization.

The group rejected statements like “I would rather donate dollars than time,” and “I believe my donation is too small to make a difference.” Concerning donation size, one participant stated, “No donation is too small. Even a dollar donated has the power to help make a difference in someone’s life.” This person’s thought resonated well with the rest of the group, and they all claimed that they would rather donate a small amount than donate nothing at all.

VOLUNTEERING NEEDS OF GENERATION X

The second concept presented to the group was regarding their volunteering needs. Out of all of the statements Think Tank Marketing presented, the group chose the following one as the most agreeable:

1. It is important to me to feel that my volunteering efforts help improve my local community.

Once again, the local aspect was extremely important to the group. All 6 of the participants agreed that it was important for them to volunteer to help improve the local community. One participant stated that their perception was, “Think globally, but act locally.” The entire group felt that if they were going to take the time and volunteer with a nonprofit, they wanted that time to be well-spent on improving the local community — versus doing work with a national nonprofit.

The group rejected statements like “I want to be directly involved with any charity I support,” and “I feel like my volunteering efforts do not make a difference.” Overall, the participants believed that while it is nice to be involved with a charity, especially a local one, it is not a necessity for them to be involved with the charity to actually support it. FUNDRAISING EVENT NEEDS OF GENERATION X

The third and final concept presented to the group was regarding their fundraising event needs. Out of all of the statements Think Tank Marketing presented, the group chose the following two as the most agreeable:

1. It is important to me to participate in fundraising events that promote a worthy cause. 2. I am more likely to participate in a fundraising event if my friends and family are

participating too.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 38

Page 39: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

For this section, all 6 participants agreed that it was important for them to participate in fundraising events that promoted a worthy cause. They went on to state that a “worthy cause” is a charity means something to them personally — i.e. there is some sort of personal connection existing with the nonprofit. For example, one participant shared that he had participated in a bike ride to raise money for lymphoma research. This event resonated with him personally, since he was a cancer survivor. Therefore, he considered it a “worthy cause.”

Additionally, 4 of the 6 participants agreed that they were more likely to participate in a fundraising event if their friends and family were participating too. One participant stated, “It makes it more meaningful and enjoyable when I am participating with my friends and family. I am always interested in events or activities I can do with my family and friends.” Another participant stated that while they may not feel this way personally, they think it is probably important for most people, whether they admit to it or not.

Most of the statements in this section resonated with the group on some level. The only one they did not agree with was “I do not have time to participate in fundraising events.” Even though the majority of the participants worked full-time and had families, they seemed to have a real desire to be involved with a charity on some level, whether it was participating in an event, volunteering, or donating — or all three.

OTHER TOPICS PRESENTED

After the moderator presented the campaign concept statements, the participants were asked a series of questions regarding their donation and fundraising event preferences, and their overall perceptions of Make-A-Wish Michigan / Make-A-Wish America. It is important to note that Make-A-Wish Michigan is not a local organization here in West Virginia. Therefore, if the participants were unsure of how to answer questions regarding Make-A-Wish Michigan, the moderator asked them to substitute answers with information they knew about Make-A-Wish America instead.

KEY FINDINGS FROM DONATION AND FUNDRAISING EVENT QUESTIONS

After asking the participants a series of questions regarding charity donations and fundraising events, Think Tank Marketing discovered a few important preferences from the group, which are set to be representative of the target audience.

Overall, the group preferred charity donation methods like no-cost giving and product donations. Methods, like these, appealed to the group because of their simplicity, low-cost, and overall ease. Concerning no-cost giving, one participant stated, “I use AmazonSmile all of the time. I like that I am already purchasing something anyways and part of those proceeds can help out my favorite charity. I do not have to spend extra money, and it is super easy.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 39

Page 40: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Amazon often sends me reminders to use AmazonSmile, which is great, because sometimes I forget about it.” The group also thought that product donations (supplies, airline miles, credit card points, etc.) were appealing, because those were items that did not have to come out of their budgets. They only participated in online donations if the steps to do so were simple and hassle-free. Also, important to note was the fact that some of the participants were wary of email donation requests and direct mailer donation requests. Participants shared that were often nervous to click a link or return the mailer, because it could be a scam.

The participants stated that they preferred fundraising events like 5K Runs / Walks, Bike-A-Thons, sporting events, raffles, and shopping events. While the participants liked getting out and being active (walks, runs, and biking), they were also in favor of fundraisers that required less physical activity as well (a sporting event, raffles, and shopping). Many of the participants also stated that it was important to them to be apart of events where they could bring their children, because their perception was that many nonprofit fundraising events excluded children. Involving their children in these events was very important to the group as a whole. For the most part, the group was not a fan of galas. They thought these events were sometimes too stuffy. They stated that they preferred more low-key events like casual dinners and wine tastings.

KEY FINDINGS FROM MAKE-A-WISH QUESTIONS

After asking the participants a few, final questions about Make-A-Wish Michigan / Make-A-Wish America, Think Tank Marketing discovered a few key perceptions from the group, which are set to be representative of the target audience.

The entire group had a positive brand perception of the Make-A-Wish organization. They knew exactly what the organization did, and they praised its unique mission and positioning in the nonprofit industry. One participant shared that she had a personal connection to the organization, and other participants in the room got tears in their eyes as she shared the story of what Make-A-Wish had done for her family. Another overwhelmingly positive attribute of the nonprofit was the fact that it was geared at children. One participant stated, “I like that it is geared towards kids. I think it is great that Make-A-Wish works to give these kids something to be happy about and look forward to.”

The participants were also asked if they had ever donated or volunteered with Make-A-Wish. Five of the participants had not or could not remember if they ever did. When asked why they did not engage with the nonprofit, responses ranged from they never had the opportunity to they never saw any advertisements from the organization. They rest of the group immediately chimed in that they agreed most with this latter response. This immediately led into the next question, which was if they had recently seen any advertisements from Make-A-Wish. All 6 participants said no; they do not see any advertisements from the organization. One

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 40

Page 41: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

participant thought they may have seen something in a local newspaper a long time ago, but that was it. No one saw any recent advertisements in print, digital, or social media. Because of this, every single participant stated that they felt the organization could be doing a better job of reaching their demographic. One participant stated, “I rarely see any advertisements for Make-A-Wish. Those I have seen gear around wish stories, which are great, but there are no calls for me to donate. I feel like they probably do not need my money then. They are partnered with Disney and other big names, so I think they probably do not need my support.” Other participants agreed that this was their perception of wish-granting as well.

Furthermore, the participants were concerned that they did not know where their money was going if they would donate to Make-A-Wish. The moderator shared that 80 cents for every dollar goes to wish-granting, and the money stays within the local chapter. The participants were shocked. They all agreed that these statistics should be advertised more. Another participant shared that he didn’t even know that the organization had local chapters before the focus group began. Again, he felt that his perception was due to a lack of advertising and connection from the organization.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE CONCEPT

From the information presented from this focus group, it is recommended that Make-A-Wish Michigan appeal to the three, distinct needs of Generation X: donation needs, volunteering needs, and fundraising event needs. The organization needs to promote transparency and the importance of wish-granting for donations, promote its locality within the community for volunteering, and promote its unique mission and a fun approach for fundraising events.

A wish granted by Make-A-Wish Michigan has the power to not only improve the life of a child — it has the power to improve the lives of entire

families and strengthen local communities as well.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 41

Page 42: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN BRAND

BRAND PERCEPTION

IMPACT OF MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

Make-A-Wish Michigan makes a strong impact in the nonprofit industry and across local communities in Michigan. The organization has 700+ volunteers to help further its mission in various capacities, but all locations work together to serve families across 83 Michigan counties (FAQ, 2015). Additionally, Make-A-Wish Michigan has been rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator, which is its highest rating given to a nonprofit. Since its inception, Make-A-Wish Michigan has granted more than 8,000 wishes for children with life-threatening medical conditions.

The wishes granted by Make-A-Wish Michigan also make a strong impact, as mentioned above. According to a the results of a 2011 Wish Impact Study, a granted wish allows children with life-threatening medical conditions to fight harder against their illnesses. “A combined 89 percent of doctors, nurses and health professionals surveyed say they believe a wish experience can influence wish kids' physical health” (Wish Facts, 2015). Granted wishes have additionally been proven to enhance the mental state of both children and their parents. “Ninety-nine percent of parents reported that the wish experience gave their children increased feelings of happiness and 96 percent said that the wish experience strengthened their families” (Wish Facts, 2015). Finally, granting wishes also works to strengthen communities. “Ninety-five percent of community volunteers reported an increased sense of compassion and 84 percent felt an increased faith in humanity” (Wish Facts, 2015). These statistics are evident to the power of a wish, and the true importance of Make-A-Wish Michigan’s wish-granting efforts. STRENGTHS OF MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

Overall, Make-A-Wish Michigan’s brand perception is very strong. Its unique mission and role in helping children help it to stand out from its competition in the nonprofit industry like St. Jude, Ronald McDonald House Charities, the United Way, and many others.

Here are a few facts that represent Make-A-Wish Michigan’s positive brand perception:

• Make-A-Wish Michigan is rated a four star charity on Charity Navigator. • Make-A-Wish Michigan has 700+ volunteers in Michigan alone (FAQ, 2015). • Make-A-Wish America ranks among the top 10 nonprofit organizations in the recent Harris

Interactive EquiTrend brand study for trust, brand equity, and charities that people are most likely to donate to in the future (Sponsorships, 2015).

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 42

Page 43: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

• “The Core Nonprofit Power Brand 100, a report on the country's most prominent nonprofit brands, ranked Make-A-Wish with one of the top 10 strongest brand images” (Sponsorships, 2015).

The target audience also has a positive brand perception of Make-A-Wish Michigan. According to the focus group conducted by Think Tank Marketing, 100 percent of Generation X stated that they had a positive perception of the Make-A-Wish brand. The participants in this focus group were familiar with the organization’s unique mission, and they praised the work the organization does with children.

In fact, Generation X ranks children’s charities as one of their preferred causes to donate to and volunteer with. Generation X primarily chooses to donate to health, child causes, animal rescue, and environmental protection. Furthermore, they are most active in organizations that support children (Keen & Handrich, 2011).

WEAKNESSES OF MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

As mentioned previously, there is a breakdown of communication between the Generation X audience and Make-A-Wish Michigan. According to the focus group conducted by Think Tank Marketing, 100 percent of the Generation X participants felt that the organization could be doing a better job of reaching their demographic. No one had recently seen any advertisements from Make-A-Wish — on traditional, digital, or social media. However, they had seen advertisements from Make-A-Wish’s competitors — namely St. Jude and the United Way. They said that seeing these advertisements and calls-to-donate would make them more likely to engage with those organizations over Make-A-Wish. Additionally, 100 percent of the participants were concerned about transparency. Concerning Make-A-Wish, they worried where their donation dollars were going, or if they were even needed at all. Misconceptions ranged from “wishes are not essential” to the idea that Make-A-Wish’s sponsors are the ones who pay for wish-granting. One participant was even unaware that Make-A-Wish had local chapters — like Make-A-Wish Michigan.

Additionally, Make-A-Wish Michigan appears to do little to appeal to a diverse Generation X audience. Generation X contains a higher number of immigrants than any other generation. Approximately, 22 percent of Generation X’ers are immigrants, and the result of this is a generation that is very ethnically diverse. The ethnic makeup of Generation X is as follows: White, 62 percent; Hispanic, 18 percent; Black, 12 percent; Asian, 6 percent; and Other, 2 percent” (Kile, 2012). Since the organization is trying to attract more Hispanics and Arabs, it is important that they appeal to these ethnicities on a direct level. This can be done through personalized content — i.e. featuring more images of ethnic volunteers, featuring more images of ethnic wish kids, and featuring advertisements in Spanish and Arabic. If Make-A-Wish

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 43

Page 44: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Michigan does not appeal to these cultures on a personal level, they could easily have the perception that Make-A-Wish Michigan does not need their support.

GENERATION X CURRENT PERCEPTION STATEMENT:

Generation X has expressed an overall positivity towards the Make-A-Wish Michigan brand and seem eager to engage with the organization. However, due to a lack of communication, they have been unable to connect with the brand, which has left

them with the perception that their support may not be needed at all.

BRAND PERSONALITY

A brand’s personality describes the way a brand expresses and represents itself (Why Brand Personality Matters, 2012). These descriptions are human-like traits that consumers can associate with the brand itself, and a strong brand personality makes a brand relatable to its audiences. Therefore, Think Tank Marketing recommends that Make-A-Wish Michigan shape its personality around the following four traits: heroic, trustworthy, personal and impactful. HEROIC

Wish kids are heroic. Their families are heroic. The local communities who gather around and support them are heroic. These groups each make up an integral part of the Make-A-Wish Michigan brand. They are brave in-spite of adversity. They keep going even when they are afraid. They are selfless and champion causes, rather than championing themselves. They are all true heroes.

Heroic brands rise to overcome challenges — both internal and external — and choose not to be afraid of the unknown. They are selfless in their mission and are caused-based — it is not about the brand; it is about the people who make up the brand. They are authentic and down-to-earth. They are made up of ordinary people, who choose to be apart of something bigger and do good in the world. Heroic brands effectively build genuine, emotional connections with their target audiences.

Unlike other demographics, real-world situations and authenticity appeal most to Generation X (Reaching Generation X, 2012). They seek out genuine brands to make connections with. Make-A-Wish Michigan should focus on appealing to Generation X through telling the inspiring

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 44

Page 45: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

stories of its real-life heroes. They are not celebrities or well-known people. They are the sick kids fighting for their health. They are the families trying to be strong. They are the local communities working together for good. They are everyday people — heroes — that choose to believe in the power of a wish, in the power of each other, and in the power of themselves. Together, they help make the world a better place.

TRUSTWORTHY

Generation X’ers want to be sure that their donation dollars are being put to good use. “Half of Generation X respondents say that their decision to donate hinges greatly on whether they can see their gift’s impact” (Chung, 2015). In Think Tank Marketing’s focus group, 100 percent of the participants stated that it was important to them that their donation dollars were being used effectively.

Trustworthy brands are honest and transparent. Building brand trust is a critical task, and it allows brands to successfully break through the clutter and effectively appeal to their target audiences. “Trust is a foundational element of building and maintaining brand health and achieving strong in-market performance” (Top 10 Trusted Brands, 2015).

Make-A-Wish Michigan is currently in a good position to cater to this inherent need of Generation X. More than 80 cents for every dollar the organization spends goes directly to program services — i.e. wish granting (Managing Funds, 2015). The organization also takes a grassroots approach by delivering its mission at the local level and keeping all funds raised in Michigan. Additionally, Make-A-Wish Michigan has been rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator, which is its highest rating given to a nonprofit. However, these attributes are rarely advertised. By showcasing and promoting its trustworthiness, Make-A-Wish Michigan will be better able to attract and engage the Generation X audience.

PERSONAL Often referred to as the “forgotten, middle-child generation,” Generation X has grown intolerant of being ignored, and they want to be apart of conversation with brands. “Even more than the generations before them, Generation X likes to know that their voices have been heard, that their opinions matter, and that what they do makes a difference” (Vieira, 2014).

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 45

Page 46: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Additionally, since immigrants make up more of Generation X than any other demographic, it is equally as important to celebrate their diversity.

Brands that are personal seek to truly connect and engage with their target audiences. They realize that no two people are the same. They work to create emotional and

meaningful bonds that are long-lasting. By getting personal, brands have the potential to not only devise a unique and memorable experience for their target audiences, but they are able to build brand loyalty while they are at it.

With the rise of social media has come an era of one-on-one interaction between consumers and brands. People have the option to voice their comments openly — either in support of or against a brand. While this aspect might make some organizations nervous, it should be looked at as an opportunity to connect with target audiences in a way that was previously not possible. Make-A-Wish Michigan has a powerful opportunity to connect with Generation X on its social media channels, but they miss engagement opportunities and choose to rarely update some of their platforms. Additionally, advertisements are not ethnically diverse — they do not feature Hispanics or Arabs (whom Make-A-Wish Michigan is seeking to attract), and they are all written in English. These are missed opportunities to connect with Generation X. Make-A-Wish Michigan would benefit by creating a personable personality on social media that works to directly engage with Generation X.

IMPACTFUL

A wish granted by Make-A-Wish Michigan has the power to impact and improve lives. Whether it is allowing children with life-threatening medical conditions to fighter harder against their illness or enhancing the mental state of their parents, or even strengthening communities by inspiring compassion, a wish has been proven time and again to improve the quality of life by those who experience it.

Brands who desire to make an impact are memorable in the minds of their target audiences. They have a resonating

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 46

Page 47: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

purpose that cuts through the clutter, and they focus strictly on outcomes, not outputs. These brands make people better. They make communities better. They make the world better. They impact lives in a positive, long-lasting, and tangible way.

Out of all of the generational cohorts, Generation X donates most regularly and volunteers most often — specifically, 29.7 percent of Generation X’ers volunteer (Why Nonprofit Fundraisers, 2015). This is a generation that wants to be involved with nonprofits. They want to help make a positive impact on the world around them. In order to appeal to Generation X, Make-A-Wish Michigan needs to let them know that granted wishes have the power to drastically impact local children, families and communities. However, in order for that to happen, the organization needs the help of Generation X, and they need to know it.

BRAND POSITIONING

The prevailing message of Make-A-Wish Michigan’s current brand positioning centers around its mission, which states that the organization helps grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions (About Us, 2015). While there are many organizations that seek to help sick children (either through research or treatment), there are fewer actual wish-granting organizations. This messaging helps make the brand distinctive in the industry. It seems that this organizational focus has led Make-A-Wish Michigan to position its brand to appeal to parents and older adults. By appealing to parents whose child could potentially be affected by a life-threatening illness, Make-A-Wish Michigan can draw feelings of empathy and relatability from this audience.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 47

Page 48: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

The majority of Make-A-Wish Michigan’s current marketing and communication efforts on their website and across social media appear to keep children at the forefront of their messaging. Many of the organization’s creative executions showcase images of wish kids either having their wishes granted or waiting to have their wishes granted by generous donors. Other executions advertise Make-A-Wish Michigan’s signature events. However, children are still the focus of the messaging. Overall, these images illicit emotions of happiness and positivity. This is done purposefully and is reflective of Make-A-Wish’s language guidelines. The organization specifically chooses not to use labels like “terminally ill” or “dying”, because they instill a sense of defeat and can be counterproductive (Make-A-Wish Michigan, 2015). The children in these executions are also always mentioned by first-names, which further seeks to humanize the brand and make a connection with viewers.

The existing brand positioning, whether it be on the website or social media channels, is straight and to the point — at least for their English-speaking audience. However, the advertisements do little to appeal and engage with different ethnicities. For example, Make-A-Wish Michigan is seeking to appeal to more Arabic-speaking and Hispanic-speaking communities. There are no ads in either of these languages. Furthermore, there are few, if any,

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 48

Page 49: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

children from these demographics represented in Make-A-Wish Michigan’s marketing and communication efforts. “Approximately, 22 percent of Generation X’ers are immigrants, and the result of this is a generation that is very ethnically diverse” (Kile, 2012). This lack of connection though personalized content will make it more difficult for the organization to successfully appeal to the Hispanic and Arab communities.

MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN BRAND REPOSITIONING

Make-A-Wish Michigan has an extensive list of brand opportunities, but in order to successfully reach Generation X, their brand positioning must be altered. When considering donating or being involved with a nonprofit, Generation X looks for authenticity and transparency. However, more than that, Generation X needs to know that their gift will have an impact. From the focus group, Think Tank Marketing discovered that a common misconception among potential donors was that Make-A-Wish Michigan did not need their donation dollars — whether it was because wishes were merely a “nice thing”, or because they thought wish-granting efforts were supported by the organization’s partners and sponsors.

Generation X needs to know that they are needed — whether they have children or not, or they have a personal connection with the organization or not. Therefore, “it’s important to engage Generation X individuals as partners and not simply donors” (After the Baby Boomers, 2012). Make-A-Wish Michigan must specifically appeal to Generation X by honestly representing its mission, promoting its grassroots approach, and appealing to a wide range of ethnicities and backgrounds as partners.

REPOSITIONING STATEMENT:

Make-A-Wish Michigan provides 35-50 year-olds from all backgrounds and ethnicities with an opportunity to be apart of an organization where their impact will truly make

a difference. Make-A-Wish Michigan needs the support of Generation X to grant wishes to improve the lives of sick children and their families here in Michigan and

strengthen local communities across all 83 Michigan counties.

This new repositioning statement stays true to the Make-A-Wish brand, but also provides direct messaging for the brand to engage with Generation X. It lets Generation X’ers from all backgrounds and ethnicities know that their support is needed by the organization. Additionally, this statement shares the benefits of being partners with Make-A-Wish Michigan to Generation X — they are apart of a organization that has a true, grassroots impact in Michigan. Whether it is improving the life of a local child and their family or strengthening a community, wish-granting is important, and Generation X’s support is needed.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 49

Page 50: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY STATEMENT

ICSS RATIONALE:

This ICSS was selected because our extensive research into Generation X proves that this audience — often forgotten and overlooked by marketers and organizations — wants to make a positive impact. They want to know that their voice is heard, their opinion matters, and what they do makes a true difference. This sentiment was repeated often in the focus group held by Think Tank Marketing and reaffirms the direction and position of this ICSS.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 50

RATIONAL FACTORS EMOTIONAL FACTORS

We are an established organization with

positive brand recognition.

We have made a difference in the lives of

over 8,000 Michigan kids.

We are 100% local. Our mission is

delivered at the grassroots level, & all

funds raised stay in Michigan.

We have 700+ volunteers in the state of

Michigan alone.

We practice a high industry standard –

more than 80 cents of every dollar spent

goes directly to wish granting.

We grant wishes to improve the quality of life for local children, their familes, &

our communities.

I want to be actively involved in my community - particularly with

organizations that support children.

I want to give generously, especially to

child & health-centered causes.

I expect transparency & decide to donate

based on whether I can see my gift’s

impact or not.

I want to be engaged with as your partner, not your donor.

I seek out genuine brands to make

connections with.

I want to know my voice is heard, my opinion matters, & what I do makes a

difference.

For 35-50 year olds wanting to make a positive impact in their

local communities, Make-A-Wish Michigan is a premier

nonprofit, which provides a direct outlet for helping children

across the state of Michigan.

Page 51: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

This ICSS appeals to Generation X’s desire to make an impact in their local community, and their devotion to child and health-centered causes. Make-A-Wish Michigan is a premier nonprofit that has made a difference in the lives of more than 8,000 children in the state. The words “direct outlet” let Generation X know that engaging with Make-A-Wish Michigan is a transparent and hassle-free experience. The money and/or time that Generation X gives to Make-A-Wish Michigan is kept at the grassroots level; it is kept within the state of Michigan. There is no need to worry about where donations are going, if they are needed, or if hours spent volunteering will make a difference at the local level. Support for wish-granting is needed, all funds raised stay in Michigan, and time spent volunteering will improve the lives of local children. This speaks directly to the emotional needs of Generation X.

By targeting Generation X, Make-A-Wish Michigan will discover a base of willing and ready partners. This is a group of people that want to do good and want to change lives. This ICSS will let them know that Make-A-Wish Michigan recognizes them and needs them to help make a positive and long-lasting impact within the state of Michigan.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 51

Page 52: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

CREATIVE BRIEF

Client: Make-A-Wish Michigan Date: 12/21/15 Type: Integrated Marketing Communications Campaign Proposal Pages: 1

ICSS: For 35-50 year olds wanting to make an impact in their local communities, Make-A-Wish Michigan is a premier nonprofit, which provides a direct outlet for helping children across the state of Michigan.

Why are we advertising? To raise $1.25 million in donations and increase the number of volunteers by 20 percent from 690 to 830 in the 2016 calendar year.

Whom are we talking to? The Generation X demographic, between the ages of 35-50, who live in the state of Michigan.

What do they currently think? I want to give back to my community through engaging with nonprofits, and I think Make-A-Wish Michigan is a great organization for me to do so. However, there appears to be a communication barrier. I have a hard time connecting with the brand. Maybe it is because they do not need my support.

What would we like them to think? I believe Make-A-Wish Michigan is an organization where my impact will truly make a difference. Make-A-Wish Michigan needs my support to grant wishes to improve the lives of sick children and their families here in Michigan and to help strengthen my local community.

What is the single most persuasive idea we can convey? Support for wish-granting is needed, all funds raised stay in Michigan, and time spent volunteering will improve the lives of local children.

Why should they believe it? Make-A-Wish Michigan is a premier nonprofit, which was recently rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator. To date, they have granted the wishes of over 8,000 Michigan kids with life-threatening medical conditions, and all funds raised by the organization stay within the state (FAQ, 2015).

Are there any creative guidelines? • All creative and branding guidelines must be representative of Make-A-Wish Michigan’s

identity standards. This includes the traditional logos, fonts, colors, and language. • The personality portrayed should be heroic, trustworthy, personal, and impactful. • There will be ads through social media, traditional media, mobile marketing, and digital

media. Each ad should feature a strong call-to-action.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 52

Page 53: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA PLAN

CREATIVE THEME — PROJECT IMPACT

After a thorough study on Generation X, Think Tank Marketing has designed a plan for Make-A-Wish Michigan that utilizes traditional and digital media to create lifelong brand advocates, donors, and volunteers. Generation X is a valuable demographic to nonprofit organizations, who often overlook them for younger cohorts, like Millennials, or older cohorts, like Baby Boomers. When Think Tank Marketing researched the Generation X market, we found a group who is very willing to be involved. Generation X donates more frequently than any other generation, and they volunteer more often. They are very interested in child and health-centered causes. They are interested in engaging with nonprofits.

However, Generation X needs to know that they are needed, and their impact will truly make a difference — at the local level. Time and time again in the focus group conducted by Think Tank Marketing, the Generation X participants shared that they want to see the results of their donations and volunteering efforts on a local level. They want donations, time spent volunteering, and fundraising events to have a positive impact on their local community. When it comes to nonprofits, that is what is helping to drive this generation’s commitment.

PROJECT IMPACT blends the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan with the idea that Generation X can directly be apart of the wish granting process to make a positive impact locally. It delivers the message that we all have the ability to make an impact — in a child’s life, in their families’ lives, or in our local communities. Whether a Generation X’er chooses to donate money, volunteer hours, participate in one of Make-A-Wish Michigan’s events, or create an IMPACT campaign of their own — all support is needed — and it is because of that support that a true difference can be made for children in Michigan. PROJECT IMPACT will help compel Generation X to realize their support is needed, see that wish-granting is a necessity, and encourage them to engage with the Make-A-Wish Michigan in any way they are able.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 53

PROJECT IMPACT #MAKEYOURIMPACT

Page 54: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

This campaign seeks to engage and inspire Generation X to participate in the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan through donations, volunteering, and lifelong support of the organization. Generation X is composed of a group of people that want to be involved with nonprofits — but they have to know that they are needed, and their involvement will make a difference. The campaign will introduce the theme, PROJECT IMPACT, to the Generation X audience. The messaging of this campaign will focus on the fact that Generation X’ers can make a direct impact in their local communities by helping sick children across the state of Michigan.

In order to make this campaign successful, the following five objectives and associated strategies and tactics will be carried out throughout the course of this 12 month campaign, which is set to run from January 1, 2016, to December 31, 2016. All tactics will be executed using the $250,000 budget.

CAMPAIGN GOAL

During the 2016 calendar year, the campaign is expected to raise $1.25 million in donations and increase the number of volunteers by 20 percent from 690 to 830.

CAMPAIGN OBJECTIVES

Through the development and execution of this IMC proposal, Think Tank Marketing will accomplish the following objectives on behalf of Make-A-Wish Michigan during the course of this campaign, which is set to run from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2016.

• Increase social media engagement between Make-A-Wish Michigan and Generation X by 60 percent over a 12 month period.

• Elevate awareness of the PROJECT IMPACT campaign among the target audience by 40 percent over a 12 month period.

• Increase the number of volunteers among 35-50 year olds by 20 percent over a 12 month period.

• Raise $1.25 million in donations from the target audience over a 12 month period.

• Achieve 90 percent awareness and buy-in of the campaign among internal target audiences over a 4 month period.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 54

Page 55: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

CAMPAIGN STRATEGIES

Due to the fact that Generation X has a high brand awareness of Make-A-Wish Michigan, but a low awareness of the wish-granting process and the inherent need for their involvement, a multistep strategy is needed to familiarize this audience with what Make-A-Wish Michigan does. This will easily allow for a long-term partnership to be formed.

The following strategies will help support the objectives outlined in this IMC proposal. They will also be the basis for the tactics and internal communications plan.

• Engage the target audience on a state-wide campaign that covers social, digital, and traditional platforms to raise a minimum of $262,000 in donations (with a projected total of $398,006) and recruit a total of 145 new volunteers.

• Attract 45 Hispanic and Arabic volunteers to Make-A-Wish Michigan through a combination of digital, traditional, and social tactics targeted specifically at these multicultural demographics.

• Host a new, singular event to raise $100,000 in net donations for Make-A-Wish Michigan over the course of this campaign.

• Raise 3 million miles for the Wishes in Flight program over the course of this campaign.

• Attract more Generation X’ers to participate in the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour by developing a shorter, more family-friendly tour to increase donations by $37,500.

• Raise an additional $90,000 in donations for the Detroit Walk for Wishes signature fundraiser over the course of this campaign.

• Partner with 60 organizations that employ or engage with a large number of Generation X’ers to grow yearly contributions by $600,000 and increase external public donations by a minimum of $100,000.

• Identify Make-A-Wish Michigan employees and volunteers who have compelling stories on how they are making a positive impact in Michigan and turn them into brand advocates by developing their stories into sharable content.

CAMPAIGN TACTICS

In the sections below, the described campaign tactics and touch-points will accomplish the objectives and strategies proposed in this IMC plan. These tactics will promote the campaign

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 55

Page 56: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

theme of PROJECT IMPACT. The theme centers around the fact that all of Generation X has the power to make an impact in their local communities by helping sick children across the state of Michigan.

Think Tank Marketing has used the majority of the budget through a combination of digital and traditional touch-points to better connect with the target audience. Each tactic offers specific details regarding how it could take place, a rationale, a budget allocation, and an evaluation. A smaller portion of the budget is reserved for evaluation methods, while a 9 percent agency fee will be allocated to Think Tank Marketing.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 56

Page 57: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

THE PROJECT IMPACT CAMPAIGN

Social Media Campaign

Think Tank Marketing has created a 12 month social media campaign called PROJECT IMPACT to better connect with Generation X and spread awareness for Make-A-Wish Michigan. PROJECT IMPACT challenges Generation X’ers to make an impact with Make-A-Wish Michigan in any way that they can — whether it be through donations, volunteering, participating in a fundraising event, or something else entirely. No effort is too small or too out-of-the-box. The possibilities are endless.

Here are a few ideas on how Generation X can make an impact:

• Donate airline miles to Make-A-Wish Michigan through Wishes in Flight • Donate money directly to Make-A-Wish Michigan • Volunteer with Make-A-Wish Michigan • Instead of birthday/holiday/wedding gifts, ask for donations to be made to Make-A-Wish

Michigan • Donate supplies to Make-A-Wish Michigan • Participate in one of Make-A-Wish Michigan’s fundraising events (i.e. Walk for Wishes, WAM) • Start an IMPACT campaign — it could be a bake-off, a roller skating marathon, or even a

sports game where the proceeds are donated to Make-A-Wish Michigan

The campaign will ask Generation X’ers to take a picture or video of themselves engaging in the activity and upload it to Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with the hashtag #MAKEYOURIMPACT. For activities where photo or video sharing would be more difficult (donating online, donating airline miles, etc.), share buttons will be optimized. This way, no matter what the activity, people can share their impact with Make-A-Wish Michigan easily across social media. This campaign will spread across all of Make-A-Wish Michigan’s social channels including: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Pinterest.

By sharing these personal experiences with the Make-A-Wish Michigan brand via social media, the number of people who know about the organization will multiply. PROJECT IMPACT wants the target audience to easily share content, feel connected to their impact, and represent that to all their friends and family. This is the foundation to creating life-long brand advocates for Make-A-Wish Michigan.

HISPANIC AND ARABIC TRANSLATIONS: In order to attract more Hispanic and Arabic volunteers and potential donors to engage with Make-A-Wish Michigan, the PROJECT IMPACT campaign is easily translated into similarly appropriate hashtags and calls-to-action. This ethnic targeting will allow Make-A-Wish Michigan to better attract these multicultural demographics.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 57

Page 58: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

RATIONALE: According to the research provided in the Target Audience section of this proposal, Generation X is highly active on social media. A personalized social media campaign would be a fun and engaging way to interact with this audience and spread awareness for Make-A-Wish Michigan.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: Social media graphics will be designed by Think Tank Marketing and are included in the agency cost.

EVALUATION: Think Tank Marketing will track and monitor social media mentions and engagement via Hootsuite. Hootsuite would allow Make-A-Wish Michigan the ability to monitor all of its current social media networks in one place and interact with users in real-time. The program also offers weekly analytics reports, which Make-A-Wish Michigan can use to track engagement rates on posts, videos, or pictures. Additionally, Think Tank Marketing will use a social media intelligence program called Meltwater to analyze its social media efforts and ideate content to specifically reach social media savvy Generation X’ers. The program offers its own set of analytics.

Paid Ads on Social Media

Think Tank Marketing will pay to advertise on what we believe to be the most popular social media platforms with the Generation X audience. The platforms we will use will be Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.

FACEBOOK ADS: Facebook advertisements to support the PROJECT IMPACT campaign will exist in multiple formats: event responses, page post engagement, video views, and clicks to website. These paid advertisements can target users based on location and interests. This user-targeting will change based on what is being promoted — i.e. Hispanic ads being promoted to Hispanics, the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle tour being promoted to those interested in cycling, etc. In conjunction with one another, these methods will seek to create buzz around the new campaign.

TWITTER ADS: Twitter advertisements to support the PROJECT IMPACT campaign will exist in the form of promoted tweets and promoted accounts. User-targeting will also be incorporated to target users based on location and interests.

YOUTUBE ADS: YouTube advertisements to support the PROJECT IMPACT campaign will exist in the form of banner advertisements. These ads on YouTube can be user-targeted as well.

SPANISH AND ARABIC ADS: Spanish and Arabic ads will also be published on Facebook and Twitter to promote PROJECT IMPACT. Videos will be available in both Spanish and Arabic subtitles. While these demographics are welcome to participate in PROJECT IMPACT in any

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 58

Page 59: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

way they are able, the ads will specifically be geared towards attracting them as volunteers, since that is an important goal of Make-A-Wish Michigan. The #MAKEYOURIMPACT hashtag will be translated into each respective language.

RATIONALE: Generation X’ers are heavy users of social media. Paid social advertising allows Make-A-Wish Michigan to expand its reach of the PROJECT IMPACT campaign and increase engagement with users, who may have never seen the nonprofit’s posts otherwise.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $70,000

• Facebook advertising runs on a CPC or CPM basis. Think Tank Marketing will set a budget of $25,000 for a CPC basis over the course of 12 months.

• Twitter advertising typically costs $.50 – $4.00 per engagement (How Much Do Ads, 2015). Think Tank Marketing will set a budget of $15,000 over the course of 12 months. This budget is lower since Twitter has a smaller Generation X audience than Facebook and YouTube.

• YouTube advertising runs on a CPC basis — the pricing varies slightly per unit, but it typically runs anywhere from $.10 - $.30 (Allegar, 2015). Think Tank Marketing will set a budget for $30,000 over the course of 12 months.

EVALUATION: Think Tank Marketing will track and monitor social media mentions and engagement via Hootsuite. Hootsuite would allow Make-A-Wish Michigan the ability to monitor all of its current social media networks in one place and interact with users in real-time. The program also offers weekly analytics reports, which Make-A-Wish Michigan can use to track engagement rates on posts, videos, or pictures. Additionally, Think Tank Marketing will use Meltwater to analyze its social media efforts and ideate content to specifically reach social media savvy Generation X’ers. The program offers its own set of analytics.

Leverage User-Generated Content on Social Media

Sharing prime, personalized content is one of the best ways to help connect and engage Generation X’ers with the PROJECT IMPACT campaign and Make-A-Wish Michigan. Using the PROJECT IMPACT microsite (explained in more detail below) and the #MAKEYOURIMPACT hashtag, Think Tank Marketing and Make-A-Wish Michigan can publish a steady stream of UGC with the nonprofit’s followers for “social proof” of the campaign’s effectiveness and to promote interest and engagement.

Ideas of UGC to publish would include: fundraising ideas (i.e. IMPACT campaigns — described below), pictures from events, and pictures and videos uploaded to social media under the #MAKEYOURIMPACT hashtag. Think Tank Marketing will help Make-A-Wish Michigan surface top content to be shared on social media.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 59

Page 60: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

RATIONALE: A new report from L2 Inc recently stated that “55 percent of consumers trust UGC over other forms of marketing” (O’Brien, 2015). By using UGC, Think Tank Marketing will not only gain the trust of Generation X, it will also have the ability to integrate that content across multiple social platforms.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: UGC is free, as long as the user grants permission for Make-A-Wish Michigan to use the images and/or videos.

EVALUATION: The success of this UGC will be evaluated based on the overall engagement with posts. Think Tank Marketing will use Hootsuite and Meltwater to help track overall engagement rates on these posts. Google Analytics, a free tool, can be used to track any of the UGC’s referrals to the PROJECT IMPACT microsite or Make-A-Wish Michigan website.

Microsite

Although the Make-A-Wish Michigan website is informative, Think Tank Marketing suggests creating a microsite devoted specifically to PROJECT IMPACT called projectimpact.org. The microsite will serve as a communications hub for the campaign and make information easily accessible for the target audience. It will be mobile-optimized, since the majority of Generation X uses smartphones regularly. It will also be available in Spanish and Arabic.

Here are a few examples of some sections showcased on the site:

• ABOUT: Visitors will be able to learn about the important mission of PROJECT IMPACT as it relates to Make-A-Wish Michigan. There will be information regarding the necessity of wish-granting, and how Generation X’ers can help make their own impact across local Michigan communities through PROJECT IMPACT.

• #MAKEYOURIMPACT: Visitors will be given the option to donate, learn more about volunteering with Make-A-Wish Michigan, learn more about Make-A-Wish Michigan fundraising events, and have the ability to start their very own IMPACT campaign. The IMPACT campaign section will have its own login screen, where users choose to login with Facebook or create their own username and password. Once users login, they will be able to create and monitor all of their campaigning and donation efforts. If they choose to login via Facebook, they can also track their friends donations and campaigns. Social media buttons are also included in this section, which will allow users to easily share their campaign content all across social media.

• SEE THE IMPACT: This section will contain up-to-date media coverage and stories, pictures, and videos of Generation X’ers who have participated in PROJECT IMPACT. Think Tank

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 60

Page 61: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Marketing believes it is important to create “social proof” of the success of the campaign and give a face and voice to the pictures, videos, and stories surrounding PROJECT IMPACT.

• IMPACT FOR WISHES: This section will contain brief information regarding the IMPACT for

Wishes partnerships promotion. Logos of all participating companies will be listed for visitors to view.

• IMPACT OF THE FOOD TRUCKS: Information regarding the event such as dates, times, participating food trucks, and sponsors of the event will be listed here.

RATIONALE: The microsite is important to the target audience because it allows for transparency. Think Tank Marketing learned in their focus group that Generation X wants to make an impact, but they need to know that it will make a difference. By providing “social proof” through numbers, images, videos, and stories, the target audience will be more inspired to partake in the positivity of this campaign.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $30,104.87

According to a website calculator on Webpagefx.com, a budget for this microsite would be around $30,000. The microsite would be mobile-optimized, have a professional design, have an advanced content management system, and multiple other features. Hosting and domain for the microsite are estimated at $104.87 (godaddy.com)

EVALUATION: The microsite’s effectiveness will be evaluated using Google Analytics. This will measure number of page views and number of visitors to the site. It will also identify what websites or platforms are driving visitors to the microsite and will provide data on the demographics of viewers. This demographic data will help Think Tank Marketing to determine if they are effectively targeting the 35-50 year old market.

E-Newsletter

Creating an e-newsletter, called IMPACT News will communicate news and information surrounding the PROJECT IMPACT campaign to the target audience. One email will be sent per month (over a 12 month period) to a distribution list, which includes supporters of Make-A-Wish Michigan, those who have participated in signature events and fundraisers, those who entered their email on the microsite, and companies who have expressed interest in providing money or volunteers for Make-A-Wish Michigan.

The content of the e-newsletter will provide readers with information on PROJECT IMPACT and Make-A-Wish Michigan events, profiles and stories (“social proof”) of Generation X’ers

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 61

Page 62: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

participating in the campaign, news and images from the PROJECT IMPACT social media campaign, and links to Make-A-Wish Michigan’s social media accounts.

RATIONALE: Consistent, ongoing communication with the target audience is necessary to keep them engaged and updated on the campaign. IMPACT News seeks to build a relationship with those that have expressed an interest in the campaign by reminding them of important events throughout the year, sharing campaign stories, and giving them new ideas on how to engage with Make-A-Wish Michigan and truly make an impact across their local communities.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $6,199

Think Tank Marketing recommends using a moderate volume MailChimp account to send efficient and trackable emails. We have estimated a distribution list of 105,000 a month over the course of this campaign (to allow room for expected growth). According to MailChimp’s website, the cost to send an email to an audience of this size is $500 per month with a $199 PRO subscription fee, which means the total cost would be $6,199 (MailChimp.com).

EVALUATION: MailChimp’s built-in software and analytics will be used to determine click-rate, open-rate, new subscribers, number of unsubscribes, etc. Google Analytics will also be used to track what pages people are viewing on the microsite from clicking links in the e-newsletter.

Campaign Digital Video Series

Think Tank Marketing will create a 1 minute video to be hosted on YouTube and embedded into the PROJECT IMPACT microsite. Shorter, 15 second videos will be created for Instagram and other social media channels. The purpose of these videos is to generate awareness for the campaign and inspire viewers to make a personal impact with Make-A-Wish Michigan whether it be through donations, volunteering, participating in a fundraising event, or something else altogether. They will direct viewers to the PROJECT IMPACT microsite, where they will be able to take the next step and get involved. The main video will discuss PROJECT IMPACT as a whole. The other videos will discuss aspects of the campaign like donating, volunteering, coming up with an IMPACT campaign, etc. These emails will be shared on social media and through emails.

RATIONALE: As stated in the Target Audience section of this proposal, Generation X’ers download and stream a high amount of video content — 78.7 percent of Generation X Internet users downloaded or streamed video online monthly (Moats, 2013). By creating narratives that touch on Generation X’s desire to make an impact and combining that with a video platform, Make-A-Wish Michigan can easily bridge the gap for 35-50 year olds to understand the

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 62

Page 63: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

importance of the nonprofit’s mission and work. This powerful video content can be shared online across social media and via email for increased reach and visibility.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $12,100

• Pre-Production (includes script-writing and/or review, storyboarding, location scouting and creating a shooting schedule): $800 per day for 3 days — $2,400 (HeavyDigital.com)

• Production (includes a standard two person crew and rates include a DP with a high quality cinema camera & basic grip package, and an audio technician with a boom, lavs and dedicated audio recorder): $1,900 per day for 3 days — $5,700 (HeavyDigital.com)

• Post-Production (includes video editing, motion graphics, color grading and more. Sound, titles, and color correction will be added and encoded for DVD, Blu-Ray or the web, and uploaded to the microsite, and YouTube): $1,000 per day for 4 days — $4,000 (HeavyDigital.com)

• MailChimp (already budgeted into this proposal) will be used to send out emails containing the videos.

EVALUATION: In order to track the effectiveness of the video, its overall views will be tracked. YouTube offers its own set of free analytics called YouTube Insights. YouTube Insights offers discovery events, ratings tools, audience demographic tools, an option to track traffic sources, and sharing statistics. These tools would allow Think Tank Marketing to monitor anything from what users are saying about the video to what type of audience is watching it. Think Tank Marketing can also monitor where the video is being shared, and what type of users are sharing it. Google Analytics will be used to monitor how many people the video is driving to the website to take action. This video will be used in conjunction with social media and paid social advertising as well. Facebook and Twitter offer their own free analytic programs which will help monitor shares across social platforms. MailChimp will be used to monitor open-rate and click-rate of the emails.

Press Release to Local Media Outlets

Think Tank Marketing will send a press release to Michigan news outlets to notify them of the PROJECT IMPACT campaign. The social media campaign, microsite, and “IMPACT of the Food Trucks” fundraiser will be discussed. We will place the press release on PR Newswire and will work with Make-A-Wish Michigan to schedule interviews centered around the campaign.

RATIONALE: Make-A-Wish Michigan has a better chance of achieving its donation and volunteering goals if the PROJECT IMPACT campaign is shared with the media. Media coverage is necessary and will help build awareness and interest in the campaign from the target audience.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $349

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 63

Page 64: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

• 400 word press release to state and metro news-lines in Michigan: $250 (PRNewswire.com) • OptimizationMax (optimizes the news release for search engines): $99 (PRNewswire.com)

EVALUATION: In order to track the effectiveness of the press release, programs like Google Alerts and Mention will be used. These programs can track sources of PROJECT IMPACT-related stories, as well as, gauge the response of their authors, tones, and topics.

Digital Ads on Hispanic and Arab Publications Websites

In order to attract more Hispanic and Arab volunteers to Make-A-Wish Michigan, Think Tank Marketing recommends placing digital ads on the websites of Hispanic and Arab publications to increase visibility and connect with these demographics through media that they will be engaged with. These ads will be targeted to Michigan residents, and they will run in a staggered schedule throughout the 12 month period of this campaign.

RATIONALE: Digital ads are a direct method to reach Generation X Hispanics and Arabs. With 83 percent of Arabs and 78 percent on Hispanics using the Internet daily, targeted digital ads on the websites of top publications within each demographic would have a strong reach to help recruit volunteers (Understand the Arab Digital Generation, 2015).

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $8,000

Think Tank Marketing recommends placing ads on the websites of two Hispanic magazines (Latina and Vanidades) and on the websites of two Arab magazines (Islamic Horizons and Al Jadid). An estimated number for each ad running for 2 months is $8,000 (hispanicexecutive.com).

EVALUATION: Google Analytics would be used to measure the click-rate and conversion-rate (how many people signed to be volunteers) because of the ads.

Reverse Graffiti — Guerilla Marketing

Reverse graffiti, also known as clean graffiti, is an innovative, environmentally safe and eye-catching technique to advertise that has only been popularized in the last 8 to 10 years. “Clean graffiti is just like normal graffiti, but with one major difference – no paint or colors are needed. How does this work? The artist simply finds a dirty wall and cleans part of it to form a temporary art exhibit” (Clean Graffiti, 2013). Clean graffiti artists use their hands, brushes, or even pressure washers to create their works of art. “One common technique for getting finer detail involves laying a stencil down on the surface and using a high powered washer to clean out the area which creates a work of art in just seconds. Inner cities are often coated with dirt and grime – essentially posing as a blank canvas for interested artists” (Clean Graffiti, 2013).

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 64

Page 65: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Think Tank Marketing recommends creating reverse graffiti to help spread awareness for the PROJECT IMPACT campaign and to help generate buzz and engagement on social media for Make-A-Wish Michigan. Reverse graffiti pieces would be placed in the cities of Detroit and Grand Rapids. In order to avoid any legal issues, any building or wall where the graffiti would be placed would have to be approved with the city or business owner.

RATIONALE: Large pieces of art on buildings and walls is eye-catching and will seek to generate crowds and engagement with the images. People will be able to take pictures of the reverse graffiti on their mobile phones, tablets, etc. All art pieces will use the hashtag #MAKEYOURIMPACT to help connect and draw attention to the PROJECT IMPACT campaign.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $1,200

Think Tank Marketing recommends placing 5 reverse graffiti pieces in Detroit and 5 reverse graffiti pieces in Grand Rapids. Five stencils would be created. An estimation for the stencil prices are $200 each for $1,000 total. A pressure washer would also be needed and would possibly need to be rented. An estimated cost for 2 pressure washers to be rented (at $100 per day) is $200 (homedepot.com)

EVALUATION: Think Tank Marketing will evaluate the success of the reverse graffiti by monitoring the #MAKEYOURIMPACT hashtag on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram surrounding the reverse graffiti events. Specifically, our agency will be looking for images of people standing in front of the images or lone pictures of the images themselves. Mention will also be used to monitor local news articles, to see if the guerrilla event generated any media attention.

“IMPACT of the Food Trucks” Festival Fundraiser

A food truck fundraising event called the “IMPACT of the Food Trucks Festival” will be created in order to help raise donation dollars for Make-A-Wish Michigan. It will be designed as a family-friendly, locally-rooted event. For its first year, IMPACT of the Food Trucks will run in Detroit. If the festival proves to be successful, it could have the option to run twice a year, with a Grand Rapids location being added later on. Attendees, who visit the festival, will be able to sample a variety of small-plate dishes from both local and regional gourmet food trucks. In conjunction with the festival, there will be a food truck competition taking place among the trucks.

IMPACT of the Food Trucks will be set up as a two-day event. Tickets could be purchased online before the event at the PROJECT IMPACT microsite or purchased either day at the fundraiser. Food samples will be offered in exchange for tickets. Five tickets will be included with the price of admission, which will be $18.00. Additional tickets will be available for $2.00 each with all proceeds going directly to Make-A-Wish Michigan. Kids under 5 would be

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 65

Page 66: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

admitted for free. Food truck providers will be charged $500 to set up at the event and will pledge 25 percent or more of their proceeds to Make-A-Wish Michigan.

There will be staffed donation boxes with the #MAKEYOURIMPACT hashtag and Make-A-Wish Michigan logo positioned around the event. This way, those that wish to give additional money will have the opportunity. These donation boxes will be designed as social media photo sharing opportunities. This will spread additional reach for the event and raise more awareness for Make-A-Wish Michigan and PROJECT IMPACT. Volunteers, including ones that speak Spanish or Arabic, will staff the boxes and be able to provide additional information on Make-A-Wish Michigan and volunteering opportunities available for those interested.

To make the event more affordable in its first year, Think Tank Marketing recommends holding the festival at a large park in or near downtown Detroit. This way, attendees can bring their own blankets and chairs to sit on, and additional seating would not need to be provided. The park itself or the City of Detroit would be considered a sponsor for the event in exchange for hosting the event at the park. Additional sponsorship opportunities would also be available. In recognition for their support, Make-A-Wish Michigan would promote the sponsors’ names and logos on certain promotional materials, social media posts, signage, and through verbal recognition at the event itself.

One of the most exciting things about IMPACT of the Food Trucks is its potential for long-term growth. With a larger budget allocation, this event could attract more participants, attract more food trucks, and offer options for vendors, music, and additional sponsors.

IMPACT of the Food Trucks will be heavily promoted through the use of traditional advertising (signage and flyers), email marketing, local radio advertisements, press releases, and targeted social media advertisements. The food trucks, participating in the event, would be asked to share and promote the event on their social media pages as well.

RATIONALE: From earlier research in this proposal, Think Tank Marketing learned that Generation X’ers are drawn to local, low-key, family-friendly events, where they have the ability to socialize. This event seeks to raise money for Make-A-Wish Michigan, while allowing attendees to enjoy delicious food and a have a good time. This fundraiser will draw Generation X’ers together for an important cause and allow them to relax and have fun while they are doing it.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $21,408

This price does not include a price for the venue, since it is positioned to be included for free by a sponsor for the event. It also does not include seating or tables for guests, since the fundraiser would be taking place at a park, and guests would be asked to bring their own seating. This price does include: 5 medium-size tents for staff and judges at $1050, 20 tables for staff and judges at $160, 200 chairs at

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 66

Page 67: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

$320, and 3 bouncy houses for $630 (perrystentsandevents.com), and a speaker system for $500 (speakeronastick.com). Signage would cost approximately $8,000 and it would include banners, customized large donation boxes, magnetic vehicle signs (for the food trucks), and small yard signs. One thousand flyers would be printed for $50 (vistaprint.com). Thirty-second radio advertisements would be placed on 2 popular radio stations in Detroit running 4 weeks up to the event. An approximate budget for this is $10,000 (localmarketingideas.com). Email marketing (through Mail Chimp) and paid social ads for the PROJECT IMPACT campaign have already been budgeted and would incur no additional cost for this event. Think Tank Marketing would also send out 2 press releases, which would cost $698.

EVALUATION: The IMPACT of the Food Trucks Festival will be evaluated by the number of people that participate in the event, the number of sponsors that participate in the event, and the number of food trucks that participate in the event. With having its first and only event in the 2016 calendar year, Think Tank Marketing anticipates a total number of 15 participating food trucks, approximately 3,000 people attending the event, and a net donations total of $104,842 being raised after event expenses. Additionally, Mention would be used to monitor the number and tone of news articles and social media mentions surrounding the event, and post-test surveys would gauge overall event reception and response. EVENT COST: - $21,408 FOOD TRUCKS: 15 X $500 (event entrance fee) = + $7,500 FOOD TRUCKS: $75,000 (estimated food sales) X 25% = + $18,750 ATTENDEES: 3,000 X $18.00 (admission) = + $54,000 ATTENDEES: 1,500 (half of attendees each purchasing 2 extra tickets) X $4.00 = + $6,000 ATTENDEES: 1,000 (1/3 of attendees, who make extra event donations) X $20.00 = + $20,000 SPONSORSHIPS: + $20,000 TOTAL MONEY RAISED: $104,842

POTENTIAL ROI FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

The total cost for the PROJECT IMPACT campaign is $149,360.87. Think Tank Marketing believes that the combined digital, social, traditional, and PR tactics found in this section will successfully reach a minimum of 40 percent (or 398,006) Generation X’ers living in the state of Michigan. Our agency also believes that it will boost Make-A-Wish Michigan’s overall engagement rate on social media by 60 percent. If 10 percent of the 398,006 donate $10 to Make-A-Wish Michigan, the nonprofit will successful raise $398,006, outside of the donations raised at the IMPACT of the Food Trucks Festival. This section is also projected to boost total volunteers by 20 percent (140 total) through a combination of social media ads, digital videos, digital ads, and traditional tactics. These tactics will also be promoted in Arabic and Spanish to attract a minimum of 45 Hispanic and Arab volunteers.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 67

Page 68: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

WISHES IN FLIGHT

Post-Event Emails

To raise charity airline mile donations for the Wishes in Flight program, Think Tank Marketing recommends implementing a post-event email campaign. After the Walk for Wishes and Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour, emails would be sent out to participants, volunteers, and sponsors asking them to “go that extra mile” and donate to Wishes in Flight. The hashtag #MAKEYOURIMPACT would also be included to tie back to the PROJECT IMPACT campaign. The reason for picking these events is because they also have a “miles” theme. This allows for a level of cohesiveness among the events and the Wishes in Flight program.

RATIONALE: These emails would target those that have participated in, volunteered with, or donated towards Walk for Wishes and the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour. This prior engagement creates a pre-existing relationship and interest in the organization. This email campaign would seek to take their engagement and relationship a step further by having them donate to the Wishes in Flight program.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: A MailChimp account would be used to send efficient and trackable emails to a distribution list. This account has already been budgeted into the campaign and would incur no additional costs.

EVALUATION: MailChimp’s built-in software and analytics will be used to determine click-rate and open-rate. Google Analytics would be used to measure traffic on the Wishes in Flight webpage and track “conversion” rates from the emails — i.e. people who actually donated because of the emails.

Airport Terminal Ads

Think Tank Marketing recommends the utilization of airport terminal ads to encourage Generation X’ers to donate unused airline miles to Make-A-Wish Michigan’s Wishes in Flight program. These ads will be placed at Michigan’s largest and most popular airports — Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Gerald R. Ford International Airport. DTW has an average of 2,709,463 passengers pass through per month, while GRR has an average of 194,592 passengers pass through per month (Where We Are, 2015). Ads could be showcased on backlit dioramas located in gate/terminals and baggage claims for airliners apart of the Wishes in Flight program — Delta, United, American Airlines, and JetBlue. The hashtag #MAKEYOURIMPACT will be featured on the ads to tie them in to the PROJECT IMPACT campaign.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 68

Page 69: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

RATIONALE: One backlit diorama is seen an average of 12,000 to 15,000 times per day in an airport (Airport Advertising in 100 Cities, 2015). If one of these ads runs for just 4 weeks, it could have 60,000 impressions during that period. With 2/3 of upscale Generation X’ers and half of mass-market Generation X’ers planning to travel for pleasure in the next 12 months, airport terminal ads offer a direct way to connect with this demographic (Lesonsky, 2015). This high level of exposure is exactly what is needed for the Wishes in Flight program meet its goal of doubling donations in the 2016 calendar year. BUDGET ALLOCATION: $28,000

8 backlit dioramas located in gate/terminals and baggage claims located at DTW and GRR would cost $28,000. These ads would run for 4 week intervals and would be seen approximately 480,000 times.

EVALUATION: Google Analytics will be used to determine if the Wishes in Flight web traffic and airline donation amounts increased during the time of the airport terminal ads. Post-testing surveys will also be implemented to see how many Generation X’ers came in contact with the airport terminal ads and chose to act because of them.

Digital Ads on Travel Websites

Digital ads will be placed on travel websites like Expedia, TripAdvisor, AirfareWatchdog, Priceline, CheapTickets, and Hotwire to target users to donate their unused airline miles to Wishes in Flight. Ads will be shown to Michigan residents and targeted to their interests in air travel, nonprofits, donating to charity, Make-A-Wish Michigan, etc. The hashtag #MAKEYOURIMPACT will be featured on the ads to tie them in to the PROJECT IMPACT campaign.

RATIONALE: As previously stated, 2/3 of upscale Generation X’ers and half of mass-market Generation X’ers are planning to travel for pleasure in the next 12 months (Lesonsky, 2015). By targeting Michigan residents on these travel websites, who travel often and/or are interested in nonprofits and donating, Make-A-Wish Michigan can increase exposure and gain needed donations for its Wishes in Flight program.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $3,196

These digital ads on popular travel websites would run for 12 months and would generate approximately 5,333 impressions per day (adpulsemedia.com). This would equal out to approximately 1,951,878 impressions for the entire 12 month campaign. To run these digital ads for 12 months, it would cost $799 per month, which equals out to $3,196 for a 12 month period.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 69

Page 70: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

EVALUATION: Make-A-Wish Michigan would be using Ad Pulse Media for this digital campaign. Part of the pricing package chosen by Think Tank Marketing includes their monitoring and tracking of the campaign to measure its overall effectiveness. Google Analytics would be used in conjunction with Ad Pulse Media to measure the click-rate and conversion-rate of the ads.

Paid Social Ads

Part of the idea behind the PROJECT IMPACT campaign is for Generation X to make an impact with Make-A-Wish Michigan in any way they are able. One of the suggested ways they make an impact is through donating their airline miles to Wishes in Flight. Therefore, throughout the entire campaign, Think Tank Marketing recommends using paid social ads on Facebook and Twitter to encourage people to donate airline miles. All ads would incorporate the #MAKEYOURIMPACT hashtag.

RATIONALE: Generation X’ers are heavy users of social media. Paid social advertising would allow Make-A-Wish Michigan to expand its reach of Wishes in Flight and attract Generation X’ers to donate to the program.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: Paid social ads have already been budgeted into this campaign and would incur no additional cost.

EVALUATION: Think Tank Marketing will track and monitor social media mentions and engagement via Hootsuite. The program also offers weekly analytics reports, which Make-A-Wish Michigan can use to track engagement rates on posts or pictures. Additionally, Think Tank Marketing will use Meltwater to analyze its social media efforts and ideate content to specifically reach Generation X’ers, who may be interested in this event.

POTENTIAL ROI FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

The additional cost* for Wishes in Flight is $31,196. Think Tank Marketing believes that the combined traditional, digital, and social tactics found in this section will successfully allow 3,000,000 charity airline miles to be donated to Make-A-Wish Michigan in the 2016 calendar year. Airport ads and digital ads will approximately number out to 2,431,878 impressions (adpulsemedia). From a numbers standpoint, 3,000,000 donated airline miles equal out to $60,000 (at $0.02 for every mile).

* Additional costs accumulated in this section. Some items have already been budgeted into the proposal and will include no additional cost for this section.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 70

Page 71: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

THE WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR

Introduce a WAM 15

Make-A-Wish Michigan’s largest fundraiser is the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour.  The WAM Tour celebrates the accomplishments of the cyclists and raises money for wish families.   The WAM Tour consists of three, distinct tours: the WAM 300, the WAM 50, and the WAM Jr.  The WAM 300 is a three day tour covering 300 miles of Michigan countryside, while the WAM 50 is a one day, 50 mile bike ride.  The WAM Jr. is a half-mile kids ride geared at children ages 5-13.  The most recent WAM Tour raised more than $2.1 million and included nearly 1,000 riders and 300 volunteers at the event (Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour, 2015). 

However, one of the challenges surrounding the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour is the time-consuming nature of the activity.  From the above information, it can be seen that the WAM is only available in the 300 mile or 50 mile tour.  Both of these tours are time-consuming.  These tours mainly appeal to people that are very active or like to bicycle a lot. However, they do not appeal to a majority of people. For Generation X’ers interested in a shorter, more relaxing ride, there really is no option.  

Because of this, Think Tank Marketing would propose adding a WAM 15 tour to the event.  It would have an easier ride route and be more casual and relaxing for the riders.  Perhaps, it could travel through a portion of the main tour that is flat countryside or local neighborhoods. The fee to join the WAM 15 tour would be $25, and riders should raise a minimum of $125 to participate.

RATIONALE: A WAM 15 would appeal to Generation X'ers that have less time and would like to make the WAM a family-friendly event. According to Think Tank Marketing’s research and focus group, it is important for Generation X'ers to participate in events where they can spend time with their family and friends.  If they have friends or family participating, they are also more likely to participate.  This approach has the potential to draw in a larger crowd from the target audience. The WAM 15 is less time-consuming, is more relaxing (shorter, easier route), and is something that Generation X can do with their teenagers. 

BUDGET ALLOCATION: The WAM 15 would be added to the existing Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour. The smaller tour should incur no additional cost.

EVALUATION: The overall success of the WAM 15 would be evaluated based on the number of participants that elect to ride in the shorter, one-day tour. If Make-A-Wish Michigan can attract 250 participants to the WAM 15, they will have the opportunity to raise a minimum of $37,500 from riders in this event alone.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 71

Page 72: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Targeted Mobile Ads

In order to gain more participants for the the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour, Think Tank Marketing recommends the use of mobile targeting. Location-based mobile ads could be used to target people who frequently visit outdoor recreation sporting goods stores (like Dick’s Sporting Goods, REI, Cabella’s, Eastern Mountain Sports, Bass Pro Shops, Gander Mountain, etc.) and popular biking trails. By understanding their offline, real-world consumer behavior, Think Tank Marketing can precisely identify and reach a group of Generation X’ers interested in cycling. However, it is important to understand their online behavior as well. For this reason, mobile ads will also be shown based on search and browsing history. These mobile ads would seek to target participants for the more family-friendly WAM 15. All ads would incorporate the #MAKEYOURIMPACT hashtag. This combination of high targeting will help Make-A-Wish Michigan find more willing participants for the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour.

RATIONALE: Targeted, mobile advertisements are a direct way to reach Generation X and attract them to the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour. In a recent survey done by Millward Brown, the organization reported that 60 percent of Generation X’ers use a smartphone on a daily basis. Eighty-six percent of Generation X’ers go online daily for personal needs like: shopping or researching products or organizations (Wallace, 2015). Additionally, mobile ads perform 4-5x’s better than online ads (Mobile Outdoor, 2015).

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $1,500

These targeted mobile ads located on mobile sites and apps would run for 90 days leading up to the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour. During that time, they are expected to generate 250,000 ad impressions and would cost $1,500 (adpulsemedia.com)

EVALUATION: Make-A-Wish Michigan would be using Ad Pulse Media for this mobile ad campaign. Part of the pricing package chosen by Think Tank Marketing includes their monitoring and tracking of the campaign to measure its overall effectiveness. Google Analytics would be used in conjunction with Ad Pulse Media to measure the click-rate and conversion-rate (how many people signed up) because of the ads.

Paid Social Ads

Part of the idea behind the PROJECT IMPACT campaign is for Generation X to make an impact with Make-A-Wish Michigan in any way they are able. One of the suggested ways they make an impact is through participating in the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour. Therefore, 90 days leading up to the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour, Think Tank Marketing recommends using paid social ads on Facebook and Twitter to attract participants to the event. All ads would incorporate the

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 72

Page 73: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

#MAKEYOURIMPACT hashtag. The ads could introduce the new WAM 15 as being family-friendly and promote the other tours as well.

RATIONALE: Generation X’ers are heavy users of social media. Paid social advertising would allow Make-A-Wish Michigan to expand its reach of the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour and attract new participants to the event.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: Paid social ads have already been budgeted into this campaign and would incur no additional cost.

EVALUATION: Think Tank Marketing will track and monitor social media mentions and engagement via Hootsuite. The program also offers weekly analytics reports, which Make-A-Wish Michigan can use to track engagement rates on posts or pictures. Additionally, Think Tank Marketing will use Meltwater to analyze its social media efforts and ideate content to specifically reach Generation X’ers, who may be interested in this event.

POTENTIAL ROI FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

The additional cost* for the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour is $1,500. Think Tank Marketing believes that the addition of a WAM 15 has the potential to successfully draw 250 Generation X participants to the Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour. This number of participants can have the potential to raise $37,500 for Make-A-Wish Michigan.

* Additional costs accumulated in this section. Some items have already been budgeted into the proposal and will include no additional cost for this section.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 73

Page 74: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

DETROIT WALK FOR WISHES

Implement a Required Registration Fee

Implementing a required registration fee to Detroit Walk for Wishes would raise a substantive amount of donation funds for the event. Registration fees are considered as donations, so every participant that registers for the charity walk would be raising money for Make-A-Wish Michigan. Think Tank Marketing recommends implementing a $15 registration fee for the event for adults and children over 12. Children 12 and under would have free registration. The encouraged fundraising of $100 per person would stay in place. Our agency researched other Walk-for-Wishes events held by local chapters of Make-A-Wish across the United States, and many of them charged a registration fee for these events — so this practice would not be considered uncommon.

RATIONALE: Generation X’ers are willing to donate to and participate in causes they feel strongly about. From the Target Audience section of this proposal, two of their most popular causes were health-centered and child-centered. Make-A-Wish Michigan would fall into both of these categories. Therefore, it would not be unreasonable to implement an event registration fee for the Walk for Wishes event, since Make-A-Wish Michigan is a nonprofit that Generation X’ers feel strongly about and want to be involved with.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: Implementing a registration fee would incur no additional costs to this campaign.

EVALUATION: The overall success of the new registration fee would be based upon the number of dollars raised from registrations and the number of participants walking in the event compared to prior years. If the number of participants stayed the same or increased, Think Tank Marketing would consider the tactic successful. If 3,500 people (over the age of 12) participate in the 2016 Detroit Walk for Wishes, Make-A-Wish Michigan could raise an additional $52,500 in donations from registration fees alone.

Paid Social Ads

Part of the idea behind the PROJECT IMPACT campaign is for Generation X to make an impact with Make-A-Wish Michigan in any way they are able. One of the suggested ways they make an impact is through participating in the Detroit Walk for Wishes. Therefore, in the months leading up to the Detroit Walk for Wishes event, Think Tank Marketing recommends using paid social ads on Facebook and Twitter to attract new participants to the event and encourage them to fundraise. All ads would incorporate the #MAKEYOURIMPACT hashtag.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 74

Page 75: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

RATIONALE: Generation X’ers are heavy users of social media. Paid social advertising would allow Make-A-Wish Michigan to expand its reach of the Detroit Walk for Wishes and attract new participants to the event.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: Paid social ads have already been budgeted into this campaign and would incur no additional cost.

EVALUATION: Think Tank Marketing will track and monitor social media mentions and engagement via Hootsuite. The program also offers weekly analytics reports, which Make-A-Wish Michigan can use to track engagement rates on posts or pictures. Additionally, Think Tank Marketing will use Meltwater to analyze its social media efforts and ideate content to specifically reach Generation X’ers, who may be interested in this event.

Reward Fundraising Efforts

In order to keep the fundraising momentum from 2015 going, Make-A-Wish Michigan should incentivize the fundraising efforts for the participants of the 2016 Detroit Walk for Wishes event. As previously stated, each walker is encouraged to raise $100 to participate in the event. Think Tank Marketing recommends offering “rewards” when certain fundraising levels are reached — $100, $250, $500, $750, and $1,000. Rewards could range from recognition at the event to personalized/non-personalized Make-A-Wish Michigan merchandise. The person who fundraises the most could win a Grand Prize, such as airline tickets provided by one of Make-A-Wish Michigan’s Wishes in Flight airliners.

RATIONALE: It is important to keep the fundraising momentum going for the 2016 Detroit Walk for Wishes. To successfully engage Generation X to fundraise, rewards for their efforts will be given. The Grand Prize will help to create a spirit of competition around the event, increasing fundraising efforts even more.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: This section will incur no additional costs. Sponsors would cover the costs for prizes and airline tickets.

EVALUATION: The overall success of the fundraising rewards would be based upon the number of dollars raised and the number of walkers participating in fundraising compared to prior years. If the numbers increased, Think Tank Marketing would consider the tactic successful. In order to meet Make-A-Wish Michigan’s goal of $550,000, fundraising efforts would need to equal $497,500.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 75

Page 76: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Digital Retargeting

A combination of search retargeting and site retargeting will be used to attract new participants to the Detroit Walk for Wishes event. Display ads for the Detroit Walk for Wishes will be shown on websites across the Internet to Generation X’ers who recently searched for key words that pertain to the event. Here are a few, possible examples: Walk for Wishes, Detroit walk, nonprofit walks, charity walks in Detroit, etc.

RATIONALE: Digital retargeting will allow Make-A-Wish Michigan to reach Generation X’ers across the state of Michigan, who may be interested in the Detroit Walk for Wishes event. These ads offer a 10x’s higher click-through rate, which means there is a greater chance for individuals to register for the event. Additionally, “companies have seen +726 percent increase in website visitors compared to advertising without retargeting after four weeks of retargeted ad exposure” (Retargeting, 2015).

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $2,500

Digital retargeting ads would run for 60 days leading up to the Detroit Walk for Wishes event. During that time, they are expected to generate 450,000 ad impressions and would cost $2,500 (adpulsemedia.com)

EVALUATION: Make-A-Wish Michigan would be using Ad Pulse Media for this mobile ad campaign. Part of the pricing package chosen by Think Tank Marketing includes their monitoring and tracking of the campaign to measure its overall effectiveness. Google Analytics would be used in conjunction with Ad Pulse Media to measure the click-rate and conversion-rate (how many people signed up) because of the ads.

Post-Event Emails

After the event, Think Tank Marketing recommends that Make-A-Wish Michigan send out emails to a distribution list of participants, donors, and volunteers associated with the event. The emails would highlight the successes of the 2016 Detroit Walk for Wishes event — such as number of participants, donation dollars raised, stories of wish kids at the event, etc. The emails would also focus on explaining how donation dollars help the organization. All emails would include a call-to-action related to giving, whether it be an individual gift or encouragement to sign up for reoccurring donations, and they would include the #MAKEYOURIMPACT hashtag.

RATIONALE: Targeted emails will allow Think Tank Marketing to speak in greater detail about the Detroit Walk for Wishes event and Make-A-Wish Michigan. These emails will seek to forge

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 76

Page 77: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

a relationship with the target audience to generate individual or reoccurring donations inspired by the spirit of the Walk for Wishes.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: A MailChimp account would be used to send efficient and trackable emails to this distribution list. This account has already been budgeted into the campaign and would incur no additional costs.

EVALUATION: MailChimp’s built-in software and analytics will be used to determine click-rate and open-rate. Google Analytics would be used to measure donation traffic and track “conversion” rates from the emails — i.e. people who actually donated because of the emails. If an email is sent out to a distribution list of 7,000 people associated with the event, and 2,000 of them donate $15, that would raise an additional $30,000 in donations.

POTENTIAL ROI FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

The additional cost* for the Detroit Walk for Wishes is $2,500. Think Tank Marketing believes that the traditional, digital, and social tactics found in this section can successfully increase donations by 20 percent ($90,000) for the event. The combined social and digital retargeting ads have the potential for well-over 500,000 impressions.

* Additional costs accumulated in this section. Some items have already been budgeted into the proposal and will include no additional cost for this section.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 77

Page 78: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS

Targeted Emails

Think Tank Marketing will send out 500 targeted emails to possible corporate partners (on national and local levels) that either employ or engage with a large number of Generation X’ers. The emails will announce the PROJECT IMPACT campaign, fundraising events (like Walk for Wishes, Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour, IMPACT of the Food Trucks, etc.), and a new, holiday fundraiser called IMPACT for Wishes that is set to attract more sponsors and donations to Make-A-Wish Michigan (detailed more below). The emails will be sent periodically over the 12 months of this campaign, but they would always be sent out a few months prior to the date when an event would be held to give ample time for responses. A storytelling approach would be used for these emails — explain the importance of wish-granting, share stories and names of other corporate sponsors, and provide detailed opportunities of sponsorships with the organization. Each email would also provide links to the PROJECT IMPACT microsite and utilize the #MAKEYOURIMPACT hashtag. The emails would appear to be sent from Ms. Karen Davis, President of Make-A-Wish Michigan, but would actually be written by Think Tank Marketing and sent to Ms. Davis for prior approval. The emails would be sent from MailChimp to allow for analytical tracking.

RATIONALE: By targeting companies that engage with or employ a high number of Generation X’ers, Make-A-Wish Michigan will be able to better gain the attention of its target audience. The emails will allow Think Tank Marketing to describe the PROJECT IMPACT campaign in greater depth, with the goal of retaining a minimum of 60 new sponsors that can pledge an additional $600,000 by the end of the 2016 calendar year.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: A MailChimp account would be used to send efficient and trackable emails to this distribution list. This account has already been budgeted into the campaign and would incur no additional costs.

EVALUATION: MailChimp’s built-in software and analytics will be used to determine click-rate and open-rate. Google Analytics would be used to measure traffic to the PROJECT IMPACT microsite as a result of the emails.

IMPACT for Wishes — A Community Partnership

In an effort to expand corporate partnerships and create lasting partnerships for years to come, Think Tank Marketing recommends that Make-A-Wish Michigan partner with a combination of restaurants and retailers for a holiday promotion called IMPACT for Wishes. This effort will also seek to create additional awareness for the PROJECT IMPACT campaign. It would run from

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 78

Page 79: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

November to the end of December. Both national chains (located in Michigan) and local businesses would be reached out to partner for the event.

Make-A-Wish Michigan logos will be placed on window decals, small plastic signs near registers and on tables (for restaurants), coasters (for restaurants), and digitally on EDC machines. All of which will advertise that these particular companies have partnered with Make-A-Wish Michigan. At check-out or time-of-bill, customers will have the option to select an amount to donate to Make-A-Wish Michigan. Suggested donation increments could be: $1, $5, or $10. A special #GIVINGTUESDAY event will also take place on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. During this time, retailers could either match donations made on that day or offer to donate a percentage of sales made on that day to Make-A-Wish Michigan.

To promote IMPACT for Wishes, a combination of social media, direct mailers, email promotions, press releases, targeted Pandora radio ads (based on geographic region and age), and a dedicated page on the microsite will also be used.

RATIONALE: During the focus group conducted by Think Tank Marketing, Generation X’ers said they were more likely to donate while out shopping or dining, or if part of the proceeds were donated to a nonprofit (i.e. no-cost giving). IMPACT for Wishes would seek to target Generation X during the holidays, a time when giving is so important, and have them donate to a very worthy cause that is in need for their support. This promotion would also appeal to corporate sponsors and help create long-lasting partnerships with Make-A-Wish Michigan for years to come.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $23,023

The budget for the IMPACT for Wishes community partnership would include 350 window decals, 350 display cards, and 700 coasters for $4,325 (vistaprint.com), 3 months of social media ads (already budgeted into the PROJECT IMPACT campaign), email promotions via MailChimp (already budgeted into this proposal), 100,000 direct mailer postcards for $5,000 (directmail.com), 2 press releases for $698, and Pandora radio ads budgeted at $6,500 for 12 weeks for $13,000 (pandora.com), and a dedicated page on the PROJECT IMPACT microsite (already budgeted into this proposal).

EVALUATION: This tactic will be evaluated based on the amount of money raised over the 2 month holiday period, number of people that donate, and number of companies that participate. Google Analytics will be used to measure click-rate of ads, and MailChimp will be used to measure click-rate and open-rate of emails. Hootsuite and Meltwater will be used to measure the success of social media ads. Post-testing surveys will also be implemented to see how many Generation X’ers came in contact with IMPACT for Wishes and chose to donate because of the ads.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 79

Page 80: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

POTENTIAL ROI FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

The additional cost* for these corporate partnerships is $23,023. Think Tank Marketing believes that the combined digital, social, traditional, and PR tactics found in this section will successfully retain 60 corporate partners and grow yearly contributions by $600,000. Additionally, this campaign is projected to reach 100,000 Generation X’ers (through a combination of local restaurants and retailers). If 20 percent of them (20,000) donate only $5, that will successfully raise $100,000 in donations for Make-A-Wish Michigan.

* Additional costs accumulated in this section. Some items have already been budgeted into the proposal and will include no additional cost for this section.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 80

Page 81: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

Quarterly Email Updates

This campaign will only be prove to be a success if the internal constituents of Make-A-Wish Michigan are engaged in doing their part to make it successful. An all-staff email, called Internal IMPACT, will be sent out once per quarter to firstly inform people of PROJECT IMPACT, and how they can help and be apart of it. As it progresses, latter emails will inform them of the campaign’s progress, important milestones, current happenings, and feature “Employee Spotlights” of employees who have strongly engaged with the campaign. The emails will be written from Karen Davis, President of Make-A-Wish Michigan. They will also feature the campaign’s #MAKEYOURIMPACT hashtag.

RATIONALE: Internal emails will seek to boost awareness from the beginning and inspire to turn employees into brand advocates. This way, they can also work to reach the target audience. Sending the emails from Ms. Davis will send a message that this campaign is important, and its success is very important to the nonprofit.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: Make-A-Wish Michigan will use its existing emails and intranet for this tactic. No additional costs will be incurred.

EVALUATION: Make-A-Wish Michigan can monitor chatter on their internal intranet surrounding the emails and the PROJECT IMPACT campaign. If possible, open-rates and click-rates could also be monitored. Surveys will also be sent out quarterly over the 12 month period to measure campaign awareness, recall, and feedback.

Kick-off Event

Think Tank Marketing recommends holding a kick-off event for the PROJECT IMPACT campaign at Make-A-Wish Michigan’s headquarters in Brighton, Michigan. If the headquarters is not large enough, this event could easily be held at another venue. This casual event is designed to be a fun start to the campaign. A special video targeted at internal constituents will be created and shown at the event. It will challenge employees, volunteers, and event leaders to make their own impact with PROJECT IMPACT. Perhaps they will volunteer, perhaps they will donate, perhaps they will come to an event and share pictures on social media, or maybe they will create an IMPACT campaign of their own. There are endless possibilities for internal engagement. Additionally, a few, short speeches will be made; small bites, drinks, and desserts will be available; t-shirts will be handed out; and there will be photo booths to add additional fun.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 81

Page 82: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

RATIONALE: PROJECT IMPACT is an exciting campaign, and Think Tank Marketing wants the employees of Make-A-Wish Michigan to feel just as excited about it. That is why the agency recommends Make-A-Wish Michigan hosting a kick-off event to rally internal support around the campaign.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $16,412

Small bites and desserts will be catered at $8 per person. Think Tank Marketing recommends providing enough food and drinks (non-alcoholic) for 800 people, which would cost approximately $6,400. A venue or tents to rent would approximately cost $1,600. Ten 8 foot tables would cost $80 (perrystentsandevents.com). Two photo booths would cost around $2,000. One thousand t-shirts would cost $1,832 (rushordertees.com). Signage for the event would cost $1,000 and a portable LED screen to show the video would cost $2,000. Video production for the event is estimated to cost $1,000. A speaker system would also cost approximately $500 (speakeronastick.com).

EVALUATION: The success of this kick-off event will be measured by total attendance and chatter on the intranet (message boards) after the event has ended.

POTENTIAL ROI FOR MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

The total cost for this section is $16,412. Think Tank Marketing believes that a strong email campaign combined with an exciting kick-off party will secure internal reach and campaign buy-in at 90 percent in the time of 4 months, with the goal of turning the majority of the 90 percent into brand advocates for the organization over the course of the entire campaign. The importance of having employees, who are true brand advocates, is priceless and absolutely key to the campaign’s and the nonprofit’s long-term success.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 82

Page 83: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

CREATIVE EXECUTIONS

SOCIAL MEDIA ADVERTISING Twitter Examples:

TRANSLATION: We depend on volunteers like you. Learn more about how you can #MAKEYOURIMPACT

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 83

#MAKEYOURIMPACT in the lives of sick

kids here in Michigan and be apart of the

2016 Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour.

The Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour

Join us on July 28 - 31, 2016 for the Wish-A-Mile

Bicycle Tour, the largest fundraiser for Make-A-Wish®

Michigan.

LEARN MORE

Dependemos de voluntarios como usted. Obtenga más información

sobre cómo usted puede #hacersuimpacto

#hacersuimpacto#HAGASUIMPACTO#HACERSUIMPACTO

Page 84: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

YouTube Example:

Facebook Examples:

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 84

Did you know that walking can make a MAJOR IMPACT in the lives of sick

children here in Michigan? Learn more about our 2016 Detroit Walk for

Wishes event by visiting projectimpact.org and let us know how you will

#MAKEYOURIMPACT.

#MAKEYOURIMPACT

How will you#MAKEYOURIMPACT?

Climbing mountains can make a MAJOR IMPACT. Just ask Steve Cook, who set out to climb Ama Dablam in Nepal to raise money for Make-A-Wish Michigan. He has raised over $32,000 so far! How will you #MAKEYOURIMPACT?

#MAKEYOURIMPACT

WAM15

INTRODUCING THE WAM 15A fun bike ride for friends and families with children ages 14 and olderSaturday July 30, 201611 a.m. - 3 p.m.15 mile stretchRegistration: $25Minimum fundraising: $125

#MAKEYOURIMPACT

Join us for the WAM 15, our newest

tour! Learn more and register today to

#MAKEYOURIMPACT by visiting

projectimpact.org

Page 85: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

MICROSITE

Desktop Example:

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 85

Page 86: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Tablet Example:

Mobile Example:

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 86

Page 87: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

E-NEWSLETTER

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 87

IMPACT NewsFood, Fun, and Philanthopy Unite to Make an IMPACT to Help Grant Wishes Join us on August 13-14 at Campus Maritus Park in downtown

Detroit for the first annual IMPACT of the Food Trucks

Fundraiser to benefit Make-A-Wish Michigan. To see a list of

participating food trucks, and learn more about the event,

please visit: projectimpact.org/impactofthefoodtrucks.

Meet Local IMPACT All-Star: DebbieOur IMPACT All-Star for the month is Debbie Johnson. Debbie

lives in Ann-Arbor Michigan, and her connection to the

community shines through her wish-granting efforts. Debbie

recently held a bake-off to raise funds for Make-A-Wish

Michigan and raised over $1,000. To see more about Debbie

and how others making a positive impact with Make-A-Wish

Michigan, click here.

Take a Selfie. #MAKEYOURIMPACT.Are you volunteering, participating in Walk for Wishes, or

hosting your own IMPACT campaign? Keep us in the loop by

taking a selfie of yourself and uploading it to Facebook,

Twitter, or Instagram with the hashtag #MAKEYOURIMPACT.

To learn more about PROJECT IMPACT and the ways you can

get involved, please visit projectimpact.org/

Martius

Page 88: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

DIGITAL VIDEO SERIES

1 minute Campaign Video Example:

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 88

SFX: Soft, introspective music begins to play.

VO: Over 800 children will be diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition this year in Michigan alone.

VO: Here at Make-A-Wish Michigan, we work to grant wishes to help improve the lives of these children, their families, and our communities. Eighty cents for every dollar the organization spends goes directly to program services, like wish-granting.

SFX: Music gets louder.

VO: However, the wishes we grant are more than a nice thing. They are essential. That’s why we need your help to make an impact on the local level.

SFX: Sound of a ribbon cutting and people walking and talking.

VO: By walking.

SFX: Sound of children laughing.

VO: By volunteering.

SFX: Sound of change falling into a box or jar.

VO: You can make an impact by giving.

SFX: Music stops.

VO: Or by something else all-together.

SFX: Sound of airplane taking off.

VO: By donating airline miles.

SFX: Sound of bicycles on pavement.

VO: By riding.

Page 89: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 89

SFX: Soft music begins to play once again. Kids laughing.

VO: The possibilities are endless and up to you.

SFX: Music ends.

VIDEO: The hashtag #MAKEYOURIMPACT emerges on the screen under the logo along with the campaign website URL.

VO: How will you #MAKEYOURIMPACT? Visit us online at www.projectimpact.org to learn more.

Page 90: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

GUERILLA MARKETING — REVERSE GRAFFITI

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 90

Page 91: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

OTHER DIGITAL AND TRADITIONAL ADVERTISING Digital Ads on Hispanic and Arabic Magazine Websites:

TRANSLATION: You can help make the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions come true as a volunteer with Make-A-Wish Michigan. #MAKEYOURIMPACT

TRANSLATION: #MAKEYOURIMPACT

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 91

Rose, 3ALL

I wish to have a swingset to play on

Usted puede ayudar a hacer realidad los deseos de niños de Michigan con la vida en peligro las condiciones médicas como

voluntario con Make-A-Wish Michigan.

#HAGASUIMPACTO

LEARN MORE

#HACERSUIMPACTO

Usted puede ayudar a que los deseos de niños con condiciones médicas que amenazan la vida se hagan realidad como voluntario con Make-A -Wish Michigan

Malek, 7lymphoma

I wish to swim with dolphinsLEARN MORE

You can help make the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions come true as volunteer with Make-A-Wish Michigan.

كريثأت لعج#

Page 92: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Promotional Flyer Example for IMPACT of the Food Trucks Festival:

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 92

presented by

ALL TICKET PROCEEDS BENEFIT MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN

#MAKEYOURIMPACT

$18

MAKE-A-WISH

MICHIGAN

IMPACT OF THEFOOD TRUCKS

FESTIVAL august 13 - 14thnoon - 7 p.m.

15 DIFFERENT FOOD TRUCKSbring chairs and blankets$18 PER PERSONkids under 5 are free

CAMPUS MARTIUS PARK

in downtown detroit

visit projectimpact.orgto see a list of

participating food trucks and learn

more about ourfundraiser

Page 93: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Airport Terminal Ad Example for Wishes in Flight:

Digital Ad Example for Wishes in Flight:

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 93

WISHES IN FLIGHT

DONATE YOUR EXTRA AIRLINE MILES AND DOLLARS TODAY TO #MAKEYOURIMPACT

AND HELP WISH KIDS TAKE FLIGHT

WISHES IN FLIGHT

DONATE YOUR EXTRA AIRLINE MILES AND DOLLARS TODAY TO #MAKEYOURIMPACT

AND HELP WISH KIDS TAKE FLIGHT

LEARN MORE

Page 94: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Mobile Ad Example for WAM Bicycle Tour:

Digital Retargeting Ad Example for Detroit Walk for Wishes:

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 94

WAM15

INTRODUCING THE WAM 15A fun bike ride for friends and families with children ages 14 and olderSaturday July 30, 201611 a.m. - 3 p.m.15 mile stretchRegistration: $25Minimum fundraising: $125

#MAKEYOURIMPACT

LEARN MORE

Turn steps into wishes #MAKEYOURIMPACT

with Make-A-Wish Michigan at the John

Ball Zoo in Detroit on May 7, 2016

Page 95: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

In-Store Display Example for IMPACT for Wishes:

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 95

JOIN US AND #MAKEYOURIMPACT IN THE LIVES OF SICK CHILDREN IN MICHIGAN

YOUR GIFTMAKES AN IMPACT

PROUD SUPPORTER: Meijer Please donate to Make-A-Wish

Michigan at any Meijer’s grocery store or online at www.meijer.com

now through December 24th.

www.michigan.wish.orgwww.projectimpact.org

80 cents for every dollar Make-A-Wish Michigan spends goes directly to wish granting

Page 96: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Credit Card Scanner Example for IMPACT for Wishes:

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 96

#MAKEYOURIMPACT

By giving a donation to

Make-A-Wish Michigan

Meijer has partnered with

Make-A-Wish Michigan this holiday

season to raise money to help

grant wishes of local

children with life-threatening

medical conditions. Will you

#MAKEYOURIMPACT by donating?

YES

NO

Page 97: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

Quarterly Update Email Example:

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 97

CAMPAIGN UPDATE - SUMMER 2016

Hi [Employee Name]!

Thank you for being an integral part of Make-A-Wish Michigan. We are grateful for

your passion and hard work and support of our PROJECT IMPACT campaign. We

wanted to provide you with a few updates on the campaign and help inspire you to

#MAKEYOURIMPACT.

CAMPAIGN UPDATES:

- Last quarter, we raised $------! This was a huge milestone for us, and we could not

have done it without your support! So thank you!

- Planning for our IMPACT of the Food Trucks Festival is in full-swing. We are

expecting around 15 food trucks at the event, and we have already retained [#]

sponsers. If you would like to help plan for the event, please send an email to Jane

Doe ([email protected]). We could really use your help!

This quarter, our employee spotlight goes to Linda Smith. Linda is

a Development Coordinator here at Make-A-Wish Michigan. You

probably already know her! Linda has been a HUGE asset to our

PROJECT IMPACT campaign from her personal fundraising to

volunteering her extra time to help plan and staff our events.

Thank you, Linda, for all you do for Make-A-Wish Michigan!

If you wish to nominate an employee for our employee spotlight,

please fill out the requested form, here.

We are getting excited about another busy quarter here at Make-A-Wish Michigan,

and I want to challenge you personally to be apart of PROJECT IMPACT and

#MAKEYOURIMPACT to help improve the lives of children here in Michigan.

Thank you!

Karen Davis

President Make-A-Wish Michigan

EMPLOYEE SPOTLIGHT

Internal IMPACT

#MAKEYOURIMPACT

sponsors.

Page 98: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

PROJECT IMPACT Kickoff Photo Booth Example:

PROJECT IMPACT Kick-off T-Shirt Example:

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 98

#MAKEYOURIMPACT

PROJECT IMPACT

How Will You

#MAKEYOURIMPACT?

Page 99: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

BUDGET SUMMARY

SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

PAID SOCIAL ADS $70,000

MICROSITEDEVELOPMENT, DESIGN, HOSTING & DOMAIN $30,104.87

E-NEWSLETTER

MONTHLY EMAIL SEND FROM MAILCHIMP $6,199

CAMPAIGN DIGITAL VIDEO SERIES PRODUCTION COSTS $12,100

PRESS RELEASE FOR PROJECT IMPACT

PRESS RELEASE $349

DIGITAL ADS ON MAGAZINE WEBSITESDIGITAL ADS ON 4 MAGAZINE WEBSITES $8,000

REVERSE GRAFFITI

10 REVERSE GRAFFITI PIECES $1,200

IMPACT OF THE FOOD TRUCKS TENTS, TABLES, & CHAIRS $1,530

SPEAKER SYSTEM $500

BOUNCY HOUSES $630

SIGNAGE $8,000

FLYERS $50

RADIO $10,000

PRESS RELEASES FOR EVENT $698

WISHES IN FLIGHT AIRPORT TERMINAL ADS $28,000

DIGITAL ADS ON TRAVEL WEBSITES $3,196

WISH-A-MILE BICYCLE TOUR

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 99

Page 100: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

TARGETED MOBILE ADS $1,500

DETROIT WALK-FOR-WISHES

DIGITAL RETARGETING $2,500

CORPORATE PARTNERSHIPS

DECALS, DISPLAY CARDS & COASTERS $4,325

DIRECT MAILER POSTCARDS $5,000

PRESS RELEASES FOR HOLIDAY PROMOTION $698

PANDORA RADIO ADS $13,000

INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS PLAN

FOOD, DRINKS (NON-ALCOHOLIC) & DESSERT $6,400

TENT OR VENUE $1,600

TABLE RENTALS $80

PHOTO BOOTHS $2,000

CAMPAIGN T-SHIRTS $1,832

SIGNAGE $1,000

PORTABLE LED SCREEN & SPEAKER SYSTEM $2,500

VIDEO PRODUCTION $1,000

AGENCY RATE

9% OF TOTAL BUDGET $22,500

EVALUATION PLAN

MELTWATER $2,400

HOOTSUITE $199.88

MENTION SOFTWARE $0 (FREE VERSION)

CAMPAIGN AND INTERNAL SURVEYS $300

FOCUS GROUPS $0 (PROVIDED BY THINK TANK MARKETING

TOTAL COST $249,091.75

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 100

Page 101: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

2016 INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS FLOWCHART JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

PROJECT IMPACT

Social Media Campaign

Social Ads

Leverage UGC

Microsite

E-Newsletter

Digital Videos

Press Release

Digital Magazine Ads

Reverse Graffiti

IMPACT of the Food Trucks Event

Press Releases

Radio Ads

Social Ads

Order Signs & Flyers

Emails

Secure Event Rentals

Wishes in FlightPost Event Emails

Airport Terminal Ads

Digital Ads

Social Ads

WAM Bicycle Tour

WAM 15

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 101

Page 102: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Mobile Ads

Social Ads

Walk for Wishes Recruit Rewards

Digital Retargeting

Post Event Emails

Social Ads

Corporate Partnerships Targeted Emails

IMPACT for Wishes

Order Signs

Social Ads

Email Promotions

Direct Mailers

Press Releases

Pandora Radio Ads

Internal Communications

Quarterly Emails

Kick-off Event

EvaluationMeltwater

Hootsuite

Mention

Campaign Surveys

Focus Groups

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 102

Page 103: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Internal Surveys

AdPulse Analytics

MailChimp Analytics

Google Analytics

Native Social Platform Analytics (YouTube Insights, Facebook Analytics, & Twitter Analytics)

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JULY AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 103

Page 104: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

EVALUATION PLAN

Think Tank Marketing is committed to ensuring this campaign is effective, and Make-A-Wish Michigan fulfills each of the previously mentioned campaign objectives. Earlier, our agency outlined evaluation methods for individual tactics. Tools utilized were Google Analytics and web tracking, Mention, Meltwater, Hootsuite, MailChimp analytics, social media monitoring tools (like YouTube Insights, Facebook Analytics, and Twitter Analytics), and numerics (i.e. counting number of people that attend an event, or the number of dollars raised from an event). Each of these tools is already included and explained in-depth in their respective evaluation sections in the Communications and Media Plan. Think Tank Marketing will continue to measure each of these tactics throughout this campaign on a daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis and make adjustments as needed.

Below, summarizes our approach to assessing the overall performance of the objectives of this campaign:

PRE-CAMPAIGN, CAMPAIGN, AND POST-CAMPAIGN SURVEYS

Before the start of the campaign, following the IMPACT of the Food Trucks Festival, following IMPACT for Wishes, and following the ending of the overall campaign, online surveys will be sent out via Survey Monkey to gather data from those actively involved with Make-A-Wish Michigan. Survey emails will be sent out to a total sample of approximately 25,000 Generation X’ers in Michigan.

RATIONALE: Pre-campaign surveys are immensely important. Their purpose will be to discover if the messages in this campaign are crafted and targeted correctly. Graphics and messages proposed in this campaign will be included in the pre-campaign survey.

Campaign and post-campaign surveys will help Think Tank Marketing and Make-A-Wish Michigan learn if the events and tactics executed in the campaign were well-received, if respondents engaged because of them (donated, became a volunteer, or participated in an event, started their own IMPACT campaign, etc.), and determine where improvement could be made. These surveys can also be used to promote engagement longevity. Certain questions would ask if the respondents will continue to support the nonprofit in the future through donations, volunteering, or participating in an event.

EVALUATED OBJECTIVES:

• Elevate awareness of the PROJECT IMPACT campaign among the target audience by 40 percent over a 12 month period.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 104

Page 105: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

• Increase the number of volunteers among 35-50 year olds by 20 percent over a 12 month period.

• Raise $1.25 million in donations from the target audience over a 12 month period.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: $300

A Gold pricing plan ($300 for one year) through Survey Monkey will allow unlimited questions, survey customization, statistical significance, and report creation (surveymonkey.com). Think Tank Marketing will create content for all of the surveys.

INTERNAL SURVEYS

Internal surveys will also be conducted through Survey Monkey and sent out to an internal list of Make-A-Wish Michigan constituents to get feedback on the PROJECT IMPACT campaign. These surveys will be sent out quarterly, around the same time as the internal emails. These surveys will be sent out to approximately 1,000 employees, volunteers, and stakeholders. Questions in the survey will center around campaign knowledge, recommendations for improvement, and personal interaction with the campaign.

RATIONALE: These internal surveys will help Make-A-Wish Michigan and Think Tank Marketing learn how the PROJECT IMPACT campaign was received by internal constituents, since their buy-in is vital to its overall success. Because these surveys will be administered quarterly, this allows ample time for any needed adjustments and improvements throughout the campaign.

EVALUATED OBJECTIVE:

• Achieve 90 percent awareness and buy-in of the campaign among internal target audiences over a 4 month period.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: Survey Monkey has already been budgeted into this campaign and will incur no additional costs in this section. Think Tank Marketing will create content for all of the surveys.

PRE-CAMPAIGN AND POST-CAMPAIGN FOCUS GROUPS

Prior to the start and at the conclusion of this campaign, Think Tank Marketing will perform two sets of focus groups in Michigan (one in the northern region, and one in the southern region) to predict and later evaluate the success of the PROJECT IMPACT campaign. Each group will have 10-12 participants from the Generation X age bracket that can offer insights and perceptions into the overall success of the campaign. Graphics and messages proposed in this campaign will be included in the pre-campaign focus group.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 105

Page 106: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

RATIONALE: The focus groups will allow Make-A-Wish Michigan and Think Tank Marketing to garner deeper insights into the perceptions of the target audience regarding the PROJECT IMPACT campaign. This information will be compiled with pre-survey and post-survey results to create a more detailed picture of the predicted success and the final results of this campaign.

EVALUATED OBJECTIVES:

• Elevate awareness of the PROJECT IMPACT campaign among the target audience by 40 percent over a 12 month period.

• Increase the number of volunteers among 35-50 year olds by 20 percent over a 12 month period.

• Raise $1.25 million in donations from the target audience over a 12 month period.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: The cost to conduct these focus groups are included in the agency fee. They will be conducted by Think Tank Marketing and will incur no additional costs.

SOCIAL MEDIA REPORTS

Think Tank Marketing will present monthly social media reports, throughout the time of this campaign, to Make-A-Wish Michigan that will include social media engagement, mentions, and metrics.

RATIONALE: It is important to track overall social media engagement with the PROJECT IMPACT campaign. Some examples of data included in the social media report will be:

• Total number of uses of the #MAKEYOURIMPACT hashtag (and number of uses of the Arabic and Spanish versions of the hashtag).

• Total number of comments, tweets, likes, and mentions of Make-A-Wish Michigan, and shares of social media posts.

• Measure of emotional sentiment on social media posts regarding specific tactics and events associated with the campaign.

• Total number of posts mentioning keywords associated with this campaign like: PROJECT IMPACT, IMPACT of the Food Trucks, IMPACT for Wishes, IMPACT campaign, Walk for Wishes (Detroit), Wishes in Flight, Wish-A-Mile, WAM 15, etc.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 106

Page 107: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

EVALUATED OBJECTIVES:

• Increase social media engagement between Make-A-Wish Michigan and Generation X by 60 percent over a 12 month period.

• Elevate awareness of the PROJECT IMPACT campaign among the target audience by 40 percent over a 12 month period.

BUDGET ALLOCATION: These reports will be created by Meltwalter and Hootsuite, which have already been budgeted into the campaign. Therefore, this section will incur no additional costs.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 107

Page 108: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

CONCLUSION

The story of Chris Greicius, the little boy who wished to be a police officer, has gone on to inspire a movement. A movement where communities take care of local families and the needs of others. A movement where people give of themselves, asking nothing in return. A movement that is the foundation for Make-A-Wish Michigan’s work. The fuel behind this movement was also Think Tank Marketing’s inspiration for its PROJECT IMPACT campaign. PROJECT IMPACT blends the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan with the idea that Generation X can directly be a part of the wish granting process to make a positive impact locally. It delivers the message that we all have the ability to make an impact — in a child’s life, in their families’ lives, or in our local communities.

PROJECT IMPACT was designed to solve the campaign goal of increasing donations to $1.25 million and increasing the number of volunteers by 20 percent from 690 to 830 by directly appealing to the needs of the target audience. In-depth research showed that Generation X desires to make a positive impact but oftentimes feels like their efforts are not needed or wanted. PROJECT IMPACT resolves this issue by giving Generation X opportunities to engage with Make-A-Wish Michigan in any way they are able. It could be through donations, volunteering, participating in an event, or starting their own IMPACT campaign. This reasoning directly ties into our ICSS statement, which is: For 35-50 year olds wanting to make a positive impact in their local communities, Make-A-Wish Michigan is a premier nonprofit, which provides a direct outlet for helping children across the state of Michigan.

Each tactic and touch-point found in this campaign was designed to unite the target audience under the mission of Make-A-Wish Michigan and drive donations and increase volunteers. Through extensive use of social media, a responsive microsite, email marketing, digital advertising, digital video creation, event marketing, and traditional advertising tactics, Generation X’ers will be introduced to Make-A-Wish Michigan in an engaging manner to formulate deep personal connections. Furthermore, PROJECT IMPACT ties nicely into existing Make-A-Wish Michigan events and campaigns. #MAKEYOURIMPACT, utilized throughout the campaign, challenges Generation X’ers to engage with the nonprofit through donating airline miles, walking in Walk for Wishes, cycling in the WAM, or perhaps something else all-together.

This campaign also allows for much-desired long-term return. Sponsorships are created by IMPACT for Wishes and the IMPACT of the Food Trucks Festival, opportunities for investment are built through personal relationships from donors and volunteers, and the ability to create brand advocates are formed through engaging internal constituents. These elements are all crucial to ensuring the nonprofit’s future success. Think Tank Marketing believes that Make-A-Wish Michigan has an amazing opportunity ahead of it with the implementation of PROJECT IMPACT. Thus, we now extend the campaign challenge to Make-A-Wish Michigan: #MAKEYOURIMPACT and put this plan into action.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 108

Page 109: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

APPENDIX A: FOCUS GROUP MODERATOR’S GUIDE

I. INTRODUCTION

Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to participate in this focus group. To give you a short background, I am conducting research in my Capstone course for West Virginia University’s Integrated Marketing Communications program. Our client this term is Make-A-Wish Michigan. I am building a proposal to help the nonprofit better engage with your demographic — Generation X — through donations, volunteers, and long-term relationship building. Make-A-Wish Michigan has provided a budget of $250,000, which is to be spent over a 12 month period. During that time, this campaign is expected to raise $1.25 million in donations and increase the number of volunteers by 20 percent from 690 to 830.

I will be referring to Make-A-Wish Michigan multiple times throughout the session, but I understand that it is not a local organization here in West Virginia. If you cannot answer the question regarding Make-A-Wish Michigan, please substitute your responses with information regarding what you know about Make-A-Wish America.

I will be asking a series of open-ended questions. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers. You will not be called upon to answer, but please be careful not to interrupt one another. Everyone should share their opinion honestly. I am interested in hearing your answers, even if they are different or contrary to what others have already expressed. Your answers will help shape the direction of my campaign and ultimately help grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions.

I am here only to facilitate the session today, and I will do my best to keep the discussion focused and within our time frame. I expect it to take no longer than 45 minutes. Additionally, I will be audio-taping this session, because I do not want to miss any comments. However, we will only use first names today, and there will be no names in my final report. You can be assured of complete confidentiality.

II. OPENING “ICE-BREAKER” QUESTIONS

• In your spare time, what do you enjoy to do for fun? • What types of nonprofits interest you and why?

III. CAMPAIGN CONCEPT STATEMENTS

CONCEPT #1: DONATION NEEDS For this section, I will be reading a series of statements regarding your donation needs. After each statement has been read, please tell me how you feel about it. After I have read all of the

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 109

Page 110: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

statements, I will ask you to compare one statement against another, until we get 1-2 statements that are “most-agreeable” to the group as a whole. • It is important to me to feel that my donation dollars are being used effectively. • It is not important that I be directly involved if I know my donation is being used properly. • I would rather donate dollars than time. • It is important to me to donate to local nonprofits and charities. • I believe my donation is too small to make a difference.

CONCEPT #2: VOLUNTEERING NEEDS

For this section, I will be reading a series of statements regarding your volunteering needs. After each statement has been read, please tell me how you feel about it. After I have read all of the statements, I will ask you to compare one statement against another, until we get 1-2 statements that are “most-agreeable” to the group as a whole.

• It is important to me to know that when I volunteer my time, it is for a worthy cause, and it is appreciated.

• I want to be directly involved with any charity I support. • I would rather donate time than dollars. • It is important to me that my volunteering efforts help improve my local community. • I feel like my volunteering efforts do not make difference.

CONCEPT #3: FUNDRAISING EVENT NEEDS

For this section, I will be reading a series of statements regarding your fundraising event needs. After each statement has been read, please tell me how you feel about it. After I have read all of the statements, I will ask you to compare one statement against another, until we get 1-2 statements that are “most-agreeable” to the group as a whole.

• It is important to me to participate in fundraising events that promote a worthy cause. • I participate in fundraising events simply because I like the activity. • It is important to me to participate in fundraising events, because I want to help my local community. • I am more likely to participate in a fundraising event if my friends and family are participating too. • I do not have time to participate in fundraising events.

IV. DONATION AND FUNDRAISING EVENTS QUESTIONS

• With regard to charity donations, please discuss which of these methods appeals to you the most: - Online Donations - “No-Cost” Giving — i.e. a small percentage donations made by a credit card company or retailer

based on your purchase

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 110

Page 111: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

- Face-to-Face Donations - Direct Mailer Donations - Email Donations - Monthly or Bi-weekly Donations - Product Donations — i.e. supplies, airline miles, credit card points, etc. - Other: _____________________________________

• With regard to fundraising events, please discuss which of these events appeals to you the most?

- 5K Run / Walk - Bike-A-Thons - Galas - Mud Runs - Sporting Event Fundraisers - Raffles - Peer-to-Peer Fundraisers - Shopping Event Fundraisers - Other: _____________________________________

V. MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN QUESTIONS

• Tell me what you know about Make-A-Wish Michigan / Make-A-Wish America. What is your opinion of the organization?

• Share any donation or volunteering experiences you have had with Make-A-Wish Michigan / Make-A-Wish America. What motivated you to act? If you have never donated or volunteered with Make-A-Wish, please explain why.

• If you have recently seen any Make-A-Wish Michigan / Make-A-Wish America ads (TV, print, digital, or social), what were your thoughts regarding the advertisements?

• How effective or ineffective do you think that Make-A-Wish Michigan / Make-A-Wish America is in reaching your demographic — Generation X?

IV. CLOSING

• Does anyone have any questions or comments that they would like to add in closing?

This focus group session has been extremely helpful! Thank you for taking time out of your day to help me conduct my research. I truly appreciate your thoughts and feedback. If you have any additional ideas or thoughts, please feel free to reach out to me personally. Thank you again and have a great day.

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 111

Page 112: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

APPENDIX B: REFERENCES

7th Annual GOah NOAH! Raised $12,000 for the House (2015, October 5). Ronald McDonald House of Detroit. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from https://www.rmhc-detroit.org/7th-annual-goah- noah-raised-12000-for-the-house/

About Our Charity. (2015). Wheels for Wishes. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wheelsforwishes.org/about-make-a-wish-car-donation/

Adopt-A-Wish. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wish.org/ways-to-help/giving/adopt-a-wish

After the Baby Boomers: Engaging Generation X and Millennials. (2012, July 6). NonProfitPRO. Retrieved November 11, 2015, from http://www.nonprofitpro.com/article/after-baby-boomers- engaging-generation-x-millennials/

Allegar, J. (2015). How Much Do Ads on YouTube Cost? Penna Powers. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from http://www.pennapowers.com/how-much-do-ads-on-youtube-cost/

Airport Advertising in 100 Cities. (2015). Blue Line Media. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from http:// www.bluelinemedia.com/airport-advertising

Barry, F. (2012, December 11). 2 Strategies for Overcoming Common Fundraising Challenges All Nonprofits Face. npEngage. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://npengage.com/ nonprofit-fundraising/overcome-common-fundraising-challenges/

Chung, E. (2015, June 10). How to Engage Different Generations of Donors [Web log comment]. Classy. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.classy.org/blog/how-to-engage-different- generations-of-donors/

Corporate Partners. (2015). Make-A-Wish International. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from https:// www.worldwish.org/en/corporate-partners

Dawson, M. (2015). How to Make a Successful YouTube Channel. Convince & Convert. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media-strategy/how-to- make-a-successful-youtube-channel/

Donate Airline Miles. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wish.org/ways-to-help/giving/airline-miles

Edgington, N. (2015). The State of the Nonprofit Sector in 2015. Social Velocity. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.socialvelocity.net/2015/04/the-state-of-the-nonprofit-sector-in-2015/

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 112

Page 113: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Facts About ACS. (2015). American Cancer Society. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// www.cancer.org/aboutus/whoweare/acs-fact-sheet

FAQ. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://michigan.wish.org/ content/faq

Fox, P. (2014, July 9). Gen X and Social Media: Stuck in the Middle. B2C. Retrieved November 10, 20,15 from http://www.business2community.com/social-media/gen-x-social-media-stuck- middle-0939476#Mo4uUxI6fVDwJere.97

Guo, C. and Saxton, G. (2014, August 29). Attention Philanthropy: The Good, the Bad, and the Strategy. NPO. Retrieved November 11, 2015, from http://nonprofitquarterly.org/2014/08/29/attention- philanthropy-the-good-the-bad-and-the-strategy/

Herrell, R. (2014, March 28). Engaging Gen X and Y [Web log comment]. The Nonprofit Guru. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from https://reneeherrell.wordpress.com/category/engaging-gen-x-and-y/

History. (2015). United Way Worldwide. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.unitedway.org/ about/history

How it all Started. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wish.org/about-us/the-make-a-wish-story/the-first-wish

How Much Do Ads on Twitter Cost? (2015). Penna Powers. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from http:// www.pennapowers.com/how-much-do-ads-on-twitter-cost/

How St. Jude Began. (2015). St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from https://www.stjude.org/about-st-jude/history/how-we-began.html

How St. Jude Built a Fundraising Machine. (2012, February 24). The Advisory Board Company. Retrieved November 11, 2015, from https://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/2012/02/24/st-jude- fundraising-strategy

Keene, D. and Handrich, R. (2011, November 29). Generation X members are “Active, Balanced and Happy.” Seriously? The Jury Expert. Retrieved November 11, 2015, from http:// www.thejuryexpert.com/2011/11/gen-x-members-are-active-balanced-and-happy/

Kids for Wish Kids. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wish.org/ways-to-help/fundraising/kids-for-wish-kids

Kile, L. (2012). Gen X: Stuck in the Middle. Destination CRM. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// www.destinationcrm.com/Articles/Editorial/Magazine-Features/Gen-X--Stuck-in-the- Middle-79865.aspx

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 113

Page 114: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Kirkwood, D. (2012, December 5). When Faced with “Compassion Fatigue,” Non-profit Fundraisers may Need new Strategies. Hearing Health and Technology Matters. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://hearinghealthmatters.org/hearingviews/2012/when-faced-with-compassion-fatigue- non-profit-fundraisers-may-need-new-strategies/

Knight, K. (2014, October 8). Pinterest for Business. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from https:// business.pinterest.com/en/blog/why-you-dont-need-many-followers-you-think

Lesonsky, R. (2014, September 15). Gen X: How to Market to the Forgotten Generation. OPEN Forum. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from https://www.americanexpress.com/us/small-business/ openforum/articles/gen-x-how-to-market-to-the-forgotten-generation/

Macy’s Believe Campaign Raises $2 Million. (2015). Make-A-Wish America. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://wish.org/content/macys-believe-2014/recap

Make-A-Wish Michigan (2014). 2014 Annual Report [PDF document]. Brighton: Michigan.

Make-A-Wish Michigan (2015). Brand Cheat Sheet [PDF document]. Brighton: Michigan.

Managing Funds. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wish.org/about-us/our-chapter/managing-funds

Mission. (2015). Dream Factory Inc. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://dreamfactoryinc.org/ mission/

Mission and Vision. (2015). Ronald McDonald House Charities. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.rmhc.org/mission-and-vision

Moats, S. (2013, May 20). Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation . . . Media Usage by Generation X. The Brandon Agency. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.thebrandonagency.com/blog/article/ talkin-bout-my-generationmedia-usage-by-generation-x/

Mobile Outdoor Recreation Advertising. (2015). Ad Pulse Media. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from http://www.adpulsemedia.com/buy/outdoor-recreation-advertising/mobile/#

O’Brien, M. (2015, June 12). UGC Is the Key to Instagram Success. ClickZ. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from http://www.clickz.com/clickz/news/2412997/ugc-is-the-key-to-instagram-success-study

Other Ways to Help. Dream Factory Inc. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://dreamfactoryinc.org/ ways-to-help/#

Our History. (2015). American Cancer Society. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// www.cancer.org/aboutus/whoweare/our-history

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 114

Page 115: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Our Mission. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wish.org/about-us/the-make-a-wish-story/our-mission

Our Relationship With McDonald’s. (2015). Ronald McDonald House Charities. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.rmhc.org/our-relationship-with-mcdonalds

Our Sponsors. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wish.org/ways-to-help/sponsorships/our-sponsors

Quick Facts About Nonprofits. (2015). National Center for Charitable Statistics. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://nccs.urban.org/statistics/quickfacts.cfm

Reaching Generation X: Authenticity in Advertising. (2012, November 27). Nielsen. Retrieved November 11, 2015, from http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2012/reaching-generation-x- authenticity-in-advertising.html

Results. (2015). United Way for Southeastern Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// www.liveunitedsem.org/what-we-do/results

Retargeting (2015). Ad Pulse Media. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from http://www.adpulsemedia.com/ buy/advertising-to-parents/retargeting/#

Richlovsky, P. (2012, July 16). Digital Marketing ROI (How Much Does Digital Marketing Cost?) Fathom. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from http://www.fathomdelivers.com/blog/video/how-much-does- online-marketing-cost-digital-marketing-roi/

Schwartz, A. (2013, November 22). Inside The Social Media Strategy That Made Batkid Go Viral. Fast Company. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.fastcoexist.com/3022058/inside-the- social-media-strategy-that-made-batkid-go-viral

Schwartz. N. (2015, May 29). U.S. Economy Contracted 0.7% in First Quarter. The New York Times. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/30/business/ economy/us-economy-gdp-q1-revision.html?_r=0

Sponsorships. (2015). Make-A-Wish Greater Los Angeles. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// la.wish.org/ways-to-help/sponsorships

Stelzner, M. (2013, August 23). YouTube Success: How to Create a Successful YouTube Channel. Social Media Examiner. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/ how-to-create-a-successful-youtube-channel/

Taylor, P. and Gao, G. (2014, June 5). Generation X: America’s Neglected ‘Middle Child’. Pew Research Center. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2014/06/05/ generation-x-americas-neglected-middle-child/

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 115

Page 116: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Timeline. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://wish.org/about-us/ our-story/timeline

Top 10 Trusted Brands: Which Brands do Males and Females Trust the Most. (2015, August 31). Nielsen. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2015/top-10- trusted-brands-what-brands-do-male-and-female-consumers-trust-the-most.html

Understanding the Arab Digital Generation. (2015). Strategy and PWC. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from http://www.strategyand.pwc.com/media/file/Understanding-the-Arab-Digital- Generation.pdf

Vieira, D. (2014, September 8). 5 Ways to Get Generation X and Y Engaged with Your Association. Association Marketer. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://associationmarketer.com/5- ways-get-generation-x-y-engaged-association/

Volunteer Opportunities (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wish.org/ways-to-help/volunteering/volunteer-opportunities

Walk for Wishes (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wish.org/news-and-events/signature-events/walk-for-wishes

Wallace, M. (2015, September 17). Generation X: The Small but Financially Powerful Generation. Centro. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://blog.centro.net/generation-x-the-small-but- mighty-generation/

Ways to Help. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wish.org/ways-to-help

Westmoreland, M. (2014). Five Ways Technology Will Shape the Nonprofit Industry in 2014 [PDF document]. blackbaud. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from https://www.blackbaud.com/files/ resources/downloads/2014/01.14.NonprofitTechTrends.tipsheet.pdf

What is Relay? (2015). Relay for Life. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://relay.acsevents.org/site/ PageServer?pagename=relay_learn_whatisrelay

What This Place Needs. (2015). United Way International. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// storymap.unitedway.org

What We Do. (2015). Ronald McDonald House Charities. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// www.rmhc.org/what-we-do

Where We Are. (2015). Clear Channel Airports. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from http:// clearchannelairports.com/where-we-are/

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 116

Page 117: IMC 636: Make-A-Wish Michigan IMC Proposal

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL

Why Brand Personality Matters [PDF document]. (2012). Millard Brown. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://www.millwardbrown.com/docs/default-source/insight-documents/points-of-view/ Millward_Brown_POV_Brand_Personality.pdf

Why Nonprofit Fundraisers. (2015). Nonprofit Tech for Good. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// www.nptechforgood.com/2015/04/22/why-nonprofit-fundraisers-should-give-more-attention-to- gen-x-donors/

Wish-A-Mile Bicycle Tour. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wish.org/news-and-events/signature-events/wish-a-mile-bicycle-tour

Wish Ball. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://michigan.wish.org/ news-and-events/signature-events/wish-ball

Wish Facts. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wish.org/wishes/wish-impact-and-facts

Wishmakers on Campus. (2015). Make-A-Wish Michigan. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http:// michigan.wish.org/ways-to-help/fundraising/wishmakers-on-campus

Wish Nation. (2015). Make-A-Wish America. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://wish.org/wishes/ wish-nation-blog

Woodruff, M. (2013, December 11). Forget Boomers and Millennials — Here's Why Gen X Has the Most to Worry About. Yahoo Finance. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from http://finance.yahoo.com/ news/why-generation-x-had-the-worst-personal-finance-year-ever-214519220.html

World Wish Day. (2015). Make-A-Wish International. Retrieved November 10, 2015, from https:// www.worldwish.org/en/worldwishday%20

THINK TANK MARKETING | MAKE-A-WISH MICHIGAN IMC PROPOSAL 117