Kemba Walker PR Plan Infinity Sports PR Robert Feasley, Andrea Kruszka, Mona Nuseibah, & Mark Wysocki
Kemba Walker
PR Plan
Infinity Sports PR
Robert Feasley, Andrea Kruszka, Mona
Nuseibah, & Mark Wysocki
Background Information
• Born May 8, 1990
• Grew up in Soundview,
Bronx
• Went to Rice High
School
• Graduated in 2008
High School Accolades • Beat Derrick Rose (Simeon
Career Academy) as a junior at Madison Square Garden
• Averaged 18.2 points and 5.3 assists per game
• McDonald’s All-American
• Played for the #1 nationally ranked New York Gauchos AAU Basketball team
• Committed to the University of Connecticut
Collegiate Accolades • Played every game as a freshman,
featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated after a 23 point effort in the NCAA tournament to reach the Final Four
• As a junior, led the U-Conn Huskies to a National Championship
• Second in scoring in the NCAA with 26.7 points, 5 rebounds, 3.8 assists per game
• Scored 130 points in 5 consecutive games in 5 days to win the Big East tournament
• Won the Bob Cousy Award for best point guard in the NCAA
Strengths • Kemba Walker is a high
visibility player
• The Apollo is a high visibility location
• Kemba was raised in New York, played basketball in New York
• Good publicity for Kemba, The Apollo and the NBA
• Community outreach
• The event is authentically New York
• Proceeds to a good cause
Weaknesses • Kemba Walker was more
popular following his
national championship run
than currently
• Kemba does not possess the
star power of Kobe Bryant
or Lebron James
• Kemba appeared a few
times at the Apollo theatre
but was never a staple of
entertainment at the venue
• Kemba, though from NY,
has not played there since
high school
Opportunities • Establishing the Kemba
Walker brand in inner city New York despite playing in Charlotte, NC
• Partnership with New York City public school systems to promote after school programs
• Fundraising
• NBA community involvement
• Giving back to the community
Threats • Issue of repeatability
• The Charlotte Bobcats are very far away from New York
• The event can’t be funded by a rookie’s salary
• Cooperation of NYC public school board
• Promotion of the event: cool or not cool?
• Similar events taking place in NYC
Objectives • Make Kemba Walker the most talked about rookie in the
NBA. By promoting his foundation and having an event
it will not only help enhance Kemba it will accomplish
the goals of his foundation and the event.
• Spread awareness to children under the age of 18 about
who Kemba Walker is and the Kemba Walker
Foundation. Demonstrating the importance of education
and after school activities.
Objectives • Spread awareness of the Kemba Walker Foundation to the
NBA. Show them why this foundation has a good cause and they should partner up.
• Target media outlets in New York and the Charlotte area about the Kemba Walker Foundation and the “Shake the Apollo” event. Why this event should have coverage.
• Spread awareness of the event to children under 18 in New York. In order to raise as much money possible for the Kemba Walker Foundation to give to schools in New York
Strategies and Tactics • Print
-Press Release: will be sent out to the NY Times with
information about auditions for the event and what the
event is for.
-Press Releases: will be sent to the Charlotte Observer and
NY Times about the event in order to garner media
attention.
-Pitch Letters: will be sent to Jet Magazine and Sports
Illustrated. It will talk about Kemba in the NBA and his past
at the Apollo therefore he is having this event.
Strategies and Tactics
• Radio
- Pitch to WFNZ sports radio and WNYC about the
foundation and event, in order to see if they would be
willing to get Kemba on the radio to discuss this. This
will not only spread awareness of auditions/the event but
will get media attention.
Strategies and Tactics
• Media Event
-Press Conference: Send out media advisory to local media
in New York and Charlotte about a press conference
featuring Kemba Walker. He will talk about playing with
the NBA as well as his foundation. At the end he will
discuss his event at the Apollo Theatre. This will get
attention to children under 18, the NBA, schools, and
national media about Kemba.
Strategies and Tactics
• Website
- On the Apollo Theatre, NY Department of Education, and
Charlotte Bobcats there will be an article about Kemba. It
will talk about his foundation and the event. Displaying
information about the goals of each and if interested how
people can donate to his foundation or audition for the
event.
Strategies and Tactics
• Social Media
-Facebook: The Bobcats and Kemba’s page will have a link
to his foundation and the Apollo theatre.
-Twitter: The Bobcats and Kemba’s page will tweet about
the event and auditions. That followers will get information
about how they can participate. They will also tweet to
media outlets to garner media attention.
Key Messages • Kemba Walker is a rookie to the NBA. Not only is he a
dedicated athlete he is dedicated to education and promoting after-school activities.
• As someone who went to college and played at the collegiate level he understands the importance of balancing the two.
• He has a foundation which helps schools in New York to show the importance of education and staying active. He targets children under 18 years old in the New York area.
• Money that is raised through his foundation is dispersed throughout schools in New York.
Proposed Questions
& Answers
• Q: How can we reach those students?
• A: Through schools by raising awareness to promote this event
as well as through social media-Twitter, Facebook, and
YouTube.
• Q: What are the ways in which students can get involved?
• A: Through the Kemba-Thon event itself or by interacting with
our social media by suggesting ideas, posting pictures, and
commenting on our daily updates to help get as much people
involved.
Proposed Questions &
Answers • Q: Explain a bit more about your partnership
with NBA.
• A: We are proud to partner up with NBA to help fund this wonderful opportunity. They will fund the entire event and will be available throughout the entire process.
• Q: Why did Kemba Walker choose the Apollo?
• A: Kemba was a hip-hop dancer in the Bronx and performed at the Apollo as part of a competition to get on a TV program "Showtime at the Apollo.” Kemba would like to give this opportunity to other motivated youths to pursue their dream.
Proposed Questions & Answers
• Q: How many groups are
allowed to join?
• A: No limits, all teams are
welcomed.
• Q: How does the process work?
• A: The dancers will perform to the
foundation itself to see who the
finalist are. Once that is
determined the final 10 group
dancers will then be judged in
front of three judges to compete
for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
Kemba Walker
Foundation
• Donates to after school programs • The money raised from this event through the tickets and the
participants will be donated to schools.
• Goal is to encourage youth’s to join and pursue their desired activities through their after school programs.
• Promotes education and Awareness • Reveals the story of a Kemba Walker and motivates youth’s to
dream big.
• Raise funds for schools to improve their after school activities for students.
• A healthy mind is a result from a healthy body.
Kemba Walker
Foundation
• Promotes being active
• Stresses on the importance of
health and wellness through
physical activity.
• Do not necessarily need to run in
order to get into shape.
• Dancing is a fun way to stay fit
and avoid obesity.
• Unites everyone at every age to
join this foundation in hopes of a
promising future for our children.
Kemba Walker
Foundation
The
Kemba Walker
Dance-A-Thon
WHAT: Kemba Walker
will host a dance
competition to find NY’s
best dance group
WHERE: The Apollo
WHEN: July 14, 2012
(Pre-lim Round 7/1/12)
WHO: NY city students
(up to age 18)
Event Slogan: “Shake the Apollo”
All proceeds will go to the Kemba Walker Foundation.
WHY: To promote dance, continuing
education, and after school activity in
the New York school system.
The
Kemba Walker
Dance-A-Thon
Goals of the Event:
• Promote New York city
education
• Promote activity and after
school programs
• Find NY’s top dance group
• Raise funds for after-school
programs
The
Kemba Walker
Dance-A-Thon Event Details:
• Judges: Jennifer Lopez & Apollo Talent Representative
• Event Cost: Work to partner with the NBA and NBA Cares to cover costs
• Tickets: $10 entry
• Prizes:
• 1st Prize = Tickets to NBA Finals
• 2nd Prize = Tickets to NY Knicks vs. Charlotte Bobcats game
• 3rd Prize = Signed Kemba Walker Jerseys
MEDIA LIST - Kemba Walker Dance-A-Thon
Media Outlet Contact Position/Beat E-Mail Phone Address
New York Daily News Stefan Bondy NBA Columnist [email protected] (212) 210-2100 4 New York Plaza,
New York, NY 10004
Sports Illustrated Lee Jenkins NBA Coverage/Culture
Link to email
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2012/
writers/lee_jenkins/02/17/jeff.marquis
.teague/index.html?sct=nba_wr_a1 [email protected]
Sports Illustrated,
Time & Life Building,
New York, N.Y.
10020-1393
NY Times George Vecsey NBA/Entertainment [email protected] N/A
The New York Times,
620 Eighth Avenue,
New York, NY 10018
Jet Magazine Malcolm West Culture/Entertainment [email protected] 312-322-9300 PO Box 37819, Boone,
IA 50037-0819
The New York Beacon Thomas Watkins Art/Entertainment [email protected] 212-213-8585
237 W 37 Street Suite
201 New York, NY
10018
CBS Local - Charlotte Alec Campbell Bobcats Reporter [email protected] N/A Julians Pric Place,
Charlotte, NC 28208
WNYC - Major Radio Jennifer Houlihan Director of Publicity [email protected] (646) 829-4497
WNYC Radio, 160
Varick St., New York,
NY 10013
WQHT - R&B,
Hip/Hop DJ Kast One 12 p.m.- 5 p.m. | Sundays
5 p.m.- 7 p.m. [email protected] (212) 242.0706 395 Hudson St. 7th Fl.,
New York, NY 10014
Charlotte Observer Rick Bonnell Bobcats/NBA Reporter [email protected] N/A
The Charlotte
Observer, 600 S. Tryon
St., Charlotte, NC
28202
610AM WFNZ -
SPORTS RADIO DJ Stout Sports Program Director [email protected] 704-319-9369
WFNZ 610 AM, 1520
South Blvd. Suite 300,
Charlotte, NC 28203
NY Department of
Education Dennis Walcott Chancellor Link to email
http://schools.nyc.gov/ContactDOE/ (212) 639-9675
Tweed Courthouse, 52
Chambers Street, New
York, NY 10007
Key Media
Outlets
Any Questions?