aaf-baton rouge club achievement entry: communications website content/202... · nonprofits,...

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AAF-Baton Rouge Club Achievement Entry: Communications

Last year, the AAF-BR Communications Committee set a high standard for achievement by

redesigning and re-launching the aafbr.org website and implementing a system to streamline

the internal process of planning our communications schedule. This year, our focus has been to

build upon that system by working with each of the other AAF-BR committees to ensure that all

aspects of club operations, membership, event details, and more are considered when putting

together our communications schedule.

Our primary goals going into the 2016-17 year included:

1. Strengthening our social media communications before, during, and after events; and,

2. Posting fresh content relating to guest speakers/events, and highlight membership

We tackled the first goal by adding new social media accounts to our roster—Instagram,

Snapchat, and Soundcloud—and maintaining each one with the same consistency as our

previously established accounts on other platforms. To address the second goal, we worked

with the Programs committee to prepare content such as “Did You Know?” tidbits about our

guest speakers to post on the AAF-BR Facebook leading up to luncheons. We also turned

to our board to submit committee member mini-biographies to be featured on weekly

#MembershipMonday posts to break up the feed of event-focused promotions, and put the

spotlight on the people that make those events possible.

By working closely with the rest of the board and focusing on these goals, we’ve done the

following: improved our engagement with members, increased interaction on multiple

platforms, and built a solid social media calendar.

Regular Communications with Members

AAF-Baton Rouge communicates information to members most often via information posted on

our website, weekly email updates, various social media channels, and printed collateral.

Vehicle 1: AAF-Baton Rouge Website - aafbr.org (Exhibit 1)

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AAFBR.org is the central heartbeat of our organization, where current and potential members

have the ability to do everything from paying their dues to registering for an upcoming event. A

year and a half ago, we put our focus on overhauling the website from top to bottom. This year,

we have focused on continuing to build on those improvements.

2016-17 Goals & New Efforts: We wanted to continue to provide an online hub reinforcing the

idea that AAF-BR is the go-to organization for advertising and media professionals in Baton

Rouge by continuing to update homepage sliders, the event calendar, and information about the

board. AAFBR.org hosted email addresses for each committee were created to receive any

comments or questions to a dedicated inbox.

Target Audience: Greater Baton Rouge-area members and non-members, professionals

and students in advertising, media, public relations, sales & marketing, industry suppliers,

nonprofits, and creative services.

Budget: $0 annual cost (in-kind hosting and maintenance).

Distribution System: Publicly available; the URL is included on all distributed materials.

Results Achieved: AAFBR.org continues to be the primary way that members and non-

members are able to gather important information about the club and its events. Between

March 30, 2016 and January 5, 2017 there were 983 ticket purchases and RSVPs for 17 events

through the website, compared to 899 for 13 events since the new website launched in August

2015. (9.3% increase)

Vehicle 2: Email Marketing (Exhibit 2)

We send out weekly email blasts to members announcing upcoming meeting and AAF-BR

event information as well as community service opportunities and other industry happenings

around town.

2016-17 Goals & New Efforts: Continue to promote club information and upcoming events in

a concise, interesting manner. This year we focused on continuing to grow our subscriber list

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and increase open rates by experimenting with different combinations of fun subject lines and

finding the ideal days/times to send emails so that they would get the most views.



nonprofits, and creative services.

Budget: $0 annual cost.

Distribution System: Emails are sent through MailChimp.

Results Achieved: Our subscriber list grew by 7.4%, and email open rate increased to 36.9%

from last year’s 32.8% (industry average is 13.79%). The most successful email we sent in the

last year encouraged members to get involved and vote to choose new board members, which

had a 53% open rate. The most clicked-through email had 9.9% click rate (industry average is

1.9%). By experimenting with sending emails on certain days of the week at certain times, we

found our ideal window - emails are more likely to be opened (and clicked!) if sent on a Tuesday

or Thursday afternoon between 2:30-4 p.m.

Vehicle 3: Social Media (Exhibit 3)

Membership information, upcoming events, event recaps, and relevant industry news are

shared and promoted on AAF-BR’s social media channels.

2016-17 Goals and New Efforts : Strengthen our social media communications before, during,

and after events and use social media to highlight our members. This year we created accounts

on previously unused platforms (Instagram, Snapchat, and Soundcloud) in order to find new

ways to connect with our members. Snapchat is used to catch photos and video snippets in-

the-moment during events, and Instagram is used for photo reminders of upcoming and past

events and initiatives. On Soundcloud, we posted podcast-style audio recordings of previous

luncheons, which were posted for ‘Throwback Thursday’ in the weeks leading up to the 2016

Kickoff Social to drum up excitement for the new AAF-BR year.

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We’ve also worked to liven up our already established social media accounts. We launched a

new Facebook vertical, #MembershipMondays, to put a weekly spotlight on members of the

club outside of the board. On YouTube, we’ve begun posting video recordings of our monthly

luncheons so that no one has to miss out on the fun. On Twitter, we have continued last year’s

established practice of live-tweeting luncheons and encouraging members to live tweet as

well, facilitating conversation both online and in person!



nonprofits, creative services, and students.

Budget: Regular posts are $0, $15-$35 is spent per boosted Facebook posts. Costs for boosted

posts come from the budgets of the committees.

Distribution System: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, and Soundcloud

Results Achieved:

74.3K Twitter impressions: 600% increase over 15/16 year

20.5% increase in Twitter likes: 170 this year vs. 141 last year

9.2% increase in Facebook likes (1,037 to 1,132)

Average Facebook post engagement (encompassing clicks/comments/reactions/shares): 181

Instagram followers: 94

Vehicle 4: Printed Collateral (Exhibit 4)

2016-17 Goals: Provide tangible reminders of important AAF-BR club information and events.




Budget: Design and print services are donated. $250 for postage and mailing services.

Distribution System: Direct mail and handouts at events.

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Results Achieved: We were able to provide members with greater awareness of upcoming

events while providing helpful information about those events that could be kept as physical

reminders.

EVENT OR MEETING PROMOTIONS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

2016-17 Goals: Increase awareness of and attendance at events to ensure that members and

non-members alike understand the value of AAF-BR membership. We did this by seeking out

interesting speakers for monthly luncheons, exciting topics for workshops, and making sure

our regular annual events continue to be fun for all who attend.

Target Audience: Greater Baton Rouge area members and non-members, professionals



Budget: $0 annual. Members of each committee are responsible for the design of the

promotion of their events, while the Communications committee handles the announcements

and social media posts.

Distribution System: Event promotions and announcements are distributed via weekly email

blasts, posts on social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat), real

estate on the aafbr.org homepage, press releases to local news outlets, and

print collateral.

Monthly Luncheons (Exhibit 5)

On the first Friday of each month (except the month of the American Advertising Awards), we

host a luncheon featuring a speaker from outside of our market to bring new and interesting

perspectives on various topics. In the past year, these speakers included:

• Oen Michael Hammonds, Designer & Lead Facilitator at IBM: People + Practices +

Places = Outcomes

• Tal Leming, Typographer: Letters and the Stuff Around Them

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• Ken Krimstein, Creative Director & Cartoonist: A New Yorker Cartoonist Bares All

• Gina Nacey, Creative Strategist: Behind the ADDY Curtain: An Insider’s Perspective with

the “Mean Judge”

• Andy Miller, Illustrator & host of the Creative Pep Talk podcast: My Creative Career is a

Game of Hot and Cold

Workshops (Exhibit 6)

In addition to our monthly luncheons, we incorporated after-hours workshops:

• We partnered with Lamar Graphics for a tour through their 3D production facilities

and processes.

• In November, famed designer Aaron Draplin stopped through Baton Rouge during his

book tour, gave us a look into some of his best practices and told stories about his life.

Socials (Exhibit 7)

AAF-BR regularly holds socials for active and prospective members to get together, network,

and learn more about getting involved with the club. This past year included:

• 2016-17 Kickoff Social - Kicking off the new AAF year with a bang

• AdFed 101 - Introducing new & prospective members to each of the committees that

keep AAF-BR running

• I-Scream Social at the 13th Gate - An opportunity to meet up and get scared silly at one

of the most well-known haunted houses in Louisiana

• LSU vs. Arkansas Tailgate Party at the Varsity - We rented out the balcony area at a

local hang-out to host a watch party

Fundraisers (Exhibit 8)

In October 2016, we hosted our annual Media Auction, where Baton Rouge area businesses can

bid on media and creative services from local agencies and vendors.

Community Service Initiatives (Exhibit 9)

AAF-BR dedicates time and resources to enrich our community. Here’s how we gave back

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this year:

• We partnered with the Boys and Girls Club for the Blue Door Campaign in August,

getting local companies involved with window decals and 3D printed doors at

their offices.

• In association with Junior Achievement of Greater Baton Rouge, AAF-BR member.

companies sponsored and mentored high school students for the J.A. Big Pitch

competition in November. The AAF-BR Communications committee donated time and

service to help come up with an entirely new brand for the competition - including a new

name, logo, digital flyer, and a Snapchat filter.

• In January, a group of members got together to spend a day working on branding and

marketing for local organization UpAlliance’s upcoming Adult Spelling Bee.

American Advertising Awards (Exhibit 10)

After a crazy successful AAA season in 2016, we set our sights on upping the ante for 2017. With

the theme “The Greatest Show On Earth” to set the tone, we’ve created a cast of characters to

promote the 2017 Baton Rouge American Advertising Awards via printed collateral, direct mail,

email newsletters, and social media. In the days leading up to Call for Entries, we even put

together a Snapchat story walking through the process of how to prepare physical ADDY entries

for submission.

SELF-PROMOTION (Exhibit 11)

Goals: Increase awareness of AAF-Baton Rouge as a valuable resource and partner for

marketing and advertising professionals, as well as local vendors and charitable organizations.

Target Audience: Current members and non-members: Baton Rouge professionals and

students in the advertising, media, public relations, sales & marketing, nonprofit, and creative

disciplines as well as area business owners and vendors.

Budget: $0 annual. Time and resources spent on design and communications are donated by

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AAF-BR committees and members, printing is in-kind.

Distribution System: Printed collateral, press releases to local news organizations.

Results: Our press releases have resulted in media coverage in local online and print

publications including the Greater Baton Rouge Business Report, The Advocate, and

225 Magazine.

CONCLUSION

Adding new (to us) networks to our social media roster and diversifying the type of content

featured on all of our accounts resulted in a successful and rewarding year for the

Communications committee. In doing so, we have been able to increase our following and

interaction with members on all channels - and with #MemberCrushMonday, we’ve gotten the

members involved, too! We also had a successful year building up our partnerships with other

organizations including Junior Achievement of Greater Baton Rouge, paving the way for more

exposure for the club down the line. We hope to continue to provide value to our members by

continuing these efforts for the rest of this year and beyond.

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exhibit o1AAFBR.ORG WEBSITE

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exhibit o2EMAILS

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exhibit o2EMAILS

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exhibit o2EMAILS

exhibit o2MAILCHIMP ANALYTICS

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exhibit o3SOCIAL MEDIA - FACEBOOK

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exhibit o3SOCIAL MEDIA - FACEBOOK

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exhibit o3SOCIAL MEDIA - FACEBOOK - #MEMBERSHIPMONDAY

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exhibit o3SOCIAL MEDIA - FACEBOOK - SELECTED BOOSTED POSTS

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exhibit o3SOCIAL MEDIA - FACEBOOK ANALYTICS

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exhibit o3SOCIAL MEDIA - TWITTER

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exhibit o3SOCIAL MEDIA - TWITTER

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exhibit o3SOCIAL MEDIA - INSTAGRAM

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exhibit o3SOCIAL MEDIA - INSTAGRAM

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exhibit o3SOCIAL MEDIA - SNAPCHAT

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exhibit o3SOCIAL MEDIA - SNAPCHAT

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exhibit o3SOCIAL MEDIA - SOUNDCLOUD

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exhibit o3SOCIAL MEDIA - YOUTUBE

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exhibit o4PRINTED COLLATERAL - BOARD ROSTER & EVENT CALENDAR MAILER

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IN YOUR FUTURE...”“I SEE AN

exhibit o4PRINTED COLLATERAL - AAA CALL FOR ENTRIES POSTER & EVENT CALENDAR MAILER

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exhibit o5MONTHLY LUNCHEONS - APRIL 2016 OEN MICHAEL HAMMONDS

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exhibit o5MONTHLY LUNCHEONS - SEPTEMBER 2016 TAL LEMING

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exhibit o5MONTHLY LUNCHEONS - SEPTEMBER 2016 TAL LEMING

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exhibit o5MONTHLY LUNCHEONS - OCTOBER 2016 DANIEL BERKAL

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exhibit o5MONTHLY LUNCHEONS - OCTOBER 2016 DANIEL BERKAL

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exhibit o5MONTHLY LUNCHEONS - NOVEMBER 2016 KEN KRIMSTEIN

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exhibit o5MONTHLY LUNCHEONS - DECEMBER 2016 GINA NACEY

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exhibit o5MONTHLY LUNCHEONS - DECEMBER 2016 GINA NACEY

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exhibit o5MONTHLY LUNCHEONS - JANUARY 2017 ANDY MILLER

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exhibit o6WORKSHOP - LAMAR GRAPHICS 3D PRODUCTION TOUR

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exhibit o6WORKSHOP - AARON DRAPLIN

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exhibit o7SOCIALS - KICKOFF SOCIAL

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exhibit o7SOCIALS - ADFED 101

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exhibit o7SOCIALS - ADFED 101

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exhibit o7SOCIALS - I SCREAM SOCIAL

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exhibit o7SOCIALS - LSU TAILGATE SOCIAL

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exhibit o8FUNDRAISERS - MEDIA AUCTION

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exhibit o9COMMUNITY SERVICE - BLUE DOOR CAMPAIGN

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exhibit o9COMMUNITY SERVICE - JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT BIG PITCH COMPETITIONLOGO & DIGITAL FLYER

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exhibit o9COMMUNITY SERVICE - JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT BIG PITCH COMPETITION

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exhibit o9COMMUNITY SERVICE - JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT BIG PITCH COMPETITION

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exhibit o9COMMUNITY SERVICE - CAMPAIGN FOR COMMUNITY

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exhibit 10AMERICAN ADVERTISING AWARDS

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exhibit 10AMERICAN ADVERTISING AWARDS - SNAPCHAT STORY

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exhibit 11SELF PROMO - JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT PARTNERSHIP

exhibit 11SELF PROMO CROP 2016 CONFERENCE SPONSORSHIP

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exhibit 11SELF PROMO - EARNED MEDIA

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For Immediate Release September 6, 2016

AAF-BR to Host 2016 Kickoff Luncheon on Friday

BATON ROUGE - The American Advertising Federation of Baton Rouge (AAF-BR) will host Tal Leming, a type designer, lettering artist and type technology specialist living and working in Baltimore, Md., at the Federation’s 2016 Kickoff Luncheon at Juban’s on Sept. 9, 2016 at 11:30 a.m. Leming’s presentation, “Letters and the Stuff Around Them,” will cover his career trajectory and provide attendees a behind-the-scenes look at how, and more importantly why, new typefaces are made. After Leming graduated from Louisiana State University in 1997, he worked for DSI-LA and specialized in corporate identity and communication design. After his tenure at DSI-LA, he handled brand and promotion design duties at Zoom Design (now Bochanis Rogan Zoom) for a wide array of national and international clients. In 2001 he joined the legendary type foundry House Industries as a resident jack of all trades. While at House, he designed and produced a staggering number of over-inked, hyper-detailed catalogs and advertisements in addition to developing new typefaces for the House library. In 2005 he set out on his own to found Type Supply where he focuses on developing original typefaces and lettering while pushing the boundaries of type technology. Leming’s typefaces have been seen on screens large and small, in magazines and newspapers and on everything from packages to clothing. His clients include Adidas, Bon Appétit, Dick's Sporting Goods, Five Thirty Eight, The Hollywood Reporter, Quaker Oats, Rachael Ray, The United States Soccer Federation and Wired Magazine. “Tal is just the start of an exciting speaker lineup,” said Theresa Nguyen, AAF-BR President Elect and Programs Chair. “Our goal this year was to find fantastic speakers that specialized in different areas of advertising such as design, strategy, research, copywriting, creativity, and diversity. A full list of our exciting upcoming events can be found on the AAF-BR website ( www.aafbr.org/events/).” AAF-BR will also be collecting donations for the Baton Rouge Area Foundation's Louisiana Flood Relief Fund. Cash, checks, and credit cards will be accepted. For additional information, images or general media inquiries, please contact: AAF-BR Communications [email protected] About American Advertising Federation-Baton Rouge (AAF-BR) AAF-BR, named 2011 Division III Club of the Year, is dedicated to serving, connecting and developing advertising professionals. The organization consists of local professionals based in the fields of advertising, sales promotion, public relations, marketing, production and the buying or selling of advertising. We are an affiliate of the American Advertising Federation, the only national organization representing the interests of the entire advertising community. The AAF membership includes more than 400 corporations, 216 clubs and federations, and 133 college chapters, together creating a unified network of almost 50,000 affiliated members dedicated to the good of advertising. For additional information, please visit http://aafbr.org. You can also “like” us on Facebook www.facebook.com/aafbr or follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/aafbr/.

For Immediate Release October 3, 2016

AAF-BR to host “Breaking Down the Glass” on Friday

BATON ROUGE - The American Advertising Federation of Baton Rouge (AAF-BR) will host Daniel Berkal at the Federation’s monthly luncheon at Juban’s on Oct. 7, 2016 at 11:30 a.m. Berkal's presentation, “Breaking Down the Glass,” will look at specific examples where incorporating immersive research methods with conventional techniques leads to deeper understanding of the consumer experience. Berkal is the SVP Research & Innovation and a partner at Toronto's The Palmerston Group. The global authority on creative ethnographic methodologies, Daniel's team has conducted literally hundreds of energetic focus groups of various sizes, in-depth interviews, ethnographies, accompanied shops, mystery shops, videographies and ideation sessions among consumers and professionals in North America, Central America, Europe and Asia. He specializes in immersive methodologies and hard-to-reach participants. “Daniel and his team have done incredible work in understanding consumer experience and we are excited for him to share his expertise with the Baton Rouge community,” said Theresa Nguyen, AAF-BR President Elect and Programs Chair. A full list of upcoming events can be found on the AAF-BR website ( www.aafbr.org/events). For additional information, images or general media inquiries, please contact: AAF-BR Communications [email protected] About American Advertising Federation-Baton Rouge (AAF-BR) AAF-BR, named 2011 Division III Club of the Year, is dedicated to serving, connecting and developing advertising professionals. The organization consists of local professionals based in the fields of advertising, sales promotion, public relations, marketing, production and the buying or selling of advertising. We are an affiliate of the American Advertising Federation, the only national organization representing the interests of the entire advertising community. The AAF membership includes more than 400 corporations, 216 clubs and federations, and 133 college chapters, together creating a unified network of almost 50,000 affiliated members dedicated to the good of advertising. For additional information, please visit http://aafbr.org. You can also “like” us on Facebook www.facebook.com/aafbr or follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/aafbr/.

exhibit 11SELF PROMO - PRESS RELEASES

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For Immediate Release October 28, 2016

2016 Media & Creative Services Auction scheduled for November 2

BATON ROUGE - The American Advertising Federation of Baton Rouge’s (AAF-BR) 2016 Media & Creative Services Auction will be held on Nov. 2, 2016 at 5:30p.m at The Breakroom (421 Third St. Baton Rouge, LA) “AAF Baton Rouge's Media Auction provides small businesses and non-profits the opportunity to buy media and creative services at a fraction of what they usually cost,” said Barb Braud, co-chair of AAF-BR’s fundraising committee. “This fundraiser paves the way for all of the valuable programs AAF Baton Rouge hosts throughout the year as well as a spectacular and ever-growing Addy Awards event.” The auction is an opportunity for small businesses, media buyers and nonprofits to bid on media and creative services at a fraction of their normal cost. It aims to create new business opportunities for participants while raising money to support the AAF-BR’s student scholarship program, student conference, student competition, Campaign for Community program, professional development and additional national efforts. The event is free to attend. Attendees can RSVP by visiting www.aafbr.org by October 28. For additional information, images or general media inquiries, please contact: AAF-BR Communications [email protected] About American Advertising Federation-Baton Rouge (AAF-BR) AAF-BR, named 2011 Division III Club of the Year, is dedicated to serving, connecting and developing advertising professionals. The organization consists of local professionals based in the fields of advertising, sales promotion, public relations, marketing, production and the buying or selling of advertising. We are an affiliate of the American Advertising Federation, the only national organization representing the interests of the entire advertising community. The AAF membership includes more than 400 corporations, 216 clubs and federations, and 133 college chapters, together creating a unified network of almost 50,000 affiliated members dedicated to the good of advertising. For additional information, please visit http://aafbr.org. You can also “like” us on Facebook www.facebook.com/aafbr or follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/aafbr/.

For Immediate Release November 4, 2016

AAF-BR to host “Behind the Scenes with the DDC” BATON ROUGE - The American Advertising Federation of Baton Rouge (AAF-BR) will host Behind the Scenes with the DDC feat. Aaron Draplin on Nov. 11, 2016 at 6:00 p.m at Lamar Advertising (5321 Corporate Boulevard, Baton Rouge, LA). Aaron Draplin and his crew are coming to Baton Rouge as part of the tour promoting his new book, “ Pretty Much Everything.” Attendees can look forward to tips, tricks, triumphs, tales, and threats (all in good, clean fun)! Draplin will go behind the scenes with the Draplin Design Company, where they’ll show projects in process, efficiency tips, and answer all questions. After the workshop, they’ll be selling and signing copies of Aaron's book. “We are so excited to be able to bring Aaron Draplin and his crew back to Baton Rouge,” said Theresa Nguyen, President Elect and Programs Chair. “We have such a diverse membership and we strive to provide valuable workshops for all members.” Attendance is $10 for student and professional members, and $15 for non AAF-BR members. Tickets can be purchased here: http://www.aafbr.org/events/behind-the-scenes-with-the-ddc-feat-aaron-draplin/ Attendance will be capped at 75, so anyone interested is encouraged to register as soon as possible! A full list of upcoming events can be found on the AAF-BR website ( www.aafbr.org/events). For additional information, images or general media inquiries, please contact: AAF-BR Communications [email protected] About Aaron Draplin Aaron Draplin is a designer and founder of Draplin Design Co. (DDC), located in the mighty Pacific Northwest. The DDC proudly rolls up its sleeves on a number of projects related to print, identity, web development, and illustration. The DDC has made stuff for Field Notes, Esquire, Nike, Red Wing, Burton Snowboards, Ford Motor Co., Hughes Entertainment, and even the Obama Administration. About American Advertising Federation-Baton Rouge (AAF-BR) AAF-BR, named 2011 Division III Club of the Year, is dedicated to serving, connecting and developing advertising professionals. The organization consists of local professionals based in the fields of advertising, sales promotion, public relations, marketing, production and the buying or selling of advertising. We are an affiliate of the American Advertising Federation, the only national organization representing the interests of the entire advertising community. The AAF membership includes more than 400 corporations, 216 clubs and federations, and 133 college chapters, together creating a unified network of almost 50,000 affiliated members dedicated to the good of advertising.

exhibit 11SELF PROMO - PRESS RELEASES

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