Brand and Communications StrategyVCU Brandcenter, September 2008

The Project: Turn Brad Meltzer’s pet project into a brand• Help leverage the site’s early success by creating and communicating a consistent brand offering

• Build a core audience through an initiative to bridge the site’s early success and its long-term role

The Outcome: A ripple effectWe took the brand ethos to heart - that one small action inspires many others -

and built off the site’s existing assets

How to nurture early brand growth through an intrinsic - and synchronized -

brand and communications strategy

MICHAEL SCHMIDTBrand + Communications Strategy Call Schmidty 804.836.5475 | HeySchmidty@gmail.com | MeetSchmidty.tumblr.com

By leveraging its initial momentum, we helped the site appeal to a self-sustaining community that could be periodically rejuvenated by what Brad was used to doing already - promoting his books and comics

• Author of 7 bestsellers

• Writer for seminal comics Green Arrow and Justice League of America

• Scion of Joss Whedon and Damon Lindelof

The Client: Brad who?

ORDINARYPEOPLECHANGETHEWORLD

fh b

BrandBackground:

KeyFindings:1

2

ExpandingtheEssence:

B BA

B

Appeal:

OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.comisayoungbrandthatisprimarilyknownforitsfounder,BradMeltzer,andhisfirstonlineinitiative,anauctionbenefittingtheformerhomeofSuperman’screator,JerrySiegel,throughcomics‐relatedartworkandexperiences.

OurApproach:NurturetheseedplantedbytheSiegelauction.

Wetaskedourselveswithcraftingastrategyforthesitethatexpandedfromitsinitialequityandtarget.

GatheringIntelligence:AttendingoneofBrad’sbooksigningsandgettingtoknowhisfans,werealizedhebringstogetherdiversegroupswithslightlydifferentreasonsforappreciatinghiswork.

Inhisnewestnovel,Bradcombinedhisinterestsforthefirsttime,usingthedeathofSuperman’screatorasakeyplotpointinhisthriller.

PressforTheBookofLiesoftenmentionedboththeSiegelauctionandOPCTW.

Leveragingtheexistingassetsofthesitetoexpandtobroaderandmoresustainablerole,appealandmessage.

A BContent:

Message:

Superman’srealstory Realandliteraryheroes

Comicsfans Bookandcomicslovers

Donatenow Findinspirationtoactnow

Brand

Target Strategy

Thesite’smissionis“toinspireordinarypeopletotakeactionandmakeadifferenceintheworld,”howevertheyseefit.Tofulfillthismission,thesiteneedstoexpandbeyondthecomicscommunity.

Onlythemostwell‐establishedorwell‐fundednon‐profitscanaffordtoappealtoawideaudience.Allotherscanonlysucceedthroughsharplyclarifiedpurposeandfocusedtargeting.

CategoryDynamics:

Bybuildingoffthesite’sinitialappealwithcomicsfans,wecouldfocusongrowingtheaudience,nottargetinganewone.

Brad’sworkprovidesanexusforthreedistinctaudiencegroups,whichhavetheirownliteraryheroesinadditiontoBrad.

Thewebisuniquelyabletocatertotheaudience’svariedinterestsandshowhowtheylinktogether.

AudienceSegments:

ClarkKents

fReadBrad’s:comicsAges:20‐35Size:5.5MillionLookonlinefornewsandinformation

Looksuptothosewhopromptchangedespiteflawsorcircumstances

Inspiredbyseeingsupportforgreatideas

!

JackRyans

hReadBrad’s:comicsandthrillersAges:40‐55Size:5.3MillionPreferInternetandradio

Admiresdoerswhoknowhowtodrawonalltheirresources

Inspiredbyonemancausingamovement

!

TheYa‐YaSisterhood

bReadBrad’s:thrillersAges:40‐55Size:2.5MillionStayupdatedwithprintandword‐of‐mouth

Drawntopeoplewhohelpthroughsimpleyetmeaningfulways

Inspiredbyothers’thoughtfulactions

!

StrategicBrandInitiative:

BrandContentStrategy: MediaStrategy:Heroismfromanysourcethatinspiresyoutoactnow

Alignliteraturewithinspirationforheroismineverydaylife

HeroicVoicesOnlineFestivalAsix‐dayonlineliterarygatheringfeaturingpopularauthorsfromvariousgenres,thefestivalusestheaudience’ssharedliteraryinterestasinspirationtoincorporatetheactsofheroismtheyreadaboutintotheireverydaylife.

Howitworks:Drawntothefestivalbyourcampaign(nextpage),theaudiencecancreateaprofiletoparticipateinexclusivecontentfromtheirfavoriteauthors:

Whyitworks:TheinitiativedrawsfromthelegacyoftheSiegelauctionanditsappealtocomicsfans,whilealsomakingthebestuseofBrad’spersonalassets;hesharesapublisherwithalloftheselectedauthors.

Usingthisequitytointroducethesitetothewideraudiencewillmakethemmorereceptivetoitsmessageofheroism.

Throughthis,thefestivalbridges,inbothcontentandaudience,thecomics‐focusedauctionandthesite’smissiontoinspireeverydayheroes.

• PopularauthorslikeStephenieMeyerdiscussingheroismintheirwork

•Originalworksonheroismcreatedbyup‐and‐comingauthors

• Livechatscenteredondrawinginspirationforactsofheroismineverydaylife

• Contentupdatesinthemonthsfollowing

Gettinginvolvedwithacommunityoflike‐mindedindividualswillhelpthemseehowtheirinterestscanbeinspirationtoincorporateheroicactsintotheirownlives.

CONNECTIONSAudienceNeed:

awareness information

CommunicationsRole:

Context:

Banners&Blogs

“Join me in fighting for truth, justice, and the American way.”

HEROIC VOICES ONLINE FESTIVAL

January 5 -10

Please join me on Jan.6th @ 4:00pm EST at OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com

when I talk about Bella, Edward, and Jacobʼs heroic acts!!! It might inspire you!!!

Basedonanextensivelistofbookswithstrongthemes

ofheroism,AmazonuserswhoviewoneofthebookswillseeanOPCTWmessageandrecommendationsofotherheroicbooksinthegenre.

HEROIC VOICESONLINE

FESTIVALJanuary 5 – 10

ORDINARYPEOPLECHANGETHEWORLD.COM

SEO:Thesitewillbeoptimizedtoappearinsearchresultsfortermslikeheroes,inspiration,andbookfestival.

EmailList:Brad’semailstohisloyalfanswillaskthemtospreadthewordaboutthefestivaltootherbookfans.

SponsoredStaffPicks

BookstoreDominations

AuthorEndorsements:Participatingauthorswilllendsupport

throughnewspaperandwebsiteeditorials,interviewswithindieradio,andmentionsontheirwebsitesandatbooksignings.

Recommendations:

“It is not violence that overcomes hate – nor vengeance that most certainly heals injury”

– Jane Eyre

Wetailoredthebrandexperienceplantoalignwithallthefactorscrucialtothecampaign’ssuccess,including:

• Whattheaudienceislookingforinordertoprogressfromawarenesstoadvocacy.

• HowtheHeroicVoicesOnlineFestivalandotheraspectsofourcampaigncanaddvaluetotherelationshiptodeliverontheprojectgoals.

• Wheretheaudiencespendstheirtimeandwillfindourmessagerelevant.

• Howthecontentofthesitecancontinuetodeliveronthemessageoncetheaudiencevisits.

Theplanservestoacceleratetheaudience’sinvolvementwiththesite,buteachelementmustactonitsowntoattractthemhowevertheyinteractwiththecontentandcontext.

BrandExperience:Modeledafterlevelsofinteractionwithliterature

lookingfornew,relevantcontent

learningaboutandfrommyfavoriteauthors

FestivalInitiative:Thecentralaspectofourcampaign,thefestivalengagestheaudiencebypresentingthesite’smessageofheroismthroughtheirsharedinterestofliterature.

Butthefestivaloffersbenefitsmoretangiblethanengagingtheaudience:

• Profilecreationforinteractingwithcontentprovidesamechanismforrelationshipmanagement.

• AndthepresstoursBradandtheotherauthorsareusedtodoingwillcontinuetoprovidefreemedia.

browsescan

PLAN

engagement advocacy contribution

HeroicVoicesOnlineFestival:Asix‐daygatheringofliteratureandheroism

BookClubs:Contentforonlineandlocalheroismbookclubsfosteruserinteractionandcomparisonstotheirownlives.

OnlineForum:PromptsaboutheroismsimilartotheauthorQ&Aanddiscussionswillkeepusersengagedindependentoftheauthors’contentandreturningtothesite.

SocialBookmarking

DownloadablePropagandaWAP

Pictures

SMS

Astheaudiencebecomesmoreinvolvedwiththecampaignandwebsite,contentfeatureswillhelpthemapplytheHeroicVoicesliteraryinspirationintoactsofheroismfortheireverydaylives.

interactinginapersonal,customizableway

sharingcontentwithotherswhomightbeinterested

expressingmyuniqueviewpoint

immerse suggest submit

ActionableItems:ATwitter‐like,continuouslyupdatingpageencouragesuserstointeractandhelpothersactasheroes.

EvaluationMeasures:

Traffic:• Sitevisits•WAPvisits• Searchterms• Priorsources• Profilescreated•Click‐throughrates

Toensureouraudiencegrowsandreturnsformorevisits,wefocusedonmeasuringtrafficandengagement.

MEDIAPLAN

Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

ONLINE BOOK FESTIVAL

AUTHOR WEBSITE SPONSORSHIP

BOOKSTORE WEBSITE SPONSORSHIP

BOOKSTORE E-NEWSLETTERS

MELTZER EMAIL LIST

BOOK BLOG CONTENT

PRINTABLE PROPAGANDA

FACEBOOK GROUP / MYSPACE PROFILE

AMAZON PARTNERSHIP

BOOK BLOG BANNER ADS

Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

TABLE TOPPERS

HANDOUTS

BOOKMARKS

NOTEPADS

BRANDED LOUNGE SPACES

BecauseOPCTWisnot‐for‐profit,weusedfreeorcooperativemediawheneverpossible.

Amultichannelplanimmersesouraudienceinthemessage,withflightingconcentratedonpromotingtheonlinefestivalandthethree‐monthlongauthorinitiativeitintroduces.

Despitespendingunder$250,000,theplanachieves32MMtotalimpressions,helpingtobuildaloyalcommunitythatwilltaketoheartthesite’smissionofheroismineverydaylife.

TotalImpressions:20,435,300earned+11,741,800paid=32,177,100totalimpressions

TotalSpend: $249,765

Ambient

Online

EarnedImpressions: PaidImpressions: Spend:26,920 $0

EarnedImpressions: PaidImpressions: Spend:5,084,500 $78,4001,646,800

Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

INDEPENDENT RADIO

Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

OPCTW STAFF PICKS IN BOOK STORES

AUTHOR BOOK SIGNINGS

BOOK FESTIVALS

COMIC CONVENTIONS

Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

BOOKSTORE NEWSLETTERS

BOOK CLUB CONTENT

AUTHOR EDITORIALS

PRINT ADS

Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug

SMS ALERTS

Bydevelopingastrategythatstaystruetoitscurrentequityandaudience,wegavethebrandaheadstart.

AndthroughaninitiativethatexpandedonthelegacyandusedBrad’sassetstomaximumeffect,wespreadourmediadollarsfar.

Ultimately,bysynchronizingourbrandandmediastrategywetransitionedthebrandfromcomicsfanstoasustainablefuturefocusedonheroism.

Radio

Print/PR/DirectMarketing

Event

Mobile

Engagement:• TimespentandPageviews

• Forumsubmissions

• Emailsubscribers

• SMSsubscribers• Socialbookmarks

• Bookclubparticipants

•Materialsdownloaded

EarnedImpressions: Spend:1,000 $0

EarnedImpressions: PaidImpressions: Spend:13,666,000 $136,63510,065,000

EarnedImpressions: PaidImpressions: Spend:32,000 $35,000110,000

EarnedImpressions: Spend:110,000 $0