The Office of Social Media

Project Communication Plan for:

The University of Texas-Pan American Office of Social Media UTPA World AIDS Day

Media Stunt Version 0.0: 101310 Presented by: Chelse Benham

AUTHORED BY CHELSEBENAM CONFIDENTIAL

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Project Communication Plan

Proposed Media Stunt Project The University of Texas-Pan American’s Office of Social Media wants to create a media stunt so large that it will generate regional, national and possibly, international attention for UTPA. We propose to create a world-record size Facebook “Like” button sign on our campus, situated in the quad, made from inflated condoms. The event would take place on December 1, 2010 for the globally recognized World AIDS Day http://www.avert.org/world-aids-day.htm

During the event, we would like students, staff, faculty and community members to participate in the building of the giant sign. Also, we would like people to release helium filled red balloons with notes attached that have on them code numbers, instructions for logging in the code and written personal stories and/or feelings about AIDS awareness. We hope people find these balloons and follow preprinted directions to log on and visit the UTPA Fan page and blog created for the event. Concluding the event, we would like to have a candlelight vigil commemorating the people who have contracted and died from AIDS and those loved ones who have suffered with them.

The west quadrant

PROJECT COMMUNICATION PLAN

AUTHORED BY CHELSE BENHAM CONFIDENTIAL

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In addition, we want people to bring and contribute red bandanas to the event to be tied end-to-end to make a long red ribbon that will be looped at the top right corner of the sign as a giant AIDS Awareness symbol of support.

During the event, student and community organizations will set up booths around the event site to sell food and drink and/or provide information about their organizations. We will work with UPB to set up a performance stage where student bands and performers are welcome to perform for free. We want to encourage as much student participation as possible. We hope to enlist faculty experts to speak with the media about issues regarding border health and AIDS awareness. We will invite the local news stations to come and cover the event and we will contact officials from Guinness Book of World Records to officiate the record-setting moment. We would also like our state representatives Aaron Pena and Juan Hinojosa, and city officials to come out in support. We hope to organize a helicopter fly-by with a news station to videotape the large “Like” sign and the crowd on the campus. During the event, copious video footage, photographs and interviews will be taken and uploaded to the University’s various social media channels (previously built). There will be:

• A UTPA Facebook Fan Page (linked to the UTPA Website) linked to Twitter – create hash tag of the event and share on all promotional materials.

• A Blog – We will upload video and pictures to the blog. We will encourage people to visit the blog and provide their stories and feelings.

• A Flikr account showcasing all the pictures from the event • A UTPA AIDS Awareness Day YouTube Channel airing all the footage

from the event • Geo-location social network recommendations for Yelp, Foursquare,

Whrrl, Buzz and Gowalla – post the event on these networks • Build a smart phone app- We believe we will be granted special access

with Google developers to be in on a beta program that will allow us to build a smart phone app for the event. We are currently awaiting approval.

The red ribbon will be made from bandanas, the sign will be made from blue, black, clear condoms

PROJECT COMMUNICATION PLAN

AUTHORED BY CHELSE BENHAM CONFIDENTIAL

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• Media release – We will work closely with the Office of University Relations and work closely with local media

• Contact Guinness Book of World Records to ensure we are listed for the event.

• The Office of Social Media goals are:

• We believe that building a Facebook “Like” button and supporting AIDS awareness provides several positive outcomes:

1. Facebook’s popularity is at an all time high. The organization may well pick up the story for its own promotional use. This would provide enormous exposure globally.

2. The “Like” button is synonymous to FB fan pages and the message created by using it means having people go to The University of Texas-Pan American’s official fan page and like us. We expect to generate more traffic to the fan page and ultimately, to the University’s website.

3. Building the enormous sign from inflated condoms generates the possibility to:

Create a world record Interesting novelty angle for the media Rides on the “coattails” of the global attention paid to AIDS

awareness already in existence; greater chance for national news to take interest in our event.

Create a positive image about the use of condoms among students that leads to greater use of them – change in behavior.

Inexpensive building material. Possibly able to have all the condoms donated to the event.

Creates a direct correlation between condom use and protected sex from contracting STDs. It’s a relevant material to use.

Generate local, national and international news interest. Create the impression that UTPA students are engaged and

active in global issues. Rallies the campus community to participate, as a whole, in

something that generates prestigious attention for the University.

Creates an event that allows for everyone to participate if they choose to. Creates a general sense of excitement and buzz for the campus.

PROJECT COMMUNICATION PLAN

AUTHORED BY CHELSE BENHAM CONFIDENTIAL

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Creates the first event of this type for UTPA and possibly, the UT System.

Generates continuous traffic with visitors, to the FB fan page and UTPA AIDS Awareness blog, able to write their feelings and comments about AIDS. The event could provide a social commentary about AIDS in a bi-cultural, border community long term.

The Office of Social Media is currently working with many departments that might be interested in participating in this event, as we provide social media assistance to them already. We can speak with departments to enlist their support and participation. There are many possible stakeholders. They include (but not limited to) the following: UTPA Stakeholders Student Organizations – Greek, SGA, Baccus & Gamma, LGBT, etc. Dean of Students Office University Program Board UTPA Faculty with interest in this area Border Health Office UTPA Health Clinic Office of University Relations Wellness and Recreation Center Residency Life – Dorms Art and Engineering students Community Stakeholders State Representative, Aaron Pena and Sen. Juan Hinojosa City Officials Planned Parenthood Valley AIDS Council National Minority AIDS Council Facebook Representatives Women health clinics Renaissance Hospital Guinness Book of World Records National Youth Advocacy Coalition Google (possibly)

PROJECT COMMUNICATION PLAN

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Team structure The Office of Social Media will be responsible for the orchestration and execution of the UTPA WOLRD AIDS DAY MEDIA STUNT. Members of the Office of Social Media Chelse Benham – Head of the Office of Social Media & Director of the Social Media Internship (SMI) Jessica Rodriguez –SMI Assistant Director Mario Mora – Intern Jackeline Leyva – Intern Jose Garrido – Intern Elizabeth Ramirez – Intern Ana Cantu – Intern Christina Alvarez – Intern Bruno Prada – Intern Monica Angulo – Intern Krizia Velez – Intern

PROJECT COMMUNICATION PLAN

AUTHORED BY CHELSE BENHAM CONFIDENTIAL

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Contact stakeholders within UTPA Health Clinic

Student Orgs. Expert Faculty Border Health

Office

Contact stakeholders

within the community

Planned Parenthood

News stations

VP of Institutional Advancement

& Executive Dir. Of

Marketing

Office of Social Media

Project timeline Responsibilities

Resources will be indentified

Office of Social Media will receive approval from the administration before initiating the media stunt

PROJECT COMMUNICATION PLAN

AUTHORED BY CHELSE BENHAM CONFIDENTIAL

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Team assignments

[Pro ject Name] pro ject team Name of team Team goals Team leads Team roles

Office of Social Media Contact stakeholders, organizations, obtain resources,

Chelse Benham

Office of University Relations

Sandra Quintanilla Media releases and contact of new stations

Office of Dean of Students

?

Greek Council ?

SGA ?

***More may be indentified

Team roles and responsibilities ***These will be determined at a later date after approval

Risks and issues

Potential exceptions and problems

• IMPORTANT: Not acting on this proposed media stunt immediately closing the gap in which it can be orchestrated. The Event must initiate two days prior to the actual day of the event. Building the sign platform must begin on November 29. A decision for this event must be expedited.

• There isn’t enough participation to achieve the expected result • Unable to obtain the resources – condoms, manpower, cardboard, tape,

chalk • Logistics breakdown – condoms deflate, rain occurs • We don’t generate enough interest from the media

PROJECT COMMUNICATION PLAN

AUTHORED BY CHELSE BENHAM CONFIDENTIAL

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Appropriate corrective measures

• We get stakeholder commitment to participate before releasing information about the event – Hold a planning meeting with campus stakeholders

• We lock down the resources needed – condoms, cardboard, helium balloons, performance stage with sound equipment, media support

• We release information two weeks in advance of the event to all local media stations

• We create a chalk campaign on campus inviting the campus community to participate in the event

• We promote the event on the social media channels created for it – Fan page, blog, twitter