Millennial Miracle Makers

May 6, 2016

Millennial
Miracle
Makers
Executive Summary.............................................................................................................................. 4
Situation Analysis................................................................................................................................. 5
Challenge Statement............................................................................................................................ 10
Business Goal...................................................................................................................................... 10
Communication Goals........................................................................................................................... 10
Objectives............................................................................................................................................ 10
Primary Audiences................................................................................................................................ 11
Secondary Audiences........................................................................................................................... 11
Key Messages....................................................................................................................................... 12
Strategies............................................................................................................................................. 12
Tactics and Evaluation.......................................................................................................................... 13
Digital Content Upgrades.......................................................................................................... 13
Communications Kit and Media Relations Assistance.............................................................. 14
Cyber Bandits............................................................................................................................ 15
University Dance Marathon Showdown..................................................................................... 16
Professionals Paint and Sip...................................................................................................... 18
Campaign Timeline............................................................................................................................... 19
Budget.................................................................................................................................................. 20
Communication Elements..................................................................................................................... 21
Secondary Research............................................................................................................................. 33
Primary Research................................................................................................................................. 39
Appendix.............................................................................................................................................. 56
 Design and Budget Lead Writer and Team Manager

Research Manager Account Executive

Pulse Strategic Communications, a full-service public relations agency, strives to connect the
heartbeat of todays generation with the challenges of our clients. Each team member brings unique skill
sets to the table, which generate well-rounded and dynamic campaigns. Powerful, strategic storytelling is
woven throughout our clients key messaging, as a result of our teams diverse expertise.

We go beyond the scope of traditional tactics by investing in your brands mission and diving deep into
trends that affect your bottom line. Our agency immerses itself in each clients story and experiences its

one beat ahead of their competitors.

Executive Summary
Since 1890, Akron Childrens Hospital remains a leader in the pediatric healthcare industry. The hospital
is committed to providing the best care to every individual that walks through its doors. More than 800,000
patients are treated each year at Akron Childrens. Without honorable monetary and volunteer donations, the
hospital would not be able to advance its mission and impact as many childrens lives.

The hospital challenged Pulse Strategic Communications to reach and motivate millennial donors to support
Akron Childrens Hospital Foundations year-long online giving campaign. To create a strategic campaign, the
agency conducted comprehensive primary and secondary research to understand the donation habits of the

campaigns to gain insights about best practices for online fundraising.

The agency developed a one-year integrated marketing communications campaign to aid in the growth of

The University of Akron and Walsh University. The agency will also target young professional groups in
northeast Ohio, such as Kent Young Professionals, Young Professionals of Akron, Torchbearers, the
Emerging Leaders of Akron Childrens and Mahoning Valley Young Professionals. Through face-to-face and
digital communications, the agency plans to motivate these key audiences to become lifelong supporters of
Akron Childrens. Throughout the year, the campaign will leverage opinion leaders of each primary audience
via social media to motivate them to join in giving online peer-to-peer donations. Additionally, the campaign
seeks to educate millennials on easy ways they can give and target the motivations that cause them to take
action.

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Akron Childrens serves as northeast Ohios premier pediatric healthcare system, which developed from a
day nursery established in 1890. As stated in the hospitals brochures, Akron Childrens is dedicated to
improving the health of children through high quality patient care, education, advocacy, community service
and discovery. Akron Childrens is also committed to helping infants, adolescents, burn victims of any age
and adults who suffer from genetic, congenital and maternal-fetal conditions.

Akron Childrens provides patient care at two emergency room campuses in Akron and Boardman, as well as
at more than 80 primary and subspecialty care facilities throughout northern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
The hospital also offers medical assistance to patients in the comfort of their own homes. The at-home
services are intended to increase convenience of care for patients who are substantially challenged,
physically or mentally, and diminish costs for families in need. The Foundation works to ensure that the
hospital can continue to uphold its three promises1
promises to treat each others the way wed want to be treated, treat each child as if he was our own and turn
no child away because of a familys inability to pay.

Currently, more than 800,000 patients visit Akron Childrens each year, ranking it as one of the fastest growing
pediatric hospital in the U.S., according to Modern Healthcare. The hospitals Facts & Stats brochure states
the hospital operates with the support of 4,912 employees, 761 medical staff members and 1,614 volunteers.
Its education and training programs aid in developing more than 2,000 students, as well as young

Rebecca D. Considine Research Institute, a comprehensive facility paving the way in healthcare
advancement.

After conducting primary and secondary research, Pulse

Strategic Communications discovered the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats for Akron Childrens and its target
millennial audience. Through online social media monitoring, What distinguishes us
is our brand.
client research, the agency was able to identify these key areas -Andrea Joliet
of analysis.

One of Akron Childrens most noteworthy strengths is its outstanding reputation for quality and family-cen-
tered healthcare, which creates substantial credibility with its key audiences. Parents of patients are treated
with an equal amount of care and respect, according to past patients interviewed during primary research
(see page 45). The hospital was awarded Best Childrens Hospitals rankings by U.S. News & World Report
in seven specialty areas. Best Doctors in America also recognized more than 50 Akron Childrens doctors in
30 specialties. The hospital extends its positive reputation to its employees and staff, being recognized as a
top employer in northeast Ohio for the eighth consecutive year, according to North Coast 99 in the hospitals
Facts & Stats brochure. As a result of its distinguished reputation, the hospital has also acquired strong brand
recognition among key audiences. Based on interviews with 19 college students and young professionals,
consistent brand recognition was found.

1 https://www.akronchildrens.org/cms/giving/

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Akron Childrens gains generous monetary and volunteer donations from numerous local, regional and
national organizations. The image below provides a visual representation of Akron Childrens monthly online
and event giving totals between 2013 and 2015, which was provided by the client. After analyzing the data
and other hospital events, Pulse Strategic Communications found an increase in donations during the months
when the hospital held highly publicized in-person events, such as the Have a Heart, Do Your Part Radiothon
in February. It is important to note the steep decrease in online donations during 2015. The client revealed
the hospitals online donation form did not work consistently throughout that year; however, staff members are
working to make the form more reliable for the future.

In addition to monetary donations, individuals of all ages choose to donate their time to Akron Childrens.
According to the hospitals website, 1,483 volunteers donated nearly 120,086 hours of service at the Akron
and Beeghly campuses in 2015. Volunteers are assigned a variety of tasks, such as administrative duties and
bedside care.

Akron Childrens partners with several large organizations, including the American Cancer Society, Childrens
Miracle Network Hospitals, Girl and Boy Scouts of America, Kohls and March of Dimes, to raise hospital
awareness and funds. The hospital also works closely with nearby universities, including The University of
Akron, Kent State University and Walsh University, to create dance marathon fundraisers that engage the
millennial demographic, as well as strengthen local community relations. Together, these university events
raised approximately $65,500 in 2016, according to dance marathon representatives.

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The hospital creates consistent brand messaging throughout its digital and print platforms, which effectively
tell the hospitals mission of quality family-centered care. With these multiple outlets, the hospital can
communicate with numerous audiences. The hospital primarily uses a regional advertising strategy that
targets northern and central Ohio, as well as areas on the border of Pennsylvania, to increase awareness
about its various service lines. Akron Childrens uses billboards, radio commercials and print publications
to promote its services, as well. National professional and trade publications are also leveraged for earned
media.

According to our agencys online monitoring report, conducted between February and April 2016, overall
positive sentiment surrounds the hospital, including with traditional and nontraditional media. Akron Childrens
utilizes the following online and social media channels:
Facebook Pinterest Inside Childrens blog
Twitter Google+ 125 Akron Childrens blog
Instagram LinkedIn Pandora Radio commercials
YouTube
The hospitals social channels, including its blogs, overlap a great deal of content, especially patient success
and experience stories. Each of these online and social channels also contain powerful images, videos and
important health-related information, which keep audiences educated and engaged in the hospitals
different causes. Facebook is considered to be the area of greatest engagement, according to Jim Arnold,
Akron Childrens web analytics manager. Events, such as the annual Have a Heart, Do Your Part Radiothon,
Walk for Babies and local university dance marathons, garner the most social engagement. The hospital
typically receives more online attention using stories that share patient success experiences, celebrity visits
and staff engagement, as well.

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The hospitals website is thorough with information, which is essential to keeping audiences informed about
its complex operations and various departments. After analyzing Akron Childrens recent website data via

hospitals homepage, Latest News wireless page, mobile page, For Patients and Visitors search page
and Looking for Talented Professionals career page. In other words, these are some of the hospitals most
popular pages. Each of these pages has a bounce rate lower than 40 percent, except for the Latest News
wireless page with a bounce rate of over 90 percent. According to the Google Analytics website1, bounce
rate is the percentage of single-page sessions, which are sessions in which a user left a website from the
entrance page with minimal interaction with that page. Typically, an organization should strive for a bounce

or more on the Latest News wireless page, which may reveal user confusion when navigating the page. It

pages bounce rate and average time spent on page is higher than the hospitals other most popular pages.
The hospitals highest viewed pages should be strategically utilized for direct calls-to-action to leverage the

To supplement its website and social channels, the hospital also curates a clean and visually appealing
e-newsletter to allow its key audiences to access news and other quick facts in one place. More information
on the hospitals social channels can be found in the agencys online monitoring report (see page 53).

Although Akron Childrens provides quality care to many children throughout northeast Ohio, the following are
areas that Pulse Strategic Communications found that the hospital could improve upon to further continued
success:
The donation button on the giving page should be moved to the top right corner of the page. Participants

every website and blog page, according to best practices in the secondary research report and Danielle
Hupp, a fundraising opinion leader from Kent State University.
Organizations such as Charity: Water and Pencils of Promise portray best practices for online giving by
offering clear and transparent information about where 100 percent of their money is being spent. Both
organizations websites show powerful and strategic imagery accompanied by clear calls-to-action, which
motivate visitors to donate.
The hospitals social media posts need to include direct calls-to-action. Akron Childrens should also use
a consistent donation hashtag within the social posts.
Akron Childrens can also utilize social media strategies to publicly recognize millennials for
supporting and leveraging peer-to-peer donations for the hospital. The agencys primary and
secondary research indicated a strong motivation to donate if millennial contributions were
recognized publicly.

1 https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1009409?hl=en

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organization. This was a common theme found throughout the agencys primary and secondary research.
According to the agencys discussion with FLASHanthropy and the focus group with young professionals,
these groups do not like to be required to give a minimum or maximum amount of money when making a
donation.
When asked about the hospitals current $5 online donation minimum, members of FLASHanthropy
expressed this minimum was discouraging and too much money for their small budgets.
Young professionals revealed that setting a $5 online donation minimum is insulting and limits their
freedom to decide the exact amount of money they would like to contribute to the hospital.
The standard thank you letter for every donation isnt personal enough for the millennials. Based on best
practices the agency found in secondary research and an interview conducted with David Foster, a
millennial young professional, millennials want to be recognized publicly for their donations. This is an
opportunity for the hospital to interact with millennials online and on social media.
Three universities in the northeast Ohio region, Kent State University, The University of Akron and Walsh

connected with millennials because they were interactive activities that allowed college students to raise
money for the hospitals mission with friends and family (see page 17 for the 2016 university dance
marathon fundraising totals). Both primary and secondary research show that millennials are more likely to

The agencys primary and secondary research also indicate millennials enjoy face-to-face
communication with interactive events that also contribute to the hospitals cause.
Primary research reveals university dance marathons can be improved via increased communication efforts
and support from the hospital. By advancing communication efforts surrounding the dance marathons, overall
student participation and online donations will increase.

Akron Childrens has many gracious donors, but there are also various competitor organizations and causes
in the surrounding local area that pose a threat to the hospitals millennial donations. The hospital must also

College students and young professionals are faced with a high amount of student loans and low
entry-level incomes, which can put a strain on their giving amount. Millennials may use the little extra cash
they have to buy food, rent and other living expenses. These expenses can easily deter millennials from
giving to charity.

Nationwide Childrens Hospital raised approximately $73 million in donations throughout 2014,
according to its annual report1. The hospital reaches its millennial audience through the Columbus
Marathon, dance marathons and activities, such as kickball tournaments.
Cincinnati Childrens Hospital raised approximately $40 million, according to its 2015 annual report2.
Dance marathons are put on through Childrens Miracle Network for the millennial demographic
engagement.
Dayton Childrens Hospital raised approximately $16 million, according to its 2014-2015 annual
report. This hospital also looks for millennial support through dance marathons.

attendance and donations for the organization.
University Hospitals Rainbow Babies and Childrens Hospital hosts an annual radiothon3, similar to
Akron Childrens, which garners a great deal of its donations.
1 http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/annual-report/
2 http://transformcare.childrensdayton.org/wp-content/uploads/annualreport/#8
3 http://www.uhgiving.org/uh-giving/get-involved/events/rainbow-radiothon

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As Akron Childrens aims to increase the number of monetary online donations from millennials, the hospital
must simplify the online giving process, provide greater transparency of where donations are being used,

asking them to give.

To obtain $41,200 in online donations and create A lot of my time recently

long-term relationships among the millennial audience.
has been towards things
that affect the lives of my
friends, family or friends
of my community.
lines within Akron Childrens among primary audiences. -Michael Kavulic
To educate donors how to give, where the money is going
and why their money makes a difference.
To motivate primary audiences to participate in online giving initiatives.

To obtain a conversion rate of 50 percent on Akron Childrens online donation landing page by July 1,
2017.

who take a desired action. The desired action on Akron Childrens
online donation page is for a visitor to make a donation.
To increase participation at face-to-face event among primary
audiences by 250 people by July 1, 2017.

to participate in social media initiatives by Aug. 1, 2016.

People want to be
connected through
the heart.
-Shanice Cheatham

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The agency found college-aged millennials are active participants for the hospital, as seen in peer-to-peer
fundraising through dance marathons at participating northeast Ohio universities.

The idea of a child suffering and

Primary and secondary research show young professionals not being able to experience so
will donate time and money to a philanthropic organization many things I know I have gotten
they feel personally connected to. They do not like to be to experience would really motivate
told how much they can give; however, they want to give an me to say yes to donating.
amount they feel is appropriate and impactful to a specif- -Shelby Keleman
ic cause. The agency found that these young professional
groups are a strategic way to reach the young professional
audience. They are active within their local communities and
look to make a difference via charity initiatives.

The agency discovered through primary research that Greek life organizations at Kent State University and

leaders within this audience, the agency seeks to increase the communication efforts to promote the event,
and therefore, increase the total number of donations.

Other on-campus organizations, besides Greek life, reach a wide variety of college-aged millennials. The
agency seeks to focus more on organizations that are philanthropic with a high participation rate, ensuring
greater reach.

audience. These opinion leaders include university administration, athletic coaches and professors.

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The media will be a key source to utilize in order to connect and inform both primary audiences of campaign
initiatives. Targeted media contact information is provided below.

Akron Beacon Journal- Marilyn Miller

Cleveland Plain Dealer- Karen Franks

The Record Courier- Diane Smith

The Repository- Lori Monsewicz

The Tribune Chronicle- Bob Coupland

University newspapers- The Kent Stater, The Buchtelite and Walsh University Spectator

The Vindicator- Denise Dick

the young professional audience. They are active within their local communities and a strategic way to reach
the young professional audience.

Millennials can make miracles.

Become a Miracle Maker today...because kids rule!
Your donation helps Akron Childrens Hospital turn no child away.
Your money helps children survive. Donations are the driving force behind patients quality care and the
advancement of Akron Childrens Hospital.

Capitalize on established relationships with universities that are already engaged with Akron Childrens.
Integrate Akron Childrens story by telling it through kids eyes.
Use peer-to-peer fundraising to incentivize key audiences to donate to Akron Childrens.
Use call-to-action multimedia content on Akron Childrens online and social media platforms.
Use one-touch technology for online donations to simplify payment method.
Obtain earned media through press releases and direct story pitches for each tactic.
Use face-to-face events to establish long-term relationships and engage primary audiences with Akron
Childrens.

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and secondary research.

Childrens website that the hospital can utilize to track third-party event donations, number of participants and

replacing third-party fundraising websites, such as DonorDrive and GoFundMe. In turn, hospital messaging
will be more consistent and organized throughout third-party fundraising events. This event landing page will
also make it easier for organizations and groups, such as the Cyber Bandits, to leverage peer-to-peer
fundraising for third-party events. Akron Childrens will have the ability to closely monitor participant
information, such as name, age and contact information. Participants will be given the option to register on

the general fund but will also count towards the individual donors fundraising amount. This will help improve
organization, and therefore, communication between the hospitals Foundation team, public relations
department and organizers of third-party event fundraisers.

organizations use PayPal as a secondary easy-payment method. PayPal allows its users to store their
personal information, including their credit card number, address and birthdate. This convenient payment
method provides a single-click option, compared to the hospitals current option that requires donors to
manually enter their personal information each time they donate online.

The hospital will showcase a prominent donation call-to-action on

its homepage and donation landing page. For example, the
hospital should include messaging, such as Give Today. We rely
on your generosity to provide quality medical care to every child
who needs us, at the top of each page. Secondary research When I get to the donation
determined that by adding a strong call-to-action and using
page, the link to donate doesnt
powerful images, online visitors are more likely to donate. Upon
stand out. -Endya Watson
landing on the donation page, visitors are further enticed to give,
due to the use of engaging educational information and an easy
payment process. It is important to note that messaging and
imagery are not to clutter the page. Imagery should be organized
to further the donation process along, not confuse users along the
way.
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The agency recommends moving the hospitals static donation
button to the top right of every website and blog page. The
donation button is currently at the bottom of a column on the right
side of the desktop page and almost at the bottom of the mobile The ways to give option
page. It currently looks lost between other words and images on
should be above the fold
the homepage.
on mobile. -David Foster

The agency will use Google Analytics to calculate the bounce

rate and total time spent on the homepage and donation landing
page to measure the success of the series of improvements.

House a digital communications kit on Akron Childrens website to effectively promote the campaigns

content and imagery that can be shared on social media, as well as press releases. The agency and Akron
Childrens will collaborate to create all of the content and imagery housed within the kit.

All primary and secondary audiences will be targeted with this tactic; however, communication elements in

The communications kit will ensure consistent messaging across social platforms and news outlets, which will
improve overall media relations. Individuals will be able to conveniently access content to post on their social
media channels to foster peer-to-peer fundraising, as well as promote hospital events and initiatives. Press
releases within the kit will allow the hospitals key audiences to stay up-to-date with important information.

University Dance Marathon Showdown: Feature story on how the University Dance Marathon Showdown
impacted college participants
Cyber Bandits: Feature article on a former Change Bandit transitioning to a Cyber Bandit
Professionals Paint and Sip: How young professionals make an impact through the social event

The communications kits success will be measured by the number of times one of the hospitals stories is
covered by the media, as well as how many times the shareable content and imagery is posted on social
media. The hospital can track social media mentions via Sprout Social to measure the shareable content
engagement and reach among key audiences.

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Childrens through peer-to-peer fundraising via social media. To launch the group, the agency will leverage a
contest among millennials in northeast Ohio. Cyber Bandits will create an account on a separate Cyber Bandit
donation landing page on the hospitals website and compete to win an all-inclusive trip for two to Walt Disney
Worldwhere miracles are made every day. Participants will be allowed to choose the social media platforms
they would like to use to leverage online donations from their family members, friends, co-workers and other
peers. The Cyber Bandit with the most donations raised will win the all-inclusive package. The winner will also
be publicly recognized, upon his or her consent, on the hospitals Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pages.
Pulse Strategic Communications will coordinate with Akron Childrens to promote the Cyber Bandit initiative
through social media posts, local news outlets and printed posters at Kent State University, The University of
Akron and Walsh University.

The contest will run throughout the month of September 2016. Our agency will create an unscripted
promotional video that features Miss Akron-Canton Michelle Denny, a millennial opinion leader in northeast
Ohio, to launch the Cyber Bandit initiative. The video will showcase a Change Bandit giving advice to the
adult opinion leader on how to effectively raise money as a Cyber Bandit. It will be a lighthearted,
unscripted and witty approach to connect the two generations in supporting the hospitals cause. The video
will be released on the hospitals Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube pages. Other popular opinion
leaders in northeast Ohio (see recommendations below) will be secured to promote the Cyber Bandit contest
on their personal social media channels and share the video to reach more millennials.

The Cyber Bandit contest encompasses several best practices to motivate millennials to donate. Peer-to-peer
social fundraising and public recognition are at the forefront of this tactic. Secondary research shows that
giving millennials a way to volunteer helps build long-term relationships and increases their likelihood to
continue donating. The Cyber Bandits will donate their time to try to raise funds online, without a guarantee of
receiving anything in return.

Millennials in northeast Ohio

Local media
Northeast Ohio opinion leaders recommendations
Jim Tressel
Miss Akron-Canton Michelle Denny
Active bloggers on Akron Childrens blogs
Akron athletic teams, such as Akron RubberDucks and Canton Charge players
Young professional groups in northeast Ohio

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This tactics success will be measured by the total number of donations raised through the Cyber Bandit
initiative. The hospital can also evaluate the success of the promotional video based on the number of times
it is shared on social media, which can be tracked using Sprout Social.

Increase dance marathon participation by creating the University Dance Marathon Showdown, a
competition among Kent State University, The University of Akron and Walsh University. The university that
raises the greatest amount of donations at its individual dance marathon will be crowned the winner and
receive a personalized traveling trophy. The University Dance Marathon Showdown winner will be calculated
based on the total amount a university raises divided by its dance marathon attendees, in order to ensure the
universities with larger student populations do not have an unfair advantage. The student from each university
who also raises the most money will receive a $500 gift card to his or her campus bookstore. The competition
will be held on Saturday, April 8, at noon through Sunday, April 9, at midnight, making it possible for each
university to host its dance marathon on the same weekend. During the event, the agency will live tweet
updated donation total announcements to continue competitive motivation among the three northeast Ohio
universities.

To raise awareness and additional donations leading up to the University Dance Marathon Showdown, the
agency will use best practices from Kent State University and host a Zumbathon for the students at each
university. Individuals will be required to pay a $5 donation to be eligible to participate in the Zumbathons.
The Zumbathons will be hosted at each schools recreational or wellness centers and be taught by university

Prior to the competition, the agency will work with hospital staff members and each universitys dance
marathon leadership to improve promotional communication, and therefore, increase each universitys dance
marathon participation. Key dance marathon leadership will have a clearer understanding of the goals and
expectations associated with the dance marathons. By expanding communication efforts and participation,
the agency believes the total number of donations raised at each university dance marathon will increase.
Print and digital communication materials will be provided by the agency, which will facilitate consistent
messaging across various promotional platforms. Dance marathon leaders will be instructed to reach out to
Greek life and other large student organization leaders to further promotion about the upcoming dance
marathons.

The agency will also provide students with shareable social media content and imagery to help with event
promotion and the individual donation asking process. Our team will accomplish this by creating

include ready-to-post content for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Dance marathon leadership will be
instructed to share this content on their social media and also encourage other student organization leaders
to use the shareable content.

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Dance marathon leaders will also be instructed to send press releases, which will be written by the agency, to
on-campus student media outlets. Pulse Strategic Communications will contact local media to increase
coverage for each university dance marathon. Also, the agency will offer coaching for each dance marathon
leader on how to effectively speak to the local media if approached about the event.

Prior to the University Dance Marathon Showdown, Akron Childrens will show its support by
posting content on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to promote and create excitement about the competition.
Throughout the months leading up to the event, the hospital and dance marathon presidents will promote
the hashtags #comedancewithAU, #comedancewithKSU and #comedancewithWU in social media posts. By

surrounding the dance marathons.

Dance marathon participants will receive a customized wristband as a promotional item upon arrival at the
event, supporting Akron Childrens overall campaign theme. The wristband will include each universitys

will be donated to the hospital, as well. Akron Childrens will provide universities with iPads and Square credit
card processors to collect additional online donations during the dance marathons. A large customized
banner will also be created for each university to display throughout its event.

millennials can make a big impact through peer-to-peer donations and are motivated by competition among
their peers. This spring, $31,264.42 was raised at Kent State University through approximately 360
participants, $13,300 at Walsh University through approximately 76 participants and $21,006.37 at The
University of Akron through 165 participants, according to university representatives. Secondary research

Kent State Universitys dance marathon is the most successful of the three universities. The University of

hospital is not heavily involved with the planning or executing of these events. By implementing increased
communication efforts between the hospital and the dance marathon leaders, Akron Childrens can increase

and high-reward tactic for the hospital.

life and other on-campus student organizations

Dance marathon student coordinators and faculty advisors
Local and university student media

This tactics success will be measured by the number of participants and the amount of money raised at each

The event landing page will also track the amount each individual raised, making it simple for the leaders to
name a winner for the person who raised the most money for the event.

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Create a paint and sip event for young professional groups throughout the northeast Ohio area, includ-
ing Young Professionals of Akron, Kent Young Professionals, Torchbearers, Emerging Leaders Board and
Mahoning Valley Young Professionals. A paint and sip is an instructed painting lesson, where participants are
invited to drink and socialize with their peers. An e-invite will be extended to each young professionals group

The hospital will sponsor three individual paint and sip events, giving the young professionals an

14, 2016; Friday, Jan. 13, 2017 and Friday, May 12, 2017, at 7 p.m.

The agency will also target local media, inviting news publications to cover the young professionals event.

will be instructed by Artfully Mine, a traveling artist in the Akron and Cleveland area. Artfully Mine will provide
easels, paint brushes and a painting tutorial. The artist can hold an event with up to 50 participants at a time,

supplies, such as paint and canvases to offset costs of the event. This event will be held at Barley House in
Akron, OH. Food and drinks will be available for participants to purchase.

Each participant will leave with a customized wine bag, printed with Cheers to being a Millennial Miracle
Maker! Participants have the option to donate their painting to the patients at Akron Childrens.

Through primary research the agency found the young professional audience was able to give a larger
contribution, than the typical college-aged millennial.These are people who want to be involved around their

will allow Akron Childrens to directly communicate and engage with young professionals about the hospitals

Young professionals groups throughout the Akron area, including Young Professionals of Akron, Kent
Young Professionals, Torchbearers, Emerging Leaders and Mahoning Valley Young Professionals.
Local media

The success of this event will be measured by the number of tickets sold and feedback gathered via social
media and by word-of-mouth throughout the event. The success of the event can also be based on how many
news outlets publish articles covering the event.

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Want to win a FREE trip
for two to Walt Disney World?

Become a Cyber Bandit today.

The Cyber Bandit who raises the most donations during the month of September
will win two all-inclusive passes to Walt Disney World.

Akron Childrens Hospital needs your help. Donations are the driving force behind Learn more at:
its quality care and advancement. akronchildrens.org/cms/cyberbandit

I am a Millennial Miracle Maker

because I give to Akron Childrens.

I became a Cyber Bandit today,

you can too.

To join me, visit: akronchildrens.org/cms/cyberbandit

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Pulse Strategic Communications collected secondary research to understand what motivates millennial online
giving and determine factors that may discourage this audience from donating.

practices of online donation pages, successful strategies and tactics. These organizations best practices
were compared with Akron Childrens current online donor practices in order to improve its digital
communication and giving outlets. Pulse Strategic Communications also reviewed online, mobile and social
media trends among millennials to understand the most popular social media platforms and how to target
online tactics among different segments of the audience.

According to secondary research, Akron Childrens must address and overcome common trends among the

transparency to build lifetime trust. Millennials are best motivated by one-touch mobile giving technologies,

locations, donation statistics, key audiences and strategic partnerships.

Conducted an audit of Akron Childrens website and social media pages to analyze for best practices.

Millennials are digital natives. Those who were born after 1982, have been raised surrounded by technology.
As a result, this generation consumes the majority of its online content via mobile devices. According to the

exclusively on smartphones and tablets to get on the Internet. To reach a younger demographic, an
increasing number of services, such as Uber, Tinder and Snapchat, are only mobile-exclusive applications.1

email blasts and text messaging. According to a Blackbaud report, 62 percent of millennials gave donations
via mobile phones in 2014. This generation is attracted to one-touch technology, which makes it more
convenient to digitally donate, often donating an average of $25 per transaction.2

1 http://www.ibtimes.com/1-5-millennials-access-internet-exclusively-through-mobile-devices-1880194
2 http://www.cnbc.com/2015/12/08/millennials-are-more-generous-than-you-think.html

33
The millennial generation faces numerous economic obstacles. Many millennial individuals face
higher levels of student loan debt, poverty and unemployment when compared to previous
generations (Gen Xers and Baby Boomers).

The combination of current and former U.S. student debt is a total of $1.2 trillion.1
Every second, $3,000 of student debt accumulates.
On average, a 2014 college graduate has approximately $33,000 in student debt.
Nearly 50 percent of millennials dont believe they could come up with $2,000 if an unexpected need
arose within the next month.2
Nearly 30 percent of millennials are overdrawing on their checking accounts.
Nearly 53 percent carried over a credit card balance in the last 12 months.

This generation also receives a lower personal income than older generations.3 Many millennials are often

spent an average of $18, 250 on parent medical needs.4

connect with millennials on a personal level, affect a family member, friend or community, receive the most
support. Millennials also prefer to use their personal skills when giving to charities.5

Seventy-seven percent of millennial employees said they are more likely to volunteer if they can use a skill

philanthropy, compared with 44 percent if a supervisor does.6

Gift-matching programs incentivize millennials to give because their donations make an even greater impact
for a cause. For example, if a donor gives $25 then the matching donor gives an additional $25 doubling
their impact. Almost 70 percent of millennials reported they would be more likely to contribute if their
company offered a matching program.7

1 https://www.debt.org/students/
2
3 http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2014/03/07/millennials-in-adulthood/
4 http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2014/03/07/millennials-in-adulthood/
5

7 http://www.fundraisingcounsel.com/fundraising-blog/uncategorized/the-2015-millennial-impact-re-
port-trends-in-millennial-giving/

34

later.1
Use social media to sell a cause, not an organization.
Optimize donation pages for mobile phones thats where millennials are.
Show how millennial donors dollars directly impact their cause when thanking them. A single thank you
card isnt enough.

users to donate online. According to best practices2 for gaining online donations, these are the basic
guidelines to follow:

Akron Childrens does not give every visitor the option to donate because it does not include a static
donation button at the top of each page on the hospitals website and blogs. Its donation link is currently
hidden at the bottom of a sidebar menu, almost below the fold, which forces users to scroll down the page.

Akron Childrens uses Kintera, a third-party donation website, to house its online giving. The platform is
mobile-compatible; however, the donation page is lengthy and doesnt clearly demonstrate the hospitals
brand. Most of the mobile donation page is white and references only one patient. Using the hospitals colors
and images on the donation page will strengthen brand recognition. The current page feels like a template

The hospital can capitalize on engaging with millennials by customizing a thank you page upon making a
donation. The hospital should include the donors name in a thank you

Millennials engage most with social media posts that include strong visuals. The hospital can connect

donation page.

1
2
3

35
Akron Childrens successfully implements this tactic. This allows millennials to customize their donation and
further their personal connection to the hospitals mission.

Secondary research revealed that millennials prefer to pay with new technology. The majority of this audience
requires multiple payment options and trust secure payment methods, such as PayPal. These easy payment
methods incentivize millennials to give because many do not prefer to take extra time to input their personal
information. PayPal offers a one-touch payment method, where the individuals information is already in the
system. PayPal also offers protection for its users against fraud. Trust is a huge priority to millennials, so

A study revealed that more than 70 percent of millennials thought credit cards are not secure. The study

annoying.1
Research cited millennials as the fastest growing segment of PayPal shoppers at 33 percent in 2015.
Millennials are twice as likely as baby boomers to use PayPal.

per transaction. 2

Charity: Water uses an interactive background that showcases its charitable mission to capture visitor

also educates visitors about the organization and how their donations impact its cause.

Charity: Water implemented these interactive strategies as a part of its 2015 September Campaign.3 The
campaign raised more than $1.8 million by using a hashtag and overall theme, which challenged millennials

fundraising techniques and some of the best ideas were showcased on the website.

It is essential that Akron Childrens taps into interactive strategies that engage millennials in areas that they
are passionate about. Millennials are more likely to get involved in a fundraising campaign if they are using

1 http://www.chainstoreage.com/article/study-millennials-dont-want-plastic
2 http://www.fundraisingip.com/fundraising/how-to-get-millennials-to-donate-to-your-cause/
3 http://www.charitywater.org/september/

36
The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge1
can be easily uploaded on users social media to promote the ALS cause. The organization uses multimedia
content to educate visitors on other ways they can get involved in the organizations cause and also provides
infographics that educate visitors how the organization uses donations. The campaign page focuses on many
calls-to-action throughout the page that lead to further education about the cause and opportunities to
donate.

Currently, Akron Childrens doesnt give online visitors many ways to donate. Its donation page provides
educational information, but users have to click through multiple tabs. To reach millennials, information and
calls-to-actions need to be linked. It is most effective to put information and ways to get involved together on
one page.

Pencils of Promise2 is transparent with its visitors about

how the organization uses 100 percent of donations. The
organization provides multiple payment options, including Six times more money is
PayPal and a separate box for monthly donations. The raised through
donation page prominently displays credentials below, custom-branded donation
including donor privacy policy, to establish visitor trust pages than through
during the donation process. third-party donation pages.

1
2 https://pencilsofpromise.org/donate/

37
The hospital needs to incorporate an easy payment method, such as PayPal, to make the donation process
as simple as possible for millennials. Our research also shows that millennials think transparency is essen-
tial to establish before enticing them to donate any amount of money. Both Akron Childrens and Pencils of

1 http://marketingland.com/us-mobile-users-still-favor-social-media-over-other-apps-143887

38
Pulse Strategic Communications conducted primary research to better understand millennial attitudes and
perceptions about online donations. The agencys focus was on college students ages 18 to 23 and young
professionals ages 21 to 34. Our team collected four interviews within the young professional demographic,

Akron Childrens staff members, one competitor and a Kent State University philanthropic student organiza-
tion.

professionals would like to participate in volunteer opportunities before they give their money to an
organization. The focus group revealed that millennials have a natural instinct to trust an organization, until
it does something to break that trust. Members of the focus group also shared concerns with the hospitals
online donation page usability.

Interviews with college millennials revealed a perceived lack of transparency on the hospitals online giving
page by not openly sharing where their money is being spent. Each primary source indicated the client needs
to tie to activities that millennials already engage in and turn them into fundraising opportunities, such as 5K
races or social events at local bars. Interviews also show millennial donors want to choose exactly where their
money goes not donate to a general fund.

39
Pulse Strategic Communications conducted interviews with Akron Childrens and Foundation staff
members to better understand the clients communication efforts and donation process.

Anne Merchant, senior public relations specialist at the Foundation

Andrea Joliet, director of corporate communications at Akron Childrens
Jeffrey Hord, MD, director of the division of hematology-oncology and associate chair for subspecialty
practice operations at Akron Childrens
Jim Arnold, web analytics manager at Akron Childrens

$41,200 in online millennial donations, as a result of the agencys campaign.

All donations made to Akron Childrens allow the hospital to strengthen research, medical equipment, patient
assistance and staff support.
Second largest funding need in cancer department is patient assistance, which offers things such as gas
gift cards, food and drivers to the hospital. -Jeffrey Hord, MD

The average donation made online is typically $127 per transaction.

The hospital has made online fundraising a priority in the last year. -Anne Merchant
For the most part, I think its fair to say that our large donors are older. -Anne Merchant

Akron Childrens is in a highly competitive market with multiple childrens hospitals in the area.
What distinguishes us is our brand. -Andrea Joliet

Akron Childrens positions itself as an institution based on quality family-centered care that accepts all

The hospital says some individuals may hesitate to donate due to the hospitals success and prominence in
the Akron area. The perception may be that another organization needs their money more than Akron
Childrens.

-Jeffrey Hord, MD

-
port hospital events rather than having a general hashtag for donations.

Birthdates are not recorded when an individual donates by phone, mail, the website or face-to-face, unless
the donor willingly provides the information.

40
The hospital is hesitant when asking for birthdate information because some donors may be nervous to pro-
vide too much personal information, which may make them terminate their donation process.
There is value in asking for personal information but also negative value in asking for age. -Laura Purdy

allows the hospital to distribute donations to the area of greatest need.

The hospitals most dominant and successful social channel is its Facebook page. The content on this chan-
nel receives the most reach and engagement, according Arnold.

In the past, millennials have not been strategically targeted for online donations.

maybe have

-Anne Merchant

The hospital requires that a thorough training program be completed before anyone may volunteer for the
organization.

the organization to track the exact source of online donations.

We lose the internal ability to track online donations made through third-party events. -Jim Arnold

By engaging a younger millennial audience, Akron Childrens can increase online donations by building
long-term relationships, which can potentially be leveraged into board members and lifetime supporters of
the hospital.
Akron Childrens limits donors by promoting that monetary gifts go into a general fund rather than offering
a variety of avenues to give.
Improving website usability by condensing the steps associated with the online giving process will make
donating more convenient for millennials. This generation prefers the path of least resistance, also known
as one-touch technology, when navigating through online channels.

41
Communications with a greater understanding of what motivates older millennials between ages 24 and 34 to
give to philanthropic organizations.

David Foster, assistant professor of multimedia and photojournalism at Kent State University
Andy Lovrak, research coordinator at McGarrah Jessee and 2014-2015 Kent State University
Flash-A-Thon president
Brooke Arnold, senior marketing analyst at FedEx Custom Critical
Victoria Frank, graduate student at North Dakota State University

In order to engage millennials philanthropically, there needs to be volunteer opportunities without an intense
training program.
In general, I donate to those organizations I feel the most connected to in some way, whether by my age
or gender. -Victoria Frank
If you put good out in the world, you will only be rewarded later. -Victoria Frank

A call-to-action is necessary when producing a quality multimedia story to navigate the audience to the
donation webpage.
I want to see photos and videos of my money being put to good use. -Brooke Arnold

navigate.
The ways to give option should be above the fold on mobile. -David Foster

Third-party events, such as Kent State Universitys Flash-A-Thon, do not use Akron Childrens online donation
form. They use secondary fundraising websites, such as DonorDrive. As a result, the hospital cannot directly
track the sources of online donations.
Approximately 75 percent of the funds we raised for Flash-A-Thon were not from the college students
themselves. Their donations came from parents and other adults. -Andy Lovrak
Approximately $26,000 out of the $38,000 of donations were made through online sites, like DonorDrive,
for last years Flash-A-Thon. -Andy Lovrak

People appreciate meeting or speaking to someone who was directly affected by their donation.
People want transparency and to know where their money is going. -David Foster
A lot of people dont like to feel that their philanthropy goes unnoticed. Philanthropy is tied to their social
stature. -David Foster

42
Millennials recognize that they are commonly stereotyped as not having any money.
If we (millennials) didnt have money, you wouldnt see us at Starbucks every day. -David Foster

Treating patients with compassion will build trust from generation to generation, which can lead to
increased donations and lifelong ambassadors for the hospital.
Akron Childrens should allow donors to specify exactly where they want their dollars to go.
The hospital needs to be even more transparent with where donations are being used. According to
primary and secondary research, millennials want to know the exact area or cause their donation will

Pulse Strategic Communications targeted an on-campus organization with young millennials ages 18 to 23
that focuses on philanthropy and volunteering. FLASHanthropy helps raise funds to provide scholarships for
other students at the university.

Paul Krouse, assistant director of Annual Giving at Kent State University

Shelby Keleman, junior biology major
Angela Ehrich, senior psychology major
Kennedy Nemeth, senior political science major
Theresa Medrano, senior human development and family studies major
Kailyn Hill, senior speech pathology and audiology major
Victoria Leonard, sophomore marketing major
Kaitlin Garzanich, freshman gerontology major
Jensen Hykes, junior global communications major
Alexis Garcia, sophomore early childhood education major
Mallory Doughty, freshman special education major

The fact that many of the hospitals patients have so much life ahead of them resonates well with younger
millennials.
The idea of a child suffering and not being able to experience so many things I know I have gotten to
experience would really motivate me to say yes to donating. -Shelby Keleman
I want to know that I am appreciated because I work hard for my money. -Angela Ehrich

Millennials in college believe any dollar amount will make an impact and help Akron Childrens.

43
The group is hesitant about online giving and the surcharges that may be deducted from their donations.
With my attitude towards giving, I want to know exactly where my money is being used. -Angela Ehrich

Participants revealed the highest donation they are willing to give to Akron Childrens is $20 based on

For a college student, $20 is $20. That is three or four meals. -Paul Krouse

Event-based fundraisers provide incentive for younger millennials to donate. College students are particularly
interested in fundraisers that allow them to actively participate in an activity, such as a 5K race or bike
marathon.

The minimum $5 donation requirement on the hospitals website deters younger millennials because not all
them have the ability to pay the requirement.
I feel like, especially for millennials, 50 cents is still a lot of money. -Shelby Keleman

College students love the idea of using social media shout-outs to recognize millennial donations.
I want to know that I am appreciated because I work hard for my money. -Angela Ehrich

Annual Giving at Kent State University is sponsoring a team of six FLASHanthropy members for this years
Flash-A-Thon. The team is raising money for the event.

Creating content, such as patient and family multimedia stories, that emotionally connects the
organization with the young audience will lead to a greater likelihood of acquiring donations.
The hospital can create event-based fundraisers to attract the younger millennial audience to volunteer
and donate.
The hospital should accommodate millennials who do not have a substantial amount of money to

strapped millennials to donate.

A focus group with young professionals between the ages of 21 and 34 living in the greater Kent and Akron
area was conducted to better understand what drives the older millennial age group to donate time and

Strategic Communications chose these individuals through a convenience sample. The agency used a
projective technique exercise by asking participants to use magazine images to create collages that repre-
sent Akron Childrens story. A brief usability test was also conducted to determine the effectiveness of the
hospitals online and mobile donation pages.

44
 Michael Kavulic, 32, director of Board Operations and Technology at Kent State University, member of
Kent Young Professionals and father to one child
Tim Pagliari, 29, manager of Information Technology at Kent State University and a member of Kent
Young Professionals
Joy Wesoloski, 28, assistant director of Alumni Relations at Kent State University
Endya Watson, 21, digital marketing intern at Davey Tree Expert Company
Shanice Cheatham, 28, founder and CEO of Endemic Solutions Biotechnology Company and mother to
one child

Any chance I get to volunteer with children, I usually do. -Endya Watson
You volunteer because you want to be impactful. -Tim Pagliari

Community involvement and outreach are important to older millennials when donating.
A lot of my time recently has been towards things that affect the lives of my friends, family or friends of
my community. -Michael Kavulic

A member in the focus group revealed she was a patient at the hospital when she was younger. As a result
of her positive experience, she trusts the hospital with her own childs health.
Humans natural instinct is to trust, so however that trust is built, is probably what we will stick to unless
that trust gets broken. -Shanice Cheatham

Akron Childrens reputation is an important factor to millennial parents.

You want to be a part of something successful. You want to be part of something that you are going to
have a positive impact on. With the reputation of the hospital, it makes you feel like a part of a winning
organization. -Michael Kavulic
Its great to have an institution with the reputation that Akron Childrens has, and its great to develop
that trust. Its a relationship with the doctor, location and recognizing where we feel comfortable very
quickly if anything were to happen. -Michael Kavulic, on the hospitals reputation and his childs
healthcare

In my own experience, I like to volunteer rather than donate, so I can see whats happening within the
organization. Having a good experience in that area makes you more comfortable with all types of giv-
ing. -Tim Pagliari
Its about seeing the need and purpose. -Joy Wesoloski
I dont have children, but helping children helps me feel more compassion. Its a pull at the heart strings
feeling. Its always good when you hear a story. -Joy Wesoloski
People want to be connected through the heart. -Shanice Cheatham

45
to locate or navigate. Participants said locating the donation button on the desktop site took a while because

because it was located at the bottom of the page.

When I get to the donation page, the link to donate doesnt stand out. -Endya Watson, on the mobile
donation site

The older millennial group doesnt look for materialistic incentives, such as gift cards or t-shirts, when making
a donation.
My thought is, if Im donating, why are you spending my money and giving me something back? There
are reasons I give. Its not for an incentive. -Joy Wesoloski
It almost seems like when I was younger, I would donate for an incentive, but as I got older and became
a professional, my thinking changed. Its no longer about you. Younger kids dont know why they are
donating, but as I get older, my logic sets in. I dont want the gift card. I want to do it to help others.
-Shanice Cheatham

amount of money to give.

I dont know if that is a misconception that we cant give because of loans and expenses, but I feel if we
are really passionate about something we will give what we feel is impactful. -Joy Wesoloski
We (young professionals) have the capability to give more. An organization just needs to draw us in.
-Joy Wesoloski

The hospital must communicate its success to millennials. They like being part of a winning team.

Older millennials will be more likely to donate if they previously shared a positive volunteer or personal
experience.

as well as effectively connect them with the hospitals mission.

Akron childrens can improve its online donation pages by simplifying its pages, decreasing image clutter
and highlighting its donation buttons on both website and mobile platforms.

The participants were asked to create collages (pictured below) using magazine images they felt best
represented the Akron Childrens story. The collages revealed recurring themes of family, care, love and
-
drens.
When analyzing the participant collages, the agency noticed repeated references to time and the future,
with phrases Where are they now? and A lot can happen in 10 years. The second collage pictured

associated the hospital with the quote If you have cancer, you want to put yourself in the best hands
possible.

46
47
The agency interviewed one of Akron Childrens primary competitors to gain insight about Nationwide
Childrens Hospitals best practices. Nationwide Childrens is the third largest childrens hospital in the nation
and receives substantial monetary donations from individuals worldwide.

Haley Dominique, director of Annual Giving at Nationwide Childrens

The research studies being done here are a big motivator for people to give to Nationwide Childrens.
We have donors coming from all 50 states and countries all over.

When collecting donation information, Nationwide Childrens does not require donors birthdates because the
hospital believes donors may not understand the need for the personal information.

something we need to adjust to better serve those who want to give.

Many of the organizations millennial donors are located near the hospital.

Nationwide Childrens targets its millennial audience through event-based fundraisers. The hospitals largest
millennial fundraising events are the Columbus Marathon and the college dance marathon BuckeyeThon.

Peer-to-peer donations are most effective within the millennial audience because they can encourage friends
and family to join in online giving through social media.

Nationwide Childrens considers the philanthropic organizations Charity: Water and Pencils of Promise when
modeling its own communication strategies.

It is challenging, often nearly impossible, to designate 100 percent of donations to a cause, without taking out
administrative costs.

Nationwide Childrens allows individuals to dedicate their birthday and raise money for the fund of their
choice. For example, a 13-year-old girl asked for donations on her birthday instead of presents. She chose to
donate the money to the hospitals cancer fund.

Social media use and direct mobile texting is the largest growing trend for millennials who look to donate to

generation already enjoys and turn them into fundraisers.

48
The millennial generation is willing to give because it cares about helping others.

Large companies will use philanthropy when recruiting young professionals. Often, they will use videos

companies that give back.

As stated in secondary research, millennial donors prefer single-click options to donate. The donation
process should be made as simple, convenient and transparent as possible.
Millennials care a lot about exactly where their money is going.

The hospital needs to promote its research on its website, blog and social media to motivate the
audience to connect with a cause.
Akron Childrens must promote peer-to-peer donations to create a groundswell among millennials. They
are more willing to participate if their family and friends donate with them.

have to manually enter the data.

channels, such as direct text messages that link to its donation page.

The agency pursued referrals made by Kent State Universitys Executive Director of University Media
Relations in order to gain opinion leader insight about effective fundraising initiatives and how they pertain to
the hospital.

Danielle Hupp, associate director of Annual Giving at Kent State University and member of Torchbearers

University

Based on research conducted by the Alumni Association at Kent State University, donors prefer to give to a

communicating where donors money will be used.

With millennials, we found industry-wide that they are tied to causes, not organizations. People give to
people. -Danielle Hupp
Trends show that people are giving less to unrestricted funds because they want to closely align their

Akron Childrens is gaining name and brand recognition by strategically sponsoring the Akron Marathon this
year. This event is highly publicized throughout the greater Akron area. Millennials are a large audience that
can be reached through this type of active event.

leadership, as well as philanthropic opportunities in the greater Akron community.

49
The Foundation makes online donations a priority, focusing on improved convenience and website
usability. Recently, mobile usability tests have been used to determine what type of page design most

long users scanned its mobile donation page.

Typically, when you look at a web page, people expect the giving button to be in the top right hand
corner. -Danielle Hupp
Millennials are more mobile. -Danielle Hupp

The Emerging Leaders of Akron Childrens advisory board aims to cultivate the future leaders of the
community and advance the hospitals mission, according to the hospitals website.
We needed to work towards engaging a younger audience and creating a pipeline of people who would
be the future board members of the hospital. -Brian Hollingsworth

Personal and emotional engagement gives millennials greater incentive to give up their personal resources,
especially money.

Millennials are kind of a tough group for us. When you think about millennials, they havent really had kids
yet, so they may not understand the value of a childrens hospital. -Brian Hollingsworth.

Donors are more likely to provide personal information if an organization asks for their age range, rather than

It is not standard to ask for peoples birthdays. However, if you ask for their age range, people usually
understand that their information is being used for demographic tracking purposes. -Danielle Hupp

Kent State University Flash-A-Thon is promoted across campus to the student population, but the event is in
need of greater support and donations from the students. The event could also be promoted through a larger
audience with additional support from the hospital.
Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, thats where I believe most of our money is coming from.
-Anna Gosky

Other universities, such as Penn State, use phone banks to gain donations during their dance marathons.
According to Gosky and secondary research, the Penn State Dance Marathon raised over $13 million in
2015.1

1 https://www.facebook.com/PennStateTHON/info/?tab=milestone

50

Online donors expect a donation button at the top of the page. Akron Childrens button is not easy to
locate quickly.
The hospital needs to creatively tap into causes millennials are passionate about because most
individuals in this generation have not had children yet.
More communication support and direct involvement from the hospital could further Kent State University
Flash-A-Thons, as well as other university marathons, success.

donation form, increasing overall online donations.

Pulse Strategic Communications participated in the annual event Have a Heart, Do Your Part Radiothon
presented by 98.1 KDD to gain knowledge of the event and hospital culture. Akron Childrens interacted with
new and current donors through radio and social media engagement. The agency experienced the phone

Akron Childrens 2016 Have a Heart, Do Your Part Radiothon raised a total of $451,946.

Companies, universities and other organizations in the greater Akron area participated in fundraising for
Akron Childrens by collecting monetary donations that they would turn in during the KDD Radiothon event.
These participants are also known as Change Bandits.

Patients, family members and employees participated in the event by telling personal stories over the radio
to entice donors.

Local companies and universities volunteered their time to assist with activities at the event, such as helping

A quick and easy training process was available for volunteers to learn proper phone etiquette when
retrieving donor information.

A majority of volunteers at the event revealed they were college students.

To provide visual promotion for the event, volunteers facilitated a photo booth. Many people shared the pho-
tos on social media, and Akron Childrens created real-time conversation with them, as well as other online

the phone banks.

Callers were more willing to give during the hours in which companies were matching Miracle Maker
donations of $250.

51
 This event is a prime opportunity to collect donors ages. The hospital will be able to use the data to
assess which segment the giver is a part of.
Promoting volunteering at radiothon can create long-term relationships with millennials.
As stated in our secondary research, millennials connect with matching initiatives and stories that they
can connect to personally and emotionally. The radiothon successfully executes these strategies by
allowing patients and families to share personal testimonies on air, inspiring listeners to donate.
Event-based fundraisers can be used to prompt individuals to donate to the hospital online. In our
secondary research, we found an increased amount of donations during the months when key
fundraising events were held, including the Have a Heart, Do Your Part Radiothon in February and the
Kent State University Flash-A-Thon in April.

52
Akron Childrens is active on multiple social media platforms, reaching more than 30,000 individuals. The
agency monitored the hospitals social media via manual research, Sprout Social and Google Alerts. The
agency thoroughly monitored the hospitals online and social media presence between February and April
2016. Key words that were strategically researched throughout the monitoring period were Akron Childrens
Hospital, Akron Childrens, Childrens Hospital, pediatric, patient, Akron hospital and Childrens Miracle
Network. These keywords were chosen based on their relevance to the hospital.

During this monitoring period, Akron Childrens responded within a few hours to social media posts, espe-
cially during its Have a Heart, Do Your Part Radiothon. The hospitals social media on all platforms showed
high activity during this period. Throughout the event, many local opinion leaders were engaged in real-time
on social media, as well as at the event. FedEx Custom Critical, Smuckers, Speedway, Akron Marathon, 98.1
WKDD and FirstEnergy are some of the local business leaders that were engaged throughout the radiothon.
Miss Akron Canton America and local basketball star Kosta Koufos from the Sacramento Kings were also

use of hashtags, including the #KDDRadiothon, and pictures to tell followers about their experience at Akron

Throughout the monitoring period, the agency found overall positive sentiment surrounding the hospital and
its staff. However, Akron Childrens should include more prominent calls-to-action when posting patient

should respond to these tweets in a positive, timely and transparent manner. The agency has included some
key social media mentions below:

Sacramento Kings center Kosta Koufos

visited Akron Childrens during the Have
a Heart, Do Your Part Radiothon.
Koufos did not promote his visit on social
media; however, he has promoted his
charity work in the past. The client is
aware of the Koufos visit, but he can be

strategies.

53
 Michelle Denny, Miss Akron Canton America,
visited Akron Childrens during the Have a
Heart, Do Your Part Radiothon. The client was
aware of Dennys visit to the hospital, but her
support and passion for the hospital could be
further leveraged as a strategic millennial part-
nership in the future.

Young Professionals of Akron volunteered at

the Have a Heart, Do Your Part Radiothon. The
members of this group include older millennials

to reach a more mature audience.

54
 Cleveland Scene is a popular resource in the
Cleveland area that provides news, upcoming
events and entertainment. By utilizing this com-
pany for marketing strategies, Akron Childrens
can access millennials in the area. Cleveland
Scene has almost 70,000 followers on Twitter.

Torchbearers volunteered at the Have a Heart,

Do Your Part Radiothon. This group works close-

the demographic of millennials. Torchbearers

could lead to potential partnerships and client

tactics.

55
Introduce the agency, why we are there, etc.

Students introduce themselves, what organizations they belong to, year in school, etc.

What made them join FLASHanthropy?

(Austin facilitates exercise to determine how much money the college students would be willing to give to a

What motivates you to give?

What does FLASHanthropy do, what are their goals?

Where do the majority of your donations come from?

Do you look to receive money from students or outside sources?

Describe to us the type of person who would be willing to give.

o On-campus student/ off-campus student/ commuter

o Working/ Not working
o Men/ Women

What are some reasons people give you for not donating?

What are some of your biggest obstacles when getting millennials involved?

What does your group do to help motivate the millennial age group to get involved?
Young Professional

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What tactics have previously worked?

How do you thank your donors?

Where do the majority of your donations come from?

What are some reasons people give you for not donating?

What are some of your biggest obstacles when getting millennials involved?

What does your group do to help motivate the millennial age group to get involved?

Where do the majority of your donations come from?

How do you track your donations?

What tactics have previously worked?

How do you thank your donors?

Where do the majority of your donations come from?

What are some reasons people give you for not donating?

What are some of your biggest obstacles when getting millennials involved?

What does your group do to help motivate the millennial age group to get involved?

Where do the majority of your donations come from?

How do you track your donations?

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How much money did Flash-A-Thon raise in 2015?

Where do most online donations come from? Students or their families and friends?

Do you think the event can be improved from a communications standpoint? How?

Describe current campus communication initiatives.

How exactly does the hospital support and involve itself in Flash-A-Thon?

Do you know what any other universities are doing to make their dance marathons successful? Best
practices?

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One. Beat. Ahead.

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