IPE: Proposed Media Plan 1 Road Runners

Assignment Brief up:

Device a media plan to create awareness and promote IPE as a brand at both social and corporate level.

Objectives:
In an attempt to simplify our work structure we operationally defined our objectives into four modules. To introduce IPE as a brand to management aspirants. Brand elevation in existing market. To uphold IPE as a brand (brand sustenance). Perseverance and capitalising on Promotional activity.

Proposed Media Plan:

In the new era of high competence there is a need for a well defined strategy that suits the medium chosen for promotional campaigns. Hence forth we decided to opt for a comprehensive media plan rather than a simple strategy that confines us to one medium say television or internet. There for we propose a set of media specific strategies that are to be implemented at various levels keeping the practical limitations in view. An effective media plan can be devised in four steps. i. ii. iii. iv. v. Choosing target audience (based on geographic location, financial status etc...!) Choosing media for promotional activity i.e. T.V, print, internet etc. Choosing a strategy for each medium. Choosing a strategy for promotional campaigning. Capitalising on promotional campaign.

Choosing target Audience: Since management aspirants are limited in number and we
cannot create new consumers un like a tooth paste or a shaving cream, we have to profile the management aspirants based on various parameters like geographic location, economic status etc.

IPE: Proposed Media Plan 2 Road Runners IPE Student Profiling: Currently there are 315 students perusing management course in IPE. Say 60 % of the students hailed from Hyderabad or other cities in AP, 35% divided among other metro cities of India and rest 5% belong to rural India. Now our target audience can be defined as management aspirants from different metro cities of India. To be precise we can introduce IPE as a brand in other metropolitan cities of India out of AP at the same time IPE as a brand has to be upheld in existing markets.

Student Profile at IPE

Hyderabad (AP) Cities out of AP Rural

Choosing media for promotional activity:

There are two broad categories available. 1. Conventional media. a. Tele Vision b. FMs c. Print d. Displays

IPE: Proposed Media Plan 3 Road Runners

2. Alternative media. a. Internet (Onsite and Social Networking) b. Tele Marketing (Messages n IVS calls) Available Media Platforms for advertising and Promotional Activity

Module 1:

Proposed Strategy for promotional activity on conventional media:

Conventional media serves as a default medium for most of the advertising and promotional activity however this medium proved to be expensive considering our financial limitations. A possible solution is to form a strategic alliance with corporate companies and sharing their ad space. Proposed hypothetical strategy: An alliance can be formed with any of the corporate companies that visit IPE campus for recruitments providing them with a publicity strategy and sharing their ad space respectively. Eg: We can tie up with a corporate

IPE: Proposed Media Plan 4 Road Runners company say Wipro, design their publicity campaign with the help of students and in turn share their ad space on conventional media. This also provides a platform for students of IPE to showcase their talents and to attain practical exposure to industry. Other conventional media such as Pamphlets have lower recall or retention capacity and are opted out of choice since they do not serve the purpose. Module 2:

Proposed Strategy for promotional activity on alternative media:

Among the available options in alternative media like banner advertisements on internet, telemarketing and social networking sites, Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn etc. are known for their easy to use and cost effective procedures. Viral marketing on such sites is one of the latest trends that are proved to be more cost effective and goal fulfilling as well. Possible ways of using social media for promotional campaigning: a. Creating a Facebook page for IPE b. Creating a twitter account c. Maintaining a blog d. Uploading a videos on You Tube e. A Professional account on LinkedIn etc. These social networking sites come in handy in creating awareness as well as work as in brand sustenance. Road runners as a team suggest viral campaigning on social networking sites as a chief strategy to reach the target audiences. Module 3:

Proposed Strategies for promotional campaign: a. Conducting career counselling drives.

Identify potential UG colleges and conduct carrier counselling drives for management aspirants which will help in creating brand awareness for IPE.

IPE: Proposed Media Plan 5 Road Runners

b. Mat preparation lectures for management aspirants.

Lectures can be conducted by Profs of IPE on exam preparation techniques and guidance on choosing a right group in management. These series or lectures can be promoted on social networking sites as well.

c. Mock admission tests for management aspirants.

One other way to introduce IPE to management aspirants is by conducting a mock test for Management entrance tests, if possible online using the help of well experienced professors from IPE and cost effective technical support like Google docs. This helps in easy retention of brand IPE while students opt for a college during admission.

d. Flash Mobs.
This is one of the in Brand promotional campaigning in recent times. Module 4:

Capitalising on Promotional activity:

It is always said that even the most brilliant media strategy fails if it cant be capitalised. The same way the awareness created and the brand image sustained has no worth unless there is a considerable amount of raise in numbers. Hence all the above mentioned strategies are to be effectively used to create database of the management aspirants collected from both online activity like viral campaigns as well as career counselling. This database can be used o follow up the students during admission. The above mentioned media strategies applied for conventional media and alternative media platforms caters to modules one and two of proposed media plan i.e. creating brand image and brand elevation, while other campaigning strategies cater to module three and four of the same.

IPE: Proposed Media Plan 6 Road Runners

Evaluation of Proposed Media Plan (Measuring ROI)

The proposed media plan can be evaluated by using some the following variables 1. A closed ended question in the admission form asking students to the mention the source of their knowledge about IPE, will help us measure the effectiveness of the promotional campaigns in various media platforms. E.g.: X students mention Billboards, Y students mention Facebook etc. 2. Number of likes on dedicated Face Book page. 3. Number of followers on Twitter. 4. Number of clicks through on Twitter links. 5. Number of visitors on Blog. 6. Number of views on YouTube. 7. Number of students responds to follow up. 8. Number of applicants registered. On the repetition of the media plan the above variables can be compared yearly to continuously evaluate the media plan and to bring out necessary changes as per the need.