FINAL PROJECT – DUE APRIL 23

For this project, your group will identify an organization at UHD and develop a media campaign around it. You can select a college, student group, department, program, etc. and create a media campaign (using the principles discussed in class) that can promote it to internal and external constituents.

Develop a media campaign focused on either a community service initiative or a UHD organization/program. Identify a need for this campaign, then develop and implement an actual campaign to provide support. This campaign will be campus-based. You will work to communicate with and motivate the UHD community.

Don’t panic! I am not expecting front-page placement in the Houston Chronicle…although you may get extra points if you get coverage in the UHD student newspaper or website. The actual plan and its implementation are the most important factors for this project.

Examples of community service initiatives include gaining UHD community support  for local non-profits such as the Houston Food Bank, Houston SPCA, Houston Humane Society, Star of Hope, Interfaith Ministries and local churches. You might conduct a campaign to increase awareness of these programs or motivate community members to contribute (NON-CASH) donations to such organizations and/or volunteer participation.

Examples of UHD organizations and programs include the Writing Center, Library, Art Gallery, Theater, Veterans Center and others. A campaign may focus on promoting new aspects of these centers or groups…or bolstering student participation with these organizations…or increasing membership, etc.

Conduct research to learn more about the organization and how it benefits the UHD community. Review its website. If you’d like, reach out to staff members and conduct interview via email or phone. Conduct more research to learn how you can best communicate this program to its constituents. What will work best??? Why???? Will you use flyers on campus? Create a newsletter? Speak to students on campus? Also, what kind of story will you tell? Why???? How will you publicize and promote your program?

Next, create a plan. Identify the tasks that need to be completed to start this program. In what order should these tasks be completed? Why? Be detailed. Set dates and deadlines for these tasks.

Finally, take action. Put this plan into action by actually communicating with the UHD community, collecting donations, speaking to classes, distributing flyers or brochures, etc. Try to obtain coverage in the UHD student newspaper for your organized efforts.

Remember the three aspect of a media plan: Objectives, Program Management Documents, Budget

What is your objective? Will this plan inform people, change attitudes or impact behavior? Perhaps, your objective might be a combination of these three objectives. Remember, this objective must be measurable. You must provide evidence of how you met your objective.

Program management documents. Remember, this is basically a list of the tasks that need to be accomplished, who is assigned these tasks, the order in which they need to be performed and when they need to be completed.

Budget. Actually, this is LEAST important part of this report/project. Keep your costs low. Use as many campus resources as possible.

Compile all of the elements of your plan in a 10 – 12 page report. Include supplementary information calendars, artwork, etc. HINT: The more detail, the better! We’ve discussed a host of elements crucial to media campaigns: selecting media tools, publicizing and promoting campaigns, creating stories for your campaign, identifying media outlets that can showcase your program.

Don’t just give me a laundry list of what you did. I want to see specific details as to WHY you’re making specific decisions.

I clearly want to see what kind of research you conducted and why; how you planned your media campaign; and what actions you took to make this campaign work. Also, I specifically want you see your objective. It should be measurable. Do you want to increase attendance at an event by 15 percent? Do you want to inform 60 percent of Houstonians about a new program? Would you like at least 600 people to change their attitudes about a specific topic???