Strategic Message Planner Strategic Message Planner: OWL Tutoring 1) Client and Product OWL stands for “Opening the World through Literacy. Created in 2010, OWL is a nonprofit community outreach service in the town of Glen Ellyn, Illinois. OWL Tutoring is a free, after school tutoring program for African refugee children in the Glen Ellyn, IL area. This is the only program in the DuPage county area, which provides support for both the individual child and family in all aspects of their daily lives. During the academic year, OWL is open from 3pm-6pm, five days a week. During the summer it is open Monday-Friday from 10am-3pm. It is a full summer program, beginning in June to the end of August. OWL is 100% volunteer based and their goal is to have one-on-one tutoring. Academic, cultural, emotional, and physical difficulties are some of the area in which OWL aids with. OWL’s mission is to provide the children with a safe, nurturing atmosphere, with volunteers who know and work with the “whole” child. OWL seeks to build self-esteem, calm fears, and to expect ethical and mannerly behavior, both at OWL and in their daily lives. With the expected increase new refugee students this spring, OWL is in dire need of volunteers as well as both monetary and sustainable goods in order for the program to be successful. 2.) Target Audience The target audience for this ad is high school and college students, both male and female, ages 15-25. In regards to high school students, students who attend Glenbard West high school in Glen Ellyn will be target, with particular attention directed towards students who are in academic clubs such as Honors Society and Forensics. These students typically have to do a set amount of community service/volunteer hours to maintain membership. Students involved in sports or drama will not be a target audience since these activities take up the majority of the student’s free time. Furthermore, students who attend this high school typically come from upper middle to upper class families. Therefore, many students are financially supported by their parents and do not hold afterschool jobs, thus having more free time to volunteer. Another primary target audience is college students, particularly those who attend Wheaton College. Wheaton College is within three miles of where OWL tutoring is housed, making it an ideal proximity. Undergrad students with a major in education, specifically ESL courses are of specific interest. Furthermore, Wheaton College is known for its religious and philanthropic background. OWL Tutoring provides an outlet for the students to fulfill their service based learning credit. 3.) Product Benefits OWL Tutoring is a mutually beneficial environment. Help struggling African refugee students overcome both academic and cultural challenges while at the same time fulfill course work requirements, expand your resume, or simply fill up that free time. However, more importantly, as a volunteer you will soon discover that the students are not the only ones learning. 4.) Current Brand Image OWL Tutoring receives little awareness in the community of Glen Ellyn, specifically in the schools. Current volunteers are ones who have been with the program since its creation in 2010. Members of the target audience (high school and college students) may not be aware of the program because the refugee students that attend the services are in grammar and middle school. 5.) Desired Brand Image OWL Tutoring aims to be a “go to” volunteer program for high school and college students in the community. 6.) Direct Competitors and Brand Images Currently, there are no other existing programs with the services that OWL Tutoring provides in the Glen Ellyn area. There is the local government program, World Relief, which helps refugee families acclimate living here but only for the first 3 months. Because this is a non-profit organization, any “competitors” would be beneficial because more students and families could be helped. However, competitors when it comes to recruiting volunteers include any after school activity that would prohibit students from volunteering at OWL. This includes but is not limited to clubs, sports, jobs, and other volunteering services. 7.) Indirect Competitors and Brand Images I do not foresee any indirect competitors for OWL Tutoring at this time. 8.) Advertising Goal The advertising goal is to recruit high school and college students to volunteer at OWL Tutoring. 9.) Strategic Message “OWL Tutoring, a learning environment for all.” / “OWL Tutoring, the worlds children in your own backyard await you.” 10.) Supporting Benefits Feature Benefit -Close proximity to school -Convenient, save gas money, time -Fulfill course/community service hours -Maintain membership to club -Personalized recommendation letter -Expand resume -Possible opportunity for growth, -Extra income (volunteer to paid aid). -Outlet for philanthropy work -Feeling good while doing good! -Open schedule -Flexibility