Discover Baton Rouge Nature with SCVNGR:
Using a Mobile Gaming Application
to Promote the LSU Hilltop Arboretum
PRservingBR
Karsten Davis
Account Liaison
Linden Uter
Strategy Director
Emilee Margiotta
Strategy Director
Kelly Hotard
Writing Director
Sarah Voelkel
Design Director
April 15, 2012
Table of Contents
Research Report ............................................................................... 3
Situation Analysis and Problem Statement .......................... 6
Target Audiences ............................................................................ 8
Plan ..................................................................................................... 10
Tactics ............................................................................................... 12
Conclusion ....................................................................................... 14
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Research Report
Introduction
The LSU Hilltop Arboretum is a nature preserve maintained by the Louisiana State
University System. The Arboretum brings rare plants from across Louisiana together in
one location. It also serves as a showcase area for several landscape architecture
projects and competitions. The mission of the Arboretum, as posted on the
organization’s website, is “to provide a sanctuary where students and visitors can learn
about natural systems, plants and landscape design.”
History
According to the Arboretum’s website:
The Hilltop property was purchased in 1929 by Emory Smith and his wife,
Annette, as a country retreat. In 1981, because of his love of the natural
world, he chose to preserve Hilltop by donating the property to LSU. His
fascination with the native plants of Louisiana is evident as you stroll
along winding woodland paths skirting ravines. Many of the species
found at the Arboretum were collected and planted by Mr. Smith.
Culture
The Arboretum’s organizational culture is one of passion for nature and plants. The
entire institute’s staff consists of only one full-time worker and one part-time worker.
Most of the work is done by Friends of the Hilltop Arboretum, a non-profit organization
of volunteers founded by Emory Smith to maintain and enhance the Arboretum. The
volunteers and the two staff members seek to preserve Louisiana’s natural beauty and
provide an area where students and locals can work and learn.
Economic and Political Influences
The Arboretum is funded primarily by the LSU System and secondarily through
donations. State financial support is determined by the Board of Regents and
Louisiana’s overall higher education budget. LSU’s Robert Reich School of Landscape
Architecture manages the Arboretum. Thus, while the Arboretum is a school
organization, it is at the mercy of the state’s funds, and its budget can fluctuate based
on allocations from the Louisiana Legislature’s endowments.
Public Opinion
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Because the Arboretum does not receive much media coverage, an accurate and
current assessment of public opinion regarding the organization could not be
obtained.
Secondary Research
1. Client Interview
Peggy Coates, the Arboretum’s executive director, explained to PRservingBR she
believes the organization does only a “passable” job of promoting itself to the wider
Baton Rouge area. She said the Arboretum attracts an “older crowd” but does not have
much success bringing in students or young people.
Coates expressed a desire for PRservingBR to rebuild the Arboretum’s social media
sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, which she said were underutilized by the
organization. She envisioned a promotional campaign using both new and traditional
media.
Coates also said while the Arboretum has a shop that offers some gardening supplies
and decorations, the organization does not do much to generate funding from sales
and customers. Tours of the attraction are offered at no cost.
2. Media Coverage
As previously stated, the Arboretum receives minimal media coverage. The most recent
placement available was a January 2012 press release written by LSU’s Office of
Communications and University Relations and posted on the school website, which
announced the Arboretum’s annual on-campus symposium.
Thus, PRservingBR has a great opportunity to make visible strides in promotion and
publicity for the Arboretum, an organization that is largely a secret to the outside
world.
Media Research and List
Because the Arboretum’s target audience and the primary users of mobile applications
are students and young people, and PRservingBR has limited resources in terms of time
and finances, traditional media promotion should be limited to smaller-scale print
outlets most accessible to the LSU campus:
The Daily Reveille
LSU’s student newspaper is the best way to reach the Arboretum’s target audience.
According to Student Media Advertising’s website, 93 percent of students read the
publication, either online or in print. To promote the Arboretum and this campaign,
PRservingBR could contact the entertainment editor or an entertainment writer to pitch
a feature story idea or submit a press release about the Arboretum, or event
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information could be submitted for listing in the weekly “Red Stick Roundup” in
Thursday’s Entertainment section.
Dig Baton Rouge
This modern, edgy magazine is popular among LSU students, some of whom write for
Dig. To contact the publication about story or advertisement placing, Dig’s website
offers a digital form to fill out and submit content.
225 Magazine
The Arboretum is already listed on this popular local lifestyle magazine’s website as
one of Baton Rouge’s top outdoor attractions, and several of the Arboretum’s past
events were featured on the site. PRservingBR could contact one of the magazine’s
editors or writers to pitch a story or submit an event.
The Advocate
Baton Rouge’s flagship newspaper offers several possible avenues for promoting
PRservingBR’s campaign about the Arboretum. A press release could be sent to the
entertainment section editor or an event could be submitted to the newspaper’s online
calendar.
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Situation Analysis and Problem Statement
The main challenges the LSU Hilltop Arboretum faces are low attendance (especially
among the younger population), minor media recognition and underutilization of
major social networks.
Below is an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats faced by
the Arboretum.
Strengths
1. Admittance to the Arboretum is free to the public.
2. The Arboretum is family-friendly and open to all ages.
3. The Arboretum provides many outlets for educational material and learning
experiences.
4. The Arboretum has begun to break into the social media world via a
Facebook page.
5. The Arboretum has affiliation with LSU, a major community entity that
provides a positive reputation and access to a large base of potential
attendees and donors.
6. A springtime, outdoorsy campaign centered around a trek is a perfect way to
engage a large and diverse array of audiences with the Arboretum.
7. The Arboretum is a unique attraction in Baton Rouge.
Weaknesses
1. The Arboretum lacks a solid social media presence, which means the
organization misses out on reaching audiences that use these sites as a
major form of communication.
2. For the most part, the Arboretum only markets itself to people who are
already members.
3. Because of its non-profit status, the Arboretum has limited financial
resources to promote itself.
4. The Arboretum receives minimal media coverage.
Opportunities
1. The Arboretum can capitalize on its prime location – near the LSU campus –
for many people to come and experience everything it has to offer.
2. The Arboretum should promote the fact that admission is free.
3. Springtime is a perfect chance to promote the Arboretum.
4. The Arboretum’s connection to LSU means access to a vast and varied
community of potential attendees and donors.
Threats
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1. The Arboretum can and does face competition from other businesses and
outdoor activities around the Baton Rouge area that have bigger promotional
budgets.
2. The Arboretum’s attendance depends on Louisiana’s unpredictable weather.
3. The Arboretum is at the mercy of the state budget, so financial resources
that could be used for promotion may fluctuate.
This evaluation of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats faced by the
Arboretum gives PRservingBR a more in-depth look at what the organization is lacking
and what it has to offer. This assessment also provides the right information to form a
plan that helps address the Arboretum’s issues while highlighting its strengths.
Problem Statement
This research leads us to believe the utilization of social media networks and the
targeting of the LSU community will help gain attendance from the audiences the
Arboretum is missing out on.
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Target Publics
Overall Description of Audiences
This campaign targets the audience from whom the Arboretum wishes to increase
attendance (young people and families), as well as those publics most likely to be
familiar with, attend and donate to the Arboretum: the LSU community and existing
members of the Friends of the Hilltop Arboretum organization. Targeting a younger
audience, many of whom own smartphones, helps ensure the success of the SCVNGR
trek in promoting the Arboretum.
Segmentation Methods
Demographic segmentation
The target audiences are first segmented through demographic information,
specifically age, education and occupation.
Psychographic segmentation
The audiences will secondarily be segmented according to psychographic information
such as interests and hobbies.
Breakdown and Prioritization of Audiences
1. Young people and students
Demographics:
Age – 18-30
Education – Students currently attending or recently graduated from LSU.
Occupation – Students with on-campus jobs or young professionals in Baton
Rouge.
Psychographics:
Interests and hobbies – Nature and the outdoors, LSU campus life, students
studying agriculture, landscape design and natural science.
2. Existing members of the Friends of Hilltop Arboretum
Demographics:
Age – 30-65
Education – All levels of education.
Occupation – Much of this segment is older and retired, but many may have
successful careers in various segments of the local economy.
Psychographics:
Interests and hobbies – Nature and the outdoors, gardening, LSU-affiliated
activities and community events, education and science.
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3. Adults with families
Demographics:
Age – 30-50
Education – All levels of education
Occupation – Much of the target audience will work at LSU or in the fields of
education, agriculture and natural science.
Psychographics:
Interests and hobbies – Nature and the outdoors, gardening, family-friendly
community events, LSU-affiliated activities, education and science.
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Plan
Goals
1) To increase Arboretum attendance, especially among a more youthful demographic
of students and young professionals.
2) To increase awareness of the Arboretum in the LSU community.
3) To accomplish the above objectives through a SCVNGR trek for the Arboretum,
which will be promoted to members of the Friends of Hilltop Arboretum organization
and members of the LSU community and launched at the Spring Fling Plant Sale on
April 28, 2012.
Communication Plan
Audiences
1) Young people and students in Baton Rouge.
2) Existing members of the Friends of Hilltop Arboretum.
3) Members of the LSU community.
4) Families with children in Baton Rouge.
5) Anyone with an interest in nature, the outdoors, gardening, natural science and
education.
Messages
1) The Arboretum is a fun, free way for all ages to enjoy the outdoors and nature in
springtime weather.
2) The Arboretum is a hidden rural getaway in the middle of the city.
3) The Arboretum offers many educational opportunities and resources for teachers
and students, as well as items of interest to nature enthusiasts and gardeners.
4) The Arboretum is one of many treasures of LSU.
5) The Arboretum is developing a more youthful image with the implementation of the
mobile gaming application SCVNGR and social media pages on Facebook and Twitter.
6) Both the Arboretum admission and SCVNGR application are free, fun and
educational for all ages.
Themes
1) Fun and youthful, yet also educational.
2) Engaging with nature, gardening and the outdoors in springtime.
3) Free admission and mobile gaming application.
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4) Affiliated with LSU.
5) Rural escape in the midst of city life.
Channels
1) Print news media available on the LSU campus
Examples: The Daily Reveille, Dig Baton Rouge, 225 Magazine, The Advocate.
Reason: These outlets will more directly target the Arboretum’s desired audience of
young people and students and make the most efficient use of the PRservingBR
campaign’s limited time and resources.
2) Controlled media from the Arboretum
Examples: Newsletter, flier, brochure.
Reason: These pieces will allow the most thorough and direct promotion of the
Arboretum, the Spring Fling Plant Sale and the SCVNGR trek to the target audiences of
the LSU community, young people and students in general and existing members of
the Friends of Hilltop Arboretum.
3) Social media
Examples: Facebook page, Twitter page, social media/blog release.
Reason: These outlets will help modernize the Arboretum’s image and reach the target
audience of younger people. The people who use these networks will also be more
likely to use the SCVNGR trek.
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Tactics
1) Brochure – written and edited by Kelly Hotard; designed by Sarah Voelkel
Brochures are useful tools to promote the Arboretum because they clearly
display information in an easy-to-distribute format. The Arboretum already has a
brochure containing general information about the organization and a map of
the location. PRservingBR will update the brochure with information about the
SCVNGR trek to gain users of the application. These will be disseminated to
promote the launch of the SCVNGR trek at the April 28 plant sale.
2) Facebook page – managed by Emilee Margiotta and Peggy Coates
Facebook will be beneficial in reaching the target audience of younger people
who are likely to use the SCVNGR trek. Content will include fun tidbits about the
Arboretum, promotion of the SCVNGR trek and plant sale as well as general
information about the Arboretum. PRservingBR has set up the Facebook page for
the Arboretum, but the page is mainly operated by the organization’s executive
director.
3) Twitter feed – managed by Emilee Margiotta and Peggy Coates
Twitter will also be an effective means of promoting the Arboretum, the SCVNGR
trek and the plant sale as it too reaches the target audience of young people.
The feed will feature pictures, fun tidbits, brief announcements and links about
events, as well as any updates about the Arboretum. PRservingBR has set up the
account, but the client’s executive director will be the main operator of the feed.
4) News release – written by Linden Uter and edited by Kelly Hotard
The newsletter will be an informative and straightforward way to distribute
information about the Arboretum, the SCVNGR trek and the Spring Fling Plant
Sale. The publication will be posted to the Arboretum’s website and sent to the
Friends of Hilltop Arboretum, as well as to LSU departments such as the
AgCenter, the School of Renewable Natural Resources, the Robert Reich School
of Landscape Architecture and the Environmental Conservation Organization at
LSU. The newsletter may also be submitted to the LSU broadcast email system to
reach out to all university students, faculty and staff.
5) Flier – written and edited by Kelly Hotard; designed by Sarah Voelkel
The flier is a highly visible and direct way to promote the launch of the SCVNGR
trek at the Arboretum’s Spring Fling Plant Sale. Fliers will be displayed around
both general high-traffic areas of LSU’s campus and relevant niches such as the
agricultural departments.
6) Fact sheet – written by Linden Uter; edited by Kelly Hotard
A plant sale will probably not garner a full news story among the mass media,
so a simple fact sheet about the event and SCVNGR launch will be more effective
than a press release. This will be submitted for placement in The Daily Reveille’s
“Red Stick Roundup” of weekend activities in the Entertainment section the
Thursday before the event. Fact sheets are a simple and direct way to get
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coverage for the Arboretum, the plant sale and the SCVNGR launch to the target
audiences of young people and the LSU community in general.
7) Social media release – written and edited by Kelly Hotard
A social media release is an efficient and inexpensive way to directly reach the
target audiences of young people and the LSU community, as well as those
already familiar with the Arboretum. The release will contain information about
the Arboretum, the Spring Fling Plant Sale and the SCVNGR trek launch. All
members of PRservingBR will post the release in their class blogs and personal
social media pages, as well as the Facebook and Twitter pages for the
Arboretum and the Discover Baton Rouge with SCVNGR project.
8) Website plan – written and edited by Kelly Hotard
The Arboretum already has a website, so PRservingBR will simply add
information about the SCVNGR trek and its launch at the Plant Sale. This is a
straightforward, inexpensive and efficient way to notify people about the
Arboretum’s upcoming events and offerings.
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Conclusion
Outcomes and Evaluation
PRservingBR can assess several areas to determine the campaign’s results:
1) Comparison of attendance and revenue from the 2012 plant sale to previous years.
2) Number of Facebook and Twitter followers added since the campaign began.
3) Number of memberships in the Friends of Hilltop Arboretum organization after the
campaign ends.
4) Comparison of overall attendance and sales numbers for the Arboretum before and
after the campaign.
5) Download and usage numbers for the SCVNGR trek.
6) Page views for the Arboretum’s website and the social media release.
7) News media placement.
Media Coverage Report
Because the campaign is designed for brief buzz generation among a small audience
mainly comprised of young people and people already familiar with the Arboretum,
traditional news media coverage will be limited. The focus will instead be on creating
controlled media tactics.
Formative Evaluation
Our recommendation for future programs hinges on the provision that the Arboretum
will have more time and financial resources for a promotional campaign than
PRservingBR.
The Arboretum should continue to use and develop its social media pages, website and
SCVNGR trek. If the Arboretum wishes to maintain the trek, it will continue for free
through December 2012 under the direction of SCVNGRU representative Jess Byrne,
effective May 3, 2012.
One suggestion for future programming is a campaign to promote PlantFest, the
Arboretum’s biggest annual event, which takes place in October. The promotion
should include the SCVNGR trek, large-scale traditional news coverage and social
media promotion. This campaign should feature more formal tactics such as video
news releases and various premiums to give away. The Arboretum may also look to
peer institutions for models on how to increase attendance with younger audiences.
In summary, the LSU Hilltop Arboretum has numerous selling points on which it should
capitalize, the most notable of which is a valuable connection to Louisiana’s flagship
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university. This affiliation to LSU provides the Arboretum with a great deal of resources
and opportunities for promotional potential among a huge audience.
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