A project a college group & I did back in the Fall semester of 2018. Our job was to change the overall brand / market the Journalism Program to a new demographic.

1. Journalism and Mass
Communications
New Mexico State University
See It. Write It. Shoot It. Create It. @ NMSU

2. Table of Contents
Executive Summary…………………………….. 1
Barriers…………………………………………… 4
Research………………………………………….. 5
Competition………………………………………. 7
Brand Statement/Positioning………….……...… 10
Creative Strategy……………………………...…. 11
IMC Strategy…………………………………..…. 12
Budget………... ……………………………..…… 13
Solutions....…………………………………..….... 15
Updating..…………………………….….... 16
Exposing.…...…………………..…………. 21
Events…………………………..…………. 26
Merchandise...……………………..…...… 27
Promotions…………………………………...…… 29
Media Planning……………………………...……. .31
References…..……………………………...…..… 33

3. Executive Summary
The Journalism and Mass Communications Department is part of the Arts and Science College at
New Mexico State University (NMSU) in Las Cruces, New Mexico. It provides a variety of courses
in Advertising, Mass Media Writing, Law, Photojournalism and so much more. The department also
gives hands on experience through classwork, clubs and while working on the production the News
Program which is a public broadcast for New Mexico and West Texas. The department also writes a
magazine for Alumni called The Scoop.
Currently the department has two YouTube channels KRWG News22 (700+), and Noticias22(283+).
A Twitter account with 210 followers and 312 tweets. An Instagram page with 261 followers with
regular postings. The department is extremely active in social media.
The Journalism department also has a national award winning advertising club, a
photography club and various other clubs which work on projects and valuable experiences.
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4. The Challenge
A lack of students enrolling
Target
15 - 25 year olds, entering
or transfering into NMSU
and current students
Miles Stones
Currently 56 Graduates
2020
- 60 Graduates
- 3 competitions
5 Alumni statements
2025
- 70 Graduates
- 7 competitions
10 Alumni statements
2030
- 85 Graduates
- 8 competitions
15 Alumni statements
The Competition
Departments at NMSU
Cronkite School of Journalism
The Solution
Holding Events - High Schools
NMSU
4 Corners
Partnering with NMSU departments
Use of Social Media and Promotions
Testimonies from Alumni
Winning competitions
Financial
$5,000
Executive Summary
2

5. Executive Summary
The Journalism and Mass Communication Department has great benefits.
● An affordable price
● Quality program
● Hands on experience through classroom projects that build a portfolio,
active department clubs, and working on an actual news program both in
English KRWG News 22 and Spanish Noticias 22
● A variety of Internships available and scholarships
● Students have chosen NMSU over other State schools
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6. Barriers
Recruiting Students:
Are future students interested in journalism?
Are the students exposed to journalism?
Do they plan to go out of state for higher education?
How can we persuade them to come to NMSU?
Branding:
The Department has all the ingredients but are the students buying it?
Competing against ASU:
ASU’s branding is on point and hard to compete against.
They know who they are, they know their strengths and
furthermore they know how to advertise it.
4

7. Research
When considering majors passion and salary are key
factors. 30% of students surveyed didn’t know
NMSU had a journalism department. Of the students
surveyed 30% would consider pursuing Journalism
as their major. 70% students chose NMSU because
of tuition and Scholarship opportunities. 60% of
students who look up college departments on social
media.
*A larger and more diverse polled audience would give more
accurate data. Including nearby high schools and general
public*
Investigative
Journalism
Journalism
And
Mass Communication
Reporting
Fake News
Shrinking field
5

8. Research
33% of students switch their major in college.
1 out of 9 students will change their degree twice.
“I took the only UMSL journalism course at
the time. A visiting professor taught the
class.” “After that I was hooked.” Lynn
Graduates from NMSU
Arts and Sciences (NMSU)
1,043 Graduates - 377 B.A. A&S
Journalism Dept.
51 in 2010……..…..56 in 2015-2016
Graduates from Cronkite
Cronkite School of Journalism
250+ Graduates in 2017
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80% of students asked if they were happy with
choosing Journalism as their degree. It’s hard work
and low pay but their passion is there and they are
satisfied.
Uprise of Journalism
10% Columbia University Graduate
19% Annenberg School USC
24% NorthWestern University
118,000 Online Subs Wall Street Dec ‘16-Mar ‘17

9. Competition Arizona State University
Walter Cronkite School of Journalism
With a primary role in 1946 to “provide talent to produce the student newspaper and yearbook”.
The Walter Cronkite School of Journalism was founded in 1949 with 10 Journalism courses,
currently offering multiple degree programs including minors and dual degrees, online program
expanding their consumers, a master’s degree in either Mass Communication or in Sports
Journalism, as well as a doctorate program. In 2014 Arizona PBS became part of the Cronkite
School. The school has 200+ professional and collegiate journalism awards. They have strong
branding and self marketing strategies shown through the school’s website and social media
accounts. The Cronkite school’s twitter account has 28.4K followers.
Cronkite School of Journalism boasts being the equivalent to a “teaching hospital”
for journalism and the “second largest news organization.”
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10. Strength
Drive - Even though they have the recognition they don’t stop going. 89% Alumni respond
- Partners themselves with big names. Google News Lab
Recognition - 200+ professional and collegiate journalism awards - 54% Out of state Freshman
- 500+ students participate in for credit internships across the country every year.
Self Marketing - branded as a “Teaching hospital for journalism” and “second largest news organization”
Weakness
Cost - Tuition: Instate $10,792 Out-of-State $27,372 - 92% awarded
Merit Scholarship
NMSU $7,122 $22,201 - Lottery Scholarship,
Grants, Research School
Highly Competitive - 1,900 students including 96 Graduates, 532 Online and 1,279 Undergraduates
Cronkite’s Website - Although very informative while boasting,
the site can be information overload, abundant of links, cluttered, Illegible
Competition Arizona State University
8

11. Real World Experiences
Highlights viewership
&
Achievements
NMSU has a visually pleasing look with
informative video on homepage and highlights
certain information.
While ASU focuses more on the programs
history, work opportunities and awards.
Both universities work with PBS affiliated
program yet ASU highlights this on front
page and really emphasizes their
strengths.
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12. Brand Statement
The department of Journalism and Mass Communication is an
accredited program at NMSU helping students learn communication
and technical skills through classrooms, hands on experience and
internships at an affordable price.
Quality hands on experience with lower tuition costs
10

13. Creative Strategy
Call to Action
Achievement in an informative style. Quick to the point.
By capturing the excitement and energy that the field
of journalism and mass communication has
we can gain the attention of future students and show
them there are endless choices of career opportunities.
Slogan
See it. Write it. Shoot it. Create it. @ NMSU
11

14. IMC Strategy
Target audience - Incoming freshman, transfer and current NMSU students. Age 15-25.
Goal - Create a recognizable brand - Inform and recruit more students for the Journalism and Mass Communications Department
Brand - Quality program recognized by Testimonials from alumni and competitions for a lesser cost.
Slogan - See It Write It Shoot It Create It @ NMSU
Tactic - Use of Social and Traditional media such as TV commercials and participating in events at high schools and on the NMSU
campus. Also in the Four Corners Colleges where students can attend NMSU for in-state tuition.
Expressing the low cost with a high quality program at the Journalism and Mass Communication Department, we intend to capture
the attention of future students with high energy output while showing the the vast career possibilities that are available when
majoring in Journalism.
By updating communication and showing the brand of the Journalism department with promotional products, advertisements and
commercials we can reach the targeted audience.
We propose that the advertising will inform the target audience about the benefits and possibilities
of a career in journalism and how the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications at NMSU
can make reaching that career possible by exposing as many students to the Journalism Department. 12

15. Budget
Total Budget: $5,000
Advertising Budget
T.V. Ads (2 x $200.00) $ 400.00
Print Ads (3 x $500.00)
$1500.00
Online Ads
Instagram
$ 0.00
Twitter (x1000 clicks@.50)
$ 500.00
(x125 clicks@$4)
Facebook (x1000 clicks@.27)
$270.00
Promotional Merchandise
Budget
Keychains/Lanyards(x150, metal hook and detachable)
$255.00
Stickers (x1000, 4 color, 3x5”)
$120.16
Water bottles (x72)
$254.56
$822.12
$2,670.00
$ 3,371.96Total Costs:
Agency Costs:
8%
$ 400.00
$ 1,107.88Excess Funds:
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16. Solutions
1. Updating Website and Social Media Accounts
2. Exposing Department with Print Ads and Commercials to local
and 4 corner Universities.
3. Having Information tables at High Schools, NMSU and 4
Corners Universities to showcase the department and get
students interested in the department.
4. Local High School Events such as involvement with club
activities and hosting a summer camp again.
5. Merchandise - Laptop stickers, lanyards, water bottles, business
cards or promotional postcards. Also T-shirts.
14

17. Solutions - Updating
Updating Website and Accounts
a. Suggest a different position for tabs on website to create a better flow.
b. Breaking down large blocks of text into sections will help gain the attention of a
generation who want information fast and wont read a 4 paragraphs stuck together.
We have added examples in the plan book for reference to our ideas. The video is
great but small breaks in paragraphs with images help show the departments
achievement and activities.
c. The functions and Criteria page has evaluations for raises document and should be
taken down because it looks misplaced and not informative to website guests.
d. Add a history of department page. Could of overlooked it but was hard to find the
history.
e. Which clicking giving back we suggest having the donation page go to the Tuesday
giving page first. Shows the department shares with the community and with the
Giving Now button bold and easy access others would be more incline to donate to the
department out of emotional attachment. You give the viewer a reason to donate to the
department instead of just asking.
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18. Solutions - Updating
16

19. Solutions - Updating
Faculty & Staff
Giving Back Contact Us
Degree Requirements
Media & Clubs
Internships & ScholarshipsDepartment & Industry News
About
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20. Solutions - Updating
..in a stimulating field of importance. With a variety of satisfying careers to choose
from to make your mark in and beyond the new media world.
Lower the cost of school while gaining
valuable industry experience.
Move
18

21. Add “the official KRWG News22” to differentiate from duplicate or inactive
accounts.
Weekly uploads, with slightly more info rather than just the time and date.
Especially with tweets adding to the picture/short clip about the upcoming show.
Add social network links to the bottom of NMSU departments webpage, in order to
gain more followers and showcase the incredible work students and professors
accomplish.
Unlike the department of Journalism and Mass Communication, ASU does not
have a youtube page that we could find. The closests found was Pac 12 which is
sports focused. This is an opportunity to spread more awareness of KRWG News
22. Having more sports coverage may help grow the fan base while acquiring
new viewers.
Solutions - Updating
19

22. Social Media - Twitter
680 Followers - Created in 2011
101 Pictures and videos uploaded.
28.4K Followers - Created in 2009. Over 2000
bright pictures and videos with descriptive text
about show along with air time.
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23. Solutions - Exposing
Exposing department with TV commercials, print ads and the use of Social Media -
Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram.
a. Deleting duplicate accounts to help with credibility and minimize
confusion. Example JMC_NMSU inactive since March 2017. But
pops up frequently on google.
b. Local commercials at least during the Spring and Fall Semesters. 4
Corner commercials would help expand coverage area and potential
clients.
c. Coverage of high school events and charity done by the Journalism
department.
d. Constant updates with more images and short descriptions explaining the
upcoming shows, not just the time and date of show.
21

24. Commercial A
22
25 sec commercial
Read left to right
top to bottom.
The use of humor to
capture the excitement
and nervousness of
being a NMSU freshman
with no idea what major
to choose. But behold
the answer is clear to Jim
after a flyer of the
Journalism department is
handed to Jim!

25. Commercial B
23
Read Top to Bottom Page
1 then Page 2.
20 sec. Commercial.
Continuous close of shot,
POV of Jim, from previous
commercial seeing,
writing, shooting, and
creating “it.”

26. Print Advertisements
24
These two ads have
similar context yet the one
on the right provides a
horizontal flow, great for
website banner type ads
and also for posters as it
grabs passerbyers
attention with the flow of
layout.
The ads here show
students what
Journalism and Mass
Communications is and
how it could work as a
career for them that
incompases their
interests.

27. Print Advertisements
25
This ad showcases a student leaving Milton as a graduate.
It shows potential students their future and attacks the
emotional core of seeing themselves graduate from a higher
education.
Again the slogan see it, write it, shoot it, create it @ NMSU
Is being displayed. Always connecting the ads and
commercials together creating a more cohesive brand.

28. Solutions - Events
Using Information table’s
a. Once a semester send students to volunteer to provide information and handout stickers and
postcards with the Journalism departments information on it.
b. For exposure and to answer any questions the students might have to encourage their enrollment..
Local High School Events
a. Department students volunteering to help teach/edit local high school club activities.
b. Only have students interested in helping, so that no negative impacts are made.
c. Host summer camp like before for interested high school students.
i. Charge entry fee per student to help cover costs.
ii. Housing is available in the dorms in between summer and Spring/Fall Semester. Again charge a
fee.
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iii. Have students volunteer so that the cost of program is lowered and
possibly a go fund me page supported by donors to keep the program alive.
The idea is to help gain recognition of the program and get students interested early.

29. Merchandise -
Laptop Stickers - popular and seen around campus on students laptops. $120.16
(1000 stickers 3 x 5’’ 4 colors)
Lanyards - usable and high quality would be best to compete against other $255
lanyards collected from orientation.
(150 lanyards at the highest quality, can take away some additions to lower cost.)
Water bottles - used constantly by students, again mid quality range for constant use
and
no toss aways. - $254.56
(72 bottles)
Business Cards - Small easy to handout and display information - $33.26
(1,000 of one design or 500 each with two designs 4 colors 2” square.
Handout only 150 at Each event to get best use out of quantity.)
Promotional Postcards - Bigger so won't lose. High quantity, low price. $57.25
(500 postcards 5 x 6’’ 4 colors)
These are examples of what the department could do for merchandise.
Can take away high costing merchandise and focus solely on three lower types to make
Solutions - Merchandise
27

30. Possible sites that can be used for merchandise creation. These are a few we
found but other companies may have a lower price. Also some companies offer
free shipping with an order above a certain amount
https://www.printrunner.com/ - stickers and promotional postcards.
https://www.vistaprint.com/ - business card prices. Be careful and be sure to use a
dud account so that their promotions won't fill your official email inbox. Good quality
but promotional company spam email.
Solutions - Merchandise
28

31. Promotions
Postcards (5x3”)
500
Business Cards (3.5x2”)
1,000 or 500
See It Write It Shoot It Create It @ NMSU 29

32. Promotions
T-Shirts
Lanyards
150
30
Water Bottles
72
See It Write It Shoot It Create It
@NMSU
Stickers
1000

33. Media Planning
Media Solutions
Social Media -
Add social media links to the Journalism Department Home Page
Updating at least weekly to Twitter, Instagram and Youtube
Use hashtags
- #KRWSNews22, #SeeItWriteItShootItCreateIt@NMSU, #SWSCIt@NMSU
Delete Duplicate accounts
Postcards and Business Cards -
Spread the Word with Postcards and business cards
to get people to type in and get interested! Connecting with the community.
TV Commercials -
Air in the Spring and Summer bi monthly locally and at Four Corners.
Print Ads -
Report on winning competitions, post ads Spring and Summer.
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34. Thank You!
See It Write It Shoot It
Create It @ NMSU
That’s a Wrap 32

35. References
1st National Bank USA. (2016). Arizona State University Money Matters. Retrieved from College Data Profile:
https://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg03_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=1096
ASU. (2017, December 1). ASU Now. Retrieved from ASU.edu: https://asunow.asu.edu/20171201-espn-editor-undefeated-
address-cronkite-school-graduates
Cronkite School of Journalism. (2016, June 13). ASU Now. Retrieved from Arizone State University:
https://asunow.asu.edu/20160613-entrepreneurship-asu-cronkite-school-teaming-up-google-news-lab-spread-innovation
Cronkite School of Journalism. (2018). Conkite School Twitter Feed. Twitter.
Cronkite University of Journalism. (2017). Cronkite School Fast Facts. Retrieved from Arizona State University:
https://cronkite.asu.edu/about/fast-facts
Engelmyer, L. (n.d.). 2 Key Statistics for Comparing Colleges: Graduation Rate and Retention Rate Explained. Retrieved from
Colleraptor: https://www.collegeraptor.com/find-colleges/articles/college-comparisons/2-key-statistics-for-comparing-colleges-
graduation-rate-and-retention-rate-explained/
https://newscenter.nmsu.edu/Articles/view/3984
Sun-News Reports. (2017, December 6). More than 1,000 graduates expected to attend NMSU's Fall Commencement.
Retrieved from Las Cruces Sun News: https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/education/2017/12/06/more-than-1-000-graduates-
expected-attend-nmsus-fall-commencement/928834001/
33

36. References
United States Department of Labor. (2017). Occupational Outlook Reporters, Correspondents, and Broadcasting. Retrieved from
Bureau of Labor Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/reporters-correspondents-and-broadcast-news-
analysts.htm
Vista Print. (2018). Post Card Details. Vista Print.
King, M. (2014, July 7). Journalism- Enrollment Fall. Retrieved from AJR: http://ajr.org/2014/07/07/journalism-enrollments-fall/
KRWG News22. (2018). Twitter Feed. Twitter.
KRWG News22. (2018). KRWG News22 Facebook. Facebook.
Print Runner. (2018). Cost of Stickers. Print Runner.
Reddit. (2016). Why did you choose to become a journalist? Do you regret it? Reddit.
Scoop 13. (2013, August). Retrieved from Journalism.nmsu.edu: https://journalism.nmsu.edu/files/2013/08/Scoop-13.pdf
Sitzler, B. (2008, June 10). NMSU hosted high school journalism workshop. Retrieved from NMSU Journalism Department:
Vancsek, László. (photographer).
Flaticon (creator). (2015). Social Media Campaign [digital image]. Retrieved from
https://www.freepik.com/free-icon/social-media-campaign_716931.htm
Clipart Suggest (Creator). (2017) Ink Bottle [digital image]. Retrieved from
http://www.clipartsuggest.com/ink-bottle-stH3Ns-clipart/
PeoplesImages (Photographer). [digital image]. Retrieved from
https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/hike-more-worry-less-gm645926910-117301687
Clipartbest (creator). Social Media Clip Art [digital image]. Retrieved from http://www.clipartbest.com/twitter-png
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37. References
Noticias22. (2018, April 29). Noticias 22, Departamento de Periodismo, NMSU-Las [Video].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VQLuYa991Y
KRWGNEWS22. (2018, May 2). News22 May 5th, 2018 NMSU Department of Journalism and KRWG-TV [Video].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UA91D0DeYA
Pac-12 Networks. (2018, May 1). Recap: Max Flower lifts Cal baseball past BYU in walk-off fashion [Video].
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaLV--mXZoY
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