As a final project for Ithaca College’s Public Relations course, a team of six created a mock PR agency (JAM Relations) and developed a proposal for our client, Ithaca College’s female a capella group – Premium Blend. The team developed a situational analysis, objectives, audience research, strategies and tactics, a budget, timetable and complete evaluation. The team presented the plan to the client and fellow classmates.

2. Table of Contents
Executive Summary ...................................................................... 1
Situational Analysis ....................................................................... 2
Competitor Analysis ...................................................................... 3
SWOT Analysis ............................................................................. 4
Primary Research ......................................................................... 5
Objectives ..................................................................................... 6
Target Audiences ..................................................................... 7 - 9
Strategies .....................................................................................10
Tactics ....................................................................................11- 23
Measurement and Evaluation ..................................................... 24
Timetable .................................................................................... 25
Budget ........................................................................................ 26
About the Agency and Staff Bios .......................................... 27- 29
Supplements/ Apendix ......................................................... 30 - 31

3. Executive Summary
Founded in 1998, Premium Blend is Ithaca College’s only
all-female acappella group. Although group members change
throughout the years, Premium Blend always focuses on learning
and expressing their fun and talent through various performances.
One of the problems Premium Blend is currently facing is that they
do not have a definite brand identity. With this public relations plan,
JAM Relations seeks to solidify the Premium Blend brand. Brand
recognition will draw more audience members to concerts and will
keep fans coming back for more.
We as a group would like to thank Premium Blend for taking the
time to answer our questions, listen to our ideas, and include us in
practices and meetings to help make this proposal possible. We
hope that even when the group members change, this proposal
helps provide a steady foundation for broadcasting the groups talent
and image.
1

4. Situational Analysis
Premium Blend is Ithaca College’s only all-female a cappella group.
It was founded in 1998 as a larger ensemble, and is now comprised of
18 women. They are dedicated to learning, performing and sharing the
beauty and fun of a cappella music with a wide variety of audiences.
Premium Blend enjoys incorporating many different styles of music into
their sets including rock, folk, choral, pop, and alternative. The group
puts on four main concerts each year.
They also perform around the Ithaca College campus and
community, and each year go on tour to a new location on the East
Coast, working with high schools, middle schools and other college a
cappella groups. Premium Blend is confident with their musical abilities
and performance quality. However, they struggle with creating brand
awareness, communicating to their target audience, and getting people
to come to their concerts. They feel like they lack a concrete brand
identity. One of their goals is being featured on an IC radio station.
Unfortunately, there is no accessable press coverage for Premium
Blend.
2

5. Competitor Analysis
Ithacapella is an all-male a
cappella group. They are very
popular on campus and draw a
large crowd to their concerts. Just
like the other groups on campus,
Ithacappella has a concert on
campus each block.
They have an informative and
engaging website. They are also
very active on social media and
have a Soundcloud, Vine,
YouTube, and Twitter. They also
have their own Wikipedia page
written about them.
Voice Stream is a co-ed
acappella group. Similarly to
Premium Blend, they have a
concert each block. Voice Stream
has a cohesive website with a lot of
information and resources that are
kept updated.
They are active on social
media and have a YouTube,
Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook. One
of their major
accomplishments was being
featured on mtv.com. They
perform only rock and pop music
and have a definite brand
identity.
3

6. 5
SWOT Analysis
4
Female Empowerment
Music Ability
Color Branding (Teal)
Tours
Performances at high schools
Family Friendly
Songs are on iTunes and Spotify
Walking fine line between
sexy
and professional
Lack of media coverage
Lack of variety in advertising
No website
No definite brand image
Competing acapella groups
Lack of funding
Create website
Undertake promotions
Build brand image and loyalty
Seasonal advertising (holiday)
Many advertising tactics to use
Strengths
Weaknesses
Threats
Opportunities
Many social media outlets to
use
College age students like

7. Primary Research
We sent out a survey about Premium Blend to Ithaca College students and
received 90 replies. Our findings helped us pinpoint specific objectives and
strategies that would be helpful to enhance the Premium Blend brand and gain
popularity. Although over 90% of respondents had heard of Premium Blend, less
than 50% had been to a Premium Blend concert, and only 25% of respondents
follow Premium Blend on social media. When we asked respondents to rank
what specifically would make them want to go to a concert, the majority ranked
the songs as the #1 reason to attend a concert, raising money for charity as #2,
and the setting of the concert as #3. These findings helped lead us to our key
insights on what tactics would be helpful in increasing popularity of the Premium
Blend brand. To review the complete survey findings, refer to the Appendix.
We learned Premium Blend has interesting ideas but are not sure how to
execute them properly in order to gain awareness. For instance, their social
media presence we learned was something that was lacking, yet easily fixable.
This was something we wanted them to make a priority to fix because not only is
it easy to maintain, but it is also free as well so does not take money out of the
budget. We also learned that Premium Blend’s competitors influence their sales,
so collaborating with them would be beneficial. We also thought something that
would give them an edge over other groups would be to have more creative
advertising tactics such as flash mobs, Battle of the Hills, partnerships with CTB,
etc. 5

8. Objectives
The public relations plan for Premium Blend is designed to
achieve the following objectives:
1. Strengthen and enhance brand identity
2. Make everyone on Ithaca’s campus aware that Premium Blend
exists
3. Increase concert attendance
4. Generate Internet and Social Media coverage to gain
awareness
5. Become more involved in the Ithaca community
6

9. Target Audience
We will increase Premium Blend’s brand awareness most
effectively by marketing to specific target audiences who will be most
inclined to attend Premium Blend concerts. This includes Ithaca
College students, faculty, and members of the Ithaca community in
our primary target audience. We did this because it is easiest for
them to attend Premium Blend concerts in terms of proximity. We
included other a cappella groups and audiences Premium Blend
encounters on tour in our secondary audience. Because these
individuals have been exposed to Premium Blend’s performance
quality, they are aware of them as a group, and therefore may be
likely to attend future concerts.
7

10. Primary Audience
Scenario: Nicole is a 19 year old vocal
performance major at Ithaca College.
She enjoys singing karaoke with her
friends and attending concerts on
campus and in the community. Like
most college students, she has a tight
budget, but likes being involved with the
Ithaca music scene.
Ithaca College students; male and female, ages 18 to 22
Ithaca College faculty; male and female, all ages
Families in the Ithaca community with children in grades K-12
8

11. Secondary Audience
Other a cappella
groups in the area
Audiences Premium
Blend encounters
when they go on tour
Scenario: Heather
is a 15 year old at
Lakeland High School
in New Jersey. She
plays field hockey
and is on the bowling
team.
Despite her athletic focus,
she was in chorus in
middle school and enjoys
singing as a hobby and
wants to become more
involved in her
community’s music
scene.
After seeing Premium
Blend perform at a concert
at her school when they
were on tour, Heather was
inspired to join her high
school chorus.
9

12. 10
Strategies
1. Create a logo that is used on all advertisements. We will put this
logo on T-shirts and other merchandise for sale.
2. Use guerilla marketing tactics (like a flash-mob), so students and
faculty get to know the members, and are more inclined to come to
live performances.
3. Have giveaways and contests at concerts. Create hype on social
media and in person about concerts.
4. Build an online community for Ithaca College students that is
engaging and interactive. Create a website, and use all social media
platforms available. Keep these sites updates regularly with new
information and resources.
5. Advertise in different vehicles and in different locations to reach
a wide variety of people in the Ithaca community. Specifically target
families and promote Premium Blend’s family-friendly brand.

13. 11
Tactics
Our key idea for this campaign is to emphasize the phrase
“Teal Appeal.” The tactics in this plan aim to spread awareness of
the Premium Blend brand. One of Premium Blend’s strengths is
their consistent color branding with the color teal. By
embracing the phrase “Teal Appeal” in our campaign, we aim to
pinpoint Premium Blend’s strengths to their target audiences so
they see the group’s true appeal. By the end of this campaign,
our target audiences will have a concrete idea of what the
Premium Blend brand is, and will be motivated to interact with
the brand in person and online. They will see the true
“appeal” of the “teal.”

14. Tactics
Place information about the
group and about the members
on a cohesive, color
coordinated website. Links to
social media pages, recordings,
and videos of performances.
Feature a calendar of events
and upcoming concerts.
Promote fundraising goals,
and show progress while
reaching goals. Promote
repertoire and have polls for
visitors to vote on songs for the
future.
Create a Vine account, a
SnapChat account, and a
Soundcloud account. Keep
these and other existing social
media accounts active and up
to date to gain followers. We
will revamp
existing social media sites
(Twitter, Instagram, Facebook)
to retain existing followers, and
keep them engaged.
Update Social Media & Use
All Social Media Vehicles
Create a website
12

15. Tactics
Have a flash-mob in the Pub or dining hall or other crowded
place on campus to gain awareness. Personally invite students
to concerts so the student body and faculty can get to know the
members on a personal level. Advertise in Intercom and other
outlets on campus, such as The Ithacan, BuzzSaw, Park E-News,
ICTV, and the radio (WICB and VIC).
Use Different Forms of Advertising
13

16. IC More Than Me is an Ithaca
College student organization that
works to raise funds and awareness
for girls’ education in Liberi and
West Africa to keep them out of
prostitution or from working “adult”
jobs.
Both Premium Blend and IC
More Than Me promote female
empowerment. The two
organizations could team up and
organize a benefit concert to help
raise money and awareness for the
cause.
Teal is Premium Blend’s brand
color, and it is also the color for
sexual violence prevention and
awareness.
To help promote this cause
and take a stand for female
empowerment, Premium Blend
could put on a benefit concert to
raise money and awareness for
the cause. The concert should
take place in April, as that is
sexual assault awareness month.
Tactics
Team up with IC More Than Me Benefit Concert
14

17. Promote the hashtag
“IWearTeal. People will be able
to take pictures of themselves
holding signs saying why they
wear teal to fight against sexual
violence.
Premium Blend members
could have a “Teal Reveal”
where they reveal the reasons
why they wear teal, and why
they believe it is important to
fight for female empowerment
and against sexual violence. At
concerts, there could be a
projector displaying the live
tweets with #IWearTeal.
Tactics
#IWearTealBecause…
15

18. When Premium Blend tables
for concerts, they could have
people enter a raffle to win a
prize (such as a T-shirt or other
merchandise). The winner will be
selected at the
concert, thus encouraging
participants to attend the show.
Premium Blend could also give
prizes to anyone who wears teal
to concerts, to promote their color
branding. To promote their
popularity on social media,
Premium Blend could have a
contest where anyone
Sing National Anthem at
Sporting Event Many IC
sporting events do not have
live performances of the
national anthem. This would
expose Premium Blend to
a new audience that may
not be as inclined to go to a
concert.
who “likes” or “follows” one of
their pages gets entered into
the raffle as well.
Tactics
Contests
Sing the National Anthem
16

19. By teaming up with IC
Voicestream and Ithacapella, more
students will be drawn to concerts.
Because students are so busy,
they may not have time to attend
three separate concerts each
block. This also helps the clutter of
advertisements students face.
When many organizations are
tabling for similar events, or
events that are occurring at the
same time, it becomes increasingly
difficult for students to develop
interest in any event in particular.
Tactics
17
Collaborative Concerts and Songs By grouping the concerts
together into one
collaborative concert, or one
collaborative song, fans of all
three groups can come
together for one large, fun, and
energetic concert. Also, when
the three groups pool their
funding, this opens up more
opportunities for attractions at
the concert.

20. These events would be
good for weekend concerts,
where many students would
be downtown or off campus
anyways, looking for fun
things to do.
When the Commons re-open,
Premium Blend could perform
there. This would draw a huge
crowd, as many people from Ithaca
College and the Ithaca community
have been anxiously awaiting the
re-opening of the Commons.
This will spread awareness in
the Ithaca community. Local
families, as well as ithaca students
and staff, will be drawn to concerts
at fun venues and restaurants
downtown.
Tactics
Events and Open Mics
18

21. Premium Blend could hold workshops at local schools or for
students on campus. This would be a great way for Premium
Blend to fundraise, because attendees would pay a small fee to
participate in the workshop. This would offer students and children
a unique chance to learn the basics of a cappella singing or beat
boxing. Ithaca has a huge music and creative arts scene that
students are eager to get involved in. Workshops are a relaxed
and less intimidating way for non-music students to learn, get
involved, and get to know Premium Blend.
Tactics
19
Classes and Workshops

22. Tactics
Sing the National Anthem
“Battle of the Hills”
Many IC sporting events
do not have live performances
of the national anthem. This
would expose Premium Blend
to a new audience that may not
be as inclined to go to a
concert.
Students from both schools
will be drawn to the concert
to check out the opposing
school’s groups in this friendly
competition between the hills.
A collaborative concert with
both Ithaca and Cornell groups
would draw a very large crowd
from both schools. Many Ithaca
students have not seen
Cornell groups, and many
Cornell students have not seen
Ithaca groups.
20

23. Tactics
“Get to Know” the Members Benefit Concerts
By having information on the
members of Premium Blend on
the website and on social
media, followers will be able to
learn about the group on a
personal level.
As viewers learn more
information about each
Premium Blend singer, they will
be more excited to see them
perform live in person. Also
feature stories in Park E-News,
The Ithacan and Buzzsaw on
members and interviews about
upcoming events.
This would engage Ithaca
community members and
families to support the
community by investing in the
local schools. The Premium
Blend brand is family friendly, so
a family-oriented benefit concert
for local schools would attract
many attendees.
Perhaps they could
incorporate a supply drive into
the event, and then share how
much was collected at the end of
the concert.
21

24. By reaching out to future students by performing at Accepted
Students’ Day and orientation, Premium Blend will gain students’
interest before they even come to Ithaca. New students love
getting involved and going to events on campus.
By knowing about Premium Blend before they come to
Ithaca, they will be more inclined to attend concerts when they get
to school. They will want to bring all of their new friends along with
them!
Performing For Future Student
22
Tactics

25. This will enhance the
Premium Blend brand by
collaborating with local
businesses that students love.
Not only will this attract
customers to local businesses,
but they will be intrigued and
eager to taste the “Premium
Blend.”
Pair with a coffee company
and create a blend that can be
bagged and sold while tabling,
proceeds would partially go to
PB and to the chosen
company.
23
Tactics
Partner with CTB

26. Measurement and Evaluation
During the execution and implementation of this campaign,
Premium Blend must continuously monitor its impact on brand
awareness. Tangible ways that Premium Blend can measure the
results of this campaign are listen include:
Looking at changes in concert attendance by monitoring ticket sales per
concert
Seeing how many views on YouTube their songs have
Examining changes in numbers of followers and “likes” on social media
sites
Documenting how many people attended workshops, and the breakdown
of people who attended (i.e., How many Ithaca students went? How
many faculty members went? How many people from the greater Ithaca
community went? What is the general age breakdown of attendees?)
Noting how much press coverage they get on various media outlets (The
Ithacan, ICTV, WICB, VIC)
Look at changes in numbers of downloads their songs get on iTunes
Tracking how many plays their songs have on Spotify
24

27. 2525

28. Budget
26

29. Agency Biographys
27
Molly Astrove is a sophomore Integrated
Marketing Communications major and Economics
minor from Wellesley, MA. She is a Resident
Assistant and a Leadership Scholar. Molly also
works for a startup company called Campus
Pursuit, which markets local Ithaca businesses.
She is also a choreographer for IC Tap Club. In her
free time she enjoys dancing, singing, running, and
making vegan treats. She hopes to someday live in
a big city and have her own business.
Julia Balsam is a sophomore Integrated Marketing
Communications major from Westchester, NY. She
is involved with PRSSA and Food For Thought. Julia
hopes to work in New York City for a lifestyle Public
Relations agency or a company that deals with global
health issues. Julia looks forward to participating in the
ICNYC program next semester.

30. Agency Biographys
Amanda Bruzzese is a sophomore Integrated
Marketing Communications major with a minor in
Nutrition Promotion and Communication
Management and Design at Ithaca College. Coming
from New Rochelle, NY Amanda hopes to pursue a
career in event management or PR and work in NYC
someday. Currently, Amanda is involved in two
organizations at Ithaca College known as PRSSA
and Food For Thought. Amanda looks forward to
studying abroad in Sydney, Australia in the Spring of
2015.
28
Casey Lederman is a sophomore
Integrated Marketing Communications Major At
Ithaca College. She is a member of AAF and
an Intramural Referee. Casey hopes to work in
New York City one day focusing on branding
for popular food companies around the world.
She plans on studying abroad in
London in the spring.

31. Agency Biographys
29
Emily Natal is a sophomore Integrated Marketing
Communications major and Journalism minor at
Ithaca College. She is involved as a local and
national member in PRSSA in addition to being an
Office Assistant in the office of Legal Affairs at the
College. Emily plans on studying abroad at Ithaca’s
London campus in the Fall of 2015. In the future,
Emily strives to live in a big city with a job at an
agency that allows to to travel the world.
Amanda Ramsey is a sophomore
Integrated Marketing Communications major and
Writing minor from Stoneham, MA. She is involved
with the PRSSA here at Ithaca College. She plans
on studying abroad at Australia’s University of
Sydney in Spring of 2015. She has a strong
passion for travel and the different cultures of the
world and one day hopes to manage the Public
Relations for an international nonprofit.

32. 30
Appendix
Survey Results

33. 31
Appendix
Survey Results