This document is a proposal from a student-run PR firm to the Center for Performing and Visual Arts at Sonoma State University. It aims to increase student attendance at performances and art galleries. The proposal outlines research conducted with over 900 students, which found they enjoy socializing with friends on weekends and want more engaging content. The proposal recommends targeting freshmen at orientation and using social media to promote events. It suggests creative advertising, incentives, and teacher requirements could boost attendance and create a campus culture familiar with the arts.

1.
Audience
Engagement
Proposal
For
the
Center
for
Performing
and
Visual
Arts
at
Sonoma
State
University
All
research
and
planning
done
by:
Primitivo
PR
Student-­‐Run
Public
Relations
Firm
at
Sonoma
State
University
External
PR
team
Led
by
Frances
Telles

2.
2
Table
of
Content
Executive
Summary
3
Situational
analysis
3
Swot
analysis
4
Campaign
plan
5-­‐8
Campaign
timeline
9
Evaluation
plan
10

3.
3
Executive
Summary
As
a
team
at
Primitivo
Public
Relations,
Student-­‐
Run
Public
Relations
firm
at
Sonoma
State
University,
we
have
conducted
research
on
students’
views
of
the
current
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
at
Sonoma
State
University.
After
conducting
research
on
over
900
students
we
have
created
this
proposal
to
provide
insight
and
various
strategies
to
implement
that
we
believe
would
achieve
the
goal.
Our
goal
is
to
increase
the
number
of
students
in
attendance
at
student
performances
and
art
galleries
that
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
at
Sonoma
State
University
oversee
and
create
a
campus
culture
of
familiarity
with
these
entities.
This
proposal
outlines
the
entirety
of
the
potential
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
have
to
provide
students
at
Sonoma
State
University.
According
to
research
we
conducted
about
students
and
their
relationships
with
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
during
the
fall
of
2014,
we
have
concluded
that
students
enjoy
being
with
their
friends
on
the
weekend
and
would
like
to
see
more
engaging
content.
Due
to
the
fact
that
ticket
prices
for
student
performances
and
galleries
is
already
free,
we
need
to
appeal
to
things
all
college
students
enjoy
incentives
and
creative
advertisement.
The
freshmen
class
is
an
easy
public
to
target
all
at
once
due
to
the
fact
that
they
are
all
grouped
together
in
one
place
at
Summer
Orientation.
Using
this
to
our
advantage,
we
can
appeal
to
their
eagerness
to
get
involved
and
familiarize
themselves
with
campus.
With
social
media
gaining
rapid
popularity
and
access
to
many
students
at
Sonoma
State,
it
is
vital
to
take
advantage
of
the
relationship
you
can
build
to
benefit
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts.
Fortunately,
you
have
the
power
to
share
information
and
make
it
accessible
to
everyone.
Providing
interactive
social
media
platforms,
storytelling
via
videos
and
using
other
SSU
Communications
entities
to
our
advantage
we
can
engage
students
and
create
a
campus
culture
of
being
familiar
with
the
Arts.
We
are
confident
that
with
the
right
plans
of
action,
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
can
create
an
institution
that
values
the
importance
of
arts
in
the
lives
of
students.
Increasing
attendance
at
all
student-­‐based
performances
and
galleries
can
help
create
a
natural
Arts
environment
at
Sonoma
State
that
will
encourage
currently
enrolled
and
prospective
students
to
attend
on
campus
Arts
events.

4.
4
Situational
Analysis
After
completing
research
on
Sonoma
State
students
to
understand
their
current
relationship
with
the
Center
of
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts,
we
have
concluded
that
students
are
interested
in
student
performances
and
galleries
but
are
uninformed,
uninterested
or
unmotivated
to
attend
the
free
events.
The
following
SWOT
analysis
will
highlight
where
the
current
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
is
at
and
what
the
future
holds
for
the
programs
that
will
ensue.
SWOT
Analysis
Strengths
• All
student-­‐based
events
are
free
• Arts
are
good
for
overall
growth
as
a
young
adult
• Entertainment/
Something
to
do
in
free
time
• Are
put
on
by
students
for
students
• Posters
for
advertisements
according
to
research
people
are
appealed
to
• Teachers
offering
extra
credit
or
requirements
to
attend
programs
put
on
by
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
Weaknesses
• Not
enough
active
and
creative
advertisements
so
people
do
not
know
they
are
going
on
• No
knowledge
of
IRA
fee
that
makes
performances
and
galleries
free
• No
incentives
to
go
to
performances
and
galleries
(e.g.
food)
• Not
modern
content
that
people
have
heard
of
• At
inconvenient
times
or
days
• Performances
are
too
long
• No
social
media
presence
Opportunities
• Create
an
inclusive
campus
community
interested
in
the
Arts
• Integrating
class
requirements
with
the
arts
• Thriving
Arts
community
that
connects
people
that
attend
Sonoma
State
• Creating
a
well-­‐known
school
for
the
Arts
that
can
bring
in
prospective
students
and
acclamations
• Increase
student
involvement
on
campus
• Having
student-­‐based
performances
and
galleries
that
are
modern
and
appealing
to
students
Threats
• Not
appealing
to
what
students
like
• Students
not
finding
importance
in
the
Arts
• Investing
money
and
time
into
Audience
Engagement
and
students
still
not
interested
• Students
not
enjoying
performances
and
galleries
they
go
to
and
therefore
do
not
go
back

5.
5
Campaign
Plan
Overall
Goal:
To
increase
the
number
of
students
in
attendance
at
student
performances
and
galleries
that
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
at
Sonoma
State
University
and
create
a
campus
culture
of
familiarity
with
these
entities.
Objective
1:
Create
initiatives
and
better
advertisements
to
currently
enrolled
Sonoma
State
University
students
to
create
a
campus
culture
of
attending
student
performances
and
galleries.
Strategy:
Like
stated
above
in
the
previous
strategy,
Sonoma
State
University
students
have
access
to
attend
all
student-­‐based
performances
and
galleries
for
free.
Unfortunately,
75%
of
the
surveyed
students
in
a
Fall
2014
survey
do
not
know
that
they
can
attend
the
performances
for
free
included
in
their
IRA
(Instructionally
Related
Activities
Fee).
Also,
Sonoma
State
University
students
often
feel
there
is
nothing
to
do
on
campus
in
their
free
time
but
they’re
often
not
aware
of
the
many
things
to
do
on
campus.
Student-­‐based
performances
and
galleries
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
put
together
offer
an
abundance
of
events
every
week
for
students
to
attend.
In
the
Fall
2014
survey,
we
also
learned
that
80%
of
students
“Hangout
with
their
friends,”
on
the
weekend.
To
appeal
to
this
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
should
create
initiatives
that
involve
going
to
performances
and
galleries
as
friends.
To
increase
the
overall
audience
attendance
of
Sonoma
State
students
at
student
based
performances
and
galleries,
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
need
to
appeal
to
what
the
students
want
and
use
effective
ways
of
advertisement
to
get
them
there.
Tactic
1:
The
first
campaign
to
incentivize
students
to
attend
free
student
based
performances
and
galleries
is
the
“Bring
a
Friend,”
campaign.
This
campaign
will
encourage
students
to
go
to
a
performance
because
they
will
be
able
to
bring
a
friend
from
outside
Sonoma
State
that
would
normally
have
to
pay
for
a
ticket.
This
campaign
will
need
to
be
known
to
all
students
through
more
than
word
of
mouth
and
posters.
Having
this
incentive
announced
in
all
GE
courses
that
are
in
the
Arts,
department
is
a
good
start.
Also
having
representatives
of
the
Theater
department
go
into
AS
meetings,
club
and
organizations
meetings,
and
residential
staff
meetings
to
spread
the
word
about
this
opportunity.

6.
6
Tactic
2:
Creative
advertisement
will
be
key
in
getting
students
interested
in
the
Performing
and
Visual
Arts
departments
at
Sonoma
State.
For
example,
potential
strategies
might
include,
having
performers
walk
around
campus
in
costume
acting
as
their
characters
will
entice
students
to
want
to
attend
shows.
Also
having
students
perform
music
in
the
Student
Center
during
finals
will
be
a
good
way
for
student
musicians
to
showcase
their
talents.
To
advertise
dance
there
could
be
a
“Mystery
Button,”
in
the
middle
of
campus.
If
a
student
goes
up
and
presses
the
button
music
starts
to
play
and
dancers
who
were
blending
in
with
the
crowd
begin
to
dance
as
if
they
were
in
a
flash
mob.
These
creative
advertisement
techniques
could
bring
students
to
all
of
the
different
types
of
entertainment
opportunities
Sonoma
State
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
departments
have
to
offer.
Tactic
3:
Once
students
attend
these
performances
our
goal
is
to
keep
them
coming
back.
In
order
to
make
them
feel
welcomed
and
satisfied
with
their
entertainment
at
the
end
of
the
night
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
can
provide
incentives
to
entice
students,
like
having
a
raffle
for
a
prize.
It
could
be
anything
to
get
money
towards
books
for
school
to
an
iPad.
Having
opportunity
to
win
something
makes
students
feel
like
they
are
welcomed.
Objective
2:
Make
awareness
of
student
performances
and
galleries
at
Sonoma
State
better
known
to
students,
especially
freshmen.
Strategy:
All
student-­‐based
performances
and
galleries
put
on
by
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
at
Sonoma
State
University
are
free
of
charge
to
all
students.
We
feel
spreading
this
knowledge
to
students
would
be
the
first
step
to
get
them
to
come
to
shows.
Most
freshmen
are
eager
to
get
involved
and
try
new
things
on
campus
to
get
to
know
the
university
better.
By
appealing
to
the
freshmen
students
unfamiliarity
to
student
performances
and
galleries
there
is
a
better
chance
of
getting
students
to
come
to
these
events.
Also,
Summer
Orientation
is
an
opportunity
to
have
all
freshmen
in
one
place
and
engage
them.
The
Go
Play
video
is
a
good
start
to
get
them
more
familiar
with
what
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
department
has
to
offer
them.
Using
Summer
Orientation
to
our
advantage
and
remembering
that
most
freshmen
live
on
campus
we
can
spread
awareness
of
all
the
Center
for
Performing
and
Visual
Arts
at
Sonoma
State
University
has
to
offer
to
the
students
here.
Tactic
1:
By
appealing
to
freshmen
Sonoma
State
University
students
we
have
the
opportunity
to
influence
their
choices.
In
addition
to
the
“Go
Play”
video
at
Summer
Orientation,
there
needs
to
be
other
ways
for
students
to
see
the
venues
for
the

7.
7
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts.
The
Student
Activities
office
puts
on
a
scavenger
hunt
to
familiarize
the
freshmen
students
with
the
Sonoma
State
campus.
Incorporating
the
Entertainment
venues
on
campus
into
this
scavenger
hunt
would
be
a
great
opportunity
for
students
to
see
where
to
go
if
they
choose
to
attend
shows,
performances
or
galleries.
Tactic
2:
According
to
our
research
conducted
in
Fall
2014,
45%
of
the
almost
600
students
who
had
previously
attended
a
student
performance
or
gallery
went
because
they
were
satisfying
a
requirement
or
receiving
extra
credit
for
a
class.
Going
through
with
the
integrated
art
programs
being
developed
right
now
and
gearing
them
towards
freshmen
year
programs
will
be
a
good
opportunity
to
get
students
familiar
with
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
program.
Tactic
3:
For
students
who
live
on
campus
they
are
separated
into
cohorts.
By
teaming
up
with
the
Residential
Life
team
and
encouraging
CSA’s
to
bring
their
students
to
student
performances
or
galleries
this
would
be
a
good
opportunity
to
bring
freshmen
to
these
entertainment
events
with
their
roommates
and
friends.
Incentivizing
these
CSA’s
to
create
their
programs
surrounding
student
performances
or
galleries
would
be
a
good
way
to
create
positive
relationships
that
will
keep
them
coming
back.
An
incentive
could
be
a
pizza
party,
a
drawing
into
a
raffle,
etc.
Objective
3:
Use
social
media
and
other
forms
of
new
media
to
engage
Sonoma
State
University
students
and
create
a
positive
image
for
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts,
geared
toward
students,
for
students.
Strategy:
Sonoma
State
University
students
are
active
on
the
Internet
and
on
social
media.
This
is
an
almost
free
and
effective
mechanism
to
have
access
the
mass
amounts
of
students
who
actively
use
social
media.
Although
social
media
is
an
effective
way
to
access
students,
using
other
forms
of
new
media
like
videos
and
radio
advertisements,
can
make
the
student
based
performances
and
galleries
more
appealing
to
students
at
Sonoma
State.
Tactic
1:
With
social
media
platforms,
you
can
advertise
all
student
based
performances
and
galleries
from
the
start
of
the
projects
to
the
end.
With
the
social
media
platform
you
can
create
events
students
can
invite
their
friends
to
and
promote
ads
that
have
important
information
on
how
to
attend
student
based
performances
and
galleries.
Tactic
2:
Creating
a
mini-­‐documentary
series
of
the
students
involved
in
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
is
a
great
way
for
students
to
connect
with
the

8.
8
students
who
perform
and
create
art
at
Sonoma
State.
Highlighting
actors,
musicians,
artists,
and
etc.
can
help
create
an
emotional
connection
and
general
interest
in
the
performances
and
galleries
that
are
available
at
Sonoma
State
University.
This
mini-­‐
documentary
series
can
use
Sonoma
State
students
to
showcase
their
filming
talents
as
well.
To
find
students
to
film
this
series
you
can
create
a
contest
for
students
to
submit
their
mini-­‐
documentaries.
The
winner
will
then
be
able
to
film
the
rest
of
the
series
for
a
stipend.
Tactic
3:
There
are
many
programs
at
Sonoma
State
whose
services
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
department
can
take
advantage
of.
The
student-­‐
run
radio
station
KSUN
has
air
space
that
does
not
get
used.
Setting
a
block
of
time
aside
each
week
for
music
performed
by
Sonoma
State
students
would
be
a
low
cost
way
to
provide
students
with
access
to
the
talent
Sonoma
State
students
possess.
Also
the
Center
for
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts
can
purchase
ad
space
to
advertise
student
plays,
performances,
galleries,
etc.
at
Sonoma
State.

9.
9
Evaluation
Plan
Evaluation
for
this
Audience
Engagement
Proposal
can
be
gauged
in
multiple
ways.
Obvious
ways
is
through
the
increase
of
student
ticket
sales
and
student
attendance
at
student
performances
and
art
galleries
that
are
put
on
but
the
Center
of
Performing
Arts
and
Visual
Arts.
Another
option
of
evaluation
is
through
a
survey
sent
out
to
students
asking
of
their
opinions
on
the
implantation
of
plans
this
proposal
implemented.