This document outlines a campaign plan for the Best Buddies chapter at Bloomsburg University. It includes sections on the organization's mission and goals, target audiences, research conducted, and proposed tactics. The objective is to increase awareness of Best Buddies on campus and recruit more members. Tactics proposed include social media outreach, flyers, open houses, fundraising events like a bake sale and 5K, and evaluating the campaign's success through surveys and membership tracking. The plan aims to help more students experience the lifelong friendships and sense of belonging that Best Buddies provides.

1. “IMC Agency of the Present”
Embrace the Differences
Maura Kranzel
Kristen Mowery
Alexis Pluscauski
Bridget Connelly
Cierra Fields
Matt Trivelis
Dr. Ganahl
PR Theory & Practice
Fall 2013
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2.
Lucy is an 8 year old girl who gets bullied because
she doesn’t look like all of the other kids on the
playground.
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3.
Baby Vivian won’t be able to use her hands like a
normal 3 year old.
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4.
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Mission Statement............5
Big Idea............................6
Executive Summary……7
History……………………….8
Opportunity…………………9
Audience Demographics…10
Secondary Research….11
Primary Research………..12
Focus Group……………13
Field Observation……..14
Intensive Interview……15
Internet Survey………..16
Content Analysis………17
Campaign Objective…..18
Media………………..19
Special Events…..20
Fundraising…………….21
Flow Chart….22
Evaluation………23
Suggestions…….24-25
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5. • “To establish a volunteer movement that
creates opportunities for one-to-one
friendships, integrated employment and
leadership development for people with
intellectual and developmental
disabilities”
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6. • The
Om
Movement
promises
to
the
Bloomsburg
University
Best
Buddies
Chapter
to
offer
as
much
guidance
and
support
to
those
dealing
with
all
disabiliBes.
• Students
and
staff
will
become
more
aware
about
BB
and
the
physical
and
emoBonal
gains
that
come
out
of
joining
this
organizaBon.
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7. • As an agency, our goal is to increase understanding and
awareness to Bloomsburg University. We hope to increase
our chapter and recruit only individuals who are willing
to engage. We are also part of conducting special events
on and off campus in order to increase membership and
spread awareness.
• The puzzle piece reflects the mystery and complexity of
the autism spectrum. Next to the puzzle piece stands
three people holding hands with the puzzle piece.
Embrace the Differences is our slogan and it was made for
people to embrace others differences, rather making
judgments of them.
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8. • The founder of Best Buddies is Anthony K.
Shriver, and was founded in 1989
• Best Buddies is an organization that started from
one original chapter and is now found in 1,700
middle school, high school, and college campuses
• - Best Buddies has positively impacted over
800,00 individuals
• College campuses that Best Buddies can be
found on in PA are Bloomsburg, Millersville,
Kutztown, IUP, DeSales, East Stroudsburg, St.
Joseph’s, Temple, Slippery Rock, Penn State, U
of PITT, Villanova, West Chester, York, and
Ursinus
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9. • Provides members with lifelong
friendships and a sense of belonging
• Members can feel they made a
contribution
• Allows members to include Best
Buddies on a resume
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10.
• Primary- Bloomsburg University
students (especially if they are Special
Education majors or Psychology
majors)
• Secondary- Local high school
students, local teens and adults
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11. • Social Networking sites
– Facebook
– Twitter
– Instagram
– Best Buddies Homepage –
www.bestbuddies.org
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12. •
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Focus Group
Field Observation
Intensive Interview
Internet Survey
Content Analysis
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13. • The Focus Group consulted with 9
different Bloomsburg University students
questions about Best Buddies on
campus
– One Best Buddies member
– Eight BU students
• Results
– Most students had never heard of program
– Best Buddies should take full advantage of
social media due to how often our primary
audience (18-22) uses these sites
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14. • Best Buddies Hangout at Original Pizza on November
7th
– Hangout included a Best Buddy member Clarissa,
her boyfriend, Clarissa’s buddy Amanda, and a
friend of Amanda’s
– Hangout was successful and showed that Clarissa
and Amanda were more like family then friends
• Meeting on November 11th
– preparing for the event “Spread the Word to End the
Word” which will take place mid-February
– Spread the Word to End the word will try to get as
many people on campus to stop using the “r word”
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15. • Bloomsburg University Best Buddies Chapter Officers
attended
– President – Elizabeth
– Fundraising Organizer – Clarissa
– Activities Coordinator – Casey
– Faculty Advisor – Dr. Phillip Tucker
• Subjects discussed:
– 192 Members; 60 with IDD
– Buddies & Associate Members
– Member dues
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16. • Surveyed 73 BU students (mostly female)
• Awareness – 43 had heard of program; 30
had not
– Those that had heard of Best Buddies
heard about it from a friend or Dr. Ganahl
• Concluded students are interested in
learning more about Best Buddies and the
activities they participate in
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17. • Website:
– News and events
– Information about Best Buddies International
– Participating states
– How to join Best Buddies team
• Facebook:
– Space for members to communicate
– Upcoming events calendar
• Twitter:
– Event reminders
– Inspirational quotes and stories
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18. • Our main campaign objective for
Best Buddies is to spread awareness
of the organization throughout the
Bloomsburg University campus and
to get more students involved/
participating in Best Buddies.
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19. • Radio: make announcements about upcoming Best
Buddies events or meetings
• Newsletters: will state where and when you can sign up to
become a part of best buddies and more information on
what Best Buddies is for those who have never heard of it
• BU Now/ The Voice: talk with both groups about
publishing articles about Best Buddies and the huge
difference the organization makes in the lives of students
with IDD
• Open house: A Best Buddies open house will be held on
campus with activities/games for students to attend and
observe how a typical event in Best Buddies goes and how
much fun the students and their buddies have together
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20. • November: Best Buddies Day
– Guest Speakers/ Parents- share special experiences and
stories
– Posters/Chalk/Announcements all over campus
– Free food on Quad
– Shirts/waterbottles/keychains for sale.
• March: 5K Walk/Run
– Walkers/Runners raise money and get sponsors prior to
walk
– Raffle tickets during
– Food/Beverages sold after
– ½ Profits go to Bloomsburg Best Buddies ½ profit go to
National Best Buddies
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21. • Donation boxes will be set up at
various locations on campus (Kehr
Union, Commons, Library, Starbucks,
etc.) and post flyers to encourage
students to donate
• Bake Sale on campus and in
dormitories
• Car wash- that the students and their
buddies could participate in together
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22. Dec
Jan
Feb
Facebook
X
X
X
Newspaper
ads/Radio
ads
X
March
X
X
May
X
X
X
Bake
Sale
Flyers
April
X
X
X
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Car
Wash
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
DonaBon
Boxes
X
Open
House
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
5K
Run/Walk
June
July
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Best
Buddies
Day
X
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23. • The Om Movement will receive constant
updates of campaign’s progress by measuring
member sign ups, event participation, event
attendance, donations, etc.
• We will track social media networks for their
increase in followers, friends, retweets, etc.
• We will end with a follow-up survey and field
observation to rate overall success of
campaign.
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24. • Utilize interactive media sites that users visit
frequently and where our ideas, information,
special events, and all other updates can be
advertised.
• These sites include Twitter, Facebook,
LinkedIN, and Google+, which are functional
when posting lengthy updates.
• These sources provide a space for problems
to be identified, to post feedback, comments,
voting, and suggestions.
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25. •
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More active social media accounts
More e-mails
Meetings for non-members to observe
Flyers
Travel to meet other chapters
Weekly newsletter
Create website for Bloomsburg chapter
Provide link to Best Buddies website
from BloomUToday
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