The document outlines a 5-year integrated marketing campaign created by a public relations firm to partner with FEMA and increase the purchase of flood insurance. The campaign will use various tactics like national media, direct mail, online marketing and a website to educate the public about flood risks and motivate insurance purchases. Secondary research showed many are unaware of flood risks and insurance needs. The campaign aims to increase insurance policies by 5% annually and measure success through policy sales and awareness surveys.

1. ublic Affairs: FEMA Reducing Risk & Impact of Flood
ublic Relations Case Studies Group 6
drea Jensen, Brian Kearney, Tyler Mulvey, James Roh, Lisa Santeramo, Jaclyn Tellefsen
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2. Overview

Partnering with FEMA to create social marketing campaign to:
 Educate public about flood risks
 Educate public on costly effects
 Motivation to purchase flood insurance

Secondary research provided

Previous marketing efforts only focused on flood awareness
 Did not increase insurance growth

Work with ad firm to create five-year, integrated marketing campaign
 Connect consumers directly to insurance agents
 Must provide consumers with information to make smart financial
decisions
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3. Overview

Variety of tactics to employ approach
 National media campaign
 Direct mail
 Targeted online marketing
 Campaign website

Website must be main resource for flood risk and insurance information

Must reach insurance professionals
 How will you increase policy sales?

Measuring success:
 If campaign helps achieve 5% annual increase in flood insurance policies
 Demonstrating increased awareness by public about flood insurance
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4. Issues





Global Warming (increase in natural disasters)
Low or decreasing trust in FEMA after Hurricane
Sandy and Hurricane Katrina
Economic condition causing public to hesitate on
certain expenses
People unaware they live in a flood zone
People unsure of where to purchase flood
insurance
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5. Secondary Research

$4.5 billion in property damage per year

FEMA considers flooding “America’s #1 natural hazard”

Property development in flood-prone areas continues

81% unaware of need to purchase flood insurance separately

1 in 4 chance of flooding during 30-year mortgage

Local news most preferred information source regarding flood
risk (76%)
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6. Secondary Research
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7. Secondary Research

Hurricane Sandy cost U.S. $70 billion
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8. Secondary Research Cont’d
FEMA
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9. Secondary Research Cont’d
FEMA
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10. Primary Research

Quantitative study to determine level of concern each
audience feels
 High-risk/above average risk homeowner study
 Average/below average risk homeowner study

Quantitative study to determine key opinion leaders for
total audience segment

Determine most prominent flood insurance company in
each state for outreach during campaign
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11. Primary Research

Qualitative study to determine most
effective executional framework for total
audience segment

Results:
Dramatization
Testimonial
Informative
Celebrity Branding
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12. Audiences

High-risk area property owners 35+
 North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota

Above average risk property owners 35+
 Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey

Average risk property owners 35+
 New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Utah

Below average risk property owners 35+
 Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho

Insurance professionals
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13. Audience Identification Wheel
Internal
• Insurance agents
• FEMA
employees/volunteers
• Current floodinsurance policy
holders
Intermediary
•Media
• Retail partners
External
Property Owners In:
• High-risk flood zone areas
• Above average flood risk
areas
• Average flood risk areas
Special
• Property owners in
below average flood
zone areas
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14. Audience Ranking Chart
Must
Influence
Likely to
Influence
Unlikely to
Influence
Should
Influence
• High-Risk
• Average
• Insurance agents
• FEMA
employees/volunteers
• Current flood
insurance policy holders
• Retail Partners
• Below average
Maximum PR
Effort
Significant PR
Effort
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15. MAC Triad
Audience
Message
Channel
• High-risk
• Above average risk
• Average risk
• Protect your family with flood
insurance
• Direct mail
• TV/PSA
• Social media
• Media
• Celebrity endorsement
• Below average risk
• Why risk taking the chance?
• Social media
• TV advertisements
• Media
• Insurance agents
• Retail partners
• FEMA employees/volunteers
• Be a hero
• Electronic communication
• Employee orientation
• Current flood insurance
policy holders
• Always protected. Always
safe.
• Bill inserts
• Newsletters
• TV/PSA
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16. Issue: People Don’t Know They’re in a
Flood Area
1.0 Increase knowledge of climate patterns & flood risk zones
nationwide by 35% by 2019
1.1 Educate total risk zone population on increases in flooding and
climate patterns in their area
1.1.1 Direct mail campaign highlighting changes in flood
patterns/climate changes in selected area over 30 years.
- Selected executional frameworks
- Supply resources for local flood insurance agents
- Campaign Website
1.1.2 Establish numerous social media platforms to engage and
educate:
- Flood potential warnings
- Flood/climate change facts
- Graphs
- Current information on storms
1.1.3 Online video campaign to push out via social media channels and
website feature
1.1.4 Disseminate news release and fact sheet surrounding climate
changes to nationwide local media outlets and relevant national
media outlets
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17. Issue: People Don’t Know They’re in a
Flood Area
1.2 Increase education among all flood zones and emphasize importance of
having flood insurance
1.2.1 Video campaign targeted to each audience by flood risk zone
- Campaign Website
- Social Media Platforms
1.2.2 Media outreach targeted to each audience by flood risk zone
highlighting unknown facts about flood insurance
1.2.3 Key opinion leader PSAs via radio, TV highlighting benefits of
flood insurance
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18. Issue: Low/Decreasing Trust in FEMA
After Hurricane Sandy & Katrina
2.0 Gain and restore trust in FEMA with population by 25% by 2019
2.1 Inform public on FEMA disaster relief efforts
2.1.1 Nationwide media buying campaign
2.1.2 Hold press conference following any natural disaster
emphasizing relief given by FEMA
2.1.3 Partner with major retailers to sell FEMA branded emergency kits
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19. Issue: Public Doesn’t Know Where to
Purchase Flood Insurance Policies
3.0 Motivate agents to increase sales of flood insurance to potential
victims by 25% by 2019
3.1 Restore agent morale and emphasize heroism
3.1.1 Produce required-viewing video with “hero” theme for agents
nationwide
3.1.2 Implement incentive program that will raise commission rates
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20. Issue: Low Public Knowledge Surrounding
Flood Insurance and Related Information
4.0 Drive traffic to campaign website/increase social media following
by 70% each year by 2019
4.1 Consistently increase follower count on social media
4.1.1 Display social media accounts on all branded marketing
materials
4.1.2 Engage in flood/climate/weather conversations
4.2 Consistently increase traffic to website and position as main
resource for public
4.2.1 Display web address on all branded marketing materials
4.2.2 Include insurance agent locator
4.2.3 Know your zone application that provides user with flood info
in their area
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21. 21

22. Results

Year One
 Achieved 2% increase in flood insurance policy.
○ Did not achieve goal
 Customer Survey
○ Primary research conducted post year one resulted in 38% awareness
about flood insurance.

Year Two
 Achieved 3% increase in flood insurance policy.
○ Did not achieve goal
 Customer Survey
○ Primary research conducted post year one resulted in 43% awareness
about flood insurance.
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23. Results

Year Three
 Achieved 5% increase in flood insurance policy.
○ Achieved goal
 Customer Survey
○

Primary research conducted post year one resulted in 62% awareness about flood insurance.
Year Four
 Achieved 9% increase in flood insurance policy.
○ Achieved goal
 Customer Survey
○

Primary research conducted post year one resulted in 77% awareness about flood insurance.
Year Five
 Achieved 7% increase in flood insurance policy.
○ Achieved goal
 Customer Survey
○
Primary research conducted post year one resulted in 90% awareness about flood insurance.

24. Results

Objective 1: Met
Increase knowledge of climate patterns &
flood risk zones nationwide by 35% by 2019
○ More than 23 million distributed
○ Knowledge of climate patterns and flood risk
zones increased by 52%
○ Online video viewed over 350,000 times

25. Results

Objective 2: Met
Gain and restore trust in FEMA with
population by 25% by 2019.
○ Trust in FEMA restored to 38% in 2019.
○ Partnered with Target to sell FEMA branded
emergency kits

26. Results

Objective 3: Met
 Motivate agents to increase sales of flood
insurance to potential victims by 25% by
2019.
○ Agent motivation increased by 49% by 2019.
○ Incentive program increased commission
rates by 35%.

27. Results

Objective 4: Met
Drive traffic to campaign website/increase
social media following by 70% each year by
2019.
○ Social media following surpassed 100,000
likes and follows over various channels
○ Website traffic increased, on average, 73%
over five-year span

28. Potter Model

Each year, thousands of Americans lose
their homes and personal belongings to
flood, the nation’s number one natural
disaster. Without flood insurance, affected
families face major repair costs, resulting in
lost savings and multiple mortgages.

Is it ethical to use scare tactics as
a way to sell a product or service?

29. Potter Model
Definition
Yes: The only way customers can realize the full
potential of the product/service s to put them in an
altered situation.
No: Scaring a customer means you take them out
of their natural state of mind and reasoning.
Values
Yes: If the product or service has potential to have
a positive impact then the tactic is insignificant.
No: Providing the facts and allowing the customer
to make an educated decision can be done without
scaring them.
Loyalties
Yes: The product needs to be sold. As long as that
is accomplished, scaring people is acceptable.
No: Scaring people affects their emotional wellbeing and modifies their unbiased opinion on a
product or service.
Principles
Yes:
• Aristotle – Greatest good for greatest number. In the end, if the
product or service helps people, the way to get there is
irrelevant.
• Mill – What’s useful is right. If the product or service helps
people, then use whatever tactic it takes to show them.
No:
•Rawl’s Veil of Ignorance – Fairness is paramount. Scaring
customers should not be necessary to sell a product or service.
• Kant – Uncompromising. Using scare tactics is always wrong.
Therefore, no matter how good the product/service is, scaring
customers isn’t how to sell it.
Answer: Yes, it is ethical to use scare tactics
as a way to sell a product or service.

30. Resources




Association of State Floodplan
Managers
American Meteorological Society
Civil Society Institute
Floodsmart.gov
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