MCSA Publicity Toolbox

1. Brand Briefing
MIDWEST COLLEGIATE SAILING ASSOCIATION
2015 Version by Hannah Noll, MCSA Publicity Secretary
Brand & Key Messages
The MCSA is a unique conference. We stand out from the rest
because we are a coalition of student-run teams. MCSA sailors are
well-prepared for life because of unparalleled leadership
opportunities. The teams work together synergistically (instead of
working against one another) to keep our conference competitive,
friendly and fun. Midwest sailors form deep, lifelong relationships
that extend across team lines: That’s MCSA Love.
Goal
The goal of the MCSA Publicity Secretary is to share the story of
college sailing in the Midwest to our target audience in order to
grow and enrich the MCSA (and the sport of sailing as a whole.)
Strategy
Social Media is the most cost-effective, wide-reaching tool to meet
our goal.
Highlight regattas, teams, and individuals as a way to find a story
with emotion. Leverage the networks of these teams and these
individuals to reach a larger audience.
Encourage Midwest college sailors to post more content about
their experiences in College Sailing.
Primary Target Audience
Midwest College Sailors
Our primary target audience is college sailors in the Midwest — the
athletes that are active on MCSA Member Teams. The conference
is represented by these sailors. The conference will be more
successful with engaged and passionate sailors. Midwest college
sailors generate content, some of which the MCSA will choose to
highlight, thus encouraging more sailors to generate more
content.
Secondary Target Audiences
Stakeholders of College Sailing
Coaches, board members, donors, sponsors, influencers
News Media
Sailing news media & local university media sources
Universities
School presidents, athletic directors
Families
Parents and supporters of Midwest college sailors
Sailing companies and organizations
Yacht clubs, manufacturers, sail makers, boat builders

2. Voice
The voice of the MCSA in all publications should be:
Professional, Serious, Factual, Journalistic
Warm, Positive, Optimistic
Platforms
Facebook
Midwest Collegiate Sailing Association (MCSA)
This is the best way to engage with the current MCSA audience
and reach new audiences.
Instagram
@MCSASailing
This is the best method to engage with the ICSA national
audience. Use the Regram app to encourage Midwest college
sailors to post more content about their experiences in College
Sailing.
Twitter
@MCSASailing
This is the best way to convey specific, targeted messages.
Live Broadcasting
Facebook & Periscope/Twitter @MCSASailing
Flickr
@MCSASail
Past Publicity Secretaries have used this platform. The Flickr
account login information has been lost. The last contact with the
owner, Chris Metcalf, was in January 2015.
Campaigns
#MCSALove
Lifelong relations stretching across team boundaries. Our
conference stands out from the rest because we all have a “love”
mentality rather than the “vs” mentality. Less politics, more love.
The campaign is primarily focused on Twitter. Best used when
MCSA teams interact with each other online and include the
hashtag #MCSALove.
#MCSAOffseason
College Sailing isn’t news in the summer. But sailing is. Combat
the MCSA’s seasonality with the #MCSAOffseason hashtag on
Instagram. Best used by individual sailors in the summertime.
Sailor of the Month
The goal of this campaign is to highlight individual sailors to build
MCSA brand awareness. Sailors are chosen for both their
leadership in sailing and their racing accomplishments. When
more individual sailors are known on a national level, the
conference is shown in a more positive light. MCSA Sailor of the
Month is a vehicle to drive news about our conference and send
home our message of coalition of student-run teams.
MCSA Foundation
The goal of this campaign is to drive individual donations to the
MCSA Foundation. The MCSA Foundation supports MCSA Member
Teams financially with grants.
College Sailing Nationals
This is an incredible opportunity to share the story of the MCSA to
the greater sailing community. Use these Key Messages over &
over.

3. Content Calendar
MIDWEST COLLEGIATE SAILING ASSOCIATION
2017 Version by Hannah Noll, MCSA Communications Coordinator
This document is a chronological guide — a toolbox for the MCSA Publicity Secretary. It should serve as a content calendar that you can
use to share the story of the conference. Using this regularly will save you time and brain space. Read this document carefully and refer
back to it frequently. Feel free to suggest changes to keep our media on the cutting edge.
MCSA Midwinters
Share the names & nominations for all recipients of MCSA
Awards. Example: https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/posts/759653654110267
Live tweet or create an Instagram Story during the activities at
Midwinters
Announce the new Executive Board. Example:
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/photos/a.300392373369733.69147.244514372290867/760211970721102/?type=3&theater
Announce the new leadership transition for the page.
Announce the new page moderator. Example:
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/posts/759549284120704
Active MCSA Sailing Weekends
If you are at an event, create your own content for the MCSA. If
will not be in attendance at a major conference event, reach out
to the host school’s media chair or a fellow MCSA Exec Board
member and ask them to provide you with a short write-up and
at least one image each day.
Every weekend, share content from teams and individuals. See
Brand Standard on why this is important. Reward content
creators by sharing their posts.
Here is a list of tactics you can choose from if you are at an
event yourself:
– Interviews ofrace winners
– One interviewofthe regatta winner
– InstagramStory throughout theweekend
– Video / Film(example)
– Facebook Live
– Live Tweeting
– Photography
– Public Relations (DailyPress Releases sentout tomedia contacts)
Spring TrainingSeason
EARLY MARCH: Announce which sailing teams are going on a
Spring Training trip.
Example one:
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/posts/779622385446727
Example two:
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/posts/793668874042078

4. Interconference Regatta Season
The Interconference season starts before the MCSA season.
Every Sunday or Monday, report on which MCSA teams travelled
out of conference.
Example 1:
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/photos/a.300392373369733.69147.244514372290867/780202475388718/?type=3&theater
Example 2:
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/posts/783430108399288
Conference Championships
On the Thursday or Friday before the regatta: Announce that this
weekend is a big event for the conference. Find a photo of an
MCSA team from last year’s National Championship to
accompany this post.
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/photos/a.300392373369733.69147.244514372290867/808876395854659/?type=3&theater
During the event:
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/photos/a.300392373369733.69147.244514372290867/900775929998038/?type=3&theater
After the event: Report on who qualified. Pull quotes. Share
photos.
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/posts/804314632977502
College Sailing Nationals
Publicity Secretary, if you are at Nationals, you should post
regular content. If you’re not there, appoint a media-savvy
person to take the lead for each event. Train them and support
them throughout the process.
#MCSALove Campaign
Post regularly throughout the season. See Branding guidelines.
Post example:
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/photos/a.300392373369733.69147.244514372290867/823704897705142/?type=3&theater
#MCSAOffseason Campaign
This campaign’s launch immediately follows College Sailing
Nationals.
Copy & paste this post right after Nationals and find a cool non-
ICSA photo. Give a shoutout to whoever’s photo it is (to show
that you’ll share photos)
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/photos/a.760055574070075.1073741829.244514372290867/827946383947660/?type=3&theater
MCSA Foundation Campaign
We need to fundraise. No precedent has been set. This
campaign needs to be launched.
Timme Angsten
Post examples:
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/photos/a.300392373369733.69147.244514372290867/882997641775867/?type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/photos/a.760055574070075.1073741829.244514372290867/881829718559326/?type=3&theater

5. MCSA Sailor of the Month
The goal of this campaign is to highlight individual sailors in
order to build MCSA brand awareness. Sailors are chosen for
both their leadership in sailing and their racing
accomplishments. When more individual sailors are known on a
national level, the conference is shown in a more positive light.
MCSA Sailor of the Month is a vehicle to drive news about our
conference and send home our message that the MCSA is a
coalition of student-run teams and we provide unparalleled
leadership opportunities.
Here’s how to execute the Sailor of the Month campaign:
Every month, the Publicity Secretary should ask for nominations
for the Sailor of the Month. All voting members of the MCSA
should vote on who they think deserves the award, based on the
guidelines below. Once chosen, Publicity Secretary should ask
the winner a few interview questions.
Every month, the Sailor of the Month campaign is two posts:
1. Seek nominations from the public.
Here’s the link for the form:
https://goo.gl/forms/XA7bVPuwrO
Here’s an example of a post seeking nominations:
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasailing/posts/811553515586947
2. Announce the Sailor of the Month.
Example: George
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasa iling/photos/a .300392 37336973 3.69147 .24451 43722908 67/8 13982565 344042 /?type=3&theater
Example: Libby Reeg
https://www.facebook.com/mcsasa iling/photos/a .300392 37336973 3.69147 .24451 43722908 67/1 27806196 8936097 /?type=3&theater
Sailor of the Month Nomination Guidelines:
Nominees should have performed at a high level on the water, demonstrated
leadership qualities, and made extraordinary contributions to the sailing
community within the past few years.
You may nominate yourself or another sailor. Nominations will carry over
month-to-month; you do not need to resubmit every month.
The MCSAExecutive Board will consider nominations based on on-the-water
performance and off-the-water leadership. On-the-water performance will be
gauged by regatta results. Leadership accomplishments will be gauged by
coaching experience, certifications, awards, and contributions which produce
long-term organizational improvements. Emphasis will be given to
experience within college sailing, but accomplishments outside of college
sailing will also be valued.