Communications Plan 2013 National Adoption Day March 7, 2013 Situation Analysis Paul Werth Associates is pleased to provide the following budget proposal to the National Adoption Day Coalition for media relations efforts and communications initiatives to support the 14th annual National Adoption Day celebration on November 23, 2013. All efforts will bring attention to the thousands of children waiting in U.S. foster care for their forever families and support the National Adoption Day Coalition’s goals for 2013: • National Adoption Day will generate public awareness of the need for foster care adoption and move Americans to action. • Every community in the United States will have a branded, self-sustaining and institutionalized, annual celebration of National Adoption Day on or near the Saturday before Thanksgiving to finalize adoptions of children from foster care and/or celebrate all adoptions. • National Adoption Day will engage and influence policymakers and their staffs to create policy and practice to support adoption of children from foster care. Target Audiences • People who are interested in adoption • Adoptive parents • General public • Policymakers • Media influencers (traditional and social media) Strategies and Tactics To accomplish the Coalition’s goals, the 2013 communications plan will utilize the following strategies and tactics. Strategy 1: Implement an overall communications strategy to serve as a foundation for all communications efforts to build awareness of National Adoption Day and the need for foster care adoption. • 1.1 Communications plan: Werth recommends receiving approval from the Coalition by March 1 to begin implementing the strategies and tactics outlined in this plan. • 1.2 Messaging: Werth will update messaging to include key findings from the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s new Harris Interactive survey on adoption attitudes. Werth recommends Rita Soronen serve as the spokesperson for media interviews about the survey. • 1.3 Secure spokespeople: Werth recommends having both a family and a celebrity serve as national spokespersons. A family shares a real, human-interest story about the impact adoption has on a child and family, and a celebrity captures the interest of national media. The celebrity could be a parent or a person with a credible record of working to promote the welfare of children. Also, working in coordination with the Congressional Coalition for Adoption Institute, Werth will identify and secure legislative spokespersons for elite political- National Adoption Day Coalition 2013 Communications Plan March 7, 2013 Page 2 of 8 based media. Werth will present the Coalition with three recommendations for a celebrity spokesperson and family by March 15. Werth recommends securing all spokespersons by April 15 to enable the team to implement the national media relations program as early as possible. Possible tactics to engage the spokesperson will be shared with the Coalition for review prior to discussions with the spokespeople (see tactic 1.4). In addition, all members of the National Adoption Day Coalition will be offered as media spokespersons as appropriate for the media outlet. • 1.4 Spokesperson tactics: Werth will create a menu of opportunities for the spokesperson or celebrity-supporter to engage with National Adoption Day to create a national “echo chamber” about foster care adoption and leverage supporters’ talents and networks to reach a greater audience. Strategy 2: Lead a national media relations program to bring additional exposure to the campaign from elite media, raise awareness of foster care adoption, and highlight local National Adoption Day events. Tactics: • 2.1 National spokesperson: Werth recommends leveraging the national spokespeople with consumer-focused and entertainment-based media and key online media influencers to feature stories on National Adoption Day and foster care adoption. Media targets include national print publications such as Los Angeles Times and USA Today, national parenting and adoption magazines, national radio programs such as “Morning Edition” and national television programs such as “The Today Show” and “The View.” Werth will keep in mind a celebrity’s commitment, schedule and location prior to pitching media. Any travel by the Werth team to assist the spokesperson with interviews (with the exception of the Internet media tour) will be billed in addition to the project fee. • 2.2 Signature event support: Werth will provide media relations support for a major, signature event by developing media lists, alerts and pitches. Any collateral support such as additional banners or other creative materials, or travel expenses will be billed in addition to the project fee. • 2.3 Research and story development: Prior to media relations outreach, Werth will review and update all media lists. Werth will continue to build relationships with reporters and bloggers on the Coalition’s behalf. In addition, Werth will work with the editorial staff at targeted publications to identify upcoming story opportunities and develop pitches and articles. Werth will develop hard news pitches based on the message points, such as the results of the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption’s new Harris Interactive survey, coupled with powerful family adoption stories and celebrity spokesperson as applicable. • 2.4 Share the story: Werth will target national print, broadcast and online media (online news sites and bloggers) for opportunities to support National Adoption Day and generate public awareness of the need for foster care adoption and move Americans to action. Target major media outlets include Associated Press, USA Today, New York Times, National Public Radio, CNN, People, Parent Magazine and others. Additionally, Werth will target key adoption publications and lead an aggressive blogger outreach campaign. In addition, Werth will lead an aggressive blogger outreach campaign targeting adoption and parenting blogs to bring attention to children waiting in U.S. foster care for their forever families, celebrate National Adoption Day and share the “One Day Project.” Bloggers will be invited to submit three to five questions about foster care adoption for our spokespersons to answer. Werth will provide draft responses for the Coalition’s review before submitting to the blog. National Adoption Day Coalition 2013 Communications Plan March 7, 2013 Page 3 of 8 • 2.5 Coordinate interviews: Werth will prepare background materials for media interviews. The materials will include message points, National Adoption Day fact sheets and background about the reporter/outlet. • 2.6 Bylined article: Werth will develop one bylined article for Adoption Today about National Adoption Day to bring attention to the thousands of children waiting in U.S. foster care for their forever families. If Adoption Today is not interested in a bylined article this year, Werth will approach another trade publication. • 2.7 E-release program: Werth will develop and distribute three e-releases via Marketwire at key points during the 2013 campaign. • 2.8 Audio news release: Werth will develop and distribute an audio news release about National Adoption Day featuring the national spokesperson or a member of the Coalition. • 2.9 Internet media tour: Werth will oversee an Internet media tour for the national spokesperson with interviews during the week leading up to National Adoption Day. The spokesperson may be the celebrity or family. An Internet media tour will maximize coverage, maintain a longer media “shelf life” for the story and be more accommodating of the spokesperson’s time. • 2.10 Media monitoring: Werth will monitor for media coverage for National Adoption Day and calculate an ad equivalency and return-on-investment for media placements. A comprehensive monitoring report will be provided at the end of the campaign. Press release dashboard results and earned media placements will be shared throughout the campaign. Out-of-pocket costs for purchasing any television spots not available online will be billed to the National Adoption Day Coalition; prior approval will be needed. Strategy 3: Utilize social media to engage families and adoption advocates to raise awareness of National Adoption Day and foster care adoption. Tactics: • 3.1 One Day Project: Werth recommends continuing promotion of the “One Day Project” in 2013. Promotion will include Facebook and Twitter posts, blogger outreach and PSA distribution to TV stations. Werth will provide template social media posts for the Coalition to encourage their partners to support the project. Also, Werth will continue to review, categorize and post video submissions on the site. • 3.2 Facebook, Twitter, YouTube: Werth will continue social media outreach via Facebook, Twitter and YouTube to continue to build online community support, promote local events, share adoption news, and encourage others to submit letters to the editor about National Adoption Day to local newspapers. In 2013, there will be more posts early in the year and frequency will increase as National Adoption Day approaches. Followers will be encouraged to change their profile image to the “One Day” logo leading up to National Adoption Day. The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption will assist Werth with social media updates on Pinterest, Tumblr and LinkedIn. • 3.3 Infographic: Werth will develop an infographic based on National Adoption Day key messages to promote via social media and media relations efforts. • 3.4 Twitter Chat: Werth recommends hosting a Twitter Chat about National