The Southeast Michigan University of Scouting was a premier training event designed to promote a quality partnership and fellowship experience for adult Scout leaders in two neighboring councils, Clinton Valley Council and Detroit Area Council. The program provided a training venue consisting of both basic and supplemental training topics and presenters from both councils. A forum was created to kick off and highlight local council and national Boy Scout programs. Marketing campaign objectives included promotion of this very special event and promotion of online registration.
A cabinet of key leaders was formed and representative of both councils. Input from cabinet members, council marketing representatives, webmasters, and district marketing representatives was important in creating the timeline and the marketing materials and the implementation of the marketing campaign for this event. Through meetings, e-mails, and phone discussions, a timeline and strategies were set. A multimedia communications plan was designed that included letters to all registered den leaders in both councils, fliers distributed to all units with extras available at all events from September through the end of October, display boards for each district and one for each council office, Web site, e-mail messages sent weekly for five weeks prior to the event, patch, and neckerchief. The title, theme, and logo were designed and provided branding identification for this event, which is evidenced by the samples enclosed.
About 120 staff conducted training sessions for more than 500 adult leaders, representing about 100 more attendees than a similar event conducted separately by the two councils the previous year. Online registration was promoted, with over 80 percent of the attendees utilizing this process. The Web site designed specifically for this event had 697 hits after the first week of "going live," with 3,791 hits five weeks later, two days prior to the event.
The collaboration between the Clinton Valley Council and Detroit Area Council was instrumental to the success of this event. Advance planning and adherence to the timeline contributed to the success of this event. The designed multimedia approach proved effective as evidence by the attendance and the number of hits on the Web site.
Following the successes of our 2004 campaign, only slight modifications were considered for the 2005 Marketing Campaign.
The objectives established for the marketing effort:
The marketing, membership, and camping committees, supported by the executive staff, developed a Joining Week marketing campaign utilizing the following tools:
Yard signs: 1,400 "Join Cub Scouting" yard signs were strategically placed throughout the council service area directing readers to call the dedicated phone line for information, or to visit www.joincubscouting.org
Paid TV spots: 105 paid 10- and :30-second television spots aired on local NBC affiliates for the period of September 5-18. The spots were locally produced and aired during airtime targeted to particular demographics when decision makers of families were likely watching. The spots portrayed a mom and her son. Viewers were encouraged to call the dedicated Joining Week phone line or visit www.joincubscouting.org. The cost advertising was shared in part by a neighboring council served by the same TV market.
Print media advertising: 110,000 yellow Post-it Notes were attached to the front page of the Sunday edition of Rochester's Democrat and Chronicle prior to the kickoff of Joining Week. Readers were again directed to call the dedicated phone line or visit www.joincubscouting.org. Additional advertisements for "Race to Cub Scouting" appeared in 27,100 copies of a free community newspaper, ADNET DIRECT. A bonus to the advertising in the Democratic and Chronicle was placement of a small insert ad on the home page of the newspaper's Web site on September 21.
Annual report: 10,000 copies of the Otetiana Council Annual Report were distributed through the September 9 issue of the Rochester Business Journal. Timing of this corresponded with the dates of Joining Week, creating an additional awareness of Scouting.
School fliers: More than 50,000 colorful fliers, maintaining the theme of "Race to Cub Scouting," were distributed in schools and religious institutions throughout the council service area. Customized fliers for packs, providing specific times, dates, and locations, were produced and distributed as needed.
New Cub Scout Adventure Days: The council offered three free events for all new Cub Scout families to attend following Joining Week. These events were made possible by a grant from the Northeast Region and introduced new Cub Scout families to the exciting activities that Cub Scouting offers. One event was held at a city park, while the other two were held at the council's Cub Scout Adventure Camp.
Additional campaign tools included the lunch box/pinewood derby(R) kit for all new Cub Scouts, a limited number of DVDs from a previous campaign, and library bookmarks.
Cub Scout Joining Week results tracked ahead those of the previous year, helping the council to surpass the "Race to Cub Scouting" goal at year-end. The integrated Joining Week marketing effort, which was followed by the council's Community Friends of Scouting Campaign and Popcorn Sale, provided high visibility of Scouting.
Marketing Scouting is a year-round process. Consistency and frequency of the campaign message is important in developing and maintaining brand identity with our target audiences.
The council reinforced what was learned in previous campaigns—that the effectiveness of each tool is essential in determining which marketing methods are best. By tracking phone calls received on our dedicated Joining Week phone line, we were ale to gauge the effectiveness of each marketing tool. Surveys this year indicated that the most effective tools were school fliers, yard sings, and DVDs.
The Merits of Marketing (marketing.scouting.org) is a resource for local
councils, developed by the Marketing &
Communications Division of the National Council, Boy Scouts of
America.