Role: Account Executive
The Bateman Case Study Competition is PRSSA’s premier national case study competition for public relations students, and gives students an opportunity to apply their classroom education and internship experiences to create a fully implemented public relations campaign.
The Battle Born Bateman team created a campus wide PR campaign centered around ‘Serving On’ for student veterans. The campaign reached over 300 faculty and administration, 21,000 undergraduates at the University of Nevada, Reno, and 200+ employers in the Reno community. Resulting in an Honorable Mention from the PRSSA 2016 judges. (16 out of 70)
Nevada Department of Transportation Strategic Plan
Role: Account Executive
Developed an integrated strategic communications plan for the Nevada Department of Transportation, the plan used energetic yet practical tactics that aims to reach the public everyday highlighting the good things that the Nevada Department of Transportation does for the state. Our team presented to the Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval who decided the plan will be implemented statewide.
Media Coverage:
Nevada Department of Transportation Launches New Brand and Logo
Nevadans will see an enhanced Nevada Department of Transportation logo and driver information as part of the department’s new communications plan.
In conjunction with University of Nevada, Reno Reynolds School of Journalism students, NDOT has crafted a strategic communications plan to build an enhanced brand for the department. The plan establishes strategies and goals for each medium the department uses to share transportation information, such as online and social media, media relations and public meetings.
At the heart of the plan is a new “Safe and Connected” tagline highlighting the department’s dedication to providing a safe and mobile transportation system for the state. The tagline is being added to the NDOT logo on department vehicles, signs, safety gear and more as the items are replaced or serviced.
“We have roughly 2,000 visitors to our nevadadot.com website every day, along with more than 14,000 followers on Twitter,” explained NDOT Director of Communications Sean Sever. “And those are just a few of the avenues we use to help provide updates for those using Nevada roads. Our new communications plan will essentially serve as a roadmap outlining how we will further enhance and add value to the information and services we share with the public.”
The plan was initially developed in partnership with strategic communications students at the University of Nevada, Reno’s Reynolds School of Journalism at no cost and then expanded by the NDOT communications office. The plan focuses on heightening strong relationships between NDOT and constituents and illustrating the proactive approach that NDOT takes to transportation safety and mobility.
“Nevada roads and bridges are routinely ranked some of the nation’s very best,” Sever stated. “NDOT is much more than road construction and orange cones. All of our employees strive to keep Nevadans safe and connected every day and our new brand and logo reflect this important goal. Our roads and transportation system keep all Nevadans connected, and we want to provide an even stronger opportunity for the public to share in keeping Nevada safe and mobile.”
Those interested in the new social media changes can follow NDOT on Twitter @NevadaDOT, Nevada Department of Transportation on Facebook and NevadaDOT on Youtube.
Agency, Governor applaud communication plan developed by students
New brand, ‘Keeping You Safe and Connected,’ proposed for Nevada Department of Transportation by Reynolds School of Journalism students
The Nevada Department of Transportation plans this summer to implement a new brand and communications plan developed by strategic communications students at the Reynolds School of Journalism at the University of Nevada, Reno.
The research-based brand and communications plan were developed in the Journalism 442 class in the fall of 2014. They were presented to the NDOT Transportation Board on May 11, 2015 and received unanimous buy-in from all members, including Governor Brian Sandoval and Lt. Governor Mark Hutchinson.
Building on the student-proposed tagline of “Keeping You Safe and Connected,” the plan focuses on building strong relationships between NDOT and constituents. It encourages NDOT to use consistent and strategic communications to reinforce public trust in NDOT and NDOT’s focus on safety and connection with the public.
Key messages for the plan are: NDOT takes a proactive approach to safety in the community; the roads and highways NDOT builds connect all Nevadans; and NDOT is accessible to the public.
NDOT Communications Director Sean Sever said, “The work the NDOT Communications Division does already portrays the Department in a positive light, but something was missing from our overall communications strategy. We needed a brand and communications plan. That’s where the Journalism School came in.”
“I approached my former Professor Bob Felten about having a class take NDOT on as a class client,” Sever said. “The rest is history and the students exceeded all expectations for this project.” NDOT Transportation Board members praised the presentation style, skill, passion, creativity and level of professionalism the Journalism students embodied.
“The strategy the students laid out can help NDOT get to zero fatalities,” NDOT Transportation Board Member Tom Skancke said. “It is a creative and thoughtful way to remind the public that they have to stay connected. Closer connections with NDOT means being better informed which helps keep the public safe.”
“This work is of great benefit to the State and when NDOT incorporates the plan these talented, passionate students designed, they will have the satisfaction in knowing they have made Nevada a better, safer place,” Governor Brian Sandoval said.
American Advertising Federation National Student Competition Pizza Hut Strategic Plan
Role: Research and Presentation Team
Chosen to Participate on an elite team of students competing in the National Student Advertising Competition sponsored by the American Advertising Federation for Pizza Hut finishing ahead of California Berkley.
Media Coverage:
Strong district-level finish for IMC team
The University of Nevada, Reno Integrated Marketing Communication team, comprised of students from the Reynolds School of Journalism and the College of Business, placed in the American Advertising Federation’s National Student Advertising Competition District 14 competition, in Berkeley, Calif., April 11.
“Our team presented an aggressive, edgy creative idea and had research to support everything they recommended,” Reynolds School strategic communications professor and team mentor Bob Felten said. “The team members also knew their approach was risky, but believed it was needed to reach the difficult-to-achieve client objectives. The judges seemed to appreciate the idea, but in the end selected a less edgy concept and plan developed by San Jose State.”
The annual competition poses a marketing communications challenge by a national client. This year’s corporate client, Pizza Hut, challenged competition teams to achieve three goals: position Pizza Hut as the top choice for customers who order digitally; provide the greatest digital ordering experience in the category; and achieve the goal of having 75 percent of all orders be placed online and on mobile devices by the end of 2015.
IMC students researched consumer habits and previous budgets and tactics implemented by Pizza Hut. The Nevada team identified their target audience as millennials, and prepared a written plan and a 20-minute presentation for a panel of judges at the district competition.
Based on the team’s research, they knew millennials would respond to character-based humor, so the team created the personality “Rick Drizzle” to deliver their “Pizza Service Announcements.” These “PSA’s” were included in a sample video commercial in their presentation. The team also developed a rewards system and pizza delivery tracker, using a symbol they called the “Hut Rod” – think a pizza delivery car that looks like a hot rod with a Pizza Hut roof.
“We wanted [the campaign] to have a philanthropic angle and decided to appeal to the audience through the cause of cyber-bullying,” IMC media-buying director and Reynolds School senior Ryan Kelly said. The team recommended Pizza Hut connect with the national non-profit organization Stomp Out Bullying which aims to prevent cyber-bullying. The team felt aligning with Stomp Out Bullying would lead to increased brand awareness among the millennial audience and provide millennials with an opportunity to share their stories through the Pizza Hut mobile app or website.
The presenters from the Nevada IMC team were Reynolds School students Spenser Blank, Ginny Allen, Daniel Coffey, Lindsey Fullerton and Tony Castaneda.
“IMC showed me how much hard work goes into building an integrated campaign,” Allen said. “It was challenging to make all the pieces fit together and make sense, but going through that process was such a valuable exercise.”
“The commitment the students show is extraordinary,” Felten said. “They stayed up late, got up early, gave up spring break to meet deadlines and refused to settle. There’s a lot to admire in the way these students performed.”
San Jose State University placed first and the University of California, Berkeley placed third. The University of San Francisco and Fresno State University also competed.
“Even though we didn’t win, we put forth 100 percent effort to design a special campaign we all loved,” Allen said. “I’m so thankful for the experience, friendships, and for Bob. Despite it completely taking over my life, I am sad it is over. I love this team.”
Lindsay A. Honaker 