How to Create an Effective Media Campaign

Planning 

Situation Analysis 

The situation analysis of the UAE Winter Photography Competition serves as a valuable tool for identifying the event’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. 

Strengths 

A key strength of the UAE Winter is its free registration. In this respect, the event is likely to attract a large number of contestants, especially UAE students who may be financially constrained. The use of social platforms to advertise the event will ensure that it attracts many contestants, given that a large number of social media users are young and like to post photos on the platforms. Media relations will be vital in creating the event's awareness. Another strength of the event is the large financial backing of both the World Photography Organization and Sony Corporation, a multinational entity that operates in various industries. Both entities have sufficient cash resources to ensure the competition runs smoothly. In addition, Sony is a renowned technology brand, and, as a result, the event's sponsorship by the entity adds to the event's credibility. Another strength of the UAE Winter event is its use of public voting. The involvement of the public in the event will promote Sony's image and may lead to an increase in the number of its product customers. Moreover, the public engagement will add to the event's appeal. The event's press release builds authority and allows Sony Corporation to improve its relations with the media. 

Weaknesses 

A major weakness of the UAE Winter event is the fact that it is limited to only active UAE university students enrolled in mass media or visual arts programs. Students who undertake other majors and who practice photography as a hobby will be denied an opportunity to participate in the event. In this scenario, highly talented individuals deserving the rewards will miss out on the competition. Another weakness is related to the nature of the event’s rewards. The winners of the photography competition will be awarded Sony digital cameras. Given that all the contestants have cameras, there is a high chance that a winner may not need another digital camera. Contestants are likely to invest in the best cameras in the market to win the competition, and, as a result, the digital camera reward may leave a contest with two similar cameras. A cash reward would be better than a digital camera, given that the winner would have more options regarding how to use their rewards. For instance, the winner may use the money to pay for tuition fees, launch a website or start a business. 

Opportunities 

A vital opportunity of the event is its capacity to reach many UAE university students. Sony will advertise the contest on its social media platforms. A viral reach will be created given that the multinational entity has more than eight million followers on Instagram. Sony also has a large number of followers on Facebook and Twitter. The majority of university students are likely to use social media and are likely to view Sony's posts regarding the contest. Press coverage due to Sony's press release regarding the contest will ensure that a high level of awareness is created. Through constant media relations, the media houses are likely to be linked back to the entity's posts, and, resultantly, Sony is likely to receive referral traffic and improve on its domain authority. Another opportunity is the high level of exposure of the participants. One of the event’s sponsors is the World Photography Organization, a worldwide platform for photography initiatives. In this scenario, the contestants are likely to receive global recognition for their photographs. The winners of the contest will be able to display their works in international photography exhibitions. The competition will offer an excellent opening for students to kick start their careers in photography. Another vital opportunity of the event is its capacity to showcase Emirati talent. The contest held among UAE university students will enable the UAE to showcase its talent globally. 

Threats 

A key threat to the event's success is the coronavirus pandemic. The contestants' ability to take photos may be limited by lockdown measures aimed at curbing the spread of the virus. In this case, the number of contestants who submit photos to the judges may be small. In addition, those who chose to participate in the contest may fail to submit images in each category and, as a consequence, limit their chances of winning. 

Event Description 

The event will be held in the UAE among the country’s university students enrolled in the mass media or visual arts program. Its registration is free, with contestants being given six weeks to present their work. Only students from registered learning institutions will be allowed into the competition. All participants can enter one category among fourteen different categories such as split-second, portrait, landscape, urban, panoramic, travel, low-light, arts and culture, street photography, night photography, enhanced, nature, smile, and architecture. Each contestant can present many single images in every category. The contest will disallow multiple registrations by one student. A jury comprising seven independent and renowned photographers will shortlist the entries in every category. The judges will disqualify photos that have been edited or copyrighted. During the six-week period, they will grade photos containing captions describing the photos, the name of the city, and the region where the photo was made, and the date of the photo. Moreover, the judges will check the originality and creativity of the work submitted by the contestants. They will also evaluate the subject matter communicated by the various images and, in this scenario, will be able to evaluate the work’s specific social impact. Additionally, the judges will assess the contestant’s use and control of light in addition to their use of colors. The image's technical excellence and the finished look will also be assessed. Members of the UAE public will be permitted to engage in assisting the judges to select the winners. Contestants will be allowed to rate each other's work. After every week, the judges will shortlist the top ten photographers based on the various categories in contention. The event will culminate with the announcement of the winners after the six-week period. Rewards will be given to the top three individuals. The best contestant will be given a Sony digital camera worth fourteen thousand AED while the second-best photographer will receive a digital camera worth seven thousand AED. The third-placed contestant will be given a Sony digital camera worth five thousand AED. 

SMART Objectives and Goals 

The SMART objectives and goals will make planning the UAE Winter event easier. Such objectives and goals will act as a clear set of guidelines for the planners. Moreover, they will maximize the event’s impact. SMART objectives and goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely. SMART goals are typically assigned on a yearly basis around the time event scheduling, and media relations begin. They are strategic, entity-wide, and comprehensive. On the other hand, the SMART objectives are specific to each media relation activity. The organizers will need to liaise with the media to create sufficient awareness regarding the UAE Winter event. A key SMART objective is to attract three major media companies when the event is launched. Some of the major media companies operating in the UAE include Abu Dhabi Media, Dubai Media Incorporated, and Sharjah Broadcasting Authority. The coverage of the event by these companies will be beneficial to the event organizers, given the high level of awareness and publicity created by the entities. A rise in the number of individuals reached by the media companies will lead to an increase in the number of university students participating in the event. Moreover, an increase in the number of individuals aware of the event will ensure a high number of voters. A high level of publicity will allow the event organizers to attract more third-party endorsements. Essentially, the event will gain a high level of reputation. 

Another key SMART objective is to ensure five major Arabic newspapers and five main English language newspapers cover the event one month before it begins. The five Arabic newspapers the organizers will seek include Al Ittihad, Al Bayan, Al Khaleej, Al Watan, and Al Roeya. The five major English newspapers targeted by the organizers include Gulf News, Khaleej Times, The Gulf Today, The National, and Emirates 24/7. The event's coverage in the Arabic newspaper will ensure UAE nationals are informed of the event, given that Arabic is the country’s national language. In addition, the country has a large number of expatriates who communicate in English, and, in this case, the coverage of the event in the English newspapers will ensure that the event resonates with nationals living in the country. 

A key goal of the event is to achieve 90% differentiation from the competitors' branded events before the event begins. The event organizers are keen to pull the media towards the event to ensure there is maximum coverage of the contest. In the UAE, there are other photography contests such as the Hamdan International Photography Awards and the Xposure International photography festival. The presence of such events lessens the importance of the UAE Photography Competition. The event organizers are keen on differentiating the event from the other photography competitions. In this case, the organizers are keen on utilizing unique ways of engaging the media to ensure they guarantee the event’s differentiation. This scenario will ensure that the event receives the full support of the media. 

Sustainable Media Relations Strategy 

A sustainable media relations strategy will be created and implemented to ensure the event is covered extensively by the media. Members of the public need to be informed of the event's details, including the rules, terms, mission, and goals. Such an objective can be realized if the event organizers adopt an integrated, proactive approach as the event’s primary strategy. In such a strategy, the organizers will ensure proactive outreach of various media platforms. Such an approach is beneficial since the organizers can utilize a wide range of media platforms, including TV, radio, print, and online platforms, in spreading information regarding the event. Approaching various platforms will ensure that the details regarding the event are provided to listeners, TV viewers, and social media users in a consistent manner. The provision of a consistent message by the various media platforms will guarantee Sony’s brand authority as the event’s sponsor. The integrated approach to broadcasting will enhance the credibility of the event from the perspective of the members of the public and university students. In addition, the impact of the message will not be diluted. A proactive approach will enable the event organizers to approach the media companies it wants to work with to generate positive outcomes. In such a situation, the event organizers can plan effectively in advance before it approaches the identified media companies. In this scenario, the organizers are in control of the event planning operations. 

Tactics 

The organizers of the event will focus on using appropriate tactics to ensure the media relations strategy is effective. They will begin by creating a media list to ensure they know which journalists, media platforms, and media companies to approach. They will prepare a google sheet and record all the contact information of every journalist. Another tactic is the use of PR stunts that are authentic to Sony. The PR stunt should focus on the customers and not the media. In addition, it should push a boundary in some manner to ensure the media platforms care about it. For instance, Sony can create an advertisement that is visible from space. The advert can be in the form of a large picture that provides details regarding the event. Customers will be fascinated by the PR stunt, given the fact that it pushes boundaries. Such a stunt will enable the organizers to attract media entities and journalists to cover the photography contest. Another tactic that can be employed by the organizers is the use of influencers. The event organizers can carry out branding by association by linking the event to influencers. They can approach and interview celebrities who have embraced photography, for instance, Jeff Bridges, Annie Leibovitz, and Marco Grob. The interviews can generate a buzz among media outlets keen on reporting the view of the celebrities regarding photography and the need for photography contests. If celebrities promote the event's content, the event will receive a share of the celebrity's traffic. Celebrity influencers are likely to be incredibly busy and, in effect, may lack time to listen to the information derived from organizers. In this scenario, the organizers may fail to share the needed message with celebrity influencers. No interest will be generated among the journalists and media companies. 

Target Audience 

The target audience comprises the groups of people recognized as the likely attendees of the new Winter Photography event. Such groups should be able to identify with the Sony brand given that the entity is the primary sponsor of the contest. The main target audience of the event includes UAE university students that are currently enrolled in educational programs associated with mass media or visual arts. Such students will be specifically interested in participating in the event given the potential of being rewarded with a Sony digital camera or receiving international recognition from sharing their works globally. The success of the event will be based on how well the organizers carry out marketing activities to pinpoint the students who will benefit from participating in the event. The students will be able to showcase their work and potentially earn the chance of having their works featured in global photography exhibitions. Students who emerge as winners will have their submitted works included in a printed publication. The competition cannot take place without the students. The open competition seeks to attract students from diverse backgrounds, with all of them having an equal chance of being shortlisted for the awards. Amateur youths are also encouraged to take part in the contest without their prejudicial thoughts of being rigged. In this respect, the event can only be successful if it attracts a large pool of university students having different levels of experience and from different racial and ethnic backgrounds. Members of the public will also be interested in voting in the contest if there is a diverse mix of university students. 

The organizers are keen on the event’s coverage by the UAE media, newspapers, TV channels, and radio stations. They have to ensure that the various media platforms and companies are interested in covering the event. In this respect, part of the audience includes media companies such as Abu Dhabi Media, Dubai Media Incorporated, and Sharjah Broadcasting Authority and newspapers such as Al Ittihad, Al Bayan, Al Khaleej, Al Watan, Al Roeya. Gulf News, Khaleej Times, The Gulf Today, The National, and Emirates 24/7. Extensive coverage of the event will maximize its exposure and potentially increase the number of students participating in the contest. 

Key Messages 

The key messages are the core messages the event’s organizers want the university students and the media to hear and remember. Such messages create meaning and headline the event’s relevant issues. One of the event’s key messages is its mission. The UAE Winter event is focused on finding the best young photographer among the UAE university students. Another vital message is the reward for participating in the contest. The reward is a means of incentivizing a student to participate in the contest. The organizers specify that the top-ranked contestant will be given a Sony digital camera worth fourteen thousand AED while the second-best contestant will receive a digital camera worth seven thousand AED. The third-placed contestant will be given a Sony digital camera worth five thousand AED. Another vital message is the categories in which the students can participate, for instance, landscape, urban, panoramic, travel, low-light, split-second, portrait, arts and culture, street photography, night photography, enhanced, nature, smile, and architecture categories. Based on this message, the contestants can focus on a specific category in which they are skilled. The duration of the competition is another vital message which the students need to be aware of. Students can decide whether to participate in the event if they can find time to compete with others during the six-week period. Another key message is the sponsor of the competition. The revelation of Sony Corporation as the event’s sponsor adds to the credibility of the event. Resultantly, numerous students are likely to be interested in participating in the contest. 

Models of Measurement 

The models of measurement of the event success include press clipping and content analysis. Regarding press clipping, Sony will determine how many times its brand name has been mentioned in different media, including newspapers, TV, or online media, over a month before the event begins. The firm can utilize tools such as Google Alerts and Mention.com to calculate the volume of online press mentions. In this respect, the entity can track the mentions of the UAE Winter competition on social media platforms, websites, TV programs, and radio. For the offline press mentions in newspapers and magazines, the entity will need to utilize a media monitoring service to assess the hardcopies. The press clipping model will allow Sony to measure the event’s awareness improvement. If the contest is mentioned in popular media, its level of awareness will be greater. However, the entity needs to narrow the keywords to ensure it carries out proper tracking of the mentions. 

The firm will also carry out a content analysis which involves the examination of texts to determine the presence of specific words, themes, and concepts. Notably, Sony UAE can quantify and assess the meanings and relationships of specific words, concepts, and themes. The entity can analyze the responses issued by social media users regarding the event. For instance, on Twitter and Instagram, the entity can use the hashtag UAE Winter Photography to identify the reactions and opinions of the users regarding the event. In addition, the entity can analyze the content produced by bloggers online regarding the competition. The entity can then form inferences about the messages from the responses. 

Estimated Budget 

The media relations activities carried out by Sony UAE will need to be budgeted to ensure the event runs smoothly. The primary activities include creating a media list, arranging celebrity interviews, media tours, and organizing a PR stunt that involves creating a large image advertisement that can be viewed from space. The creation of a media list will cost $200 for paying the individual to carry out the small task of creating a google sheet and incorporating all the relevant information regarding the media. The google sheet tool is free, and, as a result, Sony will not incur any subscription cost in using it. The celebrity photographer interviews will cost roughly $1000 in acquiring resources for conducting the interviews. Sony may need a computer to carry out online interviews in light of the geographic barriers and potential restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. Sony will carry out media tours in the main headquarters of companies such as Abu Dhabi Media, Dubai Media Incorporated, and Sharjah Broadcasting Authority . In addition, the entity will try to meet with journalists of various newspapers such as Al Ittihad, Al Bayan, Al Khaleej, Al Watan, Al Roeya, the Gulf Today, Gulf News, Khaleej Times, The National, and Emirates 24/7. The tours are expected to cost the entity around $2000 mainly due to transportation costs. The PR stunt will be a costly affair given the fact that Sony will need to create a large portrait indicating the hashtag to be used for the event. The cost of such an activity will be roughly $10,000. In this respect, Sony will need $13,200 to carry out all of its media relations activities. The entity should budget a total amount of $15,000, with the extra $1,800 allocated for miscellaneous expenses. 

Calendar and Timeline 

The pre-event activities will include media relations activities. These activities, including creating a media list, performing celebrity interviews, media tours, and organizing a PR stunt, will need to be carried out before February 14, 2021. The creation of a media list will take one day, while the celebrity interviews will be carried out throughout December 2020. After the celebrity interviews are completed and the media list is created, media tours will be carried out in January 2021. The creation of the PR stunt will begin three months prior to the beginning of the event. In this regard, the image showing #UAEWinterPhotography would be visible from space and would be ready by February 14, 2021. The UAE Winter photography contest will run for six weeks, from February 14, 2021, to April 1, 2021. 

List of Guests 

Guests including social media influencers, officials from UAE media companies and journalists from local and national newspapers will attend the event. Such guests will ensure that the event is well covered across various media channels, including TV, radio, and social media. Reporters and journalists from media companies such as Abu Dhabi Media, Dubai Media Incorporated, and Sharjah Broadcasting Authority will be in attendance. In addition, newspaper journalists and editors from newspapers such as Al Bayan, Al Khaleej, Al Ittihad, Al Watan, Al Roeya, the Gulf Today, The National, Gulf News, Khaleej Times, and Emirates 24/7 will also attend the event. In addition, the guest list will include famous social media influencers in the UAE, for instance, Huda Beauty, Lojain Omran, and Abdul Aziz. Additionally, celebrity photographers such as Jeff Bridges, Annie Leibovitz, and Marco Grob will also be part of the event to enhance its global appeal. 

Possible Problems and Media Support 

A major potential problem is the failed attendance of the guests due to the coronavirus pandemic. Celebrity photographers such as Annie Leibovitz and Marco Grob, who live in other foreign countries, may fail to travel to the UAE for the event due to potential restrictions on travel due to the coronavirus. The failed attendance of such guests may downplay the event and make it lose its global appeal. A low number of contestants may be another problematic issue of the event. The contest may fail to attract a large number of students, potentially due to the nature of its reward and the coronavirus pandemic. 

The organizers will take the initiative to obtain coverage from the media. They will select media liaisons who will identify journalists and reporters aligned with the event. The liaisons will attend to the needs of the reporters and journalists by clarifying issues related to the event. They will also follow up with the reporters and journalists about if and when stories regarding the event will be published. In addition, Sony will recognize the journalists and reporters in its social media posts to ensure a give-and-take relationship is fostered. Sony’s social media followers will be encouraged to like and share the content posted by the media representatives. In this scenario, Sony will show that it is ready to make the photography contest event a success. 

Media Writing 

Brochure 

Brochures will allow Sony to interact with the media and generate interest among their representatives, including editors, journalists, and reporters. The brochure will inform the media representatives of the event and the benefit of their involvement. Graphics will be used to enhance the appearance of the brochures. The brochure is attached. 

Newsletter 

Sony will also create a newsletter that highlights the essential media relation activities, including creating a media list, performing celebrity interviews, media tours, and organizing a PR stunt. The newsletter will provide information regarding the expected timeline of the aforementioned activities. The newsletter is depicted below.