Yes, the Aerobeachhouse campaign public relations objectives and tactics were premised on solid research. The planners engaged in prior investigation of the ideal ways to reach millennials and Gen Z. Through their study, they discovered the invaluable impact of celebrities and influencers in achieving the objectives. The campaign leveraged the influence of celebrities, bloggers, DJs, music artists, influencers, and media to achieve its objectives. The tactics were research-proven as the groups of people used to promote the campaign's goals had an immensely positive influence on the drive and society's target audience.
Photo credit: (PRontheGO, 2019)
What kind of plan was developed?
The plan developed for the public relations campaign was an Ad hoc plan that helped the company in reaching 199,872,704 people via social media. The plan was to help implement the three-day initiative's objectives and secure sponsorship to the organization from strategic partners. The plan was only applicable to the three-day campaign and was non-generalizable to other scenarios. Specific aspects such as the celebrities selected for the campaign, the target communities, the campaign's objectives, and target led to the formulation of an ad hoc plan rather than other types of plans for this campaign.
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What was the quality of the planning?
The Aerobeachhouse campaign's planning was top quality as all of the essential factors to the three-day initiative were fully sorted. The factors such as the key participants, handling the audience both onsite and online on social media, the specific sponsors to targets, and how to enlist them, achieving the Ad value and media impressions, among others, were fully figured out on how they would be met (Allagui & Breslow, 2016). Additionally, the resources and steps necessary to make the campaign a success include the finer specifications of the campaign that were well catered for in advance.
How well were the tactics targeted?
The tactics were well-targeted for the campaign. The campaign planners were able to use tactics such as community notices, guest editorials, news releases, PR props, PR photographs, Public service announcements, and social media releases that helped reach the various types of people in the targeted audiences for the campaign. The target audience was specific to Gen Z and young millennials, with the campaign's custom goals and objectives clear from the start. The tactics were particular to the PR strategy that would eventually lead to the successful; of the campaign's goals and objectives.
Did the plan include methods for evaluating success and determining the future course of action?
Yes, the campaign plan included several methods of measuring success and deciding on the actions to be made in the future in support of the campaign's objectives. Some of the procedures set out in the plan to evaluate success included the campaign's AD value, the campaign's overall reach, the media impressions, the sales made, activations made, and the amount of sponsor support garnered. The plan also explained planners, sponsors, and clients' role in propelling the brand forward in business growth, success, and longevity. The outcomes of the three-day event were easily monitored due to the right measurement structures in place.
Outputs
Were the messages clear and on-strategy?
The messages used for the campaign were clear and in tandem with the set-out strategy. Consumers understood the various products that the brand was selling and creating for the market, their value, environmental factors, and other product aspects. The target group of young people of ages between 16 and 40 years, who were the primary targets, successfully involved the campaign. The campaign's facilitators and planners managed to get clear and strategic messages to the target groups by having a panel that addressed various issues. The panel comprised of experts in fashion, sustainability and environment. The panelists worked in conjunction with keynote speakers of the campaign, such as Graham Hamilton, a beauty and style influencer (Sofia Lascurain), and a coordinator from the Surfrider Foundation LA chapter. These experts and critical partners worked closely with the company’s (Aeropostale’s) senior marketing director Mo Hedaya. The collaboration between these multiple experts helped develop clear messages on strategy and helped make the campaign a success.
Were there any forces that inhibited the delivery or understanding of those messages?
Yes, there were forces, albeit minimal, such as distraction from the target group's main point. Once in a while, the target clients would be distracted by celebrities such as Bella Thorne, Tyler Blackburn, Skyler Samuels, and Natalie Alyn Lind. The audience would occasionally lose the focus of getting to know more about the brand and the products instead of focusing on the different things that the individual celebrities did, such as their music collections. The campaign events such as guests engaging in denim jacket customization, oversized connect four, Jenga, and trampoline line jumping were ideal opportunities for Aeropostale to showcase its products. Some of the products made known and promoted to clients included the Aeropostale Repreve collection.
These activities were particularly beneficial with the model of beachside pop up shops that were overlooking the ocean, thus creating a conducive environment of robust public relations. Moreover, the planners crowned the day with pool and chill sessions that included the target groups or audience, millennials, and Gen Z, together with the celebrities. Therefore, besides achieving the campaign objectives, these sessions created a distraction to the target audience focusing on the celebrity status of the facilitators e=rather than on products and the company initiatives.
Did the quality of the tactics satisfy the expectations of the client and the target publics?
The quality of tactics beyond expectations is satisfied to the extent of surpassing the target figures' client expectations. The target publics felt part of the brand, listened to, and cared for by the company through the campaign. The tactics enabled the client to secure pre and post media coverage that came with sustained placement opportunities for its brand. The client’s objectives of the campaign were met in all aspects through the successful implementation of the tactics set out in the campaign's planning process. The campaign was able to create a better brand and company image and have an informed client base that had the goodwill to see the firm progress in the market. The overall outcome was the achievement of public relations, which had been the campaign's primary target. In this case, the target publics were Gen Z and the young millennials. They were given a treat of the campaign period by interacting with their favorite artists, celebrities, influencers, and mentors. Additionally, the target publics could know more about Aerospostale’s products, quality, value, environmental factors in their manufacture, and the expected trends to help them relate well with the company.
Were resources managed wisely?
Yes, through the help of an experienced multifaceted branding agency, The Influence, the resources were well managed, evident in the returns in income from the campaign efforts. The returns were highly more than the campaign's costs to the tone of over 250% success rates. Aeropostale recorded sales growth in the month that followed after the campaign 50% over the previous sales. The revenue per client and service also experienced a boost. Their records indicated acquisitions of new profitable customers and segments, better relations between the company and the public and better company reputation. The amounts spent on the campaign's facilitation were 5% of the profits recorded one year after the campaign, a positive indicator of wise spending and returns on investment for the campaign, (PRontheGO, 2019) . The company’s revenue concentration increased with a growing customer base and new product varieties created to suit the changing client demands. The firm experienced an increase in its working capital with an increase in the number of high-value sponsors and has since then continued to experience massive growth in its working capital to the tone of over 160% of the previous figures before the campaign.
Outcomes
Did the objectives and tactics achieve the stated goal?
Yes, the objectives and tactics attained the stated goal. Gen Z and young millennials were successfully engaged in activities that increased their sustainability and environmental awareness. The success was evident in the high numbers (483,491,248 million) social media impressions of the target groups that signed up for the eco-friendly activations (Reddi, 2019). The planners, participants, and the campaign hosts, including Aeropostale and its stakeholders, achieved their initial objectives beyond the plan on paper and expectations. The tactics worked as the results showed successful implementation that saw client brand loyalty and increased sales.
Were appropriate measures used to determine success?
Yes, measures were in place to determine success and success levels through initiatives that required customers to make purchases and sign up for the campaign's various initiatives. The other measure of success was the number of people reached through the campaign. The choice of customer brand loyalty, sales changes, the value in the advertisement, the number of activations, and progressive overall company success chosen were ideal measures that can help determine Aeropostale's real success.
Were there unintended effects?
Yes, there were unintended effects, although positive. For instance, the social posting, talent dressing, influencer, media, and industry attendance of celebrities such as Delilah Belle and Bella Thorne led to them getting more fans and followers. Additionally, millennial and Gen Z fans of the target group seemed to associate the brand with these celebrities after the campaign. However, the unintended effects had an impact only during the campaign's duration, beyond which they became an avenue for clients trusting the Aeropostale brand more. Clients who highly esteemed the celebrities, DJs, Keynote speakers, and the other persons involved in the campaign, followed through to become more loyal to the company because of these figures.
How did the actions affect relationships with key stakeholders?
The campaign helped cement the relationships with the key stakeholders, such as the previously existing clients, the newly acquired sponsors, and the community in which the brand operates. The stakeholders were elated at the company’s efforts of reaching out to its clients and the community and increased the frequency of interactions with the company’s management, communication, and support. The overall impact of the campaign on relationships was a positive one. The company, Aeropostale, understood its clients and their needs better, while the clients were equally better versed with the company much better than previously. There was a more positive relationship between the company’s investors, employees, consumers, and communities.
Do outcomes suggest a future course of action?
The campaign led to positive outcomes for the brand. It also highlighted the need to regularly be in touch with the community and clients to ensure that the firm developed products that meet clients’ needs and support the prevailing community initiatives.
Additional General Questions
What research was used to identify problems, opportunities, solutions, and values?
Problem-solving research was used through social media reach and surveys that allowed clients and other brands/customer stakeholders to express their views on the issues they considered pertinent. The firm also used pre and post media coverage to capture issues, opportunities, and values that were used to decipher various solutions
Did research identify key publics and each public’s stake?
Yes, the research identified key publics, celebrities who support an environmental cause that resonates with its mission and vision. Some of the publics identified by the research included Kennedy James and Justine Skype. Their stake was in social posting and talent dressing (PRontheGO, 2019).
Did the plan articulate desired outcomes and targeted messages?
Yes, and because of that, the campaign achieved massive milestones such as total media impressions of 483,491,248 million, the total overall reach of 683,363,952 million, and a total Combined Ad Value of $6,321,116.56 (PRontheGO, 2019).
References
Allagui, I., & Breslow, H. (2016). Social media for public relations: Lessons from four effective cases. Public Relations Review, 42(1) , 20-30.
PRontheGO. (2019, November 02). 5 Examples of Successful Public Relations Campaigns in 2019 . Retrieved September 22, 2020, from Medium: https://medium.com/@PRontheGO/5-examples-of-successful-public-relations-campaigns-in-2019-e6fbb2a030d4
Reddi, C. N. (2019). Effective public relations and media strategy. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd.
