WORK SAMPLES
Sample Number One
The following was the final assignment for CAS 838: Organizational Communication for Leaders and Entrepreneurs.
Originally submitted on August 16, 2018
“Three Steps to Building A ‘Culture of We’”
By Thomas Wilbur
Every team has a culture. Whether you’re a college basketball team looking to win your third straight championship, or a 150-person trade association representing America’s biopharmaceutical industry looking to win policy solutions in Washington, D.C. Or any kind of team in between. The most successful teams tend to foster a collaborative culture in which a variety of voices are heard, team members feel secure in their roles, and there is a layer of trust that permeates the team from top to bottom.
Successful teams also foster a culture that focuses more on the “We” of the organization rather than the “I” of the individual. This allows the organization to put their goals at the top where they remain at the forefront and each team member is able to contribute their individual talents to the overarching goals and vision of the organization. In other words, successful teams build a “Culture of We.”
So how can we move from individual driven team to teams with a Culture of We?
The first step towards building a Culture of We is clear and concise communication. Author John Hamm notes that in observing CEOs, he came to the conclusion that “the real job of leadership is to inspire the organization to take responsibility for creating a better future…effective communication is a leader’s single most critical management tool for making this happen” (On Communication 146). Unfortunately, too many times we experience situations where leaders “simply assume that the exact meaning of their words is obvious” (On Communication 146). This leads to not only breakdowns in communication but also breakdowns in trust. When an organization lacks leaders, it lacks trust. Teams with no trust simply cannot be successful. Bottom line: Clear and concise communication works. Especially when building trust, a shared vision or culture for the entire organization. Use clear and concise communication will help build a Culture of We.
The second step towards building a Culture of We is diversifying the team. According to author Guy Kawasaki, “people with different backgrounds, perspectives, and skills keep a cause fresh and relevant…you want people who offer various points of view within an organization” (Enchantment 109). Unfortunately, many teams exist today are not diverse. When teams exist in non-diverse bubbles or silos, they tend to only think of themselves and not of the broader environmental context in which they exist. This lack of situational awareness can lead to blunders or unforced errors. According to Kawasaki, “There’s no such thing as too much diversity in a cause that’s staffed to last” (Enchantment 110). Bottom line: Diversifying your team with a wide variety of individuals with differing perspectives will help build a Culture of We.
The third step towards building a Culture of We is encouraging tough conversations. Tough conversations are inevitable in the workplace, especially if you’re part of a high-functioning team. Author Holly Weeks notes that “stressful conversations are never easy, but we can all fare better if…we prepare for them by developing greater awareness of our vulnerabilities and better techniques for handling ourselves” (On Communication 180). Unfortunately, it seems like we’ve all been in situations where stressful conversations don’t occur because, well, they’re stressful. By holding back on these conversations, team members can grow to resent managers and each other. In the end, results are hard to come by on teams where tough conversations do not happen. Bottom line: Encouraging tough conversations helps foster dialogues that build engagement and trust on a team and will help build a Culture of We.
At the end of the day, building a team culture takes time and consistent engagement. But by focusing on three overarching themes – clear and concise communication, building a diverse team, and encouraging tough conversations – you can build a team that focuses on the we. Focusing on the we can lead to breakthroughs and produce quality wins your team and be proud of and grow from. Teams are made up of individuals, but the very best teams preform at their highest when they focus on each other – when they focus on a building a Culture of We.
References:
- Harvard Review, Cialdini, R., Morgan, N., Tannen, D., & O’reilly, A. (2013). HBR’s 10 Must Reads on Communication. Harvard Business Review Press.
- Kawasaki, G. (2012). Enchantment: the art of changing hearts, minds, and actions. Portfolio/Penguin.
Sample Number Two
The following was the final assignment for CAS 833.
Originally submitted on June 25, 2021
“Crisis Communications Memo”
To communicate effectively during a crisis, a set of baseline facts to work from is ideal. Without these, it would be foolish to try and begin communicating with internal and external stakeholders – especially the media. Therefore, the first thing we would do is conduct a rapid fact-finding mission including interviews with as many of the primary individuals involved such as the medical staff, the ship’s captain, members of the families potentially infected with COVID, authorities in Cozumel, Mexico, and others. We will not be able to get 100 percent of the facts in such a short time, but if we’re able to get 80 percent that is a good start. We can work with that.
The second thing we would do – in conjunction with the interviews – is start compiling a “Key Messages and Tough Q&A Document” that would include a handful of high-level messages as well as brief answers to several of the tough questions we had already started to receive from media or stakeholders or could anticipate receiving in the near-future. This document would be produced by our team efficiently and run through our internal Legal Department for any Legal red flags. It would then be circulated to the CEO, key organizational leaders, and all staff employees. Our team wants to make sure that everyone in the organization – from the CEO all the way down to the interns – have insight into what our strategy and communications are and able to speak to them if asked by non-media sources such as external stakeholders or even curious friends or family members. This document would be continuously updated as we learned more about the situation.
The third and final thing we would do is officially brief our CEO and key organizational leaders and then hold a press conference with media. We would invite local media as well as industry and transportation-specific media. If we felt the situation warranted it, we would also extend the invitation to national media outlets. At the same time, our social media team would begin to engage with those talking about the situation online and on social media platforms, our external relations team would be engaging with local and external stakeholders as well as health experts, and our internal communications team would be engaging with internal stakeholders.
48-Hour Crisis Communication Plan of Action
To: Shawn Turner, CEO, Spartan Cruise Lines
From: Tom Wilbur, Director of Communications, Spartan Cruise Lines
Re: Covid-19 Outbreak aboard the Driftaway cruise ship
Below you will find each team members specific responsibilities. Over the next 48 hours we will get through this crisis by making decisions in a responsible, timely, and collaborative manner.
For the Media Relations Manager, whose primary responsibility is for answering media inquiries, developing media engagement strategies, and leading the message development process, the first step in this process will be to coordinate directly with the spokesperson to ensure media inquiries are being responded to in a timely and accurate manner. The second step will be to begin developing a compelling and accurate Key Messages and Tough Q&A document alongside the Director of Internal Communications. The third step will be to organize and coordinate, alongside the spokesperson, a press conference where the CEO will brief the local, industry and national media outlets including print, radio, and television. The final step will be to brief the Director of Communications in real-time so that they can brief the CEO. After this crisis has passed, the Media Relations Manager will be responsible for continued message development, updates, and keeping relationships with media strong in the case of follow-up or anniversary stories about this crisis.
For the Social Media Manager, whose primary responsibility is for developing organizational social media strategy and posting/responding to all social media, the first step in this process will be to undertake a scan of all social media conversations around the Spartan Cruise Line. This includes Tweets, Facebook, and Instagram posts that mention the Spartan Cruise Line. From there, the second step will be engaging with those having conversations online and on social media about our efforts to solve this problem. The final step will be to brief the Director of Communications in real-time so that they can brief the CEO. After this crisis has passed, the Social Media Manager will be responsible for tracking social media for additional conversations and developing a plan to improve or maintain the reputation of Spartan Cruise Lines on these platforms.
For the Director of Internal Communication, whose primary responsibility is keeping internal employees informed about organizational policies and external issues that impact the employee experience, the first step in this process will be reaching out to key internal stakeholders – such as the CFO, COO, and other senior leaders – to touch base about what is happening and to outline some of the key steps we are taking moving forward. The second step will be to develop a compelling and accurate Key Messages and Tough Q&A document alongside the Media Relations Manager. Once that document is complete, the third step will be to work with key internal stakeholders to circulate the document to the staff of the Spartan Cruise Line – specifically those costumer relations representatives responsible for answering incoming phone calls. Steps will be taken to ensure this document remains internal only. The final step will be to brief the Director of Communications in real-time so that they can brief the CEO. After this crisis has passed, the Director of Internal Communication will lead an after-action review of internal stakeholders of how we performed, how we can do better in the future, and how Spartan Cruise Line employees view our response to this crisis.
The Spokesperson, who is the face and voice of the organization, and primary responsibility is delivering messages, participating in message developing and helping to coordinate during interviews and press briefings, the first step in this process will be to set up easy-to-understand guidelines for engaging with media inquiries in a timely, professional, and legally accurate manner. The second step will be responding to any outstanding media inquiries with the following statement: “We are aware of a potential health issue on the Spartan Cruise Line Ship, the Driftaway, currently on the water outside Cozumel, Mexico. We are in the process of looking into this situation. Our number one priority is making sure that every single person on the ship is safe and healthy. We are exploring all of our options and we will continue to communicate with all involved in a responsible and timely manner and want to thank local authorities for their assistance and professionalism in this matter.” From there, the third step will be to proactively engage media and work with the Media Relations Manager to set up a press conference for the CEO to speak at and take questions. The final step will be to brief the Director of Communications in real-time so that they can brief the CEO. After this crisis has passed, the Spokesperson will be responsible for coordinating additional interviews to make certain our messages are being heard by the right audiences.
The Community and Stakeholder Relations Manager, whose primary responsibility is for communicating with non-media organizational influencers and other outside stakeholders, the first step is to get in touch with the CDC and other relevant health authorities to find out more information about what is happening and to walk them through some of the processes we are engaging on. The second step they will take it to touch base with local leaders to explain certain basics around the situation and ask that they not engage with the media. The final step will be to brief the Director of Communications in real-time so that they can brief the CEO. After this crisis has passed, the Community and Stakeholder Relations Manager will be responsible for holding a series of listening sessions with local leaders to ensure they feel heard.
Sample Number Three
The following was the final group assignment for CAS 827
Originally submitted in Fall of 2020.
“How REI Can Help Build a More Equitable National Parks Experience for Black and Brown Americans”
Executive Summary
Since 1938, Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) has provided consumers with quality outdoor gear, apparel, and advice.
REI has a storied history and reputation as being a socially conscious organization. Now they have an opportunity to leverage their history – as well as their massive social media followings – to engage further on the issue of ensuring that Black and Brown Americans who aspire to visit our National Parks have the means to do so and feel safe while they are there. In the wake of critical and timely conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion in all spaces across America, this is one area that seems to be lacking major organizations using their voices to help.
Our strategic plan outlines our proposal for REI and our goal to help build a more equitable and enjoyable National Park experience for Black and Brown Americans. Our strategic plan focuses on creating dialogue for important discussions and raising critical questions about why Black and Brown Americans do not visit our National Parks as often as others. It also focuses on building a media campaign to highlight and promote opportunities for Black and Brown Americans to visit our National Parks.
Specifically, our call to action is: “Everyone can be an outdoorsy person.”
We aim to accomplish this with our overall strategy of engaging and building a media campaign that engages in meaningful conversations and highlights opportunities for Black and Brown Americans to visit our National Parks. This can help REI be a voice in addressing the systematic challenges that keep Black and Brown communities from enjoying our National Parks.
First, REI will convene Virtual Zoom Listening Sessions in towns and cities near National Parks. These will be conducted with groups of 10-15 people – those who are Black and Brown and have never visited National Parks as well as those who visit the National Parks often in order to spark real and empathetic conversations about the challenges Black and Brown Americans face as they think about accessing our National Parks.
Second, REI will launch this new Equity initiative in February of 2021 in order to utilize Black History Month to help shape the narrative.
Finally, our overall objective is to increase Black and Brown Americans’ participation in visiting our National Parks by 5% and to increase the share of posts featuring Black and Brown Americans in the National Parks on our social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) by 20%.
By engaging in such an effort, REI can be a major voice and help address the systematic challenges that keep Black and Brown communities from enjoying our National Parks.
Client Background
Since 1938, REI has provided consumers with quality outdoor gear, apparel, and advice. REI currently has more than 13,000 employees and 165 locations in nearly 40 states. As a co-op, REI has no shareholders and is known for their socially conscious efforts. In fact, according to REI, “70 percent of their annual profits are invested back into the outdoor community through dividends to REI members, employee profit-sharing and retirement, and investments in non-profits dedicated to the outdoors” (REI 2017). REI also currently has 421,000 followers on Twitter, 2.1 million Likes on Facebook, and 2.3 million followers on Instagram.
For example, according to recent data, while Black Americans represent 13.4 percent of the U.S. population, they make up less than 2 percent of National Park visitors (Scott & Lee, 2018). REI, therefore, has a very real opportunity to lead in an area desperate for change.
A stunning first-hand example of this comes from Mikhail Martin, a young African American from Queens. He explains why so few Black people participate in rock climbing in starks terms: “In the Black community, there’s this misconception that, ‘Oh, Black people don’t do that. Only White people do this.’ And they have every right to believe that, because their outlet to the world is what you see on the TV and internet, and if you don’t see any Black people, or any people of color climbing, you’re not going to think you can do it” (Brothers of Climbing 2017).
Competitive Analysis
As quarantines, shutdowns, and social distancing encourage more people to engage in outdoor activities during the pandemic, there is currently a strong market for outdoor equipment and supplies. According to Comparably.com, REI’s two main competitors are The North Face and Dick’s Sporting Goods with REI ranked in the middle of the two. Comparisons on employee satisfaction, wages, CEO, and overall company diversity are considerations in the ranking.
The North Face is expected to reach $4 billion in sales by 2024 which represents an increase from $2.6 billion in 2019 (Ryan 2019). Dick’s Sporting Goods’ second quarter 2020 release states, “Net sales for the 26 weeks ended August 1, 2020 decreased 3.2% to approximately $4.05 billion” (Dicks 2020). REI’s reported sales for their 2019 fiscal year were $3.1 billion (Smith 2020).
While The North Face is seeking to increase diversity in its branding, the main focus seems to be on women as the brand’s “She Moves Mountains” campaign. Their other campaign is geared toward what they call “The Progressive Explorer,” but this target is fairly vague. While they fail to showcase a succinct diversity statement on their website, The North Face does have a wide range of people of color included in their brand imagery and state on their responsibility page one of their pledges is to “empower exploration and the thrill of the unknown for as many people as possible.” A look at the breakdown of VFC (North Face’s parent company) reveals 9 out of 12 of its top executives, including its CEO, Steve Rendle, are white and male (VFC 2020). The North Face “has been recognized by Outdoor USA Magazine for their social media excellence” (Tarbaj 2013). Their Facebook page has a pinned post at the top from June 8, 2020 about Black Lives Matter, and the overall content on the page mainly focuses on product ads and stories about individual athletes and outdoors enthusiasts focusing heavily on women but including people of color. The content on Twitter mirrors this with the emphasis on their #NeverStopExploring campaign. The North Face Instagram page reflects the company’s stated commitment on Facebook to show “the stories and faces we are missing today.” Out of the last 15 posts where a picture of a person is included, 8 featured people of color.
Dick’s Sporting Goods created a Purpose Playbook in 2018, part of which includes a commitment to addressing issues of diversity in the company. They have created a Diversity & Inclusion Council of 12 team members across the company whose goals include helping to “build a culture of inclusion…provide insights and ideas on how we can create and sustain an inclusive workplace” (CEO Action for Diversity & Inclusion, n.d). However, in a visual audit of their website homepage, only 5 of the 15 images featured were of people of color. Of their 16-member senior leadership team, at least 9 are white males and four are white females.
The Facebook page for Dick’s Sporting Goods mostly shows ads for holiday gift buying, but the ads are diverse, including people of color. There are also several posts highlighting the charity work of the Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation. Their Twitter account features ads for their message of “The Magic of Sports” and stories about individual professional athletes. Dick’s Instagram focuses heavily on ads for products with 10 out of the last 15 posts being about athletic shoes. All social media platforms are primarily void of social activism beyond the work by the foundation that is showcased. Twitter and Instagram also include people of color in their posts.
One of REI’s social initiatives is called “The Outdoors Is For All” where the mission statement includes the assertion that, “every person has the right to enjoy the health and emotional benefits of time outdoors” (REI 2019). Under this umbrella, REI has worked to increase gender equity, LGBTQ+ representation, and connection of communities of color in and to the outdoors (REI 2020). In 2018, they facilitated a brainstorming session with 10 leaders from around the country from advocates to US officials and outlined a five-step plan to work to bridge the gap between communities of color and the outdoors (REI 2018). A visual audit of their homepage shows six of the seven human images featured are people of color. The Board of Directors for REI is made up of 13 people, but images are not shown of the members, so the diversity level is unable to be determined.
REI’s Facebook content centers around ads for holiday shopping, DIY projects, and safety tips like how to avoid an avalanche and how to #RecreateResponsibly and maintain social distancing. The Twitter content follows closely along with Facebook but features more tips and ideas for ways to get outside. The majority of REI’s Instagram posts are product ads. Out of the most recent 15 posts that show people, 4 of them are people of color. None of the recent social media posts highlight social issues beyond the #OptOutside campaign.
REI Social Media Audit
| Instagram Followers | Facebook Likes | Twitter Followers | |
| REI | 2.3M | 2.1M | 421.2K |
| DICK’s Sporting Goods | 508K | 5.5M | 368.1K |
| The North Face | 4.7M | 5.9M | 479.1K |
Since REI’s goal is to get people outside, they have developed resources to help people with their outdoor adventures. The resources are geared to people who are just beginning this new phase and also the experienced group. Just download the appropriate app or checkout the website to begin! Some examples of apps you can choose from are the Hiking Project, MTP Project, Mountain Project, Trail Run Project, The Ultimate Guide to National Parks, and Powder Project. No matter the path you take, REI is there to support.
Beginning in 2017, REI started Force of Nature: A collection of Art & Stories Celebrating Fearless Women. Their goal is to bring women together by sharing their stories and to make the great outdoors “the largest playing field on earth” (Stahl 2018). While visiting their Facebook page, there was a post which featured one of the Force of Nature stories.
Additionally, according to comparably.com, REI ranked 2nd in diversity score. They came in 2nd place, only 6 points after Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation. This is based on the employees who rate diversity within the company. REI received a score of 70 out of 100.
Finally, Fortune Magazine has recognized REI on the “100 Best Placed to Work” list. REI has been on the list for 23 years in a row.
Situational Analysis
The following SWOT Analysis focuses on internal factors around REI’s strengths and weaknesses and the external factors involved such as opportunities and threats.
Internal Factors
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
| Strong brand with a long history in the market.Solid brand loyalty among consumers. Pre-existing relationships within the advocacy/public policy sphere. | Highly competitive market.Competitors also moving into the advocacy/public policy sphere. |
External Factors
| Opportunities | Threats |
| Build on past advocacy/public policy efforts to capitalize on the Equity program. Using established partnerships to help develop the program. | Could be seen as being too opportunistic to capitalize on a social movement for financial gain. Competition moving in similar direction on Equity front. |
Strengths: REI has a strong brand with a long history dating back to 1938. Because of this strong history, they have a solid brand loyalty with consumers. Additionally, because of their previous work in this space, they have good pre-existing relationships within the advocacy/public policy sphere. These relationships will be key in developing a new Equity campaign. Weaknesses: REI does face several weakness including a highly competitive market and competitors actively engaging in the advocacy/public policy sphere. Opportunities: REI has many opportunities as they look to build out this Equity campaign. They can build on past advocacy/public policy efforts to capitalize on this new Equity program and they can also use established partnerships and relationships to develop the program. Threats: REI has several threats as well. Despite their previous work in these spaces, they could still be seen as overly opportunistic in trying to capitalize on a social movement for financial gain. They also face stiff competition from competitors who are also moving in a similar direction on the Equity front.
Goals and Objectives
REI will launch this new Equity initiative in February of 2021 in order to utilize Black History Month to help shape the narrative. We have decided to utilize the S.M.A.R.T. philosophy.
Specific: What needs to be done is to build a consumer-centric campaign that encourages and highlights opportunities for Black and Brown Americans to better access and enjoy our National Parks. Measurable: We will measure our success by both the frequency of our outputs – consistent outreach and engagement with Black and Brown individuals and families 4-5 times per week via earned and social media – as well as increasing Black and Brown Americans’ participation in visiting our National Parks by 5%. Achievable: REI can achieve these lofty measures, but it will take a strong, long-term focus by the company. Relevant: This campaign is highly relevant in light of the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd which sparked a massive movement to address the systematic racism that haunts Black and Brown Americans on a daily basis. Time-oriented: Launching this campaign in February – during Black History Month – and having it last at least one year will be highly time-oriented and will ensure we are focuses on both short-term and long-term goals.
Strategies
Our proposal focuses on the fact that REI needs to build a media campaign to engage in meaningful conversations and highlight opportunities for Black and Brown Americans to visit our National Parks. This can help REI be a voice in helping to address the systematic challenges that keep Black and Brown communities from enjoying our National Parks. In order to first engage the Black and Brown communities, we will need to engage with them in ways that fit their lifestyles. As previously noted, REI has a strong brand with a long history dating back to 1938. Although REI has a strong history, some competitors like The North Face and Dick’s have stepped ahead of REI in terms of connecting with the Black and Brown communities.
Segmentation and Targeting:
The primary audience for this new social media campaign will be Black and Brown Americans. In order to segment and target the Black and Brown communities, REI will need to explore what those interests are in those communities. To target those customers, we will want to have multiple campaigns or movements. Those campaigns could be broken down into different categories such as age, location or seasons of residence, etc.
Age:
| Younger | Middle of the Road | Older and Mature | |
| Social Network | Instagram, Twitter, Facebook | Instagram, Twitter, Facebook | Facebook and LinkedIn |
| Budget for purchases | Interested in trending products, but have a low budget | Interested in practicality in product and have middle to lower end of the high budget | Only care about comfort, warmth, coolness (temperature) and practicality. High end of middle of the road budget and mid to high end of high budget |
| Needs | Look cool, fit in with the up-and-coming influencers/have the hottest new item or brand | Practical about what is necessary over wants but will splurge when they feel like it. | Smart about the brands they purchase, look for quality over quantity of items. |
Season/Location of residence:
| 3-4 seasons | 2-3 seasons | 1-2 Seasons | |
| Needs | Will need practical items for each season if the goal is to be outdoors | Will need items for about 2 seasons, warm and cold | Will need the same as 2-3, enough for warmer and colder |
| Swim Wear | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fitness apparel | Will need shorts, tanks, short sleeves, long sleeves and pants | Will need shorts, tanks, short sleeves, long sleeves and pants | Will need shorts, tanks, long sleeves and pants. |
| Coats, gloves, scarf | Will need heavy, middle of the road and light weight | Will need light weight (can layer) or middle of the road—not both and need Heavy | Will need lightweight and middle of the road |
| Accessories | Most accessories (bags, etc.) will be able to be used for all seasons | Most accessories (bags, etc.) will be able to be used for all seasons | Most accessories (bags, etc.) will be able to be used for all seasons |
After the research of the above categories, we will have the best idea of who to target for what items. By doing the research ahead of time, this will save the marketing team and REI as a company a lot of money/wasted emails or other promotional items sent to the wrong group of people. By having multiple different targeted groups of people, we will have the most success at engaging and getting to know our clients and the best return on investment for the company as a whole.
Positioning:
REI should be the first company people think of when they are thinking of outdoor adventures. In order to ensure this is the case, REI will be using social media to connect with those communities. By using social media REI can reach out, connect, and share stories or initiatives within different age groups and communities. REI will establish a place in each community and will continue to be a front runner within the market. REI will create a modernized campaign for each community, re-establish themselves to their current customers, and will stand out to be a real option for their new communities and customers.
Online Value Proposition (OVP):
We suggest REI’s online value proposition be “Everyone can be an outdoorsy person.” REI’s social media will reflect the newly developed campaigns for the different segmented groups. This will also be an open place for all to share their experiences with the REI community as a whole, but also offer a more specific group of people to engage with. With this OVP, people of all communities, ages, and demographics will feel comfortable breaking out of their comfort zone to try something new with whomever they feel comfortable.
Tactics
The following tactics are being built to serve the larger strategy of creating a campaign to encourage and highlight opportunities for Black and Brown Americans to visit our National Parks and our online value proposition of “Everyone can be an outdoorsy person.”
Communications mix:
In terms of our communications mix, we are focused on balancing the overall strategy with the tactics. We are utilizing the 7 Ps of the classic marketing mix: process, product, price, place, promotion, people, and physical evidence. The process will focus on optimizing REI’s internal and external channels on the internet as well as building timely conversations about our effort. The product will focus on REI’s well-known and well-regarded brand and enriching the consumers’ experience of this brand. The price will be all about transparency as we are not “selling” something other than an experience. The promotion will focus on integrating our online and in-person experiences. The people are REI employees tasked with creating this campaign but also our public relations firm who will be helping us reach out to our audience, not to mention, the Black and Brown individuals and families we will be working with. The physical evidence will be showcased on our social media channels and focused on trust.
Social networking:
Social networking is a major tenant of our strategy to reach out to the Black and Brown audience, and we are going to focus on three main social media networks: Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Facebook tactics: On Facebook, we will primarily be targeting older consumers – but also a key demographic: parents and families. Parents tend to be the ones who take their children on trips or on walks, so this will be key. We will utilize A/B testing. Twitter tactics: On Twitter, we will be engaging with thought-leaders and influencers in our target audience. By engaging these individuals, we will be creating buzz about our initiative. We will also utilize the hashtag #EveryoneOutdoors to help cultivate and shape the discussion. Instagram tactics: On Instagram, we will be engaging influencers and regular people to share pictures and other visuals of their adventures outside and in National Parks. This will make others want to join in. We will also utilize the hashtag #EveryoneOutdoors to help cultivate the visual narrative.
Content strategy:
It’s important to build content that fits and reaches the audience we are trying to target as well as the social network we are utilizing to target the audience. Therefore, we are breaking up our content strategy into specific social media tactics. However, before we can get into the social media aspect, we need to work to address some of the more systemic factors that prevent Black and Brown individuals from utilizing our National Parks using outside-the-box content.
Virtual Zoom Listening Session strategy: REI will convene Virtual Zoom Listening Sessions in towns and cities near National Parks. These will be conducted with groups of 10-15 people – those who are Black and Brown and have never visited National Parks as well as those who visit the National Parks often. The goal here is to spark real and empathetic conversations about the challenges Black and Brown Americans face as they think about accessing our National Parks.
Buddy-To-Buddy Program strategy: The Buddy-To-Buddy is a program that REI will help initiate and implement where a Black or Brown individual or family who is familiar with a National Park will be “buddied” with a Black or Brown individual or family who has never been to a National Park to help them learn and experience the National Parks better. REI will provide both with free gear such as backpacks, sleeping bags, and water bottles and then the buddies will be asked to share their stories on the main REI Instagram account throughout their time in the National Park.
Facebook content strategy: First, REI will share compelling content that addresses some of the systemic challenges that Black and Brown Americans face while trying to access and enjoy our National Parks. For example, video clips from the Virtual Zoom Listening Sessions. Additionally, REI should share visuals (pictures) of Black and Brown families outdoors in our National Parks. The tone we are aiming for is happy and relatable. Links to URLs with more information on how they can learn more will be offered.
Twitter content strategy: First, REI will share compelling content that addresses some of the systemic challenges that Black and Brown Americans face while trying to access and enjoy our National Parks. For example, video clips from the Virtual Zoom Listening Sessions. Some visuals will be included along with some longer form Tweets about what our initiative is and how impactful we think it will be. We will be utilizing our hashtag and links to URLs with more information on how they can learn more.
Instagram content strategy: First, REI will share compelling content that addresses some of the systemic challenges that Black and Brown Americans face while trying to access and enjoy our National Parks. For example, video clips from the Virtual Zoom Listening Sessions. Additionally, REI should focus on high resolution, stunning visuals with minimal text. Influencer marketing will take place here as we utilize influencer marketing with VIP, influential Black and Brown Americans, and compelling authentic content from our “Buddy-to-Buddy” program.
Campaign schedule:
The campaign schedule will be a calendar year-long focus on REI establishing a social media presence around encouraging Black and Brown Americans to access and enjoy our National Parks. We will focus on promoting our Facebook posts during the weeknights when families are having down time and are checking this social media site. We will focus on Twitter strategies during the weekday and during the workday hours when most people are utilizing this social media site. We will focus on Instagram strategies during the weekends when most people are utilizing this social media site. We will focus our earned media strategies such as press releases and blogs early in the week.
Media plan:
The media plan will primarily focus on REI owned, earned, and social media.
| Channel | Messages | Frequency |
| Press releases | -Targeted earned media pitching to outlets serving Black and Brown communities. -Announcing the initiative and updating media and the press around key metrics. | 2-3 per month |
| Blog | -Highlighting particularly compelling stories with long form blog posts that share the deep experiences of our National Parks. -Deep dive on the history of our National Parks and how Black and Brown Americans can access them | 2-3 per month |
| Zoom | -Brand new virtual Zoom listening sessions. | 1 per week |
| -Compelling content that addresses some of the systematic challenges that Black and Brown Americans face while trying to access and enjoy our National Parks. -Clips from the Virtual Zoom Listening Sessions and visuals and stories from participants. | 4-5 per week | |
| -Compelling content that addresses some of the systematic challenges that Black and Brown Americans face while trying to access and enjoy our National Parks. -Highlighting influencers and what outside stakeholders are saying and REI blog posts and press releases. | 4-5 per week | |
| -Compelling content that addresses some of the systematic challenges that Black and Brown Americans face while trying to access and enjoy our National Parks. -Influencer marketing with the “Buddy-To-Buddy” system. -Visuals and stories from participants. | 4-5 per week |
Actions
REI is a culture of collaboration. In this case, several departments will work together to implement the strategy. Curtis Kopf, Senior Vice President, Chief Digital Officer; Vivienne Long, Vice President of Marketing; and Kate Wendt, Vice President of Strategy will mobilize their teams to work together to create a cohesive campaign based on market research.
Because REI does not have leadership dedicated to outreach, we will contract with a public relations firm to help facilitate the Virtual Zoom Listening Sessions. We will heavily call upon our existing community partners to work with us to get the word out to potential participants and draw from for guest speakers and moderators. Additional efforts by the public relations firm will be vital. For example, targeted messages to communities of color will be crafted and implemented in new and innovative ways with the help of this firm that specifically has experience and first-hand knowledge of our target audience.
This public relations firm will also be utilized to assist the conducting of focus groups to gain understanding of the effectiveness and sensitivity of certain messaging before it is disseminated. The focus groups will be conducted online via Zoom (not to be confused with the Zoom Listening Sessions) and will target Black and Brown community members who live in urban areas and have never visited our National Parks in order to hear directly from our target audience.
REI will also contract with relevant influencers with significant social media reach who will primarily promote the outdoor lifestyle with some product use and reviews included throughout. REI currently has a robust news team of writers and content creators who will focus their efforts on stories that relate to and impact communities of color. Feature stories will be written regarding partnerships in these communities that further the effort to get Black and Brown people outdoors and connected with nature. These stories will be heavily boosted on social media within those targeted groups.
The media push will be teased in the final weeks of January with provocative posts about a new initiative that is coming to REI. On February 1, 2021, the press release will go out and the first posts of the campaign will launch announcing the new #EveryoneOutdoors campaign. Longer form posts will include background on the project and clips from the Listening Sessions. Throughout the rest of the year, social media platforms will heavily feature stories from the Buddy-to-Buddy initiative and individuals utilizing the National Parks.
Controls
As with any campaign launch, defining and testing how we are measuring will be important to the overall success. Our overall objective is to increase Black and Brown Americans’ participation in visiting our National Parks by 5% and to increase the share of posts featuring Black and Brown Americans in the National Parks on our social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) by 20%.
| Tactics | Control |
| Social media | -A/B testing. |
| Earned media | -Click through rates, earned media headlines/stories tracked, webpage viewing rates. |
| Focus groups | -Eight focus groups total; four prior to campaign launch; two during to test messages; two at the end to see what worked and what didn’t. |
| Zoom Listening Sessions | -Getting individuals to sign up and participate. |
| Buddy-to-Buddy program | -Getting individuals to take actions such as signing up for the program and then actually visiting National Parks. |
| Influencer marketing | -Utilizing the “Buddy-to-Buddy” program as influencer marketers. |
| Overall | -Work with outside stakeholders such as the National Parks to track Black and Brown American participation at our National Parks. |
Project Feedback Addressed
FP2:
- We included a more measurable focus for our campaign and improved focus.
- We added more research and primary quotes.
- We added more information on our competitors’ diversity efforts.
- We made the objectives much clearer and more actionable, and we used the SMART method.
FP3:
- We added more detail and descriptions regarding segments targeted in the campaign.
- We added specific tactics around making sure we are addressing some of the systematic issues surrounding race and the National Parks – going much further than just changing up visuals.
- We added additional details and specifics to the Actions and Controls sections.
References
Earnings Release (Working paper). (2020). Retrieved https://s23.q4cdn.com/425278312/files/doc_financials/2020/q2/DKS-2020.08.01-Ex.-99.1-Earnings-Release.pdf
Executive Leadership Team. (2017, October). Retrieved from https://www.vfc.com/our-company/executive-leadership-team#:~:text=Steve Rendle,-Chairman, President and&text=Steve was appointed CEO in,of Directors in October 2017
Five Ways to Make the Outdoors More Inclusive. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/sponsored/rei-2018/five-ways-to-make-the-outdoors-more-inclusive/3019/
Positively Good Marketing: REI. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.campaignmonitor.com/blog/email-marketing/2019/01/positively-good-marketing-rei/
REI. (2017, March 15). REI Co-op Gives Back Nearly 70 percent of Profits to the Outdoor Community after Year of Record Revenues in 2016. Retrieved from https://www.rei.com/newsroom/article/rei-co-op-gives-back-nearly-70-percent-profits-to-outdoor-community-after-year-record-revenues-in-2016
REI. (2020). Community Advocacy in the Outdoors – REI Stewardship. Retrieved from https://www.rei.com/stewardship/community-advocacy
REI Competitors. (2020, October 08). Retrieved October 17, 2020, from https://www.comparably.com/companies/rei/competitors
Reifindout. (2017, February 15). REI Presents: Brothers of Climbing. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LWq5s-s4pY
Scott, D., & Lee, K. J. (2018). People of color and their constraints to National Parks Visitation. The George Wright Forum, 35(1), 73-82. Retrieved from http://www.georgewright.org/351scott.pdf
Smith, E. (2020, April 28). Amid Record Sales In 2019, REI Co-Op Ramps Up Reinvestment. Retrieved from https://sgbonline.com/amid-record-sales-in-2019-rei-co-op-ramps-up-reinvestment/#:~:text=REI on Monday reported 2019,a variety of outdoor causes.
Stahl, S. (2018, July 05). Content Marketer of the Year Shares the REI Story. Retrieved October 17, 2020, from https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/2018/07/rei-story/
Tarbaj, C. (2013, April 10). Social Media Marketing Success Story: The North Face. Retrieved December 5, 2020, from https://www.socialmediatoday.com/content/social-media-marketing-success-story-north-face#:~:text=
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