Communications Plan

Magazines: Nation-Wide

According to a 2001 MARS OTC/DTC Pharmaceutical Study, magazine readership can be easily divided by age and sex. (Soong, 2002) Using information gathered from the study, as well as recent MRI data, I have created a list of magazines that Clif Bar advertisements can be placed within:

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  Geared towards women: Marie Claire, Shape, In Style
  
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  Geared towards men: Business Week, Maxim, Men’s Fitness
  
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  Other: The New Yorker, US Weekly, People
  

Television Broadcast: Nation-Wide

Frequency: Have an average frequency of 8 per quarter in markets where share is over 20 percent.

According to information from Time Warner Cable, certain cable television stations rank higher among adults, ages 18-34, than others. Out of the list provided by Time Warner, I chose five stations that can offer the best advertising opportunities for Clif Bar and reasons why (“Persons 18-34,” 2008):

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  Comedy Central
  
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    Comedy Central targets ages 25-34, which drives Comedy's highly ranked concentration of adults 18-49, 18-34 and 25-54.
    
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    Comedy's "smart" programming attracts one of cable's highest concentrations of "light" viewers. These viewers are selective and discriminating and are likely to pay more attention for these reasons.
    
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    Comedy Central ranks #1 among measured cable networks for "paying full attention" to the programs on the network.
    
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  E!
  
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    E! reaches a desirable, active audience of upscale, professional, college educated adults 18-49.
    
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  ESPN
  
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    At the end of 2003 ESPN's estimated coverage was 84% of U.S. TV households.
    
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    ESPN has enjoyed steadily greater coverage over the past twelve years, increasing by more than fifty-seven percent.
    
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  TBS
  
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    The best comedy line-up on television: Monday through Friday.
    
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    No other network creates appointment viewing like TBS. Dinner & A Movie, The Man Made Movie, The Movie Break and Movie & A Makeover offer a unique programming environment that targets specific demographic groups.
    
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    TBS features MLB that includes one of the National League's best teams, the Atlanta Braves. In the fall, College Football's hottest conferences, PAC-10 and BIG XII, compete for 11 consecutive weeks each Saturday night.
    
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  VH-1
  
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    VH1 has the second highest concentration of adult 18-49 viewers among any network.
    
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    The median age of the VH1 viewer is 29.2.
    
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    VH1 has the highest concentration of adults 18-49 with a household income of $60K+
    

Support Media Objectives and Strategies

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  Rent a subscriber’s list for certain magazines known to have large Clif Bar consumer readership: Marie Claire, Shape, In Style, Business Week, Maxim, Men’s Fitness, The New Yorker, US Weekly, People. (Soong, 2002, and MRI+, 2006)
  
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  Send personalized direct mail postcard with “handwritten” message to “cut through mailbox clutter” (Duncan, 2005) enticing potential customers to visit Clif Bar website
  

The target market may not have a lot of time to shop outside of work and therefore utilizes Internet catalogs and shopping websites. Considering this, I have chosen to use the Clif Bar website as an outlet for possible consumers to “raise their hands” and show their interest in our products. (Duncan, 2005)

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  Create a website entrance prompting surfers to “register” by entering their e-mail address and how they heard about the Clif Bar website.
  
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  Send direct mail e-mail asking if those registered would like to subscribe to Clif Bar e-mail, explaining that the e-mails provide information on product sales, details on new products, events, and more. Provide a click-through link to automatically subscribe from the direct mail e-mail.
  

3. Strengthen Brand Relationships: Increase purchases by 3% in urban areas within 4 months

At this point in the direct marketing campaign, leads have been gathered and a certain percentage has been qualified. These customers are very important to Clif Bar’s current research and future campaign planning. It is very important to gain more information about these specific people through a type of direct marketing tactic and there is no better way than to offer an incentive for their valuable information.

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  Send personalized direct mail packages to people who have purchased products through the website and to those on the Clif Bar e-mail subscription list.
  
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  Include in mail package:
  
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    A letter to the customer detailing Clif Bar’s 5 Aspirations and how Clif Bar is out to make a better product and a better world, etc.
    
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    A product catalog detailing product information and benefits
    
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    A guide to healthier eating habits for people on the go
    
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    Small coupon booklet for future purchases
    
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    A business reply card and envelope with a detailed consumer interest survey that when sent in, they will receive a free Clif Bar bumper sticker or water bottle.
    

Although it may not be cost-effective (Duncan, 2005) it is important to get the Clif Bar brand name “mentioned din the mass media in as many different ways, times, and places as possible.” (Duncan, 2005) This way, customers are reminded as often as possible that Clif Bar products are doing good things not only for their bodies, but also in their neighborhoods.

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  Create print and video press releases about urban target market lack of nutrition emphasizing our products as helping this problem.
  
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  Create print and video press releases and hold press conferences for any and all Clif Bar sponsored events to be read in urban areas where target market is located.
  

In order to “create a deeper level of brand knowledge,” (Duncan, 2005) I have decided to directly contact our target customers as well as entice them with free events they may find interesting. While the brochures provide more information than an advertisement can, the events not only provide the same information but from a source they believe, but also shows that the company cares about their interests as people.

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  Send out brochures to target market workplaces.
  
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  Hold mini-events featuring Green Notes bands such as O.A.R., Gomez, Hot Buttered Rum, or the John Butler Trio (“Why Clif Bar?” 2008) at the end of the workweek in urban areas where target market is likely to view or participate.
  

3. Generate a sense of involvement: Increase event audience or participation by 3% within 3 months

It is important to keep our current and our prospective customers aware of what Clif Bar is doing for the environment, for their bodies, and for their local community. Reminding them of this through the mass media will only further their interest in the brand, the brand’s products, and the brand’s events.

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  Create print and video press releases for local Clif Bar sponsored events.
  
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  Create event information and sign-up sheets on the Clif Bar website.
  

It has been shown that “sales promotions such as special prices…can motivate prospective customers to try something for the first time” and that “coupons on and inside packages…encourage repurchase.” (Duncan, 2005) Because of this, I have chosen to implement those two types of promotion.

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  Mail out coupons to prospective customers to receive items for half-price.
  
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  Include coupons towards future purchases on Clif Bar packaging for a limited time.
  

It is of great importance to a company to gain information on their current customers. If we know exactly who our current customers are and what they like or want in a product, we will be able to cater any future sales promotions or reward programs specifically to them.

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  Use the package to invite customers to the company’s website to take a consumer survey with premium items sent directly to them as incentive.
  
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  Set up a sweepstakes with a downloadable entry form.
  

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  Offer price reductions on new or improved products introduced by the company.
  
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  Implement a UPC code redemption program that offers a small cooking kit and book detailing healthy, tasty recipes and tips for staying healthy while on the go.
  

In order to get customers purchasing more Clif Bar items, it is necessary to offer promotions that actually provide incentive for purchasing more items. Since our target market works year-round, there was no reason to offer special promotions on the products in any particular time of year.

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  Offer a rebate on large-quantity online purchases, such as “Get $15 when you spend $75 or more.”
  
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  Offer “buy two get one free” coupons in-store and online for a limited time.
  

1. 
   Have 95% of customers rate their interactions with Clif Bar as “good” or “very good” on a five-point scale.
   

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  Provide free telephone number on packaging, advertisements, direct mail pieces, etc.
  
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  Provide website on packaging, advertisements, direct mail pieces, etc.
  
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  Provide mailing address, fax-number, and customer service e-mail address and phone number on easily accessible page on website.
  
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  Initiate a training program for all customer service representatives so that they are knowledgeable on each of Clif Bar’s products.
  
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  Provide a “comment” link and e-mail address on the website to obtain positive or negative feedback from customers.