Sample Creative Brief

CREATIVE BRIEF Project: 2008 Association Technology Conference Redesign Date: August 30, 2007 Marketing contact: Matthew Arts Internal client: Megan Denhardt A. Project Overview and Strategy

Project Overview The Association Technology Conference is the only technology conference with education sessions and vendor services specifically for the association community. Our members attend this conference for practical, straight-forward solutions to their IT/technology needs. Now in its third year, the Tech Conference will have a complete redesign of the conference identity that will reflect the growth of learning and services offered. Attendees will leave the conference with the tools, knowledge, and solutions they need to meet and enhance their IT/technology needs. The design should use elements that evoke technology but speak to the personal experience gained at the conference. Because this is the only association technology conference, the experience is focused more on the benefits our members gain rather than what new technology products are available. We want our members to feel that we understand their unique needs and strive to provide them with solutions. Some of the confirmed education session for 2008 include: - Creating Web-based Communities That Work - Implementing a Content Management Systems for the First Time - Developing Security Policies and Procedures to Protect Member Data Strategy The marketing strategy will consist of implementing time-tested tactics while testing new tactics to specific audiences. New marketing tactics will focus on utilizing more technology based platforms to reach our tech-savvy audience members and tie into the technology solution theme—we are using the same solutions offered at our conference to market to you. The testing of these new tactics is meant to achieve: converting ASAE & The Center technology members who have not attended the conference into attendees; easier cross-marketing to outside media (paid online advertisement and media coverage); and, identify tactics to be use for the 2009 and beyond conferences. Below is a high-level review of tactics month-by-month. New tactics are in italics: September - Save-the-Date postcard mailed to all audiences (print) - Launch eShow marketing site (website) - Begin e-mail campaign (e-mail) October - Full page ad in Associations Now (print) - Marketing brochure mailed to all audiences by end of month (print) - Begin InTouch articles (website/electronic newsletter) - PURL campaign to audience members who have never attended conference (website and email. See section J for details) - Media coverage (print and website. See section J for details) - Guest Blog (website. See section J for details)

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November - Full page ad in Associations Now (print) - Continue e-mail campaign (e-mail) - Digital Harbor/Potomac Tech ads/Other online ads (website/electronic newsletter) December - Full page ad Associations Now (print) - Continue e-mail campaign (e-mail) - Registration reminder postcard (print) - Continue media coverage (print and website) January - Half page ad Associations Now (print) - Final e-mail campaign (e-mail) - Final InTouch article (website/electronic newsletter) B. What is the goal/objective for this piece? The goal for the new design is to create a brand identity for the conference that will be used for two years. The design should have strong elements that evoke technology while connecting to ASAE & The Center’s brand art. The design will be used on all collateral materials, including website and e-mail marketing, and should be flexible enough to be edited for these various media. C. Who is the target audience? The primary audience are association managers and above that are either directly responsible for IT, Web and other technology related positions within their organization. They generally would have at least three years experience and with some decision making responsibilities or are at the ‘C’ level of their organization. This primary audience attends the conference to find the latest solutions for internal operations, and products and services that support organization initiatives such as membership and marketing. A possibly secondary audience that would receive specific messages and tactics would be the Young Professionals (under 30 members). Given the nature of this audience, it can be assumed that many would be tech-savvy; iPods, blogging, podcasting, and YouTube are among many new technologies they are using for both social and professional. If new sessions/content could be created specifically for this audience, then many of the new technology tactics could be used on this audience. Other audiences are association managers and staff with an interest in technology, possibly board members and volunteers, and the general public. This audience group is not directly addressed with specific marketing tactics nor copy, but are reached via public media such as online advertisements and word-of-mouth marketing. D. What are the barriers the audience may encounter? The barriers this audience would encounter are marketing messages from other ASAE & The Center programs. This conference is offered within six to eight weeks of the Great Ideas Conference which there is a good percentage of cross-over from the technology audience. Many association managers perform multiple roles and there is the possibility that a choice must be made among the many ASAE & The Center programs. The brochure would have to set itself apart from other ASAE & The Center programs; this is the one conference that has a very specific audience and is truly the only tech conference for associations.

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E. What reaction do you want them to have when exposed to the messages and visuals? The target audience should immediately make the connection that this design is for the ASAE & The Center Association Technology Conference, and to visit the marketing website to learn more and register. We want our audience to be excited about the new design, and most importantly be excited for the 2008 conference; building on the success of the first two conferences. F. What do you want the target audience to do? The main task is to visit the marketing site and register for the conference. Once registration is complete, the secondary task we would want is to pass the marketing piece along to a colleague and hopefully gain and additional registrations. G. What are the primary and secondary messages? The main message we want our members to receive from all collateral materials is the Tech Conference will provide you with the tools, knowledge, and solutions you need to meet and enhance your IT needs. Our members attend this conference because they are looking for practical, straight-forward answers to their technology needs. A new tagline will be created to reflect this ‘conference promise’ and the copy for all collateral will be a variation of this theme. The secondary messages would focus on the education content, general session and thought leaders content. These message would be use to reinforce the ‘conference promise’. H. What messages/communications have they received in the past? This audience have received marketing messages from a suite of media—direct print marketing, print and online advertisements, conference marketing brochure, and e-marketing including e-mail, e-newsletters, and listservs. These will be the same media used for the 2008 campaign. I. What is the tone of the campaign or the piece? First and foremost, the design should evoke both technology and the personal benefits offered from the conference. From there, the ‘tone’ of the design and campaign should be energetic, fresh, fun, and cutting-edge. Use of the brighter colors in our brand color pallet is encouraged as well as outside photography and illustration that will support the primary messages for the campaign. J. What other tactics can be used to communicate messages? For the 2008 conference, there are a number of new tactics that can be used to target segments of our members. Personal URL (PURL) Campaign This tactics has already proven successful for the 2008 Annual meeting and membership marking, and can be used to target members who have never attended the Tech conference. This audience segment would receive the marketing brochure, then the remainder of their communication would be via the PURL campaign which would begin with a direct mail piece with their custom link.

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Guest Blog Blogging is an increasingly popular form of content sharing that can be influential in marketing products, goods, and services. We would identify a member who has attended at least one Tech conference who had a positive experience and would be willing to post messages about their experience. This tactic would follow traditional word-of-mouth marketing; allow brand ambassadors to work in tandem with traditional marketing tactics to influence a wider, and potentially new, audience. We would include the blog link in all e-mail marketing, and even encourage our members to participate. Another use of a guest blogger would be to have real-time coverage at the conference. We identify two to three attendees and invite them to keep a blog of the entire conference and we will market their blogs to our members. This will help to build a stronger brand awareness of the Tech conference and could help with getting unfiltered feedback that can help create the 2009 conference. Text Messaging/Instant Messaging (IM) The use of text and IM for marketing has grown over the past few years, and would fit into the theme of new technologies for this marketing strategy. An ideal target audience for this new tactic would be the Young Professionals, who by virtue would be naturally inclined to be already receiving marketing messages on their cell phones/PDAs/computers. Media Coverage Because the Tech conference is still new, there is an opportunity to create a targeted public relations campaign that can position this conference both within the association community and the D.C. technology business community. By using all forms of news reporting (print, online, blog, syndication), we can begin to create a strong public awareness of the Tech conference. Onsite Book Advertisement This year we are offering purchased ad space in the Onsite Book. Once the ad space is sold, marketing should reach out to these paid advertisers and investigate if there are opportunities to promote the conference. This tactic could work well with media coverage/public relations as it could afford an opportunity to reach an audience outside our members. K. What is the budget? The design budget is estimated at $7,500. This would include up to three rounds of design comps, final design, full production of direct mail postcard and possibly production of marketing brochure. L. What is the timeline? The design and direct mail postcard must be complete by week of September 24, 2007. A full timeline will be provided for all marketing pieces.

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