High Plains Division Relay Chair Chat

Importance of Marketing & Branding Your Event

WELCOME

Topics of Discussion

• Welcome

• Importance of Marketing Your Relay

• Ways to Market Your Relay

• How do You Market Your Relay

• What is a Brand

• Importance of a Brand

• The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

• Branding Your Event

• Q & A

Importance of Marketing Your Relay

• Relay is a community event – so ACS relys on grassroots/community based marketing

• Marketing/Promotion of your event will help:• Recruit new committee members• Invite survivors/caregivers to be celebrated• Bring new teams to the event • Build awareness about the American Cancer Society and Relay For Life

• Every Relay should develop a marketing plan which includes:• Who – who should you be marketing to in your community?• What – what do we need to share with the community about Relay?• When – when should your Relay begin communicating (year-round, monthly)?• Where – where should your Relay promote (T.V, radio, online)?

Ways to Market Your Relay

• Traditional Marketing• Community Newspaper• Letters to the Editor• Community Event Calendars

• Grassroots Marketing• Tie purple bows to mailboxes for a month• Ask committee, teams to wear RFL event shirt on a certain Saturday of the month• Decorate a store window for a week• Posters and brochures

• Online Marketing• Facebook, MySpace, Twitter• Email friends and family and tell them what you are doing in the fight against cancer• Create a Relay blog

How Are You Marketing Your Relay For Life?

What is a Brand?

“A great brand taps into emotions. Emotions drive most, if not all, of our decisions. A brand reaches out with a

powerful connecting experience. It’s an emotional connecting point that transcends the product.”

-Scott Bedbury –

The “American Cancer Society brand” isn’t our products, services, or the organization itself – it’s the way people feel about all those things. In short, our brand is what makes us special and unique in people’s minds.

Importance of our Brand

• Our brand (RFL Logo/Text) helps us build affinity and loyalty with our volunteers to support our mission to find a cure for cancer

• 96% of Americans are familiar with the American Cancer Society

• Only 59% are familiar with Relay For Life

• Text standards are just as important to our branding success• Always capitalize the F• Relay For Life of Relayville• Use American Cancer Society before Relay For Life

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The GOOD

• Utilize signage

• Participants wear event shirts

• Mission messaging

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The BAD• Where are the banners?

• Why isn’t anyone wearing an event shirt?

• Is this a Relay event?

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The UGLY

• We should NOT be using the classic logo

• It confuses our brand image with our participants/donors

Branding Your Event

The American Cancer Society brand is our most valuable asset. It is critical that we manage our brand responsibly to enhance its value and maximize impact on all our constituencies.

Ways to Brand Your Event

• Banners

• It is recommended that each event have at least 6 banners

• Staging

• It is recommended that each event brand near or on the stage

• Track Signs

• It is recommended that each event utilize the mission messaging signs as well as directional/logistic track signs

How Do You Brand Your Relay For Life?

High Plains Division Chair Chat

Q & A

Importance of Marketing & Branding Your Event