Faculty of Enterprise and Humanities.

Department of Humanities and Arts Management.

BA (Hons.) in Cultural Enterprise.

BA (Hons.) in Business Studies and Arts Management.
Continuous Assessment Cover Sheet.

STUDENT NAME: Sarah Malone & Suzie Foy

PROGRAMME: DL822

YEAR (circle as appropriate): 4

MODULE: Digital Public Relations

ASSESSMENT: Digital PR Strategy

OUR WORD COUNT: 4372

LECTURER: Therese Moylan

We have read the IADT plagiarism policy and procedures and we declare that
this report is our own original work.

SIGNED: Sarah Malone and Suzie Foy

DATE: 10/04/2017
 DUN LAOGHAIRE INSTITUTE OF ART, DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
FACULTY OF ENTERPRISE AND HUMANITIES
DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITIES AND ARTS MANAGEMENT

Digital Public Relations Strategy

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would first like to pay our respects to our Digital PR lecturer, Barry McIntyre from the
Department of Business and Enterprise at the Institute of Art, Design & Technology.
Barry was always open to helping us when we requested assistance and advice
whenever we ran into trouble.

We would like to thank Dr. Therese Moylan, Dennis Cullinane and Roisin Dermody for
taking over the duties and tasks of the Digital PR module.

Sarah Malone & Suzie Foy

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction

The Barn Dance Festival, is an alternative festival based in Wicklow which

focuses heavily on audience experience rather than on high-cost acclaimed
international artists which is what separates it from other music festivals. It is also
a small audience festival in comparison to other festivals that offer similar stages.
With this in mind, we will focus on an effective and realistic digital public relations
plan.

Targeting people aged 18-25 we will ensure a positive relationship with our
audience, by reaching out and utilizing the digital forum. We will divide our
audience into sub-groups based on interests, geographical locations including
universities, social media patterns, posts and more.

We aim to nurture our audience by offering competitions online across social

media sites to create interaction and hype amongst the online community before
the festival has begun.

We will host a launch to engage our target audience, build hype and gain
publicity. Focusing on public relations to strengthen the brands credibility, we will
engage with prominent social media influencers in Ireland who we hope to have
in attendance at the launch and the festival. These key online influencers will
help us to build and maintain our positive brand amongst our target audience
with their strong influence on many of our target market.

We plan to engage vigorously on social media once the festival has ended to
maintain brand awareness after the event. A digital marketing executive will be
tasked with responding to any feedback given on social media platforms or
directly by email. We will also maintain competitions online after the weeks
following the event to continue increasing the reputation of the festival and
positive relations between the festival and its current or potential audience.
We aim to encourage our social media influencers to post their own photos and
videos of the across all media platforms, to help circulate positive feedback and
experience reviews across social media.

These PR methods will be used to create and strengthen the Brands Reputation
while building awareness for the Festival.

2. Background

Barndance festival started in 2007 as a charity gig, it quickly grew and now has
over 4000 attendees. The festival is Irelands only BYOB festival with tickets
priced at 45, with additional fees for bus tickets available on the website. The
festival showcases local and international acts and are booked by various
promoters. They also include market-style food stalls, fashion booths, art
installations and bumper cars. (bdfestival.ie, 2016)

3. Executive Summary

Barn Dance strives to expand its overall brand and target market on a long term
basis. In order to establish this, we have conducted market research on current
online trends, social media tools, digital influencers, monitoring and evaluating
the analytics of the social media site. The unique selling point of the festival is the
BYOB element, which makes it cheap for students. We have focused the digital
pr strategy to increase this target audience to hopefully 25% of attendees. We
have determined that social media influencers would be a way to gain more
exposure and gather more followers. The documents digital PR objectives were
the platform in the overall campaign and creative strategy.
These digital PR methods will create a platform for the brand to grow in a more
creative and exciting direction.
 4. Mission statement

We will distinguish ourselves in the event management market by managing,

producing and supporting outstanding events that exceed customers
expectations in terms of value, service and innovation.

5. Situational Analysis

5.1 SWOT analysis

Strengths BD Festival is on annually on Good Friday each year. This is a

day when alcohol cannot be sold and which pubs/nightclubs are
closed which is why the Festival has a bring your own alcohol
policy.

Weaknesses No digital sponsors, not enough engagement with online

following, lacking an Instagram page and Snapchat account.

Opportunitie Possible partnerships with digital influencers, increase in online

s media coverage, increase online coverage from attendees

Threats Weather threats

6. Competencies

Unique Selling Point - The festival is Irelands only festival on Good Friday.

Unique Customer Benefit - The festival is byob, which allows patrons to bring
their own drink, which not only keeps costs low for attendees but also is desirable
as on good friday purchasing alcohol is banned. All other Festivals customers
from bringing their own alcohol so this is used to the Festivals advantage.
 7. Overall Marketing Objectives

1. To generate brand awareness due to increased social media presence

and partnerships which will build and retain followers on social media
accounts.
2. To increase the number of students attending the festival to 25% of the
audience and increase the number of returning customers.
3. To create a distinct brand for the festival, using the launch and social
media.

8. Target Markets

8.1 Segmentation

We aim to grow the awareness of our brand by targeting 18-25 year olds,
targeting students in college and our target audience online using our social
media platforms and partnerships with brands and influencers.

8.2 Targeting

Looking at ticket sales we will evaluate our customer database analysing the
demographic and psychographic detail of the customer. We hope to analyse the
data derived from our social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter to gather
more information about our customers and guide us to targeting correctly.

8.3 Positioning

Highlighting the brands unique benefits with the target market, i.e. byob festival.

8.4 Competitive Strategy

Competing festivals will be analysed, and successful customer engagement will
be reviewed to determine how competitors position themselves within the target
market.

9. Overall Marketing Strategies

(Chaffy, 2011)

The marketing mix is a well-established conceptual framework that helps

marketers to structure their approach to each market. It should be re-examined
and reapplied for the online world. (Chaffey & Smith, 2013)
Product: Expanding the online presence of the festival we will offer interaction
with the brand to create new experiences with the customers and offer new
information.

Price: Discounts will be offered over the course of the year and the pricing model
will be available on the website. Introducing discount codes for students and for
attendees at the launch.

Promotion: We will integrate all of our active social media sites for promotion,
and our fashion partnerships will use posts to promote the festival on their sites.

People: Online social media will be used to gain new customers through
reviews, postings and general interaction.

Physical Evidence: The website works to reassure customers that the site
meets acceptable standard of speed and ease of use.

Process: Adopt fast processes so that front and back office systems provide an
efficient response to customer support requests.

Partnerships: Social Media influencers will partner with the brand to expand the
following.

(Chaffey and Smith, 2013)

10. Digital PR Strategy

10.1 Digital PR Objectives

We have divided this Digital PR strategy into three categories, the PR

programme, the PR campaign and the PR event. The event is the launch night of
Barn Dance festival, the campaign includes the photocall, competitions and
releasing press releases, the programme spans the course of the year from the
end of the 2017 festival to the 2018 festival which is focused on awareness
building and maintaining using multi-technique PR activity. (Dibb et. al., 2012)
PR Programme PR Campaign PR event

Set up a Snapchat and Launch a competition with 50 online competition

Instagram account and seven college student
gain 1000 followers in the unions to promote the
first month and grow it by student discount and win
10% each month after. tickets to the launch and the
festival.
entrants for each week of
our launch ticket giveaway
competition.

Offer a student discount Host competitions on social Meet our attendee

for tickets and use the media platforms breakdown aims:
data to improve target 30 publicity
audiences next year. 50 partners
50 publics

Increase twitter users by Secure competitions on To gain 250 social media

1000 followers and seven radio stations giving posts from launch
Facebook by 10,000. away free tickets. attendees, using the
hashtag #BDLaunchParty

Win Best Small Festival To increase social media

at the Irish Festival following by 20% for each
Awards 2018 BD account.

10.2 Target Audience

10.2a) Consumer Target Audiences

 Demographic Geographic

18-25 Year Olds Colleges in County Dublin

Single Residents in Leinster
Different cultures residing Students attending college in city centre.
nearby.

Behavioural Psychographic

Music lovers Social Class ABC1 C1 C2 (McIntyre Lecture

Students notes, 2014.)
Music/Art Students
Family/friends of the artists
performing.

The nature of our Festival is likely to receive response from students. with the
Bring Your Own Beer theme mirroring the idea of a house party or something
done very organically. BYOB is cheap so it is useful to students who are not
working full time so this policy will speak to these specifically. Our demographic
will be male and female students from the ages of 18-25.

IADT is a college within a close radius to Glendalough and so a good relationship

will be built between us and the Entertainment Officer of the college. We will send
on our press releases and send free tickets to the Student Union which can be
raffled off by the college. Other colleges targeted will be UCD, Trinity College,
DCU, NCI, ITT and DIT with press releases sent to these Student Unions.

10.2b) Business Target Audiences

Connecting with 9 crows street who promote their own clothing brand. We will
send them press releases, passes and invites to the launch party. The brand
frequently attend festivals and concerts in Dublin, detailing their experience
online. They also sell and style outfits appropriate for festivals and concerts
which promotes the upcoming event and builds an excitement (appendix)
With over 50,000 followers on their fashion instagram account 9crowsstreet we
aim to develop a positive relationship with the brand who will visit the festival and
share their experience on their platform. They will be raffling tickets to their
subscribers. Contact:

Babooshka Beauty rooms will provide a similar function to 9 crows street. A

brand that promote Festival Makeup and Hair and produce these looks in their
Temple Bar Location. They are active across all social media accounts. They
have a following on instagram of over 5000 and beauty influencers to our
demographic. We will build positive relations with this brand who are affiliated
with us. Contact: Sarah Gaynor

10.2c) Media Target audiences

Radio DJs/Producers

Radios with listeners that include our demographic are FM 104, Spin, Radio
Nova and college radios. We will send press releases to these and offer tickets to
be won on college radios. We will aim to have the radio stations retweet or share
some of our online content.

Social Media Influencers

We have identified four social media influencers who are suitable partners for the
festival, Niallor9 who is a known Irish music blogger, James Kavanagh who is a
famed social media influencer, Erika Fox and Leanne Woodfull who are lifestyle
bloggers.
Publications

Hot Press, Lovin Dublin, Her.ie/Joe.ie, Entertainment.ie

Contact journalists of LovinDublin.ie with press releases. Contact Journalists of

Hot Press a music publication. 90% of their users are aged 18-35 and 45% are
aged 18-25. Main contact, Conor White, Advertising Director. We aim to develop
a strong report with the advertising director and journalists. Joe.ie geared directly
towards men 450k Facebook Fans and 220K. Her.ie is a blog geared directly
toward women with 450k across Twitter and Facebook. We aim to build a rapport
with their journalists and advertising directors.

Invites will be given to journalists at these publications to the our launch party.
Press releases will be sent to these departments also.

10.2d) Develop audiences

Building good relationships with the festival's attendees is vital to increase the
attendance annually. There is a few ways Barndance could tackle this.

1. Interacting on social media

Barndance need to be more active on their social media accounts as to increase
free promotion from patrons as well as encouraging them to return to the
festival the following year. Using instagram to re-post users photos as well as
liking the existing photo encourages users to post photos and tag the festival.
The festival should also be replying and interacting with people that post about
them online good or bad, as this shows that they care about the attendees
experience.

2. Discounted tickets to recurring customers

As Electric Picnics model of returning attendees receiving a discount on
purchase of an early-bird ticket if they can produce a band from the previous
years festival
 10.3 Copy Strategy

As this is a music event, we will use images of previous shows on all of our
digital platforms. We will ensure the logo is present on any and all publications
from emails to press releases. We will keep casual, informal language in all of
our copy. All of our copy will be written by the same marketing manager, so the
tone will be consistent throughout the copy. Unlike news or editorial writing,
copywriting is all about getting the reader to take action- to buy, subscribe to
emailers, or to keep updated with company news/products. (Tan, 2015)

10.4 Digital Sales Promotion

Competitions will be held online across social media accounts. Subscribers will
be encouraged to like and share our content to be in with a chance to win free
tickets. Subscribers will be encouraged to tag a friend and this will increase the
reach of our posts and content. Lucky winners will be sent their free tickets and a
pass get a festival look done in the babooshka tent.
We will utilise sponsored ads on Facebook and Instagram, growing our reach
and likes across all of our digital media platforms. Ads will be targeted to our
demographics on all social media platforms
(https://www.facebook.com/business/learn/how-much-facebook-ads-cost)
(https://business.instagram.com/advertising)

Social Media is the term commonly given to the internet and mobile-based
channels and tools that allows users to interact with each other and share
opinions and content. As the name implies, social media involves the building of
communities or networks and encouraging participation and engagement (CIPR,
2011)

10.5 Photocall

The photocall will be executed one week before the event begins. We will contact
journalists from traditional sources as well as online and college publications,
photographers and radio stations who will be invited to this photocall. This will be
based in the glendalough house and images from the photocall will be shared on
our social media sites and by our brand ambassadors.

10.6 Direct Digital Marketing

This will be available for all who wish to sign up to our newsletter. Customers
who sign up to this will receive bi-monthly updates getting exciting news about
the line-up first.
 10.7 Customer Relationship Management Strategy

Maintaining a timely response rate across all social media platforms once
the event has ended. We want to maintain the positive relationship that we
have built during the build up to the festival.

Lost and Found initiative will be maintained this year so that BD Festival
maintain a positive relationship with its audience. Its very likely its that
those in attendance will be carrying bags for coats and personal
belongings. After each festival there is a large amount of forgotten items.
Declaring these on social media is a strategy that we will continue to
implement to maintain good relations with our audience.

Winding down after the event we will contact those who partnered with us
and performed to say a warm thank you
 We will actively encourage consumer feedback on social media by
engaging in an open conversation across our sites. Asking the audience to
share their images and experiences. We will share best photos on our site
and this will encourage the audience to upload and share experiences. A
campaign will be released to encourage facebook followers to take our
online survey for one month after the event, this will provide us with
metrics to learn from in terms of overall experience on behalf of the
audience members.

10.8 Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy

The aim is to maximise Barn Dance Festivals positive impact and minimise its
negative impact on society, by using environmentally friendly facilities throughout
the festival. We will strive for marketing citizenship by adopting a recycling
strategy to fulfil our environmental and ethical social responsilbities. Since it is
BYOB, there will be cans and plastic littered all over the festival. It is the
responsibility of the Barndance team to ensure during clean-up that the rubbish is
recycled, this will also reduce costs for the festival. (Dibb et. al., 2012) We will
follow this below strategy taken from, this will allow us to adequately express our
brand to the relevant demographics

10.9 Corporate identity Strategy

Corporate Branding plays a role in guiding all of a company's activities. The

corporate brand is transmitted through tangible and intangible features
The Table below demonstrates the structure that we will follow to create and
sustain our corporate identity. This is the best structure for our brand and the
demographic and audiences which we target.

1. Be different: A bring your own beer 2. Be significant: Audience experience is

festival is very unique. what drives our audience to this festival.

3. Be credible: We value our audience and 4. Be valuable: We want to build strong

manage the festival with integrity by experiences and lasting perceptions by
providing a safe environment. delivering consistent value.

10.10 Crisis management strategy

This will be particularly relevant on our social media accounts, utilising the chat
feature on our Facebook page to respond to queries or complaints in a quick and
timely manner. Along with the chat facility there is the rapid response to any
queries that may arise on the twitter feed, with the ability to respond directly. We
aim to respond to followers within an hour. We can also give real time updates in
regards to traffic on the route. Our social media site will also be a platform to
bring awareness to weather conditions on the day of the event as this will affect
travel and the experience of the customer. To maintain a positive relationship with
our publics we will maintain a fast and positive response rate for any questions,
queries or concerns.

11. PR Event: Barndance Launch

The purpose of a launch for the festival is to create hype for the festival and
increase brand awareness by inviting social media influencers, bloggers,
journalist and bloggers to create traction. The dress code will be festival attire, as
we will have a competition based on this on the night.

Date: February 9, 2018.

Venue: The Mart.

Aligning with the unique selling point of the festival, we are hosting the launch in
a BYOB venue. We will rent out The Mart in Rathmines which is a BYOB
restaurant and set up a dj booth where the acts will play. We will bring in a small
selection of artists who are showcasing at the festival to showcase their work at
the launch. The aim of the launch is to release the line-up and to showcase the
atmosphere of the festival.

11.1. Launch objectives:

 To create excitement among attendees at the launch, for the festival. We
will determine this by following social posts about the festival subsequent
to people attending the launch.
To create awareness about the festival by hosting a competition at the
launch for the attendees.
To create a strong relationships with our affiliates,by showing our
appreciation for the artists, the acts and the booths at the launch,.

11.2. Attendees at the launch:

We have a capacity of 150 people at the launch, we have therefore broken down
the numbers into three separate groups as a way to determine an even mix to
ensure success at the festival.

Publicity: 30 people. This is made up of identified social media influencers

that attract our target audience, journalists and bloggers.
Partners: 50 people. These are the acts playing the festival, the artists
who showcase at the festival and the brands who will showcase at the
festival, Nine crows and Baboohska.
Publics: 50 people. These are our target audiences, made up of people
who have responded to our online competitions to win tickets to the launch
(which has created brand awareness amongst their followers) and
members of the colleges student unions and the winners of the
competitions/raffles they have hosted.

The other 20 people is made up of the staff of the Barndance offices.

11.3. Launch Strategy:

Invitations:
Prior to the launch, we will reach out to our identified publicity targets. We will
secure RSVPs prior to the event and will continually invite people on this list until
we have 30 secured RSVPs attending. The acts and artists playing and
showcasing will be secured from November, and the brands showcasing at the
event will be made aware of the launch in November as well. This is to ensure no
clash of events as we want to strengthen the relationship with our partners and
ensure their attendance.
To secure our target audience attendance at this event, we will implement two
strategies. One for digital platforms and one in partnership with college student
unions. On our social media platforms we will post a competition once a week on
a Sunday evening when we have analysed we get the most interaction and close
the competition the Friday of the same week. The competition will be posted
across Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. We will run this competition in the four
weeks prior to the event and pick three winners to win two tickets each on the
Friday of each week.
We have listed the colleges we intend on targeting. We will give the SU
representatives two tickets to give-away and two tickets for themselves if they
would like to attend and if not they can also give them away.

11.4 Competition for the Launch:

While some influencers and journalists will receive complimentary tickets to the
festival, everyone else at the launch will have the opportunity to win tickets. We
will host five competitions, some will involve social media posts that we will
search via the hashtag #BDLaunchParty.
1. Best photo of the launch.
2. Post the best thing you over-hear at the launch.
3. Best festival-themed outfit at the launch
4. Best use of the glitter paste at the launch
5. Best dancer at the launch.
All winners will be chosen by the Barndance team, each winner will receive two
tickets to Barndance festival.

During and after the Launch:

We will track the hashtag on social media and interact with the attendees of the
event. Responding and retweeting, following users and engaging online. This will
hopefully encourage users to post as it will increase their profiles visibility.

11.5 The Launch Schedule:

Set - Up. 6pm - 8pm: From 6pm we will host sound check, and set up of the
artists visuals. We will get the promotion packs ready which are little bags filled
with festival merch, for example including 10% discount codes for Nine Crows,
Babooshka and Barndance tickets. A Barndance bottle opener key-ring, a
hangover recovery drink and sample glitter paste pots. An information leaflet
informing people of the competitions running throughout the night and our social
media handles. Insert photos

8pm-9pm: Welcome people, give them the promotional packs, introduce

attendees to each other and tell people about the competitions running
throughout the night.
9pm: Barndance speaker, welcoming everyone to the event. Speaking about the
festival, releasing the line-up, talking about the competitions and introducing the
first act.

9pm-11pm: Acts continuously play throughout, each playing a 30 minute set.

11pm: Barndance speaker, thanking everyone for coming, giving details of the
after party and revealing the competition winners.

11pm - 12.30pm: Take down and clean up.

11. DPR Implementation
 PR PR PR Event
Programme Campaign
April Consistently Ask followers for
monitor social feedback, upload
media, interacting lost & found
with followers album, and run
best photo
competition for
tickets to 2018
festival

May
June/July Release
Newsletter

Aug/Sept Digital lnfluencers

outreach and
relationship
building

Oct/Nov Secure fashion

brands and acts
for the launch,

December Release
Newsletter

January Consistantly social Approach Host ticket give-

media and Colleges and Host away competitions
publications in the the SU
February run up to the competitions The Launch
festival

March Photocall with Follow up on

digital influencers press and interact
to launch the on all social media
festival platforms
 12. DPR Budget

12.1 PR Campaign Budget

Social Media Influencers Promotion 500

Social Media Development Twitter Free

Snapchat Free

Facebook Free

Target Audience & Target Market Instagram promoted posts 385

Facebook ads 250

Twitter promoted tweets 400

Digital Sales Promotion Competition prizes (value) 1000

Total 2535

12.2 PR Launch Budget

 DESCRIPTION PRICE

Venue The Mart 300

Entertainment Acts Included in fee for BD

Artists Included in fee for BD

Social Influencers 200

Promotion Packs Bottle Opener Key-rings 150

Hangover drinks 75

Discount Coupons Free

Information card 20

Digital Sales Competition prizes (value) 500

Promotion

Total 1,245

13. Monitoring and Evaluation

We will use data analytics, audience feedback and interviews with our partners
and social influencers to establish what strategies worked and didnt work. We
will review the launch and garner whether ticket sales increased after the
publicity of the launch on social media. Establishing the increase of followers and
engagement on social media will enable use to recreate the copy and style of our
most popular posts.

References
 Dibb, S Simkin,L Pride. M W, Ferrell C O (2012) Marketing Concepts and
Strategies 6th Edition. Britain Cengage Learning EMEA

Kotler, P Armstrong, G (2012) Principals of Marketing Fifth European

Edition. England. Pearse Education Limited

D. Chaffey, P.R. Smith (2013) Emarketing Excellence Planning and

Optimizing your Digital Marketing, 4th Edition Published by Routledge.

BD website. http://www.barndance.ie/line-up.html retreived from.

Byrne, Niall. (2016) How Music Works: how BD Festival is taking full
advantage of Good Friday law. Retrieved from
http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/how-music-works-how-bd-festival-
is-taking-full-advantage-of-good-friday-law-1.2554494

Ryan, Ali. (2016) The Ultimate Top 80 Irish People To Follow On

Snapchat. Retrieved from https://goss.ie/the-ultimate-top-50-irish-people-
to-follow-on-snapchat/
 Appendix

Facebook: 27,484 Followers

Twitter: 1,512 Followers

Partners Posts: