Christmas - Comms With A Plan

Comms With A Plan ReachApp© Constantijn Baarendse - Comms With A Plan
A Christmas
connection plan
•A connection plan is one concrete result of integrated marketing communications (IMC).
•It provides the common ground upon which your executional agencies can build their work
and be at their best.
•Connection planning has many advantages
•Lower marketing costs,
•More effectiveness,
•Better integration,
•Cross departmental cooperation,
•Etc. (we have at least 7 more)
•This document leads you through a connection plan, the way we see it. And it’s all about
Christmas!
An agency that offers Media
Management and Connection
Planning consultancy to
advertisers
An app that gives you the
potential impact of your
advertising campaigns: It
estimates total reach and
overlap.

Purpose
• Answer the following questions:
• If Christmas was a brand. What could its Connection Plan look
like?
• What does a Connection Plan look like? What does it do?

What is a Connection Plan?
• It’s an extended media plan.
• It also has other “touch points” than normally buyable advertising space. Like packaging. Or a
spokesperson. Or anything else that can carry a brand message.
• It has the usual strategical and tactical considerations.
• More based on the way users use touch points and the mechanics that can be deployed than
purely on data.
• Ideally it contains at least some idea about the creative strategy.
• It plays out as a schedule, a to-do list and a primary briefing.
• It serves as a common ground for the executional agencies* to base their
proposals upon.
• *Agencies: PR, digital, media, advertising, experiential, social media, back end, sampling,
design, gaming, viral, sponsoring, shopper-marketing etc.

And on to Christmas.
What is wrong that it needs a Connection Plan?
Nothing, and everything.
We just feel that we’ve moved away from the original values that
Christmas brings. We eat a lot of food. We unwrap presents under the
tree. Etcetera.
One of the reasons for this is that there are many other organisations that
take advantage. They use what “Christmas” has achieved and signifies.
And make it part of their plan. And that causes a blur in the way we
experience Christmas.
It’s time to turn this around…
Let’s start with some Introspection and the current Situation. Then move
on to Objectives. And finally, the Connection Planning.

Introspection
• What
• How
• Why
The What, How & Why of Christmas is clearly
derived from Simon Sinek's take on strategy.
Find more on: http://www.startwithwhy.com/.

Christmas - What
Drink Giving Family Religion
SymbolsDonatingFood Congregate
What = The things we do and express with Christmas

Christmas - How
Shopping Giving Family Religion
SymbolsDonatingFood & Drink Congregate
How = “What” (previous slide) + Shopping + Great Atmosphere

Christmas - Why
At the end of the year, everybody makes up the balance. If you had a good year, in
the terms you find important, you’re inclined to give to others. If you had a bad year,
you accept help of others.
Historical triggers & values for the Christmas “Why”. Where does it all come from?
Sun turn in midwinter
indicates that the
days will become
longer and lighter.
Birth of Jesus.
Hope / Optimism
The harvest on the land is
done. So is the preparation
of storable food.
Coldest part of winter
coming. Question if one can
sustain. Perhaps help is
needed.
Helpfulness / Perseverance

Situation
• The roots of Christmas, grouped under “Why” on the
previous sheet, are being followed through selectively:
We eat, to get through winter. We shop and give
presents, because we are doing well.
• Christmas is focused on abundance: Shopping and eating
are most important.
• Christmas is not a movement in itself anymore. Many
organisations are using the Christmas values and symbols
to project as an example for their own, often unjustified.
Source: our own observation

Objectives
• Re-establish the basic values of Christmas:
• Make up the balance of your past year.
• It’s about the Christmas feeling itself.
• Give to people who really need it.
• Make optimism and hope the result of Christmas.

Creative concept
(Since this SlideShare is about Connection
Planning, we choose for a more or less existing
concept.)
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, provides
relevant starting points to satisfy all three
objectives:
• Scrooge makes up the balance of last year,
as well as his life;
• One message is about giving to the people
who really need it, like Bob Cratchit and his
son Tiny Tim (picture);
• One other message is about hope: Despite
his history of being a real miser, Scrooge
and the people around him have a happier
future ahead.
• Elements of the story will serve as ingredients
of messages that consumers of Christmas will
encounter as part of the connection plan.

3 creative executions
Creative message explaining
the “why” of Christmas. Some
people had a better year than
others. Christmas is about
making up the balance and
act.
Test: How did you do this
year? Are you a “Scrooge” or
a “Bob Cratchit”?
Action: Give or receive
something simple and nice
amongst your peers, based on
the test. Enter the new year
with hope and optimism.
1
2
3

Imperatives
• Markets - This could be any market or combination of markets where:
• People celebrate Christmas
• The same kind of messaging would be understood
• Target group - People who celebrate Christmas, from a Christian angle, in one or more social
groups:
• Families
• Workers / Colleagues
• Students / Teens
• Timing - Depends on the markets, usually after celebrations like St. Nicholas (NL, BE, GE).
Thanksgiving (US, CA) might be partly included because of the way the Christmas movement
wants to focus on evaluating the year. Maximum will be 6 weeks.
• Budget - This is hard, since there is no budget holder (perhaps somewhere on the North pole)
and there can be several markets involved. Let’s assume the budget is similar to what a
midsize A-brand could invest in about 6 weeks.

Connection Planning =
Strategy + Framework + Plan
Connection Planning
Connection Strategy
Connection Framework
Connection Plan
The overall assignment is: Defining when, where and how consumers and
Christmas (or your brand) ideally will be in touch.

Connection Strategy
First, the messages. The idea is to have 3 broad messages go out during the campaign period:
Objective Message
Explanation of the original
values of Christmas.
Re-establish awareness of
original Christmas values.1
2
3
Invoke introspection with
target group.
Provoke target group to
act in Christmas spirit and
feel happier after.
Ask people to rate
themselves: Are they a
“Scrooge” or a “Bob
Cratchit”.
Provide a mechanism
that will allow people to give
or receive from others and then
get ready for a positive new
year.
Identify messages, touch points, rationale / role for each
touch point and synergy.

Connection Strategy
Second, the touch points. These should be limited, we are on the level of a mid-sized A-brand.
Message
Explanation of the original values of
Christmas.
1
2
3
Ask people to rate themselves: Are they
a “Scrooge” or a “Bob Cratchit”.
Provide a mechanism that will
allow people to give or receive from
others and then get ready for a positive
new year.
Touch Points
Video On DemandWebsite Cinema Television Magazines
Outdoor
Social Display SEM SEO
Viral
App
Website Video On Demand
SocialWebsite
Viral
App

Connection Strategy
▶︎The following slide shows all the touch points we chose from.
1
2
3
Touch Points
Video On DemandWebsite Cinema Television Magazines
Outdoor
Social Display SEM SEO
Viral
App
Website Video On Demand
SocialWebsite
Rationale, roles & synergy
• Christmas’ own site is the starting point of the story.
• Magazines allow us to start early and tell a more profound story.
• Telling the story of Christmas works well through AV oriented
media. Synergy can be expected around weather reports / end
year news.
• In Cinema Christmas can expose visitors to a very impactful and
atmospheric film
• With Television and VOD we can build reach quite quickly, within
the short time frame available.
• Outdoor and VOD can trigger people at several moments per day to
take the Christmas test
• SEM, SEO and Display will enable people to directly go to the test
environment
• The website, app and social networks provide the environment to
(1) execute the test and (2) follow through with action
• Enabling virality in the messaging
• The website, app and social networks provide the environment to
(1) execute the test and (2) follow through with action
• Enabling virality in the messagingViral
App
Still, the touch points.

Advocacy
Ambassador
App
Asset
Cinema
Console / Game
Direct Mail
E-Mail
Event
Experiential
Internal / Employee
Loyalty / CRM
Newspapers
Mobile
Magazines
Outdoor
Packaging
PR
Promotion
Radio
SEM
SEO
Shopper Word Of Mouth
Website
Viral
Video On Demand
Trade Fair
Television
Sponsorship
Social
Display
For the meaning, see www.rchpp.com/HowItWorks/TouchPoints/.
The touch points we chose from:

Draw how touch points will work with each other and
how this works in a consumer connection journey
Video On Demand
Website
Cinema Television Magazines
Outdoor
Social
Display
SEM SEO
Viral
App
Website
Video On Demand
SocialWebsite
1
2
3
Same background message, different parts target group More background information
All background information, for people
who want to know more
Reminder to test yourself
Explanation original
Christmas values
Are you a “Scrooge” or
a “Bob Cratchit”?
Give or accept
Invitation to test yourself
Invite others to test themselves
Make it easy to find test
Test yourself
Viral
Get test outcome and act (give or accept)
App
Share test outcome, action and celebrate
bright coming year together

Draw how touch points will work with each other and how
this works in a consumer connection journey
The consumer connection journey is a model, it shows how
the plan works ideally, for 1 “theoretical” person.
1
2
3
Person
Sees beautiful
ﬁlm about
original
Christmas values
Reads more about original
Christmas values in Magazine
Finds more information about
the original Christmas values and
sees some info about the test
Sees a reminder
about taking the
test
Gets a last
stimulation to
really take the
test
Finds more
info on where
to take the
test
Takes the test
Invites others
to take it
Gets test
outcome,
versus friends
Gives and
accepts, in the
spirit of
Christmas

Reach
• With our tool ReachApp (for iPhone / iPad) we can
estimate the projected Total Reach for each part of the
campaign.
• All we need is to estimate the reach per touch point
that we are going to get. Your individual agencies can
help with this.
• Example: On the right you see the touch points we are
proposing to carry the initial message about the original
values of Christmas
• Total Reach could be about 81%
• The Locus, the % of people we reach with all touch
points, will be very low. There will be sufficient
overlap between some of the touch points.
• Disclaimer: Reach depends very much on the market
you’re in and the budget you have. These are estimates
based on our general knowledge of the West-European
markets.
• You can find ReachApp in Apple’s App Store
• More info on: www.rchpp.com
1
Explanation original Christmas
values

Reach - Estimate
1 2 3
Explanation original Christmas
values
Test - Invitation
2 + 32 +
Test - Interaction and action Total
With the select screen
in ReachApp we select
the touch points for
the plan (part)
Then, in the input screen we input the estimated reach per touch point. ReachApp will give the
Total Reach and the overlap, for the parts of the campaign we choose.

Connection Plan
Website
Role(s)
Explain / Remind
Main function Mechanic
Explain the origins of X-Mas Site
Timing Place in the phase Objectives – Tactics
Continuous, so 6 weeks Continuous
Catch all people
interested and
further convert them
into the original
Christmas mindset.
Content Formats
Provide top-content and
interactivity. Establish
authority being only true
Christmas sender
-
Lead to the next touch point
Mention test, later offer test.
Provide overview of all
creative content.
Magazines
Role(s)
Explain / Remind
Explain the origins of X-Mas
Editor-like content,
bordering on being an
advertorial
A month Before anything else
Diverse reach within
target group
Content Formats
Visual + text 1 page / spread full colour
Mention URL, tell people that
website offers more info.
1 a
1.Particulars and mechanics of each touch point
2.A schedule that shows the deployment in time
3.A list of materials that need to be produced

Connection Plan
Television / Video On Demand
Role(s)
Explain / Remind
Explain and demonstrate the
origins of Christmas
Expose viewers to AV
content.
Start of campaign, about 5
weeks
After start Cinema
Maximise
complementary reach
of both media
Content Formats
Beautiful and expressive
movie, optimised for medium
30 or 45 seconds for TV;
10 - 20 seconds for VOD
TV: Mention URL; VOD:
Provide links and display ads
to Website and test
environment.
Cinema
Role(s)
Explain / Remind
Explain and demonstrate the
origins of Christmas
Film exposure
Start of campaign, about 2 3
weeks
After start magazines
Focus on core Cinema
visitor. Maximise
reach in busy
december month.
Content Formats
Beautiful and expressive
movie.
Long film format: 1-3
mins
Mention URL and VOD sites for
domestic reviewing
1 b

Connection Plan
Video On Demand
Role(s)
Stimulate to test
Stimulate people to test their
past year.
Combination of exposure
AV content and display ad
that leads to test
2 weeks Start of phase 2
Implement frequency
cap that proves
optimal in market;
then, maximise
reach.
Content Formats
AV content from phase 1,
optimised. Web display ad
that asks How was Your year?
Are you a Scrooge or a Bob?
10 - 20 seconds for VOD;
Rich media banner, IAB
format (TBD)
Banner leads directly to test
on Social, App and Website.
Outdoor
Role(s)
Stimulate to test
past year.
Exposure on outdoor
objects
Build reach quickly.
Cater to all sub-
target groups.
Content Formats
Provocative message that gets
attention: How was your
year? Are you a Scrooge or a
Bob?
Bus stop; Bilboards;
Regular sizes in the
market.
This is hard on outdoor, since
confrontation time is short. If
possible, provide URL.
2 a

Connection Plan
Display
Role(s)
Stimulate to test
past year.
Display ad that leads to
test
Implement frequency
cap that proves
optimal in your
market; Remarket to
website visitors &
VOD viewers
Content Formats
Web display ad that asks How
was Your year? Are you a
Scrooge or a Bob? Show test-
example
Rich media banner, IAB
format (TBD)
Banners lead directly to test
on Social, App and Website.
SEM / SEO
Role(s)
Stimulate to test
Enable people to quickly find
and use test
Search optimisation.
Maximise reach by
choosing
differentiating
keywords
Content Formats
Adequate ads and keywords
Text based ads; App
install ads. Display ads.
Ads lead directly to test on
Social, App and Website.
2 b

Connection Plan
Viral
Role(s)
Spread message; Settle action
Application with sharing
function
4 weeks, possibly longer into
the new year
During phase 2 and 3;
possibly longer into the
new year
Focus on sharing,
ranking and acting
functionality
Content Formats
Functionality within
application allowing to easily
share test-results and action
-
See Content
Website / App / Social
Role(s)
Execute test; Lead people to
action
Provide test application and
means to share result and
take action
function
4 weeks During phase 2 and 3
Focus on app-like
usability
Content Formats
Application where users
answer a number of multiple
choice questions about their
year. Tool that ranks score
amongst peers.
Application, ready for
selected platforms
Test application leads to
ranking and give / accept
functionality
2 c

Connection Plan
Viral
Role(s)
function
4 weeks, possibly longer into
the new year
During phase 2 and 3;
possibly longer into the
new year
Focus on sharing,
ranking and acting
functionality
Content Formats
Functionality within
application allowing to easily
give / accept small (digital)
gifts
-
See Content
Website / App / Social
Role(s)
Execute test; Lead people to
action
Provide test application and
means to share result and
take action
function
4 weeks During phase 2 and 3
Focus on app-like
usability
Content Formats
Following score rank, provide
functionality to exchange
small (digital) gifts, or accept
them.
Application, ready for
selected platforms
Test application leads to
ranking and give / accept
functionality
3

Connection Plan
Usually this list is established in
cooperation with the agencies that
execute the campaign. So for now: TBD.

Connection Plan
1
2
Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6
November December
YEAR 1 YEAR 2
3
+

Comms With A Plan
ReachApp
&
wish you a real Christmas and a bright 2016
cbaarendse@commswithaplan.com

Christmas - Comms With A Plan

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