This presentation was given in May 2015 to showcase my capstone plan for the Georgetown University Public Relations and Corporate Communications program.
So, this morning. Like some morning, you stood in front of your closest and utter the words, “ I have nothing to wear.” After emotionally picking up yourself up, you make a mental note to do a little updating.
But what if WHEN you purchase one new statement necklace, or a pair of pants, or a blazer that your purchase, every time you shop could support more than 100 causes such as
Critical Exposure trains youth to use photography and advocacy to make real change in their schools and communities.
PopNod is a privately owned company that enables customers to support a charitable cause through their online purchases.
With more than 1,000 members and 8,000 unique visitors to its site monthly, PopNod connects consumers and influencers with mission-driven organizations, so they can invest in a better world one purchase at a time. Most people would agree that giving back is important to them; however,
PopNod has the opportunity to educate millennials, Gen Xs with millennial tendencies, Millennial Moms and fashion bloggers. PopNod want to show shoppers that a percentage of their purchases contribute to smaller toa broader and deeper social impact in the world.
How to make the connection. Show how you (as the consumer) can change the world by changing your outfit. PopNod has the opportunity to grow its business by educating potential customers about using online shopping as a convenient way to support a cause.
In a sea of app feature-focused competitors, PopNod has the opportunity to activate its base of fashionistas and change agents through its creative use of ‘Style Stories’ to support causes. Most shopping apps are focused on customer experience first, and community second. PopNod is uniquely positioned to build a more personal connection with its community and be relevant in a way other websites cannot.
Increase PopNod blogger, social, and/or review mentions by 15 percent by the end of 2015, compared to nine mentions in 2014.
Increase visits to the site by 15 percent by March 2016, based on June 2015 site visitor data.
Secure earned media in five regional or national publications by the end of June 2016.
By successfully implementing the strategies and tactics outlined in this plan, within a year, PodNod has the opportunity to:
Create more content to drive engagement to the website and social channels.
Highlight its personality with targeted messaging to key publics.
Amplify the emotional connection between PopNod and social giving.
Expand its reach with millennial moms and Gen Xers with millennial tendencies.
PopNod is the only site where shoppers can look good and feel good while shopping. Show the connection between giving back the fashionable way with your members.
Connect online engagement with offline events. PopNod has the flexibility to work locally to offer events that bridge social good and shopping. Events like South Moon Under are a great example of what brands are looking for and it creates offline activity to drive in-store or online sales.
Create a user-generated campaign that encourages shoppers who attend your event to post on Instagram, Facebook, or the website using the hashtags above that are event specific such as PopNodxDC. Pick your favorites and giveaway a prize (See Creative Assets).
Strategy: Reinforce the commitment to causes through visual content.
Why this makes sense? Retail is a visual game. Shoppers want to “experience” the thrill of shopping. Persuade your audience with visual content that appeals to their eyes and their wallets.
Millennials want to invest rather than donate. They use their emotional and social media currency to alert others of causes that resonate with them (Pew Research Center, 2010). If giving online, millennials need to ‘feel the experience’ without being present physically. Recreating the experience in pictures, videos, and testimonials is vital to connecting with them (Hu, 2014).
Four in five millennials reported that they were more likely to purchase from a brand that supports a cause that is important to them. They are much more likely to engage with brands and companies that share those same values, particularly firms that engage in philanthropic activities and provide opportunities for others to also take action (Relander, 2014).
At the heart of this plan and the secret ingredient that will help PodNod communicate more strategically lies in the founder’s passion and the company’s simple goal: to create a better world, one fashionable purchase at a time.