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SaveOurDoughmocracySpecialEventsPlan.pdf
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Save Our Doughmocracy: A Moophoric Voter Registration & Ice Cream Social Event
Rebecca Rippon
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Table of Contents I. Executive Summary………………………………………………………..3
II. Introduction………………………………………………………………...5
III. Goals……………………………………………………………………….6
IV. Strategy…………………………………………………………………….7
V. SWOT Analysis…………………………………………………………....8
VI. Five Ws…………………………………………………………………...11
VII. Six Ps……………………………………………………………………..13
VIII. Stakeholders………………………………………………………............16
IX. Digital Strategy…………………………………………………………...17
X. Earned Media……………………………………………………………..19
XI. Timeline…………………………………………………………………..21
XII. Budget………………………………………………………………….....21
XIII. References………………………………………………………………...23
XIV. Appendices………………………………………………………………..25
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Executive Summary
The proposed event, titled “Save Our Doughmocracy: A Moophoric Voter Registration
and Ice Cream Social Event” is intended to support the voter registration movement for the 2020
election. Since this event has already happened, the proposal is written theoretically as though
the event date has not yet passed, or in the future tense of what “will” occur. The event will be
hosted by the ice cream brand Ben & Jerry’s on behalf of the Democratic National Committee. It
will serve as an opportunity for attendees to register to vote, connect with Democratic candidates
for the upcoming election, and exclusively sample a new flavor of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream that
is being created specifically for the event. Ben & Jerry’s is an extremely popular brand, loved for
its specialty ice cream and involvement in important social causes. The brand uses its platform to
advocate for numerous movements that its founders and employees support. The goal of this
event is to reestablish election integrity and uphold the values that comprise democracy. Many
people are discriminated against by outdated and unlawful voter registration laws, making it
extremely difficult for certain groups to vote or discouraging them from doing so altogether. The
proposed event aims to aid these groups in their voter registration process in a relaxed, helpful,
and fun way.
Similar events include political candidate rallies, voter registration events, and ice cream
or dessert experiential events. Although these types of events have some overlap with “Save Our
Doughmocracy,” none of them are exactly the same in the way that we combine all of these
events into one, which gives us a competitive advantage. Marketing strategies and promotions
will emphasize this key differentiator to attract people to our event over others. The event’s
strengths include customer loyalty to Ben & Jerry’s, a centralized event location, appeal through
its exclusivity, and a well-established platform for promotion, while weaknesses include
potential controversy due to the Democratic National Committee’s involvement and competing
Ben & Jerry’s locations. The key opportunity for the event is its uniqueness from all other related
events on the market, and potential threats include competing political rallies and protesters who
oppose the views of Ben & Jerry’s and the Democratic National Committee. All weaknesses and
threats are accounted for and will be addressed to prevent any conflicts.
The main product of the event is a positive voter registration experience, and the ice
cream sampling and social is an additional bonus. The target audience for “Save Our
Doughmocracy” is young eligible voters, specifically those of color and who therefore are often
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discriminated against in the voter registration process. We aim to reach these voters in an area
where the voter registration process is particularly difficult. With this goal in mind, the event will
be held in Atlanta, Georgia on October 3rd to combat Georgia’s strict voting laws and make sure
people are prepared for the election in the last days before the state’s voter registration deadline.
With this event, we hope to offer a comfortable and useful environment for people’s voter
registration process with the added excitement of connecting with candidates and savoring ice
cream. The event is free to those who attend only to register to vote, and $12 for those who plan
to register and have ice cream. The location of the event, the Georgia International Convention
Center, enables us to keep these portions of the event separate and have a smooth operational
process, while still allowing space for attendees to spread out and converse comfortably. All
volunteers will be thoroughly trained to ensure that they are knowledgeable and friendly and
interact positively with attendees.
Due to the large scale of the event, there are several stakeholders that are impacted by its
occurrence and success, including the individual brand’s stakeholders, such as employees and
investors, the Democratic and Republican National Committees due to the potential impact on
voter turnout, and the community of Atlanta because of possible increases in business traffic and
tourism. To ensure the success of “Save Our Doughmocracy” and equal prosperity for each of
these stakeholders, a number of strategies will supplement its promotion. Digital tactics will be
the primary promotional method and will be executed mostly through Instagram and TikTok.
Informational posts, contests, and celebrity endorsements will drive this digital strategy to ensure
wide reach to our target audience of young people. In addition to these strategies, earned media
tactics will be implemented by sending pitches and press releases to local and major election
news outlets to earn coverage of the event before it occurs and while it is taking place. These
efforts should guarantee maximum turnout and success for the event and its stakeholders.
The planning for “Save Our Doughmocracy” will take place over nine months leading up
to the event beginning in January. This extensive process includes research, venue touring and
booking, promotional plan building, content design and writing for promotional content, the
implementation of promotional efforts across all platforms, supply gathering and transportation,
and venue setup. This long-term plan provides ample time to plan the event, carefully craft
content, and ensure a smooth execution. The total cost of the event comes to $22, 682.16. This
cost includes all Public Relations efforts, necessary supplies for voter registration and ice cream
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upkeep and distribution, and the venue booking and fees. The price of $12 per person for entry
combined with the goal of 2,560 attendees enables the event to profit with $8,037.84.
Introduction
Ben & Jerry’s is a globally renowned ice cream brand known for its carefully crafted ice
cream products, clever flavors and branding, and commitment to social causes. According to the
“Our History” section of their website, the company, founded by Ben Cohen and Jerry
Greenfield, started with a small scoop shop in a renovated gas station in 1978 and has since
grown into a massive frozen dessert phenomenon, operating scoop shops and shipping pints of
their prized product to grocery stores all over the world (“Our History”).
The brand’s “Values” section of their website states that in their effort to act as a
responsible and positive corporation, Ben & Jerry’s operates on three pillars, striving to fulfill
their economic, social, and product missions. Their economic mission ensures that they bring in
profit and maintain sustainable financial growth. The brand’s social mission commits them to
using their platform to advocate for social change and work toward a better and more just world.
Finally, their product mission requires that they always create the best ice cream, utilizing
organic ingredients and eco-friendly business practices (“Our Values”).
The purpose of this plan is to create an event that upholds the brand’s strong commitment
to their social mission. By hosting an event for the Democratic National Committee as a means
of cause-related marketing, Ben & Jerry’s continues their dedication to upholding democracy
and ensuring a fair and equitable world for all. The proposed event enables the brand to continue
with this mission, while also showcasing their own products as an opportunity to support their
economic and product missions as well.
The event, titled “Save Our Doughmocracy: A Moophoric Voter Registration and Ice
Cream Social Event” is a combined event of voter registration, ice cream sampling, and
Democratic 2020 candidate networking. People are invited to register to vote for the upcoming
election, then, for a small additional fee, sample a new flavor of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and
socialize with the Democratic candidates on the 2020 ticket (which would be unknown until the
later months of planning the event) and fellow attendees. We hope to offer a fun, casual, and
educational voter registration experience that encourages people to get involved in their
democracy and gives them a special treat for doing so.
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Goals
As mentioned above, Ben & Jerry’s holds itself to a three-pronged standard of proper
business practices: economic success, advocacy for social causes, and product quality. Ben &
Jerry’s operates numerous efforts to execute their social mission, which is part of why their
brand is so popular. As C.A. Preston notes in Event Marketing:Second Edition, “The sponsorship
of cause-related events differentiates organizations and brands in the minds of consumers, and it
is not unrealistic to expect a proportion of consumers to support brands that associate themselves
with a charitable or otherwise good cause” (Preston 108). Therefore, the goals of the proposed
event mainly support the company’s social mission, but also contribute toward the other two.
Through their social mission, Ben & Jerry’s has numerous causes that it supports and fervently
fights for through various campaigns and promotions. Such causes include racial justice, climate
justice, LGBT equality, democracy, and many others. As stated on the page of their site
dedicated to democracy, Ben & Jerry’s works very hard to protect democracy, believing that
“Democracy only works when it works for everyone” (“Democracy”). The company spreads
awareness about threats to democracy through blog posts, article shares, social media posts, and
other informational resources. With these efforts, Ben & Jerry’s advocates for automatic voter
registration, expanded and enhanced earlier voting, enhanced and expanded voting by mail, and
overturning excessive voter ID laws. They are very passionate about the Voter Rights Act and
overturning the 2013 Supreme Court decision to remove a key provision from the act, rendering
it essentially ineffective (“Democracy”).
The brand’s biggest effort to advocate for democracy is their “Democracy Is In Your
Hands” campaign. Through this campaign, Ben & Jerry’s combines the causes of expanding
voter access and rights and the movement to deter big money’s interference in the political
process. With strict voting laws and rich white people putting their money into elections,
democracy is often compromised, and it becomes so difficult for people of color to vote that they
decide not to even try. The goals of the campaign are to provide all people of various races,
backgrounds, income levels, and other factors equal access to voting and participating in their
democracy (“Democracy”).
This event supports these goals and serves as an effort within the campaign to provide
people who are discriminated against in the political process with the chance to make their
voices heard. This plan aims to help thousands of people work through the registration process so
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they are prepared for the next election. By hosting a voter registration event in a state with one of
the most difficult registration processes in the entire country, we encourage people who would
normally be hesitant to try to register to get involved in their democracy. We hope to bring in a
large turnout of youth voters, specifically youth voters of color. This audience is particularly
important for ensuring that all voices are represented in the next election, welcoming a new
generation of voters while also assisting those who face more adversity in registering to vote.
Overall, this event is a great way to support Ben & Jerry’s commitment to restoring democracy
and working to make it what it is intended to be. It is only one effort in the company’s work to
expand voting access, but it is a major force in the process, as it brings the company out into the
community and connects with people directly to work toward the brand’s social mission. Strategy
“Save Our Doughmocracy” is distinctive in the event market because there is really no
other event like it. Since it combines three styles into one major event, it is very different from
other events with similar products or purposes. Because of this combination, there are numerous
types of competing events that we must consider. The first is other political candidate campaign
events, specifically those coordinated for the Trump campaign. President Trump’s rallies draw
massive crowds and are known for being an extraordinary spectacle due to their intense nature.
People who attend these rallies are very committed to their cause and thus add to the event’s
dynamic by enthusiastically cheering, sporting Trump merchandise, and sharing their experience
on social media. This is a tough dynamic to compete with, so we will really have to work to
match or surpass the level of enthusiasm invoked by these rallies.
In addition to campaign rallies, our event almost must compete against general voter
registration events, which will be especially common during the time period that this event is
planned for. Many organizations are hosting registration events in order to contribute to the
effort to significantly increase voter turnout in the upcoming election. Since this event is
scheduled for just days before Georgia’s voter registration deadline and many voter registration
deadlines across the country, last-minute registration events are going to be very popular at this
time.
Finally, our event has to compete with other dessert and ice cream brands’ experiential
events. A Trend Hunter article about dessert experiences demonstrates that to promote their
products, many dessert brands have started hosting events to make their product feel like more of
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an experience. In 2016, Häagen-Dazs hosted a restaurant-style ice cream sampling event in
Melbourne when the company brought its ice cream back to Australia. Magnum launched an
outpost in London’s Covent Garden in 2015 that featured sculptures of the brand’s newest
flavors and a customizable ice cream bar buffet. In 2016, Nestlé opened a factory in Switzerland
that customers could visit to learn about the brand and see what goes into making their widely
adored products (“Experiential Dessert”). As demonstrated by these examples and numerous
others, experiences and events have become extremely common on the dessert market. These
clever marketing methods make for strong competition for our ice cream social portion of the
event.
Preston explains in Event Marketing that “the unique selling points of an event are
essentially how one event differs from another that is intrinsically similar, and how these
differences can be used advantageously” (Preston 52). The fact that “Save Our Doughmocracy”
works all of these types of events into one is our main competitive advantage. As mentioned, no
other event on the market serves as both a voter registration event and a social event with
political candidates and fellow voters. Furthermore, none of these events offer the special perk of
being the first to sample a new product from a beloved brand. Our strategy will focus on
promoting this uniqueness and ensuring that potential attendees know this is a once-in-a-lifetime
experience. We will highlight the mix of practicality and whimsy to show voters that they get a
whole experience out of this event, rather than simply completing the task of voter registration or
taking an ordinary trip for ice cream. This will be done through the messaging used in promoting
the event in various marketing tactics. All announcements for the event on social media and in
local news sources will note the blending of various types of events and use very exciting and
distinctive language. We will also make sure our celebrity connections discuss how fascinating
this style of event is and really emphasize that it is not something people should miss, both for its
political purpose and simply the uniqueness of it. Overall, this combination is going to be a key
differentiator from similar events, so utilizing this detail will be an effective strategy for
overcoming our competition.
SWOT Analysis
Ben & Jerry’s position as a well-established brand in the ice cream market provides a
number of benefits that boost the strength of this event. First, as a Snack Food and Wholesale
Bakery article explains, people love Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and are very loyal to the brand once
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they have become a fan. In 2020, the brand saw a twenty percent increase in brand loyalty
(“2020 Brand Loyalty Winners”). Discussing this loyalty, Sharan Kaur notes that fans appreciate
the brand’s cleverly named and lovingly crafted flavors, commitment to social justice causes,
and cool and charming branding that has been consistent since the company’s founding (Kaur).
This brand loyalty gives us an already-established interested audience for the event, as people
who love the brand will be happy to attend a special event that it hosts. In addition, the event’s
location is perfect for attracting a large audience. Since it is right in the hub of Atlanta, it is in a
prime prime spot for people around the city and even all across the state to easily attend. Another
strength is the exclusive nature of the event, as attendees will be the first people to try a brand
new Ben & Jerry’s flavor. This event offers a very special experience that people cannot get
anywhere else, which is a major incentive to attend. Finally, a key strength for the event is that
Ben & Jerry’s has a major platform for promoting it. With 1.4 million followers on Instagram,
457.7 K followers on Twitter, and over 8.7 million likes on Facebook, the company has a huge
audience for promoting the event and reaching its target audience.
The event does have some weaknesses, but we believe these are manageable and will not
interfere with its success. The first is that the involvement of the Democratic National
Committee in the event may be problematic for attracting an audience in Georgia. As a
historically Republican state, Georgia residents may not be the most eager to come out to an
event hosted by a famously liberal brand and supported by Democrats. However, the Atlanta
location helps in this weakness; Emily DiRico shows in her article about Georgia counties’
voting history that despite Georgia being predominantly Republican, Fulton County, where
Atlanta is located, is usually Democratic (DiRico). Therefore, this specific spot in the state
should be more welcoming to a Democrat-hosted event. Another potential weakness is that there
is already a Ben & Jerry’s shop in a convenient location in Atlanta, which may prevent some
people from making the trip to a whole event. Since they can get Ben & Jerry’s ice cream any
time, either in pre-packed pint form at the grocery store or freshly scooped at a scoop shop, they
may not feel that there is a purpose in going to the event. However, this event is unique in that it
offers customers a chance to sample a special new flavor that no one else has tried yet. With the
incentive of being the first to exclusively sample a brand new, not-yet-released flavor, this event
is incredibly special and much more exciting than any ordinary Ben & Jerry’s experience.
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The key market opportunity for our event is that there is simply no other political event
like it. In terms of political rallies, Trump rallies rely on Trump or people on his team as the
main attraction of the event. People go to see a special guest speak, and that is the only appeal.
Some reports even describe them as being pretty unpleasant to attend; Isaac Eger describes his
first rally experience by saying that it was extremely hot under the sun, people left due to the
main speaker, Ivanka Trump, showing up late, and people were turned away from entering after
waiting for so long in the heat to get in (Eger). Additionally, other voter registration events are
never as exciting and unique as the proposed event. Most registration events focus only on the
main task at hand — they aim to get people in, register attendees, and then get them out as soon
as possible. There is no extra appeal or differentiating factor that makes the events special. These
events also do not tend to be combined with a rally-style of event. Presidential campaign events
are normally entirely separate from voter registration events. “Save Our Doughmocracy” offers
the unmatched experience of having the chance to interact directly with candidates while also
ensuring that people are prepared for the upcoming election, and giving them an exclusive
sample of the world’s most prized ice cream.
A potential threat could be a conflicting rally from the Republican side that takes place
shortly within the time frame of our event. Examining the presidential election in Georgia,
Ballotpedia shows that President Trump is holding a rally in Atlanta on Friday, September 25,
which is just over a week before the date of our event (“Presidential Election in Georgia, 2020”).
The major crowd this event might draw could potentially threaten the success of ours. However,
our event is special because it is not only an opportunity to connect with the Democratic
candidates, but also an opportunity to register to vote and exclusively try a new Ben & Jerry’s
flavor. President Trump’s rallies are merely about the spectacle of seeing the president and
hearing him speak. Our event has this aspect, but also offers a whole experience to accompany it
that sets it apart from other political events. Another potential threat is protesters from other
political parties or people against the Democratic party. Recent political events have had issues
with counter-protests and attempted interferences from people who disagree with the hosts’
political beliefs. This is definitely a threat with a widely Republican base in Georgia, especially
since other Trump supporters may still be around from his rally the week prior. However, our
event’s location is beneficial in this regard. Since the Georgia International Convention Center is
a major event center and frequently accommodates massive events, it is a very secure location
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that can handle large crowds and assist in managing any kind of interference. Security will be
strong and employees of the center will help us ensure the safety of our attendees, event workers,
special guests, and the overall event.
Five Ws
This event will market both Ben & Jerry’s ice cream and social activism involvement.
The company will use the event to introduce a new flavor that is related to the cause and is
branded as such. This will be a great way for the company to spark interest in the flavor once it is
publicly released, as people attending the event will be able to try it and tell other people about it.
Not only will this help increase the individual flavor’s popularity, but all Ben & Jerry’s products
will be promoted through people getting to sample one product and familiarizing themselves
with Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in general.
The event is geared toward young people who have become eligible to vote since the last
election but have not yet registered to vote. The youth turnout is going to be incredibly important
in this upcoming election, so we want to connect directly with this audience to make sure they
are prepared. We specifically want to work with young people of color to make sure they are not
discriminated against in their attempt to register. Many parts of the country make it very difficult
for people of color to vote with strict voter I.D. laws and other forms of voter suppression. We
want to combat this by personally working with young people of color to make sure they are
provided with the help and resources necessary to be involved in their democracy.
With this target audience in mind, the event will be held at the Georgia International
Convention Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Atlanta is the best location for reaching our target
audience of young people of color. Observing studies about battleground states in the 2020
election, Abby Budiman explains that of the battleground states, Georgia has the highest share of
Black eligible voters at 32%. Of this group, 60% reside in Atlanta (Budiman). Therefore, hosting
the event in this location provides the opportunity to easily reach our target audience. This
location also enables us to achieve our goal of combatting strict voter registration laws.
Analyzing people’s struggles with voting in the United States, Robin Levinson-King shows that
in the United States, thirty-five states have voter I.D. laws, and Georgia has some of the most
restrictive (Levinson-King). Also commenting on this subject, Paul Rauber notes that Georgia
has some hefty voter I.D. rules, requiring exact documentation matches in order to be able to
register (Rauber). If a person is missing their I.D., the state does not allow for an affidavit or
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provisional ballot (Levinson-King). Since these are some of the strictest voting laws in the
country, hosting the event in Georgia enables us to work with voters directly to make sure none
of these laws deter them from being able to vote. The Georgia International Convention Center is
a prime venue for the event because of its convenient location and size accommodations. Listing
the best Atlanta event venues, Catalina Guerra raves that the venue is in Atlanta’s Airport and
College Park area, which is just ten minutes from the city’s downtown. It allows events to work
with up to 400,000 feet of space (Guerra). Based on the venue’s website page listing
accommodations, we would host the event in the center’s International Ballroom Salons One,
Two, and Three, allowing us to work with 9, 945 square feet of space for a capacity of 660
people when arranged as a banquet (“Floor Plan”).
This event will be held on Saturday, October 3rd at 12 p.m. According to the ACLU
website, this date is a few days before Georgia’s voter registration deadline of October 5 (“2020
Election Dates and Deadlines”). Holding the event within this time frame serves as an effort to
get people registered before it is too late, encouraging people who may have been hesitant before
to register. Since this date is fairly close to the election, it is also a good opportunity for
Democratic candidates to rally for their causes and persuade voters.
We are holding this event to support the Ben & Jerry’s social mission and contribute to a
fair and inclusive election. Many people would likely not be encouraged to take the effort to go
out to an event to register to vote without some kind of incentive. Because the voting process has
been made so arduous for certain groups of people, many of them have simply given up.
Therefore, they are unlikely to try to make an attempt again unless something really special
draws them out. Food tends to be the biggest appeal for people, so the chance to have a cup of
widely loved Ben & Jerry’s ice cream is a great way to get people to attend. By combining Ben
& Jerry’s product with personal interactions with politicians and assistance in the voter
registration process, people are very likely to come out. This opportunity to positively affect
democracy and support a voter turnout that is more representative of the entire United States in
the next election fits perfectly into Ben & Jerry’s social mission. In addition, the company gets
the opportunity to act on its product mission, testing out a new flavor and making sure the public
believes it is up to the brand’s high standards. This, in turn, supports the brand’s economic
mission, helping to bring in profit by stirring interest for a new flavor that can later be purchased
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on a global scale. This already-established fanbase will support the later launch of the flavor and
drive its profits, bringing in success for the brand itself and all of its stakeholders.
Six Ps
The product of this event is a relaxed, educational, and fun voter registration experience.
Most voter registration events focus solely on the process of getting people registered without
any other element to make the experience exciting or different. This approach to voter
registration events is efficient, but does not contribute anything to attendees besides the events’
practical value. It is also more convenient for people to register right from their own homes, but
the experiential part of “Save Our Doughmocracy” makes it worth leaving the house to register
instead. It combines the practicality of voter registration and the entertainment of special dessert
events. People can find the information and resources they need to register for the election, but
also receive a special treat for taking the time to attend a voter registration event. “Save Our
Doughmocracy” offers real human interaction with important political figures and helpful and
personable volunteers, as well as a sweet perk.
The price of “Save Our Doughmocracy” for attendees depends on the experience that
they opt for. As Preston discusses in Event Marketing, “there are established price ranges for
different event types that will have become expected by customers” (Preston 75). Voter
registration events, although not of this calibre, are always free, so we cannot expect attendees to
pay to enter this event. In doing that, they would basically be paying to vote, which is
unacceptable. Therefore, people who sign up solely for the voter registration portion of the event
will not have to pay for entry. However, those who register for voter registration and ice cream
will have to pay $12. In this scenario, event attendees are essentially paying for the cost of their
ice cream cup and the social event. As noted on the Fast Food Menu Prices site, Ben & Jerry’s
charges $4 for a small cup of ice cream (“Ben & Jerry’s Prices”). Combining this cost with a
small fee for the social opportunities of the event, $12 is a fair price that enables the company to
profit from the event with the anticipated turnout.
The place or venue of the event, the Georgia International Convention Center, adds to the
value of the event because it is in a convenient location for locals and is a common location for
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large events. The convention center is located in a prime spot in Atlanta, which makes it easy to
access. This will enhance the experience for attendees because they will not have to make a long
trip to get to the venue, so they will be more likely to attend. Because of the convention center’s
experience with major events, its staff should have no issues accommodating our needs. The
event will be set up in the center’s International Ballroom Salons One, Two, and Three. Voter
registration will take place in Salon One to provide volunteers and attendees with the room to
find a place to sit and thoroughly work through the voter registration process together. Salons
Two and Three will be reserved for the ice cream social, leaving ample space for attendees to
spread out, find a comfortable space to enjoy their ice cream, and move about the room to chat
with each other and the politicians. All of these elements make the event seem much warmer and
more personable, as we are ensuring that attendees really get the opportunity to connect with
people at the event. Since “Save Our Doughmocracy” is so focused on providing a more fun and
social experience, these aspects of the venue are key to upholding that standard.
Promotion for “Save Our Doughmocracy” will entail several categories, including digital
content, earned media, and more. The Ben & Jerry’s website is already very organized,
informational, and engaging, so featuring the event on it will be very easy and should attract
many people. Since the target audience for the event is young people, social media will be the
primary digital strategy for connecting with potential attendees. Promotional and informational
posts supporting the campaign for the event will be spread across all of Ben & Jerry’s social
media platforms, but Instagram and TikTok will be highlighted the most. Promotions for the
event will also include earned media through pitches and press releases to local media. We have
gathered a media list of Atlanta news outlets and will reach out to each of them with a pitch to
either discuss the event for broadcast media or write an article about it for print and online
media. We will also contact socially active celebrities who have been vocal about the election to
ask them to promote the event on their own social media platforms. All of these combined efforts
will help us reach our target audience of young people and get them interested in the event by
adding useful and informational value in addition to the actual event’s practical value.
The process of registering and attending the event will ensure that it is organized and
neat, and that attendees can really maximize their time at the event to take advantage of all of its
benefits. The event will last eight hours, starting at 12 p.m. and ending at 8 p.m. Attendees will
book their arrival time in fifteen minute interval slots on the event’s main page on the Ben &
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Jerry’s website. Eighty people will be allowed in per fifteen minute slot. They will indicate in
their registration if they plan just to register to vote at the event, or if they want to attend the ice
cream social portion as well. Attendees must print their event registration and bring it to the
event with them. Upon arrival, attendees will be greeted at the door of the convention center. If
they signed up just for voter registration, they will be directed to the voter registration portion of
the event. If they signed up for both voter registration and ice cream, they will be given a
wristband to wear and then directed to the voter registration portion. Attendees will be greeted by
volunteers with clipboards, handouts about each presidential candidate’s platform, and the
necessary forms for voter registration. Volunteers will help attendees through the registration
process and make sure they are fully prepared and informed for the upcoming election. Once
attendees are registered, if they did not sign up for ice cream, they will be provided with
additional informational handouts and directed to the exit. If they signed up to try the ice cream,
they will be sent to the door that connects the voter registration room to the ice cream room. A
volunteer will check attendees for the ice cream wristband, welcome them into the event, then
direct them to one of the lines to get their ice cream. From here, event attendees are welcome to
mingle with each other and the Democratic candidates as they make their way around the floor.
Since the venue will be set up banquet-style, people can also sit at a table while they eat their ice
cream, and candidates will be sure to make their way to each table frequently enough to chat
with attendees. This portion will be able to seat 580 people at a time. A volunteer will announce
when each time interval group has to leave in order to make room for the next group. It is crucial
to keep the voter registration portion and ice cream social section entirely separate in order to
make the event fair and impartial. Voter registration events must be equally informative and fair
toward all political parties, which is why the voter registration section will be strictly
informational. The ice cream social will then be the more rally-focused part of the event, as
attendees will have the opportunity to converse directly with Democratic candidates.
To enhance attendees’ experience at the event, we will pay special attention to ensuring
we have the right volunteers both scooping the ice cream and helping register attendees. As
Preston says in Event Marketing, “People pay attention to people, are most likely to be helped or
hindered by them, and are geared to make judgments about an event by the people they
encounter” (Preston 85). We want to ensure that all volunteers that event attendees encounter fall
into the helpful category, so there will be a well-outlined protocol in place for all types of
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volunteers. Those scooping the ice cream will have a cleanliness standard of wearing gloves and
frequent handwashing. They should also be informed enough about both presidential candidates
if asked a question by an event attendee, and if they do not have an answer, they should be able
to direct the attendee to another volunteer who does. Voter registration volunteers should have
all of the information necessary to help attendees register smoothly and quickly. They should be
patient and helpful, and should be able to answer any questions about either candidate and their
platform, the election, or any other related information. If they cannot answer a question, they
should direct the attendee to someone who can or provide them with resources that would have
an answer. The standard for all volunteers is friendliness, eagerness to help, personability, and
passion for the cause. With these qualities, we strive to make event attendees feel comfortable,
entertained, and informed throughout the event and upon leaving.
Stakeholders
Since Ben & Jerry’s is such a large corporation, the Democratic National Committee is
involved in the proposed event, and the event takes place in a major city, there are many people
and organizations that are affected either directly or indirectly by it.
First, the Ben & Jerry’s brand has its own stakeholders that are impacted by the success
or failure of this event. The company considers all individuals involved in the creation,
production, distribution, and promotion of its products a stakeholder in its success. This includes
all partners who provide ingredients and supplies for products, direct Ben & Jerry’s employees,
company investors, and numerous others. Therefore, all of these people are stakeholders in the
success of this event and the debut of the brand’s new flavor as well. If the flavor is popular
among event attendees, all stakeholders will benefit from its success, but will also have to plan to
produce the product on a larger scale when it is made available to the general public.
In addition, both the Democratic and Republican National Committees are impacted by
the voter registration turnout of the event. Such a large event hosted by a major brand is likely to
have a significant turnout. Since so many new voters will emerge from this event, the amount of
registered voters for each party will likely dramatically increase. This will provide both parties
with new support, but most likely the Democratic National Committee, since the event is being
hosted for that specific organization.
Finally, the entire Atlanta community is affected by the proposed event. “Save Our
Doughmocracy” will bring in a very large crowd from the local Atlanta area and potentially even
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from out of town. Because of this massive turnout, Atlanta will see a temporarily high surge in
traffic and visitation. This can impact the affected parties within the area either positively or
negatively, depending upon the specific party. Local businesses such as restaurants, shops, and
hotels will see a positive increase in traffic and revenue due to the large amount of attendees that
will explore the town after attending the event. Attendees coming from out of town will need
places to eat and stay, so restaurants and hotels will be especially successful. Atlanta locals, on
the other hand, may have some trouble with the event, but will still likely be pleased with its
overall outcome. The city’s crowd due to the event might frustrate locals, as it will be difficult to
get around the city quickly, and their favorite local businesses will likely be overpacked. Parking
and transportation will be particularly difficult because of increased traffic. However, the event
will also significantly increase general success for local businesses and contribute to the city’s
overall income for the year, ultimately boosting its economy. Although some locals may be
frustrated with the event at the time, the overall effect will be worth the potential inconveniences.
Digital Strategy
Digital strategies will be a major part of marketing for this event since Ben & Jerry’s has
such an extensive digital presence between its website and social media platforms. A new
website for the event is not necessary since the brand has its own website that is very
well-developed, aesthetically pleasing, and neatly organized for users. As Preston describes in
Event Marketing, website users have very short attention spans and low patience in navigating
web pages. If they do not find what they are looking for in just seconds, they will give up and
leave the website altogether (Preston 117). Therefore, the listing for the proposed event will be
posted in several different locations on the website and have all important information detailed at
the top of the event’s main page. First, the event can be featured on the site’s “What’s New” tab,
which features news and updates about Ben & Jerry’s and the issues that they advocate for. This
can be the primary listing for the event that includes a description of the event, a form to register
to attend, and information about how to get involved. This page will also include a form to
subscribe to get updates about the event and local election news to keep people engaged with the
issue. People who register for the event, subscribe for updates, or both will receive an email with
a coupon off their next Ben & Jerry’s purchase, either in a scoop shop or online. The
announcement will also be posted on the website’s homepage under “Recent Highlights.” This
posting will include the promotional graphic for the event and a heading that reads “Save Our
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Doughmocracy: A Moophoric Voter Registration & Ice Cream Social Event.” When users click
this link, they will be directed to the event’s main page under “What’s New.” The last placement
of the event can be under the “Values” tab and the subheading of “Issues We Care About.” One
of these issues is “Democracy,” so the event can be posted here as well. This listing will be a
quick link listed as one of the efforts the brand makes to support the cause, and this link will take
users directly to the main posting about the event under “What’s New.”
The event will be featured across all of Ben & Jerry’s social media platforms, but with a
primary focus on Instagram and TikTok. Since these two platforms have younger audiences, they
are the best options for reaching the proposed event’s target audience of young eligible voters.
As Preston explains, “There has long been an understanding of the influence of word of mouth as
a result of marketing communications, particularly with events. Social media marketing operates
along the lines of word of mouth as being marketing communication” (Preston 115). Therefore,
all social media strategies will be executed to get people engaged with and talking about the
event, both with the Ben & Jerry’s brand itself and with their peers and social networks. The
official announcement with the promotional graphic designed for the event and a caption
containing event details will be posted on Instagram under #SaveOurDoughmocracy. The
caption will encourage followers to click the link in the Ben & Jerry’s Instagram bio to get more
information and register for the event. After this initial announcement, reminders will be posted
in the form of Instagram stories once a week in the weeks leading up to the event, and then once
daily during the week prior to the event. These stories will have a swipe-up feature that brings
users directly to the event’s main page on the Ben & Jerry’s website so they can easily access
event information and registration.
Additional promotion for the event through Instagram will be done through interactive
posts that followers can directly engage with and a #SaveOurDoughmocracy campaign about
other ways people can get involved in the next election if they cannot attend the event.
Interactive posts will include discussion questions about what issues matter most to their
followers, what Ben & Jerry’s flavors they are eating to cope with election stress, and other
related topics. Fans will be encouraged to respond to the prompts in the posts’ comments section,
and the responses with the most likes and positive replies will be featured in a shoutout in the
brand’s Instagram stories. Informational posts about involvement outside of the event will
include listings of registration events around the country, causes to donate to, links to blog posts
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that contain information about democracy issues and the next election, and other useful
resources.
TikTok will include the same types of interactive and informational posts, but in a video
format. The initial announcement post will be of the 2020 Democratic presidential and vice
presidential candidates lip syncing to the Ben & Jerry’s theme song, which the brand created and
launched a campaign for on TikTok, while standing in front of a poster of the event’s
promotional graphic. The video will direct people to the brand’s profile, which will contain a
link to the event’s main page on the Ben & Jerry’s website. Other posts will include videos from
politicians who will be attending the event, videos from volunteers who will be helping people
register at the event about why they got involved, and informational videos about the importance
of getting involved in democracy. An interactive campaign called #SaveYOURDoughmocracy
will be launched to get users on both Instagram and TikTok involved. Fans will be invited to post
a video on either platform about the efforts they are making to protect democracy and be active
in the upcoming election with the contest’s hashtag. Five winners will be selected to win a year’s
worth of free Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, including five pints of the flavor being launched
exclusively at the “Save Our Doughmocracy” event. This will be a great way to spread the word
about the event and get the event’s target audience excited about it. Because Ben & Jerry’s has
such a large social media following, major participation in this interactive campaign will enable
us to reach a huge audience, contributing to a successful turnout for the actual event.
Since the reach of Ben & Jerry’s is already so comprehensive, paid media will not be
used for this event. The brand connects with people enough through owned media such as blog
posts and social media posts, so paid media is not necessary to spread the word about the event.
Any additional promotion will be executed through earned media as described in the following
section.
Earned Media
Since the more widespread reach for the event will be done through Ben & Jerry’s social
media platforms, earned media will focus primarily on reaching local audiences in Atlanta.
These strategies are particularly important for ensuring we reach our direct target audience of
young Atlanta locals. The first method of doing this will be to send a press release announcing
the event to all popular Atlanta news outlets, securing coverage in print, online, and broadcast
media. This press release will explain the details of the event, why it is being hosted, and why it
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is worth a placement in local news outlets. It will be sent out three months prior to the event to
give people ample time to register for it once they see the story about it in their local news.
Based on AllYouCanRead’s list of local Atlanta news sources, we have determined that for print
and online media, the press release will be sent to Creative Loafing Atlanta, Atlanta Daily World,
The Atlanta Voice, The Atlanta Inquirer, Atlanta INtown, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and
The Atlanta Magazine. Creative Loafing is a hub for local happenings in Atlanta. Atlanta Daily
World, The Atlanta Voice, and The Atlanta Inquirer are African-American publications that
highlight local news and events. The remaining print and online outlets highlight local
happenings as well (“Atlanta Local News”). For broadcast media, the release will be sent to
WSB-TV 2, WXIA 11 Alive TV, and CBS Atlanta 46. Almost all of these news sources have a
page solely dedicated to the 2020 election and voter registration. The proposed event perfectly
fits into what is covered in these sections of the outlets, so we should be able to earn coverage for
the event in most, if not all of them. On a wider scale, the press release will also be sent to
Patch.com and the The New York Times. Patch is a widespread news outlet that has segments for
local news, and Patch staff member Deb Belt has reported on voter registration events in Georgia
in the past (Belt). The New York Times reporter Nick Corasaniti also wrote about various voter
registration events and social media promotions (Corasaniti). By sending the press release to
these two reporters, we can earn widespread coverage.
We will also pitch the event to all of these local news outlets, particularly the broadcast
platforms, to get reporters from each of them to attend the event and cover it live, either on
television or through social media updates. These pitches will be sent to outlets two months prior
to the event to ensure the news companies have a staff member prepared to attend and report
about the event. The pitches will contain details about the event and why it is newsworthy
enough to have a reporter attend. Pitches will be catered to the individual outlets depending on
their primary audiences and usual feature topics. For example, the pitches for Creative Loafing
and Atlanta INtown will focus more on the fun and experiential aspect of the event, since these
outlets usually highlight stories about fun happenings in Atlanta. The pitches for outlets such as
Atlanta Daily World and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, however, will take a more formal and
news-formatted approach, since these outlets focus on more hard-hitting stories in the area. The
goal of this live coverage is to encourage people who did not plan on attending the event to
change their minds. This current reporting will notify people that this is their last opportunity to
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attend; with this limited-time incentive, people may be more inclined to visit the event than they
were when the stakes did not seem as high.
Earned media will also play a role in the digital strategy through the social media
#SaveOurDoughmocracy campaign. We will reach out to politically active celebrities and ask
them to get involved in the campaign by posting their own videos under the hashtag about their
efforts to protect democracy. Countless celebrities have already been active during this election
season, so they will likely be happy to get involved in this campaign for such an important event.
With these major influencers posting videos, the social media campaign and actual event are sure
to gain massive coverage, helping us reach our target audience on a wide scale.
Timeline
Planning for “Save Our Doughmocracy” takes place over the course of nine months
leading up to the event, beginning in January 2020. Preliminary research and event planning take
place between March and April, with all event details and research being finalized as of April
13th. Details for Public Relations efforts are determined throughout February, and then launched
in the middle of April. These strategies and tactics are continued throughout the entire time
frame leading up to the event. The informational campaign for the event is launched in July as a
starting point for event promotion. The actual promotional aspects of the campaign begin in
August, with the announcement for the event being released on August 3rd and the
#SaveYOURDoughmocracy contest being launched on August 4th. Celebrity promotions begin
in September as one final promotional push for the event. Volunteers will be trained on all
protocols and expectations beginning at the end of August through the end of September.
Shipment of materials and the ice cream product will be completed on September 7th to provide
ample time for any issues that may arise during the process. These supplies will be stored at the
venue until the date of the event. Finally, the venue will be set up for the event beginning on
September 21st and concluding on October 2nd, the day before the event, to give volunteers and
venue employees plenty of time to make sure it is set up in an organized way. A more detailed
outline is attached in the appendices below.
Budget The budget for the event is split into fees for Public Relations services and fees for the
actual event. Public Relations services consist of research, copywriting, content design, social
media management, and event planning and setup. The cost of these services amounts to $5,680
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based on common industry fees and our own estimates. Event fees include those for all supplies
such as pens, clipboards, voter registration forms, cups, and spoons. These fees also include
those for shipping and storing the ice cream at the event, as well as the venue’s booking and
extra fees. This section of costs amounts to $17,000.16. Combined, the cost for both of these fees
and the entire event is $22,682.16. Our goal is to fill all thirty-two fifteen minute time intervals
for voter registration with the maximum number of eighty people per each time slot. If this is
done, and each person pays for the ice cream portion of the event as well, this amounts to 2,560
paying customers. Since each ticket is $12, our projected revenue is $30,720. This allows us to
profit from the event with a total of $8,037.84. A more detailed outline is attached in the
appendices below.
23
Works Cited
“Atlanta Local News.” AllYouCanRead, 2020, www.allyoucanread.com/atlanta-newspaper-ga/.
Belt, Deb. “Voter Registration Day 2020 In Georgia: 5 Things To Know.” Marietta, GA Patch,
Patch Media, 21 Sept. 2020, patch.com/georgia/marietta/voter-registration-day-2020-georgia-5-things-know.
“Ben & Jerry's Prices.” Fast Food Menu Prices, Fast Food Menu Prices, 2020,
www.fastfoodmenuprices.com/ben-jerrys-prices/.
Budiman, Abby. “Key Facts About Black Eligible Voters in 2020 Battleground States.” Pew
Research Center, Pew Research Center, 21 Oct. 2020,
www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/10/21/key-facts-about- black-eligible-voters-in-2020-battleground-states/.
Corasaniti, Nick. “Put Away the Pamphlets: Voter Registration Day Goes Digital.” The New York
Times, The New York Times Company, 22 Sept. 2020, https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/22/us/politics/national-voter-registration-day.html.
“Democracy.” Ben & Jerry’s, Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc., 2020,
https://www.benjerry.com/values/issues-we-care-about/democracy.
DiRico, Emily. “Maps: How Georgia Counties Voted in Past Presidential Elections.” Ajc, The
Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 2020, www.ajc.com/politics/election-results/maps-how-georgia-counties-voted-in-past-presiden tial-elections/N2B5DEHKQFDQXICA3EQBVL3P6A/.
Eger, Isaac. “What's It Like to Attend a Trump Rally?” Sarasota Magazine, SagaCity Media, 28
Oct. 2020, www.sarasotamagazine.com/news-and-profiles/2020/10/trump-rally-sarasota.
“Experiential Dessert.” Trend Hunter, TREND HUNTER Inc., 2020,
www.trendhunter.com/protrends/experiential-dessert.
“Floor Plan.” Georgia International Convention Center, Georgia International Convention
Center, 2020, www.gicc.com/.
Guerra, Catalina. “26 Atlanta Event Venues That Your Attendees Will Love.” The Bizzabo Blog,
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27 July 2018, blog.bizzabo.com/atlanta-event-venues.
Hard, Rob. “How Do Event Planners Structure Their Fees?” The Balance Small Business,
Dotdash, 4 Jan. 2020, www.thebalancesmb.com/how-do-event-planners-structure-their-fees-1223572.
“How We're Structured: Ben & Jerry's.” Ben & Jerry's, Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc., 2020,
www.benjerry.com/about-us/how-were-structured.
Kaur, Sharan. “How Ben & Jerry's Became The World's Most Beloved Ice Cream.”
ReferralCandy Blog, ReferralCandy, 29 Oct. 2020, www.referralcandy.com/blog/ben-and-jerrys-marketing-strategy/.
Levinson-King, Robin. “US Election 2020: Why It Can Be Hard to Vote in the US.” BBC News,
BBC, 20 Oct. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/election-us-2020-54240651.
“Our History.” Ben & Jerry’s, Ben & Jerry's Homemade, Inc., 2020,
www.benjerry.com/about-us.
“Our Values.” Ben & Jerry’s, Ben & Jerry’s Homemade, Inc., 2020,
www.benjerry.com/values.
Ovsyannykov, Igor. “How Much Should I Charge for Graphic Design Work?” Creative Market,
Creative Market, 2 May 2016, https://creativemarket.com/blog/how-much-should-i-charge-for-graphic-design-work.
“Polar Temp 4X8AD Auto Defrost Refrigerated Ice Transport - 140 Cu. Ft.” WebstaurantStore,
WebstaurantStore Food Service Equipment and Supply Company, 2020, www.webstaurantstore.com/polar-temp-4x8ad-auto-defrost-refrigerated-ice-transport-140 -cu-ft/6224X8AD.html.
“Presidential Election in Georgia, 2020.” Ballotpedia, 2020,
ballotpedia.org/Presidential_election_in_Georgia,_2020.
Preston, C.A. Event Marketing: How to Successfully Promote Events, Festivals, Conventions,
and Expositions (Second Edition). New Delhi, Wiley India Pvt. Ltd., 2012.
“Prices of PR Services .” Enterie, 12 Feb. 2019, enterie.com/prices-pr-services-startups/.
25
Rauber, Paul. “The Easiest and Hardest Places to Vote This November.” Sierra Club, 27 Apr.
2020, www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2020-3-may-june/feature/easiest-and-hardest-places-vote-nove mber.
“2020 Brand Loyalty Winners: Ben & Jerry's, Planters, Doritos.” Snack Food Wholesale Bakery,
BNP Media, 4 Feb. 2020, www.snackandbakery.com/articles/94116-brand-loyalty-winners-ben-jerrys-planters-dori tos.
“2020 Election Dates and Deadlines.” ACLU of Georgia, 2020,
www.acluga.org/en/take-action/2020-election-dates-and-deadlines.
Appendices
Timeline (Gantt Chart):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MzBOX0R4w6KqpOFoOLJdvbE6L2tVE6nM/view?usp=sharin
g
Budget:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1W4geaYh3fbUogx7a9whv4zlzWkEFE1MQcYk9-n-C-
4o/edit?usp=sharing
Presentation video:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zpIgb5ywCy3ySDE85fyW9vSzVUZvbf5m/view?usp=sharing
