Public Affairs: FEMA Reducing Risk & Impact of Floods

Public Relations Case Studies Group 6

Andrea Jensen, Brian Kearney, Tyler Mulvey, James Roh, Lisa Santeramo, Jaclyn Tellefsen

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Partnering with FEMA to create social marketing campaign to: Educate public about flood risks Educate public on costly effects Motivation to purchase flood insurance

Secondary research provided

Previous marketing efforts only focused on flood awareness Did not increase insurance growth

Work with ad firm to create five-year, integrated marketing campaign Connect consumers directly to insurance agents Must provide consumers with information to make smart financial

decisions

Overview

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Variety of tactics to employ approach National media campaign Direct mail Targeted online marketing Campaign website

Website must be main resource for flood risk and insurance information

Must reach insurance professionals How will you increase policy sales?

Measuring success: If campaign helps achieve 5% annual increase in flood insurance policies Demonstrating increased awareness by public about flood insurance

Overview

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Issues Global Warming (increase in natural disasters) Low or decreasing trust in FEMA after Hurricane

Sandy and Hurricane Katrina Economic condition causing public to hesitate on

certain expenses People unaware they live in a flood zone People unsure of where to purchase flood

insurance

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Secondary Research $4.5 billion in property damage per year

FEMA considers flooding “America’s #1 natural hazard”

Property development in flood-prone areas continues

81% unaware of need to purchase flood insurance separately

1 in 4 chance of flooding during 30-year mortgage

Local news most preferred information source regarding flood

risk (76%)

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Secondary Research

Hurricane Sandy cost U.S. $70 billion

Secondary Research

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Secondary Research Cont’d

FEMA8

Secondary Research Cont’d

FEMA9

Quantitative study to determine level of concern each

audience feels High-risk/above average risk homeowner study

Average/below average risk homeowner study

Quantitative study to determine key opinion leaders for

total audience segment

Determine most prominent flood insurance company in

each state for outreach during campaign

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Primary Research

Qualitative study to determine most effective executional framework for total audience segment

Results:DramatizationTestimonialInformativeCelebrity Branding

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Primary Research

High-risk area property owners 35+ North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota

Above average risk property owners 35+ Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Jersey

Average risk property owners 35+ New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Utah

Below average risk property owners 35+ Oregon, California, Nevada, Idaho

Insurance professionals

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Audiences

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Internal External

Intermediary Special

• Insurance agents• FEMA employees/volunteers• Current flood-insurance policy holders

Property Owners In:• High-risk flood zone areas• Above average flood risk areas• Average flood risk areas

•Media• Retail partners

• Property owners in below average flood zone areas

Audience Identification Wheel

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Must Influence

Should Influence

Likely to Influence • High-Risk

• Average

• Insurance agents• FEMA employees/volunteers• Current flood insurance policy holders

Unlikely to Influence • Retail Partners • Below average

Maximum PR Effort

Significant PR Effort

Audience Ranking Chart

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Audience Message Channel• High-risk• Above average risk• Average risk

• Protect your family with flood insurance

• Direct mail• TV/PSA• Social media• Media• Celebrity endorsement

• Below average risk • Why risk taking the chance? • Social media• TV advertisements• Media

• Insurance agents• Retail partners• FEMA employees/volunteers

• Be a hero • Electronic communication• Employee orientation

• Current flood insurance policy holders

• Always protected. Always safe.

• Bill inserts• Newsletters• TV/PSA

MAC Triad

1.0 Increase knowledge of climate patterns & flood risk zones nationwide by 35% by 20191.1 Educate total risk zone population on increases in flooding and climate patterns in their area

1.1.1 Direct mail campaign highlighting changes in flood patterns/climate changes in selected area over 30 years. - Selected executional frameworks - Supply resources for local flood insurance agents - Campaign Website

1.1.2 Establish numerous social media platforms to engage and educate: - Flood potential warnings

- Flood/climate change facts - Graphs - Current information on storms

1.1.3 Online video campaign to push out via social media channels and

website feature1.1.4 Disseminate news release and fact sheet surrounding

climate changes to nationwide local media outlets and relevant national media outlets

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Issue: People Don’t Know They’re in a Flood Area

1.2 Increase education among all flood zones and emphasize importance of having flood insurance

1.2.1 Video campaign targeted to each audience by flood risk zone - Campaign Website

- Social Media Platforms

1.2.2 Media outreach targeted to each audience by flood risk zone highlighting unknown facts about flood insurance

1.2.3 Key opinion leader PSAs via radio, TV highlighting benefits of flood insurance

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Issue: People Don’t Know They’re in a Flood Area

2.0 Gain and restore trust in FEMA with population by 25% by 2019

2.1 Inform public on FEMA disaster relief efforts 2.1.1 Nationwide media buying campaign 2.1.2 Hold press conference following any natural disaster

emphasizing relief given by FEMA

2.1.3 Partner with major retailers to sell FEMA branded emergency kits

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Issue: Low/Decreasing Trust in FEMA After Hurricane Sandy & Katrina

3.0 Motivate agents to increase sales of flood insurance to potential victims by 25% by 2019

3.1 Restore agent morale and emphasize heroism

3.1.1 Produce required-viewing video with “hero” theme for agents nationwide

3.1.2 Implement incentive program that will raise commission rates

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Issue: Public Doesn’t Know Where to Purchase Flood Insurance Policies

4.0 Drive traffic to campaign website/increase social media following by 70% each year by 2019

4.1 Consistently increase follower count on social media 4.1.1 Display social media accounts on all branded

marketing materials

4.1.2 Engage in flood/climate/weather conversations 4.2 Consistently increase traffic to website and position as main resource for public

4.2.1 Display web address on all branded marketing materials 4.2.2 Include insurance agent locator

4.2.3 Know your zone application that provides user with flood info in their area

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Issue: Low Public Knowledge Surrounding Flood Insurance and Related Information

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Year One Achieved 2% increase in flood insurance policy.

○ Did not achieve goal

Customer Survey○ Primary research conducted post year one resulted in 38% awareness

about flood insurance.

  Year Two

Achieved 3% increase in flood insurance policy. ○ Did not achieve goal

Customer Survey○ Primary research conducted post year one resulted in 43% awareness

about flood insurance.

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Results

Results Year Three

Achieved 5% increase in flood insurance policy. ○ Achieved goal

Customer Survey○ Primary research conducted post year one resulted in 62% awareness about flood insurance.

Year Four Achieved 9% increase in flood insurance policy.

○ Achieved goal

Customer Survey○ Primary research conducted post year one resulted in 77% awareness about flood insurance.

Year Five Achieved 7% increase in flood insurance policy.

○ Achieved goal

Customer Survey○ Primary research conducted post year one resulted in 90% awareness about flood insurance.

Results

Objective 1: MetIncrease knowledge of climate patterns &

flood risk zones nationwide by 35% by 2019

○ More than 23 million distributed○ Knowledge of climate patterns and flood risk

zones increased by 52%○ Online video viewed over 350,000 times

Results Objective 2: Met

Gain and restore trust in FEMA with population by 25% by 2019.

○ Trust in FEMA restored to 38% in 2019. ○ Partnered with Target to sell FEMA branded

emergency kits

Results

Objective 3: Met Motivate agents to increase sales of flood

insurance to potential victims by 25% by 2019.

○ Agent motivation increased by 49% by 2019. ○ Incentive program increased commission

rates by 35%.

Results

Objective 4: MetDrive traffic to campaign website/increase

social media following by 70% each year by 2019.

○ Social media following surpassed 100,000 likes and follows over various channels

○ Website traffic increased, on average, 73% over five-year span

Potter Model Each year, thousands of Americans lose

their homes and personal belongings to flood, the nation’s number one natural disaster. Without flood insurance, affected families face major repair costs, resulting in lost savings and multiple mortgages.

Is it ethical to use scare tactics as a way to sell a product or service?

Potter ModelDefinition Loyalties

Yes: The only way customers can realize the full potential of the product/service s to put them in an altered situation.

No: Scaring a customer means you take them out of their natural state of mind and reasoning.

Yes: The product needs to be sold. As long as that is accomplished, scaring people is acceptable.

No: Scaring people affects their emotional well-being and modifies their unbiased opinion on a product or service.

Values Principles

Yes: If the product or service has potential to have a positive impact then the tactic is insignificant.

No: Providing the facts and allowing the customer to make an educated decision can be done without scaring them.

Yes:• Aristotle – Greatest good for greatest number. In the end, if the product or service helps people, the way to get there is irrelevant.• Mill – What’s useful is right. If the product or service helps people, then use whatever tactic it takes to show them.

No:•Rawl’s Veil of Ignorance – Fairness is paramount. Scaring customers should not be necessary to sell a product or service.• Kant – Uncompromising. Using scare tactics is always wrong. Therefore, no matter how good the product/service is, scaring customers isn’t how to sell it.

Answer: Yes, it is ethical to use scare tactics as a way to sell a product or service.

Resources

Association of State Floodplan Managers

American Meteorological Society Civil Society Institute Floodsmart.gov

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