Table of ContentsMeet the Team

Statement of Campaign Scope

Executive Summary

Business Objectives

Profile Product and Brand

Consumer Overview

Consumer Profile

Targeted Geographic Markets

Profile Competitors

Strengths and Image

Problems and Opportunities

Situation Analysis

Connections from Hallmark on Walmart.com

Media Vision

Media Objectives

Media Recommendations

Description of Flights

Media Visual

Flowchart

Budget Allocation by Flight and Composition of Flights by Medium Total Budget Allocation by Flight and Medium

Conclusion

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8-9

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11-12

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24-28

29-30

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Meet the Team

Named after “Baby Jessica,” the young toddler that fell into a well in 1987, Jessica is striving to be just as brave. She likes to periodically sit around and complete 1000-piece puzzles while munching on gummy bear vitamins—disregarding the recommended dosage of only two per day. Following the traditional Asian stereotype, Jessica has played piano competitively for thirteen years and always keeps up her GPA. She also enjoys watching Animal Rescue on Animal Planet. In the future, Jessica hopes to work in a large agency as a media director.

Matt is a born and bred Texan hailing from San Antonio. He has a very optimistic outlook on life, almost to the point of frustration. He enjoys reading the cheap classic novels found at Barnes and Nobles. Besides being a music enthusiast, he loves going to as many shows as his budget allows. Although he’s devoted to music, the only instrument he plays is Guitar Hero. And by “plays,” he means “shreds.” Among his favorite movies are Superfly, Superbad, Superman II, and Super Troopers. Eventually, he would like to work in a big city and wear snazzy suits everyday.

Matt Goodwin

Jessica Chiu

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Born in Sydney, Australia, Tristan is a true international. While he still identifies himself as an Australian, Tristan has also lived in Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. From his travels, Tristan has cultivated an appreciation of other cultures and ways of life. Fittingly, he rarely decides to stay home for the holidays, opting, instead, to visit new and exciting places. Tristan prides himself on his general knowledge, as he often finds a way to weave strange and unusual facts into group discussion (much to the chagrin of his peers). In the future, Tristan would like to use advertising as a means to work overseas and see the rest of the world.

Marissa Telford is an authentic Austinite. She enjoys swimming in Barton Springs Pool any time of the year, going to First Thursday on South Congress, and saying “y’all” as often as possible even though she doesn’t have even a hint of a Texan accent. She is a member of Delta Gamma and Texas Advertising Group, and is also an Account Coordinator at Steel Advertising & Interactive Inc. Not the sorority girl stereotype, she takes time off to go hiking, off-roading, and javelina wrestling at Big Bend National Park. Her aspirations include becoming a Media Planner, working her way up to the top of a company (or starting her own), and being able to make an impact on the world.

Tristan Parker

Marissa Telford

Born out of small town Midland, Texas and raised in Dallas, Jun learned to draw people out of ovals instead of sticks. He has always preferred pencil over pen and, unlike his kindergarten peers, Captain Planet over Power Rangers. He greatly enjoys playing tennis and hopes that someday it is all he will ever do. Until then, he will have to settle for working in a massive advertising agency in order to realize this goal.

Jun Lu

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This campaign seeks to raise awareness for Connections from Hallmark greeting cards that are available at Walmart, compel the consumer into developing a sense of brand loyalty, and reinforcing them to continually purchase Connections from Hallmark cards for any occasion. This will be achieved by a $1.9 MM budget for the 2009 year-long campaign that will begin in January and end in December.

Statement of

Campaign Scope

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Executive Summary Hallmark has been a driving force in the greeting card industry for many years. Through their sentimental and memorable messages, their cards have helped define the holiday season in America. Connections from Hallmark is no different in this regard in that their cards, too, are touching and unforgettable. Connections from Hallmark presents a simple and convenient way for consumers to express themselves to friends and loved ones for any occasion.

The focus of our media plan is to target young mothers at Walmart and drive them to the card aisle to purchase a Connections from Hallmark greeting card. In order to create a successful campaign, this effort will call for dividing a full year of media into four separate flights to efficiently maximize the $1.9MM budget.

The first flight in January will ease the Connections from Hallmark brand into the open by establishing a foundation and raising awareness specifically through online media. It is important to ensure that consumers know that Hallmark cards are being sold at Walmart. During this period, an emphasis will be placed on the younger demographic in order to familiarize with the brand and introduce them into the act of card-giving.

The “Mission: Engagement” flight will begin to initiate the push for greeting cards during the holidays. During this four month period from February to May, Connections from Hallmark must make their presence known and prepare for the three major holidays in this bracket—Valentine’s Day, Easter, and Mother’s Day. Engaging the consumer during this flight will guarantee that consumers will keep Connections from Hallmark top-of-mind for any occasion.

The third flight taking place in the summer months targets Father’s Day and birthdays. It is during this flight that a reminder should be given of various other everyday cards that Hallmark sells in addition to their holiday greeting cards. Connections from Hallmark will also take advantage of the warm weather to host event sponsorships outdoors to promote children’s literacy during this time. The fourth and final flight, “Holiday Greetings,” is where the majority of our media efforts are concentrated due to the popularity of greeting cards during the holiday periods. This flight will highlight Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The primary focus in this flight is to again reiterate the value that Connections from Hallmark greeting cards provide.

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Business Objectives

Marketing Increase unit sales for Connections from Hallmark

Advertising Promote Connections from Hallmark cards available at Walmart

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Profile Product &

and Brand The Hallmark aisle transports people to the holidays. Contained within the faux-wooden aisles there can be found a sentiment for every occasion, and some for “just because.” It’s a wonder that a small piece of Hallmarks’ hominess can be found within a megamart. The quality of the cards remains the same, and yet they can be found at prices as low as 48 cents.

A sub-brand of Hallmark, Connections from Hallmark, carries the same personality and weight that the overall brand does. “When you care to send the very best” stays true with the Connections division. In addition, Hallmark lays claim to the biggest market share in the industry and has a celebrated name. Going way back to the Hallmark Hall of Fame, the creative sentimentality is well-established Americana. Connections from Hallmark has the advantage of convenience more than most card brands. Likewise, Connections from Hallmark does not necessarily have to pull in a large audience to their stores, but only has to pull an audience to their aisles. Walmart shoppers regularly buy items they normally wouldn’t need. At the moment though, it may seem somewhat out of their way to go to the Hallmark aisle and pick up a card. A primary goal to a media plan for Connections from Hallmark must be to make the Hallmark aisle seem like a routine diversion.

If Hallmark wants the culture of card buying to change, Connections is the business unit in which this would happen. The convenience, price segmentation, and card variety allow Walmart shoppers incredible flexibility when shopping. To the brand aspirational consumers being targeted, Hallmark’s presence within Walmart is exactly what they are looking for. The Connections from Hallmark brand also has regular access to consumers that might be missing out on the Gold Crown experience. Lower-income markets, for example, regularly shop at Walmart and need no encouragement to continue doing so.

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Consumer Overview

The primary target of Connections for Hallmark is to successfully reach young and ethnically diverse moms who have several young children and work entry-level service jobs. These moms are feeling stressed from both time and financial pressures and strive to get the most bang for their buck whenever possible. They make every effort to live the “good life” hoping for things that may be financially out of their reach. However, now through Connections from Hallmark, they have a chance to live up to that revered lifestyle and purchase a Hallmark branded card from a mega-store like Walmart that is well-known for its low prices.

Purchasing a card takes a great amount of time and effort due to the fact that one wants to find the most personal and appropriate card that applies to the specific occasion. Therefore, the key to alluring these consumers is to not only use existing media, but also innovative and new outlets that will allow for Connections from Hallmark to appeal to these young moms.

To accomplish this successfully, a strong sense of brand personality must be reinforced to differentiate Connections from Hallmark from their various competitors. The ultimate goal is to hone in on making card buying a routine performance for any occasion whether it be for a national holiday or “just because.”

The fact that the target spans from 18-49 years of age dictates that some attention must be paid to the younger end of the demographic. While middle age mothers with children will amount to the bulk of Connection from Hallmark’s targeted consumers, focusing exclusively on this group will not remedy the dilemma of the dwindling card culture. Instead, Connections from Hallmark must extend their advertising to younger mothers, for whom card giving is not a common affair. Only in giving this group greater consideration, can Connections from Hallmark instill in younger consumers an appreciation of the greeting card. Overall, the steps made in reaching younger mothers will be invaluable in ensuring the future of the greeting card industry.

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Consumer Profile

SHANA JACKSON

Age: 37Ethnicity: BlackSex: FemaleHometown: Minneapolis, MN

Educational Level: High School Education

Social Status: Middle ClassHousehold Income: $65,582

Marital Status: MarriedChildren: Two (ages: 9, 11)

Recent Activity: Dropped off Ashley at basketball practice, and then picked up Wayne from Cub Scouts.

Shana has lived in Minneapolis for her entire life. She had a great childhood and continued on after high school working small part-time jobs here and there, until she met her husband, Randy, and decided to settle down1. Shortly after their marriage, Shana had Ashley and Wayne.

Working part-time as a florist, Shana never fails to play an active role in her kids’ lives. She is in the PTA at Burroughs Elementary School and almost always attends the yearly field trips for each of her children. As a busy mom, Shana rarely has time to cook, and therefore frequents McDonald’s weekly.

Shana is the designated family shopper and her favorite store is Walmart, due to the fact that she can buy everything and anything in one trip. Another added benefit is the low prices that Walmart offers.

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Consumer Profile

CARLA VILLARREAL

Age: 25Ethnicity: HispanicSex: FemaleHometown: San Antonio, TX

Educational Level: High School Education

Social Status: Blue CollarHousehold Income: $40,787

Marital Status: MarriedChildren: One

Recent Activity: Celebrated her niece’s quinceanera

Carla’s parents moved their family from Michoacán to San Antonio when she was young so that she could benefit from a better education1. Growing up in a large family, she learned to value her kin first and foremost. Carla married her high school sweetheart at 19 and moved into an apartment with her new husband.

Carla’s family entertains themselves by going to the movies and the San Antonio Zoo. They typically eat out on the cheap at Las Palapas. Their child’s education is really important to them, and so they aspire to move to a better area of town by the time their child reaches middle school. Carla attends night school at a local Alamo Community College when her husband gets off of work to watch Joseph, their 3 year old son.

In terms of media usage, Carla reads women’s and home improvement magazines. She tends to watch a lot of children’s television during the day with her little one, but watches most primetime shows he goes off to bed at night. Big fight nights are always an important social gathering at her parents’ house.

The Villarreal family primarily shops at Walmart for their low prices and because of the fact that it’s a one-stop shop for all of their needs. Their growing tike is in constant need of new clothes, school supplies and other must-haves. A one-stop shop is also convenient when gas prices are so low. Since her relatives very important to her, Carla is always on the search for birthday gifts.

1 Claritas Prizm 9

The geographic markets targeted in this media plan take into consideration both Hallmark’s existing priority list of opportunity markets and additional screening criteria devised by the team. While it is important to find which markets will be most fruitful in reaching the target, one can not lose sight of the existing framework provided by Hallmark. Hallmark fully understands their relationship with Walmart and one would do well to head the advice of their priority list. As such, the plan’s selection of markets functions as a medium between the priorities of the client and the analysis of the team, so as to create a strategy that is both efficient and feasible.

Accordingly, the media plan utilizes a strong core of geographic markets, taken directly from the priority list. The team has decided to incorporate the top five opportunity markets ranked by Hallmark, including St Joseph, Des Moines, Quad Cities, Little Rock, and Champaign-Springfield-Decatur. In doing so, the choice of markets will be more compatible with the client’s original marketing framework and more likely to deliver its intended effect.

However, these five markets just function as the foundation for the rest of the market selections. The team also devised some new, more stringent criteria to unlock some other markets that would assist Hallmark in reaching the target. From DMA data and the number of Walmart stores per market, the team was ultimately able to find out the number of targeted consumers per store in a given market. This information reveals the relationship between the number of stores and the concentration of the target in a geographic region2.

Accordingly, the team chose geographic markets that had a higher number of targeted consumers per store. This means that the overall marketing efforts inside and outside the stores will yield a more efficient result. As such, we chose those markets with the highest target per market rating, including St Louis, Cincinnati, New Orleans, San Antonio, Pittsburgh, Denver, Cleveland,Washington, Boston, and Detroit. Including the five mentioned before, the selection includes a total of fifteen geographic markets.

Though there were two main factors taken into consideration in selecting the geographic markets, the choices are ultimately intended to achieve one straight-forward goal. These selections are designed to target only those geographic markets, where the demographic is abundant and thus more likely to be exposed to the Hallmark’s message. In using Hallmark’s priority list and the number of targeted consumers per store, the team feels strongly that the aforementioned selection of markets will allow Hallmark to effectively reach a sufficient number of the targeted consumers to deliver its advertising in a meaningful and resourceful way.

Targeted Geographic

Markets

2 SQAD 10

Profile Competitors Hallmark is the leader in the greeting card market category. Despite this, the presence of competition remains as a consideration to the company. While there are plenty of external competitors on the playing field, other divisions under the Hallmark brand are also important to keep in mind when considering the competition.

With a consistent greeting card presence throughout the year in a number of Wal-Mart locations, American Greetings is Connections to Hallmark’s biggest competitor. The split between Wal-Mart stores that are carrying Connections to Hallmark and American Greetings cards are roughly 60/40 Hallmark to American Greetings. Similar to Connections from Hallmark, Simply American Greetings is the sub-brand of American Greetings that is sold in Wal-Mart stores. Like Connections from Hallmark, they offer cards as low as 48 cents3.

E-Cards

The prevalence of e-cards is another potential threat to Connections from Hallmark. E-cards present a low-cost and easy way to send quick greetings to friends and loved ones throughout the year. There are thousands of these e-cards available free on the Internet, many of which can be customized for particular holidays and occasions. Furthermore, e-cards allow for basic animation and sound, which helps deliver a more vivid and memorable message. These cards often designed by Internet users, and therefore e-cards are free to be as creative or as racy as the creator sees fit. This flexibility and convenience marks e-cards not only as a competitor to Hallmark, but to card giving culture in general. As such, Hallmark must regard the newfound popularity of this medium closely, as they market their traditional paper cards.

3 americangreetings.com 11

FedEx Kinko’s offers both custom and premade greeting cards which can be purchased at their in-store locations or online4. Although a copy company is not the first location a typical consumer would think of when setting out to buy greeting cards, the joint print and mailing services between FedEx and Kinko’s is strategic in that busy moms who are rushing to have gifts sent off during the holidays can quickly make or pick out a greeting card and have their packages sent off in one trip.

Internal Competitors

The Hallmark brand has grown to a point where sometimes it steps on its own toes. In particular Gold Crown and Shoebox present problems to Connections from Hallmark. Shoebox is a younger, fresher style of card that caters to a new sense of humor5. As a “tiny little division of Hallmark” Shoebox seems more authentic. Shoebox plays an important role in Connections future because it represents Hallmark’s response to a growing independent flair in new card manufacturers and Hallmarks Gold Crown is the place where people go when they really want to plan out the gift-giving experience. In a sense, Gold Crown stores are for guys who remember their anniversaries. It also functions as a one-stop shop for everything from stationary to teddy bears to chocolates. There’s no reason to compete with Gold Crown’s full service agency approach to industry. Connections must focus on its convenience in comparison.

Flower Shops

1-800-FLOWERS.com and other floral boutiques are considered viable competitors to Connections from Hallmark due to the fact that it can prove to be a one-stop shop for many during the busy holidays. Customers are able to kill two birds with one stone by buying an extravagant bouquet with the added benefit of a greeting/message card accompaniment right at the boutique or website6. Ultimately, these flower shops have eliminated the need for an additional trip to the store solely for the purpose of purchasing a holiday card, and thus take away from the Hallmark brand as a whole.

4 fedex.com5 hallmark.com6 1800flowers.com 12

Strengths

And Image While there are many players in the greeting card market, Hallmark has developed several unique advantages throughout their history as an industry leader. Over the years, Hallmark has become a brand of considerable historic importance and cultural cache throughout the world. They were among the first companies in the industry and have long been associated with their line of sentimental and emotional cards. Through their keen insight and cultural savvy, their cards have helped define the holiday season in America. When one has trouble expressing themselves to loved ones, friends, or family, they can rest assured that there is a Hallmark card with the right message. It is this ability to articulate human emotion that has earned Hallmark its status as the “brand name” for greeting cards.

One of Connections from Hallmark’s most understated strengths is its reasonable price range. Despite their powerful and poignant messages, Hallmark has maintained an affordable price range for all of its cards. While price may vary depending upon the design and content of each card, every Hallmark card is within grasp for the target demographic. This accessibility through reasonable pricing is an integral part of Connections from Hallmark’s brand image and has been a factor in its success thus far.

Connections from Hallmark also has the opportunity to leverage the convenience of Walmart in attracting in-store customers to their cards. While Hallmark’s cultural legacy speaks volumes about the quality of their cards, they do not simply sell themselves. Hallmark relies upon marketing and strategic partnerships to improve brand awareness and increase sales, and Connections from Hallmark’s partnership with Walmart is one such way to do this. Walmart is a national phenomenon, noted for its convenience and low cost products. By positioning their cards within Walmart, Hallmark can take advantage of in-store traffic to attract customers to the card aisle. As such, Hallmark is able to leverage Walmart’s popularity and efficiency in appealing to an entirely new base of consumers. The opportunity to reach these consumers proves to be one of Connection’s strengths in increasing unit sales.

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Problems

and OpportunitiesProblem: Brand loyalty is hard to establish due to a lack of differentiation in the greeting card business.Opportunity: Many consumers overlook brands because they are only concerned with the content of the card. Connections from Hallmark must convince consumers that the Hallmark brand name offers an added dimension of value which competitors cannot match. In order to accomplish this, branding efforts will be concentrated in radio and in print because they provide more narrative options.

Problem: Not everyone knows that Connections from Hallmark is available Walmart.Opportunity: The proposed media efforts are intended to prompt consumers to purchase greeting cards on a routine basis at Walmart. Weekly emails and in-store intercom messages at Walmart will encourage year round card buying. In addition, our traditional media will put a spotlight on Hallmark’s presence in Walmart.

Problem: Younger consumers have not been exposed to a card giving culture. Opportunity: A Facebook card-creator application will serve as the primary medium in which to reach the younger audience. By providing young people a means to immerse themselves into a greeting card culture, they will be able to see what it’s like to send and receive free greeting cards. Connections from Hallmark will be top of mind when a formal occasion arises. The goal is for the younger demographic to appreciate greeting cards as a genuine and universal means to convey their thoughts and emotions to their friends and loved ones.

Problem: Card giving culture is on the decline.Opportunity: An understanding of how people buy cards is of critical importance in battling the diminishing card market. To battle the long stagnant card market, new innovations in how people go about buying cards will fuel sales. Such innovations include the ability to browse and purchase cards online at Walmart.com during checkout and also through semantic display ads on targeted websites.

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Situation Analysis

Cards and gift-wrap available upon online checkout Walmart.com should allow customers to purchase a card and gift-wrap upon checkout. The process is a simple inexpensive opt-in opportunity coming at a moment when the consumer would be most interested in making that type of purchase. To personalize the experience, customers must be able to browse through a wide selection of cards as they normally would in store and be able to add in customized messages. Advertising the online point-of-purchase promotion by saying “For only a dollar more, add a card and gift-wrap” would be an effective method of increasing Connections From Hallmark’s volume of sales.

Walmart Intercom Messages & e-mails for the Holidays Another solution to the declining card culture is to keep communicating with customers during periods when card giving has historically been most important. By continually reminding the target about the importance of card giving, Hallmark can expect card-sales to increase. At the same time, it would be beneficial to advertise Grandparent’s Day, Bosses Day and “Just because” cards so in order to increase sales year round.

P.O.P. Display The Connections from Hallmark Card Display will serve as a point of purchase promotion. Various Hallmark cards will be placed by Walmart registers during major holidays and will be used as a method of attracting customers waiting in line to check out. These cards will be selected by their popularity and placed by the registers. Customers on a time crunch will no longer have to go through the card aisle to search for a card, but will now be able to browse through Connections for Hallmark cards while waiting in line. This point of purchase display will serve as a good connection allowing Walmart shoppers to form a close and more personal bond with the Hallmark brand. Not only will more customers be aware that Hallmark cards are being sold at Walmart, but this POP display will serve as a reminder to customers who may have forgotten to purchase a card while shopping. The Connections for Hallmark Card Display will prove very effective in alluring more consumers to purchase a holiday card, which will inevitably increase unit sales for Hallmark.

Leap Frog Game Console The Leap Frog game console will be placed beside the card aisle at all Walmart locations in our fifteen markets. This system will allow moms to browse through various cards without their children becoming impatient or bored. It will also keep children occupied and active allowing for moms to personally take the time and find that perfect Connections from Hallmark card that fits the occasion. Another added benefit of the Leap Frog console is that it is a learning system that promotes reading and math. Due to the fact that the Leap Frog game console will be placed right by the card aisle, moms will be able to keep an eye on their children and make sure that they are safe. Leap Frog will allow moms to spend more time looking for the right message which, most of the time, favors Hallmark given their history of providing thoughtful and meaningful cards.

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Situation Analysis

In-text Advertising “With in-text advertising, hyperlinks are placed directly into the text of a website linking certain keywords to advertisements. Connections from Hallmark has the power to choose a website or context that resonates with he female target and best corresponds with the Hallmark brand image. Furthermore, Hallmark can associate itself with keywords that adequately represent the image they are trying to convey. With recent technological advancements, Hallmark can convey more complicated messages with its in-text advertising such as video and interactive media. This capability will be particularly useful in engaging the target and around important holidays. According to in-text advertiser, Vibrant Media, in-text advertising can enable an advertiser to reach “one in three internet users” and deliver “over 300 million video ads per month across the internet.” In-text advertising provides a multi-layered approach that enablesHallmark to reach the female target through both key words and context. This ensures that the right message gets to the right people, thereby drawing women to Walmart and increasing unit sales. “

Bring Me A Book Partnership In attempting to revive the tradition of card giving, Connections from Hallmark must reach the consumer on a deeper level. This dictates transcending the confines of traditional media in favor of an approach that resonates with the target’s beliefs and values. Event sponsorship is an effective way to do this, as it helps create a community of people brought together by Connections from Hallmark.Forming a partnership with a relevant charity is an ideal way to create this community and enhance Connections from Hallmark’s brand image. The campaign for child literacy is a struggle pertinent to all parents. Accordingly, we have decided to partner with Bring Me a Book, a charity that provides libraries of high quality children’s books and read-along workshops to children in under served communities. Additionally, Bring Me a Book has a history of working with companies and libraries to provide these services. This approach lends itself well to in-store read-alongs, designed to promote reading within select Walmarts in each of the 15 markets. This would further the interest of the charity and promote Hallmark as a caring and socially conscious brand. Should the program be a success, it could be extended into every Walmart willing to participate. In addition to the read alongs, a yearly outdoor event will be sponsored where Hallmark will give out cards for the purpose of donations to the Bring Me A Book foundation. A local park will be utilized and signage for Connections from Hallmark at Walmart will be visible throughout the event. Kids will have fun writing and drawing their own sentiments into the cards, the local media should pick up on the event should media kits be sent to them and parents will appreciate the event.

Semantic Display Rich Media To bolster Connections from Hallmark’s presence online, semantic displays that function as rich media, without actually costing as much, will be used. The benefit of semantic displays is the fact that one pays for results. At twenty-five cents per click, these leads will bring a customer directly to the card they wanted from browsing through a large selection in the banner7. Connections from Hallmark is ensured results by buying media on this basis.

7 mediapost.com http://www.mediapost.com/publications/?fa=Articles.showArticle&art_aid=88187&passFuseAction=PublicationsSearch.showSearchReslts&art_searched=semantic%20display%20ads%20dockers&page_number=0

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Connections from Hallmark is all about convenience. By nature, it’s designed to be a quick and easy way to express feelings to friends and family. Following through on this idea means making these greeting cards available for purchase on Walmart.com. Hallmark has committed its quality brand presence to Walmart in order to attract brand aspirational consumers. Walmart has the responsibility to follow through its end of the distribution deal. Connections from Hallmark’s current presence of the website is negligible and it’s quite hard to find. An appropriate solution would be a comprehensive card selection for all types of occasions. The semantic display ad is an example of how to simplify the process of card selecting. Having the option to choose to purchase a card upon checkout is also crucial. It’s an option that could be limited to weeks prior to selective holidays in order to simplify the suggestions. Online shopping also has the added benefit of allowing consumers to shop as long as they want without being pressured to leave the store. The pressures that mothers face of needing to be home will entirely be eliminated. If card giving is going to become routine once again, the availability and accessibility of these cards must be streamlined.

Connections from Hallmark

on Walmart.com

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Media Vision

Develop a Younger Group The first step toward bringing back the culture of card giving is to develop a promising group of card-buyers from a younger generation. The younger half of the Connections from Hallmark audience (women 18-30) represents an untapped market that has not yet been fully acquainted with the tradition of giving greeting cards. Facebook fits well with this audience and will provide an opportunity to speak to them while they are making connections with friends online. This strategy is interactive, highly engaging, and sentimental which will draw in these younger customers and will hook them on the idea of card buying.

Reach Consumers on their Time and on their Terms It is critical that we utilize media that is relevant to the wants and needs of the target demographic. The best way to do this is to choose media that they regularly use and value. The main goal is to introduce the action of card giving into their lives without any extra stress or complications. In order for this to be achieved, magazines, radio, and an online effort using the Hulu website will be the primary mediums used to reach the target audience. Hulu.com provides a simple and efficient process to advertisers in which they pay to reach a certain number of a certain target demographic a certain number of times. At $25-$30 CPM, it’s a bargain compared to online video ads on major network websites that forces advertisers to choose a certain show rather than a demographic8.

Create a Personal Connection Connections from Hallmark is in a unique position to truly engage its customers. Since greeting cards are so personal, merely talking to the consumer is insufficient; the brand needs to engage the consumer. Engagement can be achieved by using interactive media that really captures the consumer’s interest and attention. Once this target audience is aware of and interested in Connections, they will be more likely to look for this particular brand when they are making card purchases.

Foster a Lasting Relationship Once consumers are better acquainted with the tradition of card giving, it is crucial that we encourage them to come back to purchase Connections from Hallmark cards for every occasion, not just for the holidays. To accomplish this, emails, in-text advertising, and point of purchase displays will be put in place to continually remind consumers that Connections has an appropriate card for every occasion. This will inevitably revive the tradition of card giving that Connections from Hallmark will need in order to meet their business and media objectives.

8 alleyinsider.com http://www.alleyinsider.com/2008/6/hulu_ad_bargain 18

Media Objectives

- Bring back the culture of card giving

- Reach young moms ages 18-49 in fifteen markets nationwide

- Create an awareness of card giving to the younger demographic

- Make card buying a routine action at Walmart

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Media

Recommendations

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Description of

FlightsFlight #1: Laying the Groundwork (January 1 – January 31) The purpose of this flight is to introduce the Connections from Hallmark brand to the target. January is marked by the launch of the Facebook application in order to hook a younger generation of card givers. Hulu will begin to fortify the brand image of Connections from Hallmark and increase the brand awareness. An e-mail list will begin to be developed from online customers to Walmart. Leap Frog systems will be installed at each Connections from Hallmark aisle in order to attract attention from moms and supplement a positive brand image.

Flight #2: Mission Engagement (February 1 – May 31) A continuation of the efforts of the first flight, the second brings to the table four important new touch points. In-text media will encourage card buying for Valentine’s Day and Easter. Consumers will be directed towards the Connections from Hallmark web page on Walmart.com upon crossing relevant keywords for the respective holidays. Valentine’s Day and Easter cards will also be driven home though POP displays and Walmart two weeks prior to each holiday. These will hold a variety of Connections from Hallmark cards specific to each holiday, and should be modeled similarly to the Hallmark aisle. Intercom messages in each Walmart will run a week prior to each holiday and encourage customers to stop by the Connections from Walmart aisle. Radio will broadcast during the week of each holiday in order to drive people to Walmart for last minute cards. Radio will be avoided in Washington D.C. and Boston due to inefficient due to an inefficiency between the cost and benefit Connections from Hallmark would get from doing so.

Flight #3: Routine Card Giving (June 1 – August 31) Over the summer months, besides Father’s Day, it’s expected that birthday cards will represent the majority of Connections from Hallmark’s sales. Over the summer, Connections from Hallmark will sponsor events in partnership with the Bring Me a Book foundation to reverberate its brand image with moms in each of its markets. All of the media practices we used previously, besides In-text, will be used. In addition, Semantic Display ads will appear across online platforms in order to engage consumers and drive sales during an otherwise stagnant period. The highly interactive and simple rich media is the perfect type of touch point to reach the entire category of moms 18-49 because the ads can be targeted to where they typically are online.

Flight #4: Holiday Greetings (September 1 – December 31) Flight four is the point where all the media efforts come together to make an impact upon the consumer. Hulu is ramped up considerably to cover Halloween, Thanksgiving and the December Holidays. Semantic Display ads will be brought back to drive sales. Radio, POP and the intercom are also used prior to each holiday. By this time, the Facebook Application will be widespread, so reaching the younger consumer through it would be effective. Ads will appear in Parents Magazine during November and December to hit home a branded message of the power of card giving.

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Media Visual

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Budget Allocation by Flight and

Composition of Flights by Medium

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Flight #1: Laying the Groundwork

Medium $ Spent in Flight 1 % of $ in Flight 1

Online $27,500.00 52.02% Hulu Facebook

Walmart.com Activities $23,168.10 43.83% Semantic Display Ads E-mail

Promotions $2,191.66 4.15% Leap Frog Game

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Flight #2: Mission: Engagement

Medium $ Spent in Flight 2 % of $ in Flight 2

Radio $320,000.00 58.05% AM Drive

Online $182,500 33.11% Hulu In-Text Media Facebook

Walmart.com Activities $39,935.34 7.25% Semantic Display Ads E-mail

Promotions $8,766.95 1.59% POP Displays Walmart Intercom Leap Frog Game

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Flight #3: Routine Card Giving

Medium $ Spent in Flight 3 % of $ in Flight 3

Radio $160,000.00 37.70% AM Drive

Online $157,857.13 37.19% Hulu Semantic Display Ads Facebook

Promotions $6,574.98 1.55% POP Displays Walmart Intercom Leap Frog Game Sponsorships $100,000.00 23.56% Bring Me a Book

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Flight #4: Holiday Greetings

Medium $ Spent in Flight 4 % of $ in Flight 4

Radio $320,000.00 38.92% AM Drive

Magazine $276,930.00 33.68% FP4C Parents Magazine

Online $139,642.86 16.98% Hulu Semantic Display Ads Facebook

Walmart.com Activities $76,896.54 9.35% Semantic Display Ads E-mail

Promotions $8,766.64 1.07% POP Displays Walmart Intercom Leap Frog Game

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Total Budget Allocation

by Flight and Medium

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Flight $ Spent % Total Budget

Laying the Groundwork $52,859.78 2.78%

Mission: Engagement $551,202.07 29.01%

Routine Card Giving $424,432.11 22.34%

Holiday Greetings $822,236.04 43.28%

Contingency $49,270 2.59%

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Next Steps

Recommendations Priority Media is dedicated to the long haul with Connections from Hallmark. Our analysis of the situation doesn’t just extend through the fourth flight. To begin, the media efforts can be expanded to the rest of the priority markets. Larger markets may also choose to do radio advertising. In addition, a magazine like Better Homes and Gardens would be perfect for reaching more brand aspirational moms. The Facebook application can always be updated with new greeting card designs to attract users for the long-term interest. Also, should the semantic display campaign be as effective as it has in the past for other companies, it could be expanded upon to drive even more sales for Connections from Hallmark.The yearly outdoor park event is one idea that could grow and grow every year. It has the makings to be a staple in communities across the nation, and would improve both the public image of both Walmart and Connections from Hallmark greatly.

Conclusion Priority Media will bring back the card giving culture by keeping Connections from Hallmark top of mind and streamlining the process of finding and purchasing the right card. Connections from Hallmark will further its competitive advantage by being available throughout the web on semantic display ads. The strategic partnership with the Bring Me a Book foundation will provide Connections from Hallmark a memorable occasion to reach its customers every summer. Connections from Hallmark will continue to see sales increase every season once customers get into the habit of buying cards. Our media plan will significantly increase traffic for the Connections from Hallmark brand. By establishing a strong brand presence through efforts in and outside of Walmart stores, Connections from Hallmark will continue the Hallmark tradition of being the dominant brand of greeting cards and the innovating force in greeting card sales.

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