innovate

Andrew Zadick

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ 1
Situation Analysis ............................................................................................................... 2
Primary Research ............................................................................................................ 10
Target Audience ................................................................................................................11

KELLY RYAN

Concept Testing ................................................................................................................ 11

Positioning Statement .......................................................................................................13

MICHAEL TREMOULIS

Campaign Objectives .........................................................................................................13

Creative Strategy & Tactics .............................................................................................. 13
Media Objectives, Strategy and Tactics .............................................................................14

SARAH SCHULZE

Budget Breakdown ...........................................................................................................21

Campaign Evaluation .........................................................................................................22

ANNA GRACE FLIPPO

Conclusion .........................................................................................................................22
Media Contacts ..................................................................................................................23
References ....................................................................................................................... 24

ROXANNE DUDRICK

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville serves a special part of the Knoxville community that locals
need to become more aware about. Innovate has provided a cohesive plan that will increase
awareness of the unique organization of ABK. Sometimes it is not easy to spread the word about
organizations, but with the right advertising and public relations methods, a solid campaign can make
all the difference to help build up an organization to its full potential.

Our campaign for ABK successfully demonstrates what would be done in order to increase
awareness and fundraising on a $25,000 budget. Through the distribution and analysis of a large
amount of surveys in the Knoxville area, Innovate developed a media and event plan that will help
boost the presence of ABK in Knox County. Primary research was a key component of our campaign.
The ads and event that we have planned will definitely turn ABK in the right direction to the goal of
becoming a well heard not-for-profit organization.

Our media plan has a great deal of newspaper ads and radio and television commercials
planned out that will appeal to the target audience in Knox County. Though these media methods may
seem traditional, it is what the public will respond to and we are sure about that due to the successful
research we conducted amongst Knoxville residents. The event we have planned out is a festival that
will bring the Knoxville community together to enjoy food and music, and additionally become informed
on how ABK plays a special and unique role in the Knoxville community.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects thousands in the Knoxville area. It is important that an
organization such as ABK gets awareness so funding will continue to grow and the organization can
continue to serve its purpose of helping those with ASD. Showing Knox County residents what ABK is
all about will also help further their education about ASD. It is a growing disorder throughout the
nation that must be understood, and by creating a campaign to increase awareness for ABK, such as
the one we have done, it will only help the entire ASD community work towards solving the puzzle.

SITUATION ANALYSIS
Since the increase of ASD diagnoses in the 1980s, the
Helen Ross McNabb Center has served the ASD
comunity by providing comfort and support to affected
Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville (ABK) was families.3
founded in 1999 by a group of Knoxville parents who
The ASD organization industry grows each year.
aimed to form a not-for-profit organization that would
Over the last two decades, numerous organizations
help those on the autism spectrum live a better life.
have emerged to serve the ASD community. Because of
For over a decade, ABK has helped local families find
the increase in ASD organizations, the public is more
comfort in housing and programs for members on the
aware of ASD and its effects.1 Many ASD organizations
autism spectrum who are over 22 years old.
depend on donations and, in some cases, government
As a 501(C)(3) tax-exempt institution, ABK depends funding. In the years ahead, the industry will likely
on donations from annual fundraising events in order
continue to grow as ASD awareness increases.
to provide the best possible care to persons served.
Fundraisers include an annual golf tournament, a race,
a wine tasting and a Bunco night. Although these events
help support ABKs mission, Knox County residents
Currently, there are no other not-for-profit
need to be aware of the organization in order for it to
organizations in Knoxville that provide housing
grow.
exclusively to adults with ASD. Sertoma Center offers
ABK is the only not-for-profit organization in
residential habilitation and supported living programs,
Knoxville committed to offering permanent living to
but it serves residents with a variety of diagnoses
adults on the autism spectrum. Local residents must
in addition to ASD. Other organizations that provide
become aware of ABKs unique services in order to
programs for recreation and learning to Knox County
understand the help it offers to those with autism
residents on the spectrum include the Helen Ross
spectrum disorder (ASD).
McNabb Center, Artistic Spectrum, and the Autism
Society of East Tennessee.

INTRODUCTION

COMPETITORS

INDUSTRY
Before the 1980s, ASD diagnoses were scarce and
misunderstood. In 1989, the Autism Society of East
Tennessee was formed to provide programs, support,
and education to the ASD community.1 Founded in
1961, Sertoma Center creates special programs for
Knox County residents with learning disabilities.2
Since the 1970s, the organization continues to
serve the ASD community by enriching the lives of
persons served and providing them with temporary
residential living. The Helen Ross McNabb Center has
provided behavioral health services in East Tennessee
since 1948.3

LIFE CYCLE
ASD diagnoses are on the rise worldwide.4 With the
development of new research methods, it is safe to
assert that the spectrum will continue to grow. As ASD
diagnoses increase, awareness increases as well.4
Since 1999, ABK has grown significantly, but it lacks
brand awareness among Knox County residents. The
organization has raised over half a million dollars in recent years, and it will continue to grow as the disorder
impacts more lives. As the number of persons served
rises, new strategies and tactics must be
implemented in order to boost brand awareness and
thus generate an increase in donations.
2

SITUATION ANALYSIS

SEASONALITY

Charitable organizations receive donations

throughout the year; however, year-end giving accounts
for 35-70% of many not-for-profit organizations total
annual income.5 A common not-for-profit marketing
strategy is the use of pulsing schedules. A pulsing
strategy employs a low level of advertising or story
placement with higher bursts of messages at specific
times.6 ASD not-for-profit organizations can utilize a
pulsing strategy by presenting information steadily year
round with a higher burst of messages during a time
when awareness is most necessary like Autism
Awareness Month.
The General Assembly of the United Nations
declared April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day in
order to highlight the need to help improve the quality
of life of children and adults, who are affected by
autism, so they can lead full and meaningful lives.7
April is National Autism Awareness Month; therefore,
the most charitable giving to autism not-for-profit
organizations happens in April. Autism Awareness
Month is celebrated by presidential and
congressional declarations, online activities, and local
events.8 A 2014 study analyzing Google Trends data
found that National Autism Awareness Month and
televised reports concerning ASD are effective in
boosting web search interest on the topic.9

ECONOMIC AND INDUSTRY

GROWTH FORECAST

The United States economy has strengthened since

its 2008 collapse and has grown considerably. Nominal
personal income is higher than ever before and the
future economic environment for not-for-profit ASD
organizations is strong.10 In 2014, the not-for-profit
share of gross domestic product was 5.3%.11
Americans donated an estimated $358.38 billion to
charity in 2014.
3

The health of the not-for-profit industry is better than

ever before and has recovered since the two-year
decline in charitable giving during 2008 and 2009.
A healthier American economy is the main factor that
drove a 7.1% increase in charitable giving in 2014.12
The nations unemployment rate has been declining
over recent years and currently is at 5.4%.10 Although
the national unemployment rate has been declining,
90% of adults with ASD are still unemployed or
underemployed.13 As the majority of adults who fall
within this percentage are capable of being employed
and economically self-sufficient with specialized training,
employers are overlooking a massive group of potential
employees.
In the U.S., 500,000 teens with ASD will age into
adulthood over the next decade. (AFAA) One of the
not-for-profit industrys top three trends in 2015 is
an increased demand for not-for-profits, as a result
of increased needs in communities.13 The exponential
increase in adults with ASD and the recent rise in
prevalence among American children suggests a boom
in demand for not-for-profit organizations serving
adults with ASD in both domestic and national sectors.
The number of not-for-profit organizations across
the nation that specifically provide comprehensive
services to adults living with ASD is growing, yet the
number is still not high enough to serve the future
boom in individuals with ASD requiring care and
residential services.8 As more and more teens phase
into adulthood, the ASD organization industry expects
a future trend of public attention and massive growth
to occur in order to meet these adults needs and offer
them a better, and far less costly, quality of life.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), costs of lifetime care are as high as
$3.2 million for one individual with ASD.8
Autism is a global public health crisis, laments Bob
Wright, the co-founder of Autism Speaks. The costs
are staggering and will continue to rise as prevalence
continues to increase.16

SITUATION ANALYSIS
LEGAL ENVIRONMENT
Public policy affects those living with ASD -especially adults. Medicaid is the state and federal
governments program to provide disability services.
However, the age limit set on these Medicaid waivers
lacks a system to address the transition into adulthood
for individuals. Governmental services cease after age
22 unless the adult with ASD has severe mental
disability resulting from an IQ score under 70.14 If the
age limit of Medicaid waivers does not change, it is up
to the ASD organization industry to push for national
reform. The need for organizations dedicated to serving adults with ASD in a safe, cost-effective manner is
greater than ever before.
Congressional support and focus on the Autism
Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education,
and Support Act (Autism CARES Act of 2014) and the
Achieving a Better Life Experience Act (ABLE Act of
2014) suggests a brighter future for adult Americans
with ASD.14 The Autism CARES Act of 2014 extended
federal coverage of ASD research and services for
adults with ASD by five years with $1.3 billion in
funding.14 Federal funds have been allocated to finance
ASD prevalence monitoring and training for medical
professionals to detect ASD.14 The act also holds the
federal government responsible for reporting gaps in
the current adult ASD environment.14

Although celebrities like McCarthy have falsely led the

public to believe ASD is curable, the focus must instead
be centered on caring for those with ASD.
As there is no medical detection or cure for ASD,
advocates stress the importance of ASD organizations
in local communities as a way to expel stigmas
associated with ASD. Marketing efforts for adults
with ASD must drive the public opinion that it is wiser to
support a not-for-profit that legitimately serves adults
with ASD, as opposed to curing them.
According to Autism Speaks research, women
(62%) are more likely than men (48%) to think that
ASD is a very serious problem. 1 in 5 Americans, or
about 20%, expressed concern that either their child
or a relatives child may have ASD. More than 7 in 10
Americans are concerned about ASD and want to learn
more, yet 4 in 10 say they do not know where to turn to
find reliable information.16
These statistics highlight a gap in accessible
knowledge about the disability, which is most likely
the source of stigma. In order to integrate more adults
with ASD into full-service communities, it is critical to
bridge the gaps in governmental systems for these
individuals and their families. Also, encouraging
awareness and knowledge about the disorder will help
create acceptance, rather than a stigma, towards adults
with ASD and those entering adulthood.

SOCIETY

Some stigmas and misconceptions about ASD

originate from public opinion leaders and celebrities.15
Jenny McCarthys fierce stance that her son developed
ASD after receiving a vaccination sparked
misconceptions about a link between vaccinations and
ASD; however, many studies disprove this theory, and in
2004 the Institute of Medicine found no causal
relationship between the two.15
4

SITUATION ANALYSIS
CLIENT

ABK is a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization

founded in 1999 by parents of adult children on the
autism spectrum.4 The organization is committed to
improving the lives of adults with ASD by offering them
programs and living arrangements. It currently provides
services to over 100 adults with ASD and their families.
Activities and services provided range from day events
like Respite and Recreation to in-home care and
residential provisions. These programs are supported
by donations and government disability waivers
provided to persons served who meet specific
requirements. ABK has a neighborhood in South
Knoxville where persons served can live together in a
safe and inclusive environment.

ABKs South Knoxville neighborhood allows persons

served to live away from their parents, while still being in a stable and welcoming environment with other
persons served.
Day outings like Respite and Recreation serve a
dual purpose for adults with ASD who reside with their
caregivers. Persons served experience a fun day activity
organized by ABK, while their parents who are primary
caregivers have the opportunity to take the day off.4

Funds
ABKs services are funded by disability waivers that
families of persons served receive from the
government. Additionally, the organization receives
donations from generous individuals and businesses, as
well as various annual fundraising events.

Promotion

Currently, utilizes three promotional tools:

fundraising activities, word of mouth, and direct mail.
Annual fundraising events include ABKs Run for Autism,
golf tournament, blind wine tasting, Bunco night, and
Target AUDIENCE
cookbook sale. These events create word of mouth
ABKs current target audience is comprised of
advertising from donors to their peers. ABK also sends
parents with adult, or near adult, children on the autistic out direct mail pieces to the Knoxville area.
spectrum. Because ABKs main form of promotion is via
word of mouth, most of the target audience are
New Developments
individuals who live in Knox County. Once adults with
ABK is working towards constructing a
ASD age out of the school system and other programs,
multipurpose building located near its South Knoxville
they no longer receive the same resources that they
were provided as children. Primary caregivers (typically neighborhood. The building will act as an all-in-one
parents) are then forced to make healthcare decisions center that could host meetings and classes as well as
a retail establishment. The goal of this new facility is to
for their benefactor. 4
integrate ABK persons served and Knox County
residents.4

Services and Programs

ABK provides services like day outings and activities

to full scale apartments where persons served can live
independently with other persons served.
5

SITUATION ANALYSIS
COMPETITORS
Since ABK is the only not-for-profit organization in
Knoxville that offers extensive and comprehensive care
for adults with ASD, it only has one direct
competitive comrade: Sertoma Center. The key
difference between Sertoma Center and ABK is that
Sertoma Center serves patrons with various intellectual
disabilities, while ABK focuses on serving those with
ASD. The organization has several indirect competitive
comrades like the Autism Society of East Tennessee,
Artistic Spectrum, and Helen Ross McNabb Center.
ABKs only indirect competitive comrade is Autism
Speaks.

Sertoma Center, Inc.

Primary Competitor
Founded in 1961, Sertoma Center initially helped
train preschool children for special education classes
in public schools.2 Sertoma Center met in the basement
of a Presbyterian Church and served only 17 children.2
Once public schools took over caring for preschool
children with special needs in 1970, the center moved
to Dandridge Avenue, established itself as a nonprofit,
and changed its focus to providing comprehensive services to adults with intellectual disabilities.2 The center
made its final move to Fifth Avenue in 1993, and there
it serves approximately one hundred adults with
intellectual disabilities.2 Sertoma Centers mission is to
provide programs and services that empower adults
with intellectual disabilities to achieve their fullest
potential.
Sertoma Center has many programs to help adults
with intellectual disabilities including supported
employment, life enrichment, residential living,
recreation therapy, and respite. Most of the programs
work to secure an enriching job for people with
intellectual disabilities and support them through the
job search and training process.2 The programs also

give families of people with intellectual disabilities

respite, so they can spend time with other family
members or take a break from caregiving.2
The majority of the funding comes from the state of
Tennessees Department of Intellectual and
Developmental Disabilities.2 The current annual budget
the center is given from the state is five million dollars.2
Sertoma Center also receives funds from donors in the
City of Knoxville, Knox County, the business community,
foundations, civic groups, and friends of Sertoma
Center.2 The center also has four big fundraising events
every year, which include a dinner and auction, a
vacation expo, a friendship dinner, and a golf tournament.2

Autism Society
of East Tennessee
Secondary Competitor
The Autism Society of East Tennessee is a branch
of the national organization Autism Society of America
(ASA). The East Tennessee organization was
incorporated in 1989, but the ASA has been a nonprofit
since 1965.1 ASA was one of the first national not-forprofits that directly serves those with ASD, and it has
grown into the leading source of information, research,
reference, and support on the autism spectrum.1 This
group has a main focus on children with ASD, but also
has programming aimed for adults.
The East Tennessee chapter offers services all over
East Tennessee, from Chattanooga to Johnson City.1 It
offers special skills programs, workshops for families,
and conferences in order to help better the lives of
those with ASD in East Tennessee.1 Most of the
societys events are used to inform and educate
parents, teachers, care providers, emergency medical
responders, and professionals. The East Tennessee
chapter of ASA also offers friendship club events, which
use structured group activities like drive-in movies and
pool parties to help build social skills.1
6

SITUATION ANALYSIS
The Autism Society of East Tennessees two main
fundraising events are annual golf tournaments and
shrimp boils. It also partners with national retailers like
Kroger and Amazon Smile in order to secure
additional donations.1

Helen Ross McNabb Center

Secondary Competitor

The Helen Ross McNabb Center has been a nonprofit provider of behavioral health services since
1948.3 Its mission is to improve the lives of children,
Artistic Spectrum
adults, and families by providing services for those
with addiction, mental illness, and social challenges.3
Secondary Competitor
Its highly trained and experienced practitioners use
Artistic Spectrum is a nonprofit with the mission of
an ecological approach to treatment. The center was
providing creative and recreational opportunities for
started by Helen Ross McNabb as a place for children
children and adults with ASD and promoting the many
with mental illness in 1948.3 However, seven years later
ways that people with ASD can contribute to the
Knoxville community.24 Artistic Spectrum aims to one day it began to admit adult patients as well. When it first
began, the center was financed by Knox County and the
create a fine arts studio that will function as an
City Health Boards, but in 1953, the center became an
extracurricular center for people with ASD as well as a
independent nonprofit.3
relief to parents and caretakers.24
Services provided by the Helen Ross McNabb Center
Artistic Spectrum organizes fine arts workshops to
help children who have been abused or traumatized,
develop individual talent for those with ASD,
families in crisis, and individuals battling mental illness.3
facilitates fun family events, and works with art venues
Supportive housing services and counseling services
and museums to create Autism Art Access
are offered to adults.3 Most of its services are primarily
Opportunities for families to attend fine arts
focused on mental illness and some are inclusive to
performances and events.24 It also provides training
3
and consultations to help make existing extracurricular ASD.
Currently, the Helen Ross McNabb Center has five
activities and attractions more ASD-friendly.24
fundraising events: a golf tournament, fundraiser at
Artistic Spectrum encourages online donations
Central Flats and Taps, BBQ bash, and Russell Biven
by providing a donation page link on its organization
Summer Clayfest Tournament.3 These events generate
website. The donation page emphasizes that Artistic
about 6% of the revenue that the Helen Ross McNabb
Spectrum has zero paid employees, and all donations
Center brought in last year.3 Most of the revenue
are used for workshops and events.24 The page also
generated comes from Tenncare/Medicare and the state
includes a chart explaining the cost of classes and
of Tennessee (43% and 39% respectively).3
workshops, and there is an option to sponsor snacks
for an event. Artistic Spectrum offers all of its classes,
workshops, and consultations free of charge to those
Autism Speaks
24
with ASD. In the past, Artistic Spectrum held a celebrity
Indirect Competitor
bartending fundraiser during Autism Awareness Month
Autism Speaks is a national organization that was
at Armada Craft Cocktail Bar.24
founded in 2005 by two grandparents whose grandson
was diagnosed with ASD.16 Their organization has grown
into the leading research and advocacy group for ASD.
7

SITUATION ANALYSIS
Autism Speaks is dedicated to funding researching into
the cause, prevention, and cure for ASD.16 Its mission is
to change the future for everyone with ASD by uniting
the autistic community and educating the public about
the global health crisis.16

Comparative Analysis
ABK has four primary competitive comrades
including Sertoma Center, Autism Society of East
Tennessee, Artistic Spectrum, and the Helen Ross
McNabb Center. These not-for-profit organizations offer
a variety of similar services to ABK. ABKs primary
competitive comrades offer services to those with ASD
but also focus on other disorders including intellectual
disabilities, HIV and AIDS, mental disorders, and social
challenges.
The Helen Ross McNabb Center recorded an
annual revenue of $3,141,004. Sertoma Center
recorded $807,519 in annual revenue, while Autism
Society of East Tennessee files with their parent
organization American Society of Autism and grossed
$2,731,758. Autism Spectrum only recorded $100, but
they were established in December of 2014.
ABK has one indirect competitive comrade Autism
Speaks which grossed 12.1 million in annual assets in
2013 and is the biggest threat to ABK because of their
main focus being on ASD.
Not-for-profit organizations in the Knoxville area
compete for donations and fundraising. There are only
a handful of organizations that focus mainly on ASD
awareness. Most not-for-profit organizations generate
donations by hosting annual fundraisers. Events held by
each of these organizations are listed in Table 1, and
organization Facebook Page likes are included in Table 2.

Table 1
Organization
Autism
Breakthrough
of Knoxville

Sertoma Center

Autism Speaks

Donations

Price

Run/Walk for
Autism

N/A

$25 Adults,
$15 Kids

$230,000

$25 minimun
buy-in

$100,000

$100 per
person

N/A

N/A

12 Days of
Christmas
Auction
Midnight in
Manhattan

Helen Ross
McNabb Center

Artistic
Spectrum
Autism Society
of East
Tennessee

Events

N/A

Rock Around
the Dock for $14,000+
Autism
Walk Now for
$16,243+
Autism Speaks

$15 per
person
$25 per
person

Table 2
Competitor

Organization

Likes

Client

Autism
Breakthrough
of Knoxville

828

Primary Competitor

Sertoma Center

985

Secondary Competitor

Helen Ross McNabb Center

1,456

Secondary Competitor

Artistic Spectrum

905

Secondary Competitor

Autism Society of
East Tennessee

988

Indirect Competitor

Autism Speaks

1,500,000

SITUATION ANALYSIS
CONSUMERS

to charities also have watched the local news in the last

seven days.19
A study on volunteering from the International
Journal of Nonprofit Sector Marketing suggests several
social and psychological explanations for volunteering.
Mueller suggests four categories to classify the benefits
of volunteering: altruism, the family unit consuming the
collective good (for example having a child in the unit),
selective incentives such as prestige or self-esteem,
and improvement of social capital.20 Other explanations
include the desire to develop skills useful for a future
career and the opportunity to express or pass on core
values and beliefs.20 An article published in the Public
Administration Review suggests nonprofit organizations
are more frequently having to adopt approaches and
values of the private market, or marketization of the
nonprofit sector.21

ASD is a complex developmental disability that

affects over three million people in the U.S. and tens of
millions worldwide.17 ASD is a lifelong,
incurable neurobiological disorder that can cause
significant social, communication and behavioral
challenges.17 ASD is a lifelong, incurable
neurobiological disorder that can cause significant
social, communication and behavioral challenges.17
Although there is no single cause of ASD, factors like
genetic predisposition and environmental stresses
appear to increase ones risk of the disorder.16 A
summary report by the CDC estimates that 1 in 68
children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ASD.17
The report also estimates that the number of children
identified with ASD is on the rise, as the
estimated prevalence of ASD has increased 123% since
the summary report in 2002.17 ABK conservatively
Knox County Demographics
estimates that ASD affects over 2,000 people in Knox
According to TaxExemptWorld, there are 3,091
4
County.
tax-exempt nonprofit organizations registered in Knox
County as of March 2015.22 The U.S. Census Bureau
the Knox County population in 2014 was
Charitable Giving and Advocacy estimated
23
448,644. 51.4% of Knox County residents are
in the U.S.
females.23 According to 2009-2013 Census data,
According to a Gallup Lifestyle poll conducted in
90.2% of Knox County residents age 25 and above
December 2013, 75% of Americans said they donated are high school graduates or higher.23 34.3% of Knox
money to a charitable cause in the past 12 months.18
County residents age 25 and above have a Bachelors
49% of Americans reported to have volunteered time
degree or higher.23 The median household income of
to a charitable cause in the past 12 months.18 95% of
Knox County residents is $47,694.23 Per capita
households earning $75,000 or more reported that
money income in the past 12 months (in 2013 dollars)
18
they donated money to a charity. The percentage
is $28,136.23
drops to 86% among middle-income households and
67% among households earning under $30,000.18
Summary of Insights
The poll results also showed that upper-income
ASD is a complex disability that affects millions of
Americans were more likely to report volunteering.18
people. As its prevalence grows exponentially each year,
According to Simmons OneView data, Americans who
ASD will impact more families who will require
read newspapers are 12% more likely to donate than
assistance. While many Americans are donating and
those who dont read newspapers.19 Simmons OneView volunteering, there is likely a growing marketization
9

PRIMARY RESEARCH
The goal of our primary research was to gauge the
awareness of ABK within the Knoxville community by posing
questions like, Does Knoxville know of Autism Breakthrough
of Knoxville? and Does Knoxville know about ASD? In
order to gather the information to answer these questions
and more, surveys were distributed to collect anonymous
responses from a randomized sample of Knox County
residents. Using this data, our campaign was formatted
based on the results from the survey respondents.

There were 143 surveys completed (n=143): 55 online

responses and 87 print responses. All data were then
entered into Microsoft Excel.
Demographic results were tabulated in order to gain
an understanding of respondents basic lifestyle
information. 49% of survey respondents were males
and 48.03% were females. The largest percentage of
respondents (26.6%) were between the age of 18 to
24. The next largest age segment (25.2%) was
between 25 and 35. Half of survey respondents
(50.4%) reported an annual household income
Research Objectives
between under $25,000 and $25,000 to $44,999.
Gauge overall awareness level of ABK and ASD among
45.5% of respondents were married, with the next
Knox County residents
largest segment (42%) as single. Over 51% of
Determine media preferences of Knox County
respondents reported to have children. Most of the
residents
respondents (74.8%) reported their current
employment status as full-time.
There were 19 questions on the survey, a mix of Likert
The following ABK/ASD awareness results were
scale and multiple choice questions, in addition to one open
recorded. 55.2% of respondents reported to know
ended question. The survey featured demographic questions
someone on the autism spectrum. Most respondents
to establish a sample profile, with questions asking
(32.9%) claimed to be somewhat informed about
respondents gender, age, income, marital status, number of
ASD. Only 8.4% of respondents were aware of ABK,
children, and employment status. The survey also asked
and 4.2% were aware of the services that ABK
awareness questions about ASD, ABK, and the services that
provides.
ABK offers. A variety of questions about not-for-profit
Charity and volunteer information was collected to
organizations were included in order to learn which
understand respondents habits and past experiences
organizations were recognizable and popular among
with not-for-profit organizations. 60.1% of respondents
respondents. Finally, two media specific questions were asked
reported to volunteer one to ten hours each year. The
in order to see what media the respondents use in general,
greatest percentage of respondents (28.17%)
and what media they use when seeking information about a
preferred to support childrens organizations as
not-for-profit.
opposed to the remaining options: health/medical
The surveys were distributed using two methods: online
services, nutritional needs, housing, environmental
distribution and print distribution. The online survey was
improvement, animals, other, or none. Lastly, the
created via Qualtrics Online Survey Software, and the link to
majority of respondents (35.7%) reported that they did
the survey was then posted to the agency members social
not have a favorite nonprofit.
media accounts. The print survey, which had the exact same
The last portion of the survey focused on
questions as the online version, was distributed in downtown
fundraising and media inquiries. The largest
Knoxvilles Market Square.
percentage of respondents (41.3%) selected concerts
as the fundraising activity they would most likely attend.
When asked what media they used to find information

10

TARGET AUDIENCE & CONCEPT TESTING

on non-profits,
57% referred to the organizations website
and 30% referred to the organizations Facebook Page.
The most-used media reported by respondents was social
media (51.1%), followed by local television (17.5%) and
radio (10.5%).

Sample Profile
There were 143
respondents: 49.3% were male,
48.6% were female, and 2.8%
preferred not to respond. Table 3
shows the age distribution of the
respondents. Responses indicated
that our sample is almost evenly
single or married. Just over half of
the sample had children (51%), and
almost three-fourths of the
respondents work full-time.

Table 3

Charitable Giving
There were several questions pertaining to charities
and not-for-profits in order to gauge the general
awareness and involvement for these organizations as a
whole. 83.3% of respondents said that they gave up to
$500 per year, and 60.1% said that they volunteer for 10
hours or less per year.
When asked what fundraising activity they would most
likely attend, 41.3% of respondents chose a concert, and
24.5% chose a cookout.

Media Use
Two questions were asked to determine the
media usage of respondents. When asked what media they
used the most, 51.1% of respondents indicated social
media. When asked how they searched for information
about not-for-profit organizations, 57.3% indicated that
they check the organizations website, while 30% said that
they use the organizations Facebook Page.
11

TARGET AUDIENCE

In order to determine the best target audience

for ABK, survey respondents who indicated that they
donate more than $99 per year to not-for-profit
organizations were targeted. From this information,
the target audiences age group, gender, and financial
status were determined.
The target audience was decided as men and
women between the ages of 25 to 55, who have an
annual household income above $25,000 and live in
Knox County. The target audience was determined by
analyzing survey data from respondents who reported
to donate greater than $100 to a charity or nonprofit in
the last year. From these responses, the target gender,
age range, and income was decided.

CONCEPT TESTING

Five potential concepts were tested in order to

better understand the target audiences thoughts on
the brand awareness campaign for ABK. The
following concepts were presented to 26 target
audience members (n=26): ABK is an Inclusive
Community, ABK was Founded by Knoxville Parents,
Supporting ABK is Supporting the Community, There is
a Need for ABK in the Future, and ABK Serves Adults
with Autism. Innovate attempted to secure data within
the target audience based on age and income when
distributing concept tests. According to 2012 Simmons
OneView research data, nationwide survey respondents
(male and female within the age range with an annual
household income above $25,000) were more likely to
listen to the radio and watch local television.19
Concept one, ABK is an Inclusive community,
highlighted the safe environment that ABK provides to
adults with ASD in order to teach them the necessary
skills to thrive in the workplace.
Concept two, ABK was Founded by Knoxville
Parents, explained how ABK was created by local
families of those with ASD in order to address their
lifelong needs.

CONCEPT TESTING
Concept three, Supporting ABK is Supporting the
Community, explained the importance of an organization
that directly helps individuals on the autism spectrum in
the Knoxville community.
Concept four, There is a Need for ABK in the Future,
explained the growing prevalence of ASD in the United
States. Concept five, ABK Serves Adults with Autism,
described how ABK is the only organization that can
provide proper care and resources to those with ASD
once Knox County stops providing services.
Respondents were asked to rank each concept on a
Likert scale measuring believability, uniqueness,
relevance, and awareness. Lastly, respondents were
asked to select which concept they preferred. Our
concept testing analysis is below, and the results are
listed in Table 4.
Table 4
Concepts
Concept
One
Concept
Two
Concept
Three
Concept
Four
Concept
Five

Believable

Unique

Relevant Awareness Popularity

4.5

3.96

2.46

3.58

4.75

3.92

2.46

3.58

4.5

3.92

2.67

3.5

4.04

3.83

2.67

3.58

4.67

4.42

2.83

3.96

Uniqueness
Uniqueness was measured to determine which concept
stood out to respondents. The highest scoring concepts
were concepts one (ABK is an Inclusive Community)
and five (ABK Serves Adults with Autism). Concept four
(There is a Need for ABK in the Future) scored the
lowest in uniqueness.

Relevance
Personal relevance was measured to understand
how applicable each of the concepts was to our target
audience. Concept five (ABK Serves Adults with Autism)
scored the highest in relevance, followed by concepts
three (Supporting ABK is Supporting the Community) and
four (There is a Need for ABK in the Future).

Awareness
Personal relevance was measured to understand
how applicable each of the concepts was to the target
audience. Concept five (ABK Serves Adults with Autism)
scored the highest in relevance, followed by concepts
three (Supporting ABK is Supporting the Community) and
four (There is a Need for ABK in the Future).

Conclusion

The goal of concept testing was to present

Believability
respondents with five potential concept ideas in order
Believability was measured to gauge how
to measure their thoughts on each concepts
realistic and convincing respondents found each
believability, uniqueness, and relevance, as well as to
concept. On a five point Likert scale, respondents were gauge their awareness and most preferred option.
asked to rate the concepts from very believable to
Results showed that respondents found concept five
very unbelievable. The two highest scoring concepts (ABK Serves Adults with Autism) to be the most unique,
for believability were concepts two (ABK was Founded relevant, and awareness-raising. Concept five was also
by parents) and five (ABK serves Adults with Autism). the most preferred among respondents. From concept
Concept four (There is a Need for ABK in the Future)
five, a strong positioning statement was developed to
was the least believable.
lead the campaigns creative strategy.
12

CREATIVE STRATEGY
POSITIONING
STATEMENT
ABK is the only not-for-profit in Knox County
that serves adults with ASD.

CAMPAIGN
OBJECTIVES
Marketing Objective: Increase awareness from 3.8%
to 12% among adults in Knox County between the ages
of 25-55 with an annual household income $25,000 or
above from October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016.
Geography Objective: Implement a campaign that
raises awareness of ABK in Knox County among the
target audience.
Timing Objective: Establish a pulsing campaign
schedule that increases around the winter holidays from
November December 2015 and from March April
2016 during the spring months.
Budget Objective: Achieve all campaign objectives
within the maximum budget of $25,000 in the 12-month
duration of the campaign.

TAGLINE
The tagline Improving lives one piece at a
time will be used in the campaign. This tagline ties
in to the national symbol for ASD, which is a puzzle
piece. The puzzle piece symbol is also featured in ABKs
current logo. ABKs mission as an organization is to
improve the lives of adults with ASD, and the tagline
encompasses that idea in a concise and memorable
phrase.
13

SLOGAN
The campaign slogan will be Knox
Countys only community for adults with
autism. The slogan, which was devised from the
campaigns positioning statement, will be featured in
newspaper headers as well as TV and radio ads.

COLORS
The color scheme of ABK blue, light blue, orange
and marigold will be used consistently throughout all
promotional materials in order to achieve a
recognizable and cohesive brand awareness campaign.
We selected shades of blue to honor the official color of
ASD awareness and symbolize trust, dependability, and
competence. Orange was selected to symbolize optimism, warmth, and University of Tennessee Volunteer
spirit. Marigold, one of the original ABK accent colors,
will continue to be utilized for accents as well.

SYMBOLS
The Autism Speaks global symbol of the puzzle
piece was selected as the campaign symbol for
multiple reasons. One of the main reasons is because
the symbol highlights that every person with ASD is
unique. Each person affected with ASD is his or her own
individual puzzle piece that makes up a part of the ASD
community. ASD is also highly complex; there is a lot
mystery surrounding ASD, so the puzzle piece
symbolizes the ongoing process of understanding ASD.

MEDIA STRATEGY
In order for ABK to establish itself as the only
community for adults with ASD in Knox County, it will
need a strong brand awareness campaign that appeals
to its target audience. As previously stated, the target
audience consists of Knox County residents age 2555 with an annual household income of $25,000 and
above. Three media strategies were formed in order to
reach the target audience: spread the word, increase
awareness of the event, and revitalize online presence.

Spread the Word

An integrated marketing communication (IMC)
campaign will be created to spread the word about ABK.
Radio and television public service announcements
(PSAs) will air on radio stations with listeners who fall
in the target audience. Additionally, six print ads will
run during the holiday season in The Knoxville News
Sentinel. An ABK spokesperson will be arranged to
speak with Phil (of The Phil Show) or Hallerin Hilton Hill
on NewsTalk 98.7 in order to educate the public about
ABKs services. Radio spots will also be purchased
throughout the year on several local stations. The
target audience will be exposed to paid Facebook ads
with ABKs logo and website link. Lastly, Google AdWords
will be utilized in order to attract potential donors and
volunteers to ABKs website whenever users search
relevant keywords online. By implementing an IMC
campaign, the target audience will be exposed to both
traditional and non-traditional marketing channels.

be added to free online event calendars including

Visit Knoxville, City of Knoxville, Go Knoxville, Knoxville
Chamber, and Event Check Knox.

Revitalize Online Presence

In order to raise awareness for ABK, the
organizations online presence requires a Facebook
Page update and website remodel. The Facebook Page
will be updated with ABKs official new name and
information, and the website will feature a clean design
with an easy-to-use donation platform.

Increase Awareness of the Event

The proposed new event Puzzle Palooza Festival
will be promoted via local radio broadcasts and onair interviews. The Knoxville News Sentinel will have a
Sunday advertisement one week before the event. The
Knoxville Mercury will also run an advertisement a week
and a half before the event. A press release and media
alert will be sent to announce details and invite local
news outlets to attend. Festival information will

14

MEDIA OBJECTIVES & TACTICS

MEDIA
OBJECTIVES

MEDIA
TACTICS

The following media tactics will be utilized to inform

Target Audience Objective: Tailor ads based on the
the target audience about ABK and its Puzzle Palooza
target audience of male and female Knox County
event:
residents between age 25 and 55 whose annual income
Television, newspaper, and radio ads
is $25,000 or above
Press release
Media alert
Reach/Frequency Objective: Expose 40% of the
target audience to ABK ads three times in the 12-month Event calendar entries
Website update
duration of the campaign
Facebook ads
Timing Objective: Implement a pulsing strategy with
spikes during Autism Awareness Month in the spring
and holiday season in the winter
Puzzle Palooza Festival will be fun for the whole
Geography Objective: Ensure that all promotional
materials are specifically targeted to reach the entirety family, while boosting awareness for ABK. The event will
take place on April 2, 2016 with the purpose of
of Knox County, Tennessee
involving and educating the community about ABK,
Promotion Objective: Utilize newspapers, radio
World Autism Day, and Autism Awareness Month. Puzzle
stations, television spots, and Facebook posts to
Palooza Festival will take place at Worlds Fair Parks
promote ABK and its events through strategically timed Festival Lawn from 2 to 6 p.m. Attendees will enjoy local
ads
bands, art activities for children, an educational
Budget Objective: Achieve all media objectives within speaker from ABK, and great food. Puzzle Palooza
Festival event t-shirts will be designed and created by
the maximum budget of $25,000 in the 12-month
Bacon and Company. These will be sold at the event for
duration of the campaign
$12. In addition, two other ASD organizations,
Social Media Objectives: Increase Facebook Page
Artistic Spectrum and Autism Society of East
likes from 840 (as of July 22, 2015) to 1,500
Tennessee, will participate in Puzzle Palooza Festival by
Create Facebook ad with a $50 monthly budget to send providing displays and activities. This event is the grand
users to ABKs website from October 1, 2015 to
finale of Innovates campaign.
September 30, 2016
Included in the appendix is a detailed event plan
Create Facebook ad with a $50 monthly budget to raise that provides more strategic and logical information
attendance at Puzzle Palooza Festival from March 2 to such as the target audience, event expenses, and
proposed sponsors. The community-wide impact of
April 2, 2016
Puzzle Palooza Festival will include a surge of media
Create engaging Facebook posts five times daily
coverage for ABK, an increase in donations through
ticket sales and in-person donations, as well as a
chance for Knox County residents to be exposed to ABK

PUZZLE PALOOZA

15

MEDIA TACTICS

Two sample deliverables are in the appendix:

a press release promoting the event to local press
outlets and a media advisory informing media of the
events specific details in order to plan their
attendance. These deliverables will increase media
exposure, event attendence, and individual donor

During the holiday season, ABK awareness ads will run

November 25, 27, and 30, and December 7, 9, 15, 19,
21, and 23. These dates will be strategically placed
before Thanksgiving and will lead up to winter holidays
when spirits are high. The total cost for commercials on
WBIR will be $6,000.
WVLT ad spots for 30-second commercials are
considerably cheaper, so commercials will be aired
during its afternoon local news at 6 p.m. and evening
news at 11 p.m. Again, viewership is higher during this
time, and the price is affordable at $252. Puzzle
Palooza Festival ads will run March 28 to April 1,
2016. The storyboard for the Puzzle Palooza Festival is
featured below.

TELEVISION
Television commercials were selected as paid media
because 19.23% of target audience members who
were surveyed reported to watch television more than
any other media.
Two commercials were created that will attract and
inform the target audience. Based on prices and
audience demographics, commercials will air on WBIR
and WVLT. The majority of WVLT and WBIRs audience
falls between the ages of 35 and 64. WVLTs viewership
is 58% female and 42% male, which is the same as
WBIR. Approximately 55.81% of WVLTs audience has
an annual household income of $50,000 or more.
WBIR will have two local news spots: one during the
morning news and one during the evening news. A
commercial will be placed during the local news because
of the higher viewership statistics. It costs $600 to air a
30-second ad during the week on WBIR. WBIR also
offers a package deal: with the purchase of 10 ads,
WBIR gives 15 bonus commercials for free. A total of 25
ABK ads will air on WBIR. In order to bring awareness
to Puzzle Palooza Festival, event commercials will run
March 28 to April 1, 2016 since Puzzle Palooza is on
April 2.

During the winter holiday season, ABK awareness

ads will run November 25, 28, 29, and 30, and
December 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19,
20, 21, 22, and 23. The total cost of commercials on
WVLT will be $6,150. The total cost of television commercials will be $12,150. Below are example of scenes
featured in commercials promoting ABK and the event,
Puzzle Palooza Festival. The total cost for television ads
was $11,295.90.

16

MEDIA TACTICS
NEWSPAPER
Newspaper ads were selected as paid media
because 19.23% of the target audience members who
were surveyed reported to read newspapers more than
any other media. Additional secondary research from
the consumer analysis confirmed that people who read
newspapers are more likely to donate to charity.
ABK ads will be placed in The Knoxville News
Sentinel because it is Knoxvilles largest newspaper with
a daily readership of around 181,073. It reaches nearly
817,922 readers in Knoxville and the surrounding
areas. The average readers age is 40.2 years old with
an average annual household income of $62,098. The
age and income are within the target audience range.
Ads will also be placed in The Knoxville Mercury,
which is a weekly newspaper published on Thursdays.
Over 25,000 copies are published and distributed to
over 300 locations around the Knoxville area. The
Knoxville Mercury reports on local topics and has an
educated readership. Nearly 60% of its readers have
an annual household income between $50,000 and
$149,000, which fits the financial demographic of the
target audience.
Eight advertisements will be placed in local
newspapers. A week and a half before Puzzle Palooza
Festival, a square ad will be placed in The Knoxville
Mercury on Thursday, March 24, 2016. The ad will cost
$363 and will be printed in color at no additional cost.
This will bring awareness to the event since The
Knoxville Mercury largely focuses on promoting local
entertainment. Six 2-by-3 inch ads will be placed in
The Knoxville News Sentinel on each Saturday during
the winter holiday season (November 14, 21, and 28,
and December 5, 12, and 19). Each ad will cost $210,
so the total cost will be $1,260. In addition, another
2-by-3 inch ad will be placed in The Knoxville News
Sentinel on Sunday, March 27, 2016 (six days before
the event).This ad cost will be $252. A single Sunday
advertisement before the event will be sufficent since
17

the newspapers readership is the highest on that day,

with an average 254,093 readers. The combined cost
of ads in each newspaper will be $2,085. Below are two
examples of the three newspaper advertisements that
will promote ABK and Puzzle Palooza Festival.

WORLDS FAIR PARK

2 PM APRIL 2
Live Music, Great Food, Family Activities, and
Educational Guest Speakers
Tickets $15 for adults,
$10 for children twelve and under
(food is included with ticket price)
Bring your family April 2nd to celebrate with
Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville.

Improving Lives One Piece at a Time

www.breakthroughknoxville.com

MEDIA TACTICS
RADIO
Radio commercials were selected as paid media
because 15.38% of target audience survey
respondents reported to listen to the radio more than
any other media.
Radio ads will air on various stations with listeners
across Knox County and East Tennessee. These 30-second commercials will be aired on the following radio
stations: Classic Hits 93.1, NewsTalk 98.7, Q 100.3, and
Star 102.1.
All four stations are affordable and appeal to the
target audience. The majority of NewsTalk 98.7s
audience is between age 35 and 64. Listeners are 60%
male and 40% female. 65% of the Classic Hits 93.1
audience is between age 35 and 64. Listeners are 52%
male and 48% female, with 59.3% reporting an annual
household income of $50,000 or higher. The majority
of Q 100.3 listeners (59.9%) are between age 18 and
44. Listeners are 65% male and 35% female, with 72%
of the audience reporting an annual
household income of $50,000 or higher. Lastly, the
majority of Star 102.1 listeners are between age 18
and 44. Listeners are 58% male and 42% female.
47.4% of listeners report an annual household income
of $50,000 or higher.
Two radio ads will be aired. The first will promote
the Puzzle Palooza Festival, and the second ad will
bring awareness to ABK during the winter
holiday season. ABK ads will run for 30 seconds.
ABK awareness radio ads will run from Monday,
November 28 to Monday, December 26, 2015. The
table on the next page displays the winter holiday ad
schedule. The cost per week will be $470, and the total
four week cost will be $1,880. Included in the appendix
are scripts for both commercials.

FACEBOOK ADS
ABK Facebook ads will be posted since primary
research data revealed that Facebook is the second
most-used media by the target audience when
searching for information about not-for-profits.
Two Facebook ads will be created: one to direct
users to ABKs website and one to promote Puzzle
Palooza Festival. Facebook offers a variety of options
Facebook provides measurement tools to track
how users respond to organization Pages and ads, so
informed decisions will be made to best appeal to ABKs
target audience. Ad reporting tools are also available to
measure ad performance. In order to reach the target
audience, Facebook offers a variety of targeting tools
to reach ad viewers based on location, demographic
information, interests, behaviors, and connections.
Ads will feature information about ABK and its services to adults with ASD. The parameters for these ads
will be set to the Knox County area, and only adults in
the target audience will see the ads. Below is an
example of a Puzzle Palooza ad.

18

MEDIA TACTICS
PRESS RELEASE

SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST

A press release will be sent in order to gain free,

earned exposure for ABKs Puzzle Palooza Festival. The
press release will provide details about the event such
as food vendors, musical entertainment, ASD
information, and activities for children.

A social media plan will be implemented to promote

Puzzle Palooza Festival before, during, and after the
event. Included in the plan will be a Facebook contest
encouraging participants to Like ABKs Facebook Page
and share the event page to be eligible to win two free
tickets to ABKs Puzzle Palooza Festival.

Mon.
NewsTalk A.M.
98.7
$50
Classic
A.M.
93.1
$20

Tues.

Q 100.3

A.M.
$55

Thurs. Fri.
P.M.
$60
P.M.
P.M.
$20
$20

Total
$160

P.M.
$20

Wed.
A.M.
$50
A.M.
$20

P.M.
$50

A.M.
$55

P.M.
$50

$210

P.M.
$50
4x

$100

$470
$1,880

PSAs will be aired as frequently as possible.

NewsTalk 98.7 PSAs are free of charge. NewsTalk also
allows guest speakers to join both The Phil Show and
The Hallerin Hilton Hill Morning Show free of charge. An
ABK representative will be requested to speak about
the organization three times during the campaign in
order to increase awareness among the target
audience. The final cost for paid radio will be $2,930.

MEDIA ALERT
In addition to distributing a press release, a media
alert will be sent to local media outlets to attract the
press to attend the Puzzle Palooza Festival. The media
alert will be important in gathering media
attention before, during, and after ABKs event. It will
include information necessary for event coverage, such
as time, location, photography and interview
opportunities.
19

BUDGET
Below is an example of the updated ABK website.

EVENT CALENDARS
Earned exposure will include visible listings for all
ABK events on local online event calendars for the
Knoxville Chamber, City of Knoxville, Go Knoxville, and
Event Check Knox. Listing the events will boost
attendance and awareness for the organization. All
existing entries will be updated with ABKs logo and new
information on its comprehensive services.

RADIO INTERVIEW
Radio NewsTalk 98.7 is the only news talk channel
in Knoxville, and spots for personal interviews are free.
The afternoon broadcast with Phil, which airs weekdays
from 3 to 6 p.m., has an audience that is 60% male.
This is a perfect opportunity for ABK to highlight
personal stories of those already involved with the
organization and boost awareness with afternoon talk
radio listeners free of charge.

WEBSITE REVAMP
In order to raise more awareness, ABKs website will
be completely redesigned. Survey results indicated that
most of the target used an organizations website as
their source of information, followed by an not-forprofits Facebook Page, which is also a portion of
owned media for the campaign. The website redesign
includes a new color scheme and layout with an emphasis
on enabling donations to be made through the website
as opposed to being made through an outside party.

A donate button will appear at the top of every

page, allowing users to click to donate from anywhere
on the website. The website is also organized more
simply, titled with the following tabs: Who We Are,
What We Do, About Autism, Events, Donate, and
Contact.
Squarespace offers an easy-to-use analytics
platform that allows website administrators to monitor
website traffic and trends over time. It is recommended
that ABK offer unpaid internships to students in
exchange for class credit. Interns would update text and
photos when applicable as well as track the
analytic information. Additionally, interns could manage
the Facebook Page and assist with ABK events.
Due to the Squarespaces user-friendly interface,
the website text and photos can be easily updated
throughout the campaign and beyond. The proposed
website serves as a template that ABK can own by
paying a monthy subscription fee to Squarespace.

ABK FACEBOOK
Innovate will utilize ABKs Facebook Page in
order to frequently update the community about local
and national ASD news and direct potential donors or
volunteers to the ABK website. According to primary
research data, 23.08% of the target audience reported
to use Facebook to find information about
not-for-profits.
The Facebook Page objective, increase likes from
840 to 1,500, will require several tactics in order to
reach the target audience.
The following tactics will be utilized in order to
achieve the Facebook objective:
Share a mix of engaging content including photos,
videos, and relevant links
Post five times each day (two relevant news articles,
two ABK updates, and one photo)
Direct users to ABK website by including the link in
posts
Promote Puzzle Palooza Festival and all other ABK
events by sharing Facebook event page and updating followers about emerging details
Engage with users who comment on posts

20

BUDGET

CAMPAIGN EVALUATION
In order to assess campaign effectiveness, the
results of the 12-month campaign should be measured
against the campaign objectives set out in the
beginning of the document. These are:

CONCLUSION

When ABK presented the challenge to increase

brand awareness in order to better serve the ASD
community, Innovate meticulously curated the best
Marketing Objective: Increase awareness from 3.8% possible plan of action to ensure that Knox County
to 12% among adults in Knox County between the ages residents understand the dire need for ABK in their
of 25-55, of which there are 176,265, from October 1, community. We identified ABKs target audience, tailored
2015 to September 30, 2016.
imaginative ads that specifically appeal to them, and
Budget Objective: Achieve all campaign objectives
determined the proper media outlets to utilize to reach
within the maximum budget of $25,000 in the 12-month the entirety of Knox County. Innovate is confident that
duration of the campaign.
its brand awareness campaign will achieve all of the
Geography Objective: Implement a campaign that
stated objectives by capturing the communitys
raises awareness of ABK in the Knox County, Tennesattention and educating residents about the imminent
see, area among the target.
ASD healthcare crisis. We at Innovate are inspired by
Timing Objective: Establish a pulsing campaign
ABKs mission to improve the lives of adults with ASD
schedule that increases around the winter holidays from -- it would be an honor to provide ABK with the tools to
November December 2015 and from March April
break through the media clutter and establish itself as a
2016 during the spring months.
household name in the Knoxville community.

MEDIA FLOWCHART
October November December January February March April May June July August September
Newspaper
Knoxville Mercury
Knoxville News Sentinel
Radio
Classic Hits 93.1
NewsTalk 98.7
Q 100.3
Star 102.1
Television
WBIR
WVLT
Internet
Faccebook Ads
Google Adwords
Website
= High promotion activity

21

In order to measure the marketing and geography

objectives, a follow-up survey should be distributed the
following month after the conclusion of the campaign.
This survey would have a question asking respondents
if they live in Knoxville in order to determine the
location, and one or more questions about ABK should
be asked in order to determine respondent awareness.
These answers can be compared to the original survey
results to determine if the campaign reached its
awareness goal for ABK.
After the campaign is complete, the budget should
be reviewed. If campaign expenses totalled under
$25,000, then the budget objective is met. The same
criteria should be used for the timing objective. If all
campaign activities were completed within the 12-month
campaign and the special events were executed at the
designated times, the timing objective is fulfilled.

= Low to average promotion activity

22

MEDIA CONTACTS
TELEVISION
WVLT
Rachael Wedekind
Account Executive
WVLT Volunteer TV [CBS]
MyVLT
865.766.8120
Rachael.Wedekind@wvlt-tv.com

Food
Spencer McCoy
General Manager
Papa Johns Campus
865.522.7272
SMcCoy@Gmail.com

WBIR-TV
Eric Liemohn
Account Executive
Marketing and Advertising
865.544.3228
sales@wbir.com

Bands
Three Star Revival
Ben Gaines
731.695.1635
BenG0590@gmail.com

NEWSPAPER
Knoxville Mercury
865.313.2059
sales@knoxmercury.com
Knoxville News Sentinel
Advertising Assistant
Susan Anderson
865.342.6453
andersons@knoxnews.com

RADIO
Scripps
Dan McKee
General Manager
WWST-102.1
WCYQ-100.3,
WNOX-93.1
865.824.1021
dmckee@journalbroadcastgroup.com
Cumulus Broadcasting Knoxville
News Talk-98.7
865.588.6511

23

EVENT

Yung Life
Gabriel White
865.680.9422
gabrielswhite@gmail.com
Johnny Astro and The Big Bang
Patrick Tice
931.993.2894
ptice@vols.utk.edu
T-shirts
Dorene Lanza,
VP Corporate Sales
Bacon & Co.
865.862.1472
Dorenel@baconco.com

REFERENCES
1. Autism Society of America, East Tennessee Chapter. (2014). About Autism. http://www.asaetc.org/about-autism.html
2. Sertoma Center. (2015). Who We Are. http://www.sertoma.com/who-we-are
3. Helen Ross McNabb Center. (2015). Mental Health Services. http://www.mcnabbcenter.org/content/mental-health-services-0
4. Autism Breakthrough of Knoxville. http://www.breakthroughknoxville.com
5. Convio CRM. (2015). Growing Nonprofits Success Guide.
6. Heath, Robert L. Todays Public Relations. Google Books. https://books.google.com/books
7. United Nations News Centre. World Autism Awareness Day. http://www.un.org/en/events/autismday
8. Autism Society. National Autism Awareness Month. (2015). http://www.autism-society.org
9. Lee, Brian K., and Elizabeth A. DeVillbis. (2014). Brief Report: Trends in U.S. National Autism Awareness from 2004 to 20. Journal
of Autism and Developmental Disorders. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10803-014-2160-4
10. United States Bureau of Economic Analysis. U.S. Economic Accounts. http://www.bea.gov
11. National Center for Charitable Statistics. (2015). Urban Institute. http://nccs.urban.org/statistics/quickfacts.cfm
12. The Giving Institute. (2015). Giving USA. http://givingusa.org/giving-usa-2015-press-release-giving-usa-americans-donated-an-
estimated-358-38-billion-to-charity-in-2014-highest-total-in-reports-60-year-history
13. National Council of Nonprofits. (2015). 2015 Trends to Watch. https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/thought-leadership/2015-
trends-watch
14. Advancing Futures for Adults with Autism. Core Issues. http://www.afaa-us.org/core-issues
15. Brink, Susan. (2013). One Thing We Know About Autism: Vaccines Arent to Blame. National Geographic Society. http://news.
nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/07/130716-autism-vaccines-mccarthy-view-medicine-science
16. Autism Speaks. http://www.autismspeaks.org
17. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2015). Facts About ASD. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/facts.html
18. Gallup. (2013). Most Americans Practice Charitable Giving, Volunteerism. http://www.gallup.com/poll/166250/americans-prac
tice-charitable-giving-volunteerism.aspx
19. Simmons OneView. (2015). Retrieved from Simmons OneView database.
20. Bussell, Helen and Forbes, Deborah. (2001). Understanding the volunteer market: The what, where, who and why of volunteer
ing. International Journal of Nonprofit Sector Marketing Volume 7 Number 3.
21. Eikenberry, A. M. and Kluver, J. D. (2004). The Marketization of the Nonprofit Sector: Civil Society at Risk?. Public Administration
Review, 64: 132140.
22. TaxExemptWorld. (2015). Nonprofit & 501C Organizations, Knox County, TN. http://www.taxexemptworld.com/organizations/
knox-county-tn-tennessee.asp
23. United States Census Bureau. (2015). State and County QuickFacts. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/47/47093.html
24. Artistic Spectrum. http://www.artisticspectrum.org
25. GuideStar USA, Inc. (2015). http://www.guidestar.org

Worlds Fair Park

Dorissa Simpson,
Event Coordinator
865.215.8161
dsimpson@ktnpba.org
Tents
Harvest Party Rentals
http://www.harvestpartyrentals.com
865.365.4100

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