BIG TOP

Candy SHOP
2013 MEDIA PLAN
presented by GMM

table of contents
2. Table of Contents 3. Meet GMM 4. Campaign Scope 5. Executive Summary 6. Situational Analysis Summary 7. Brand Profile 8. Target Market Profile 9. Target Profiles 10. SWOT 12. Primary Research 13. Geographic Location Profile 15. Competitor Profile

17. Media Vision 18. Media Objectives 19. Media Menu 21. Flow Chart 22. Allocation Budget

23. Media Strategy 25. Flights 30. Conclusion

GMM
Global Mind Media
(GMM) is a leading media agency dedicated to providing the most accurate media forecast plan to clients while focusing on efficiency and effectiveness. Our well-rounded team of seven works to define target audiences and media optimization using extensive research and knowledge of advertising and public relations. Media is second nature to this group and GMM is thrilled to team up with Big Top Candy Shop to design a media campaign for their new store opening in Nashville, Tenn.

LAURYN FEIL

is a junior public relations

major in the Business Foundations Program. She enjoys traveling, shopping and spending time with family and friends.

VALERIE OBERT is a second

year advertising major also in the Business Foundations Program at the University of Texas. She enjoys Cinnamon Ducle Lattes, siestas, running at Lady Bird Lake, and

Favorite candy: Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

EMILY GOUVEIA is a sophomore advertising major receiving a certificate in the Business Foundations Program. When shes not busy playing in the Longhorn Band, she loves hanging out with friends and exploring Austin.

reading novels.

Favorite candy: Twix, Reeses,

and Twizzlers

MORGAN PESANTE is a sophomore public relations major in the Business Foundations Program. She enjoys ample amounts of

Favorite candy: Gummy Bears

HAILEY KIRKLAND

is a sophomore

coffee on any given day, livetweeting, and sitting down with a great book.

advertising major seeking a Business Foundations Certificate. In her spare time she enjoys playing with her puppy, Benji, watching Gossip Girl and spending time with family. Jewelry is her weakness.

Favorite candy: Watermelon Sour

Patch Kids

Favorite candy: Twix

ANGELICA VELAQUEZ is a THOMAS NGUYEN is a sophomore advertising major in the Business Foundation Program at the University of Texas at Austin. Thomas is also a huge coffee snob. sophomore advertising major in the Business Foundations Program. She enjoys yoga, dance, and anything that involves social media and food.

Favorite candy: Dark Chocolate

Favorite candy: Starbursts

3

campaign scope
GMM is excited to bring Big Top Candy Shop to the music city of Nashville, where an abundance of opportunities are available to assist Big Top in becoming the candy king of Hillsboro Village. With a budget of $75,000, GMMs advertising objectives will help Big Top achieve 30 percent brand awareness across the targeted demographics of Nashville, especially in the in hip and youth-filled area of Hillsboro Village.

Targeting the nearby college students and young adults in the area, Big Top will use a number of media outlets including online, print, and out of home to increase awareness and recognition as the sweetest place in the south. GMM will also establish regular bi-monthly interaction with the customers, generating a brand loyal customer base.

GMMs marketing objectives will help Big Top have a clear understanding of the new trade area and test market of Hillsboro Village through research and profiling, to help successfully establish themselves in the Nashville market. This will help Big Top achieve an average of 1,150 visitors each week, with an average transaction rate of $8.50 per customer.

By the end of this campaign with GMMs strategically designed media plan, Big Top will be recognized as a quirky snack joint for college students, a sweet escape for the post-grad young workers of Nashville, and a flashback of childhood memories for adults in the stage of looking to settle down.

Big Top Candy Shop is an Austin based candy shop with a large variety of candy, old fashioned sodas, ice-cream and a distinct appeal that make their business one of a kind. GMMs goal is to establish Big Top within the thriving market of Nashville, specifically in the area of Hillsboro Village,

executive summary

as a primary choice for premium candy and snacks to satisfy candy cravings. Big Tops sales primarily depend on impulse buyers walking through Hillsboro Village, however, through research GMM found that Big Tops welcoming and fun environment as well as premium candy selection are an attraction for young women. Big Top will take advantage of this marketing opportunity by creating specifically planned messaging schemes during the grand opening, when students return and during holidays to increase awareness and foot traffic. The primary target is adults between the ages of 18-34, focusing on women. This overall target can be segmented into three groups: the college student, the post grads and the more established professional women. This demographic makes up over 35 percent of the population in Hillsboro. This media strategy will target women while still appealing to the general public. Since Big Top will be located in an area with similar shops offering a unique experience and a wide range of desirable products, these snack shops and boutiques serve as direct competitors. To differentiate themselves from competition Big Top will promote their strengths to draw customers in who could possibly spend their money elsewhere. To effectively build brand awareness and attract loyal consumers, Big Top will implement a continuous period of advertising along with four media flights that revolve around the target markets everyday lives to take advantage of different seasons and periods of the year. Throughout the campaign the continuous aspect, Candy Poppin, Sweet Talkin, will engage consumers to converse with Big Top as well keep them informed about promotions and events. Media flight one, Ill Take You to the Candy Shop, will include promotional efforts geared towards the grand opening objectives of attracting, informing and promoting people to visit the store and make purchases. Calling all Smarties! is a month and a half long flight aimed at targeting students as they return from summer vacation. New students taking advantage of their newfound freedom will explore the hip area of Hillsboro Village, giving Big Top the perfect opportunity to catch their attention and give them a taste of what Big Top has to offer. To celebrate candy and all its glory, Trick or Treat Yourself, will contain several promotions during the month of October to keep candy on consumers minds and provide discounts on select candy to increase action and purchases. The final flight, Rockin Around the Candy Shop, will focus on promoting Big Top products as stocking stuffers or sweet treats for family and even themselves. GMM believes this media strategy will help Big Top establish themselves in the Nashville market and build a base of satisfied and loyal consumers to ensure long-term profits and success.

situational analysis summary

Big Top Candy Shop began as a one stop candy shop for Austin visitors and locals walking down South Congress. Its unique circus feel, large variety of candy, old fashion sodas and selection of ice-cream flavors makes it a candy lovers dream come true. The new store is opening in Hillsboro Village, a market similar to Austin. This allows Big Top to accurately reach the young audience that attends two nearby universities, as well as the new professionals working to establish themselves and their careers in Nashville. Big Top can work to improve their weaknesses and capitalize on the potential opportunities offered in this new market. Hillsboro Village is a walking oasis, similar to South Congress in Austin, which is how Big Top achieves a lot of business. Grabbing avenue walkers attention as well as giving the specific target segments a reason to visit Hillsboro Village will increase awareness, foot traffic and sales. GMMs situational analysis includes: brand profile, target market profile, geographic market location profile, and competitors profile.

Nostalgia
In October 2007, UT alumni Brandon Hodge opened Big Top Candy Shop on South Congress in Austin. For Hodge, Big Top Candy Shop was entirely about the theme of nostalgia. This is the unique selling point that Big Top has built their brand on. Likewise, nostalgia should also be the starting point for the new Big Top location that will be opening in Hillsboro Village, Tenn.

The Sweets
The first component of the nostalgia theme is the candy itself. Unlike a typical bulk candy shop, Big Top sells an unbelievable variety of candy. Some of the products are cutting edge and the talk of the town, such as their innovative Cucumber Soda or their famed Bacon Covered Chocolate Strips. Most importantly, they carry candy from decades past that consumers might not be able to find anywhere else. Hodges explains, I see it everyday at Big Top customers coming in, seeing the looks on their faces when they realize something they thought they had lost isnt gone anymore.1 Not only are some of their products from another era, they are also from all over the world. In addition to selling candy, Big Top also provides a variety of refreshments such as ice cream sundaes, egg creams, and soda drinks.2 Many reviews about Big Top mention its Soda Jerkers, which is a unique quality to Big Top.

The Atmosphere
The second and equally important component of Big Tops brand identity is aesthetics. The entire store is themed in vintage circus fashion; the walls are decorated with circus posters, paintings and old brass instruments. Antique lamps hang from the ceiling. We go for a total visual overstimulation, kind of like the circus really, Hodge said.1 The environment sets the mood that Big Top is indeed a unique candy shop that offers all who enter an unparalleled experience.

The Overall Experience

All of this combines to create an atmosphere reminiscent of an old five and dime candy shop with a circus twist. Its the visual experience and variety of sweets from different times and countries, along with the intriguing, old-time carnival atmosphere, that keeps customers coming back for more.

brand profile
1

situational analysis:

http://dailytexanonline.com/life-and-arts/2012/11/25/big-top-candy-shop-offers-nostalgia-to-satisfy-any-sweet-tooth http://austinist.com/2007/10/11/new_soco_sweets.php

situational analysis:

target market
Big Tops primary target market are adults between 18-34 years of age with an emphasis on women. They do not have children, but are educated, and dedicate time out of their busy schedules to relax and enjoy life. These adults are enjoying their youth even as they age and begin new stages of their lives. They are successful, hardworking, and care about their well-being, but cant resist the occasional treat when they take the time to reward themselves.1 Adults between the ages of 25-34 consume the most candy overall,2 but taking advantage of college students in the area who also have a high candy consumption index will prove to be advantageous.1 These consumers often purchase candy on impulse and are more likely to be interested in gourmet or premium candy if they know they are getting a good deal.3 This target market can be further segmented into three different consumer groups that deserve individual messaging to ensure the best media reach among consumers.

target profile 1

Natalie, 21, is a Texas born sweetheart who moved to Tenn. to attend Vanderbilt University. A junior in college, she is heavily involved in

Student Government and aspires to work in politics after she graduates. Natalie is an avid runner and tries to eat healthy, but has always had one major weakness: gummy bears.1 Natalie loves exploring Nashvilles quirky shops in between hitting the books and hanging out with friends.4 Living on a college budget she likes to take advantage of coupons for tasty meals or discounts at her favorite clothing stores.3 Natalie enjoys visiting Big Top because its a unique snack shop she can visit with her friends while walking down 21st Ave., or a cool dessert place to go to after grabbing lunch. She especially enjoys saving her candy for later as a sweet stress reliever from school

SOPHISTICATED SCHOLARS
Mintel Non-chocolate candy MRI book Mintel Chocolate 4 Survey 2 consumer characteristics 5 Nielsen mobile consumer report
1 2 3

work.

Jane, 25, is a recent graduate from NYU who landed her first real world job as a professional blogger for a trendy company in Tenn. The change of pace and scenery

is something she is still getting used to, but Jane looks at life with an open mind and heart. Single and new to town, Jane tries to explore and meet as many people as possible; being an extrovert she wastes no time getting to know the vibrant city.4 Jane is always on the go, but does enjoy a night in with a glass of wine watching her favorite TV show. Its on these nights when she is most likely to indulge in her favorite treat, milk chocolate. Jane loves Big Top because of its diversified and upscale selection of candy. She sees it as the perfect place to stop in for a quick pick me-up, or as a place to buy treats for others, as well as herself, during the holidays.3

TRENDY GRADUATES

drives a Volkswagen, loves traveling and is very passionate about her big corporate job. She is addicted to her iPhone and often depends on it to plan out her busy schedule.5 She met the love of her life, Leo, three years ago and they will soon tie the knot. Children are a possibility in the future, but for now the couple is just enjoying their time together. They are quite the romantics and never miss a Friday date night. She has always had a sweet tooth and loves trying new and different types of candy, and will usually turn to a sweet treat when shes on the go or needs a break at work.1 Charlotte and Leo often dine out at the cool restaurants in Hillsboro Village, and Big Top is the perfect place to stop and get a small dessert after dinner or a

Charlotte, 32, was born and raised in Tenn., attended Vanderbilt University and received her bachelors degree in corporate communications and her masters in business. She

THE GROUNDED GO-GETTERS:

Mintel Non-chocolate candy MRI book Mintel Chocolate 4 Survey 2 consumer characteristics 5 Nielsen mobile consumer report
1 2 3

show. Leo loves sour candy and Charlotte likes to surprise him with his favorites every now and again.3

Big Tops wide assortment of candy, ice cream, and unique soda options, as well as its old school circus environment, creates an experience unlike any other candy shop. Big Tops strengths and opportunities allow them to take advantage of new marketing opportunities, however, their weaknesses and threats can be further explored to ensure improvement and optimal customer service.1

Strengths: The location of Big Top on 21st Ave. in Hillsboro Village as well as its
close proximity to Vanderbilt University, Belmont University, and the downtown area is vital in capturing the attention of those enjoying a nice afternoon out shopping or eating. The store environment offers customers the chance to take a step back in time, as a classic, comfortable feeling is presented throughout the store. Big Top is the perfect place to either pop in for a quick treat, or to spend more time exploring. With a

large selection of candy, chocolates, ice cream flavors and sodas, Big Top is
a unique stop and gift option to fill any craving the sweet tooth desires.1

SWOT

Weaknesses: A problem Big Top is currently facing is the lack of a stable website. A Tumblr page does currently exist, but it is not being frequently updated. The Open Until We Close policy is another weakness Big Top faces because customers
like to know set store hours in advance. If a customer is planning to make a special trip to Big Top, they would be unhappy to find out the store actually closed early, or that the ice cream options were stopped for the night when they had been craving a rootbeer float. Because Hillsboro Village is a busy area, parking is at times limited and this can make it harder for customers making their way to Big Top.1

Primary Research

Opportunities:

Big Top has the opportunity to expand marketing and advertising in many areas to

take advantage of their target markets attention. Expanding online branding and social media to build communities and get their fans to own their brand could provide more online buzz and word of mouth conversations. Catering for events such as parties and weddings can spike brand awareness and allow customers to try products Big Top has to offer.1

Many consumers purchase seasonal candy in bulk during the holidays, so expanding seasonal candy during holiday months can boost sales. Rewarding loyal customers with frequent buyer punch cards and increasing coupon availability for deals throughout the week can boost foot traffic while increasing sales.1

Threats: Most candy consumers purchase candy grocery shopping at major retail stores

or by

stopping in at their local convenience store down the street from home. Convenience for these candy consumers is huge and stores like these are stealing sales from Big Top. Other snack shops in the area pose a direct threat by stealing potential customers, and although Big Top has a wide variety of candy the prices are also higher. Big Top consumer consumption

is lower due to these factors

meaning it could be harder to gain loyal customers who frequently visit.1

SWOT
1

cont.
11

Mintel

GMMs primary research consisted of a combination of non-biased, online surveys and face to face interviews from customers at Big Top Candy Shop.

Survey #1 Results
Information for survey one was collected regarding the general knowledge of Big Top and candy consumption for Big Tops target audience between the ages of 18-34. One-hundred responses were collected: 80 females and 20 males. Over half of the people surveyed admitted to eating candy 1-3 times a week and claimed to purchase their candy from convenience stores. Ninety-seven people answered either yes or no to if they visit candy shops regularly, and of the total 41 percent said they visit candy shops and 58 percent said they do not. Seventeen percent of respondents said they have visited Big Top Candy Shop before, and of that percentage, 14 percent said they would return. From this information GMM can conclude that the target eats candy often, but usually buys it from convenience stores. A majority of people who have visited Big Top indicated that they would go back.1

Survey #2 Results
The purpose of this survey was to collect information about the characteristics of candy consumers, specifically college students between the ages of 18-24. One-hundred responses were collected, 80 females and 20 males. Eighty-eight respondents said they enjoy exploring Austin, and over three-fourths of respondents said they go to South Congress for food. A majority claimed to be taking 15 hours of school, but still make time to socialize between five and ten hours a week. Over three-fourths consider themselves to be an organized person and they enjoy a variety of activities such as watching TV and movies, music, sports, cooking and art. From this survey, GMM can conclude that the younger demographic college student candy consumers are dedicated to their work, but love to set time aside to do things they enjoy. They go to South Congress for food and Big Top is a cool snack shop for students to visit while in the area.1

Customers Interviews
Ten Big Top customers were asked several questions upon leaving the store, two males and eight females. Three people reported that it was their first time visiting Big Top, six said they visit every now and then, and one person said it was their second time visiting. Nine out of the ten replied that they would visit Big Top again. Eight of the ten people discovered Big Top from walking around South Congress, and one person said they heard about it from a friend. Eight of the people GMM interviewed were in college and two were working adults. This information shows that more women than men are candy shop customers and that attending Big Top is more of a treat they get every once in awhile.

primary research
1

situational analysis:

Surveymonkey.com

situational analysis:
Location

geographic location profile

The new Big Top Candy Shop will be located in Hillsboro Village in Nashville, Tenn., also known as the The Music City. Many similarities exist between Nashville and Austin, the Live Music Capital of the World, including a Southern hospitality flavor blended with a sense of youth and emphasis on music culture. Demographics wise, both cities are relatively similar, which allows for a smooth transfer from Austin to Nashville. Like Austin, Hillsboro Village is comprised of mostly middle class, which is a great opportunity for rising businesses such as Big Top.

Primary Trade Area - Downtown Nashville and Surrounding Areas

The primary trade area will include everything inside of the I-440 loop. This encompasses downtown Nashville as well as surrounding urban areas. The primary zip codes in this area will be 37208, 37219, 37201, 37210, 37204 and 37212. Considering the large volume of foot traffic, there is a great opportunity for billboard advertisements. As well, radio will allow Big Top to reach a large mass of consumers on their daily commute to and from downtown. The primary mode of transportation downtown includes taxis and the Metro bus system, which presents a chance to reach target customers directly through out of home media.

Map of Hillsboro Village1

13
1

Claritas

Secondary Trade Area- Hillsboro Village

The secondary trade area will target the Hillsboro Village as well as the rest of the surrounding 37212 zip code. This area is known to be walking centric, which presents

geographic location profile cont.

an opportunity for recency as people walk by and are able to interact with the media. Because Big Top Candy Shop will be in the center of this area, out of home media and interactive placements will be vital in grabbing consumer interest. It is important to note that the majority of this trade area consist of mostly singles or couples without children, whose median age is 31.2 and a median income of $39,700.

Population by Age in Nashville1

Household Consumption in Nashville1

situational analysis:

Claritas

competitors profile
GMM differentiated direct and indirect competitors by placing all the stores that are located in the Hillsboro Village as direct competitors. This decision was made due to the primary research, (which was done using South Congress, an equivalent to Hillsboro Village) most people go to Hillsboro Village to stroll around and shop at all the local stores conveniently located in that area. Other competitors that are not in Hillsboro Village were assigned as indirect competitors.

situational analysis:

Direct Competitors
Buzzys Candy Store

is located in the center of Hillsboro Village, sitting on the edge of the Belmont campus. Their

motto, your one stop sweet shop, expresses how they see themselves as a one of a kind candy shop that wants their customers to continuously stop by for a candy fix. They carry similar candies as Big Top, but they seem to lack the rare wacky candies that Big Top has such as chocolate covered bacon, and memorabilia candies. They sell the basics such as gummies, blow pops, gum balls, tootsie pops, fudge, and licorice.1 They are a direct competitor because they are located in Hillsboro village and can attract college students in the area. However, Buzzys media activity is not very noticeable. They do not have an official web site or Facebook page, and although they do have a Twitter account, it only has 5 followers. They do not have an official web site, or Facebook page, they do have a twitter with only 5 followers.2 They do have groupons and advertise customers to purchase them on their Twitter.

Fido is a blurbetween [a] small coffeehouse and [a] restaurant. Fido, open seven days a week, serves organic coffee, breakfast all-day, lunch and dinner. It was named eleven times Best Coffeehouse in Nashville by Nashville Scene and was featured in USA Today News as one of the top ten great places for coffee and conversation. Not only does Fido serve Nashvilles best coffee, it also serves the best breakfast in Nashville, as Nashville Scene also named it Best Place for Breakfast twice.4 Located on 21st South Ave., and right next to Vanderbilt University, Fido has a reputation among the young locals of Nashville with roughly 4,500 Twitter followers and 3,600 Facebook likes.5,6 Fido is a Nashville locals favorite and will be a direct competitor to Big Top Candy Shop.

Pancake Pantry,

founded in 1961, serves breakfast all day to the local residents. Pancake Pantry is located in the

heart of Hillsboro Village and situated right next to Vanderbilt University. It serves a variety of pancakes, from their Old Fashioned Buttermilk Pancakes to unique flavors such as Raspberry Delight and Caribbean. They are open every day of the year except for Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. They directly compete with Big Top because college students can walk over and grab a pancake as a snack or get a quick meal without going further down the street.7

Rocket Fizz, founded by Robert Powells and Ryan Morgan, is a candy shop chain. They specialize in fun flavored
sodas and candy, such as Peach Soda, Peanut Butter Soda, and even Bacon Soda. There are 33 Rocket Fizz stores located all over the country but only one location in Tenn.8 Rocket Fizz has about 1800 Facebook likes and 418 Twitter followers.9 They are located in downtown Nashville on North 2nd Ave. a 40 minute walking (10 minute by car) distance from Big Top Candy Shops location. They directly compete with Big Top because they serve very similar a product to a similar audience.

http://www.yelp.com/biz/buzzys-candy-store-nashville https://twitter.com/BuzzysCandy 3 https://twitter.com/FidoNashville 4 http://www.bongojava.com/fido.php 5 https://twitter.com/FidoNashville

1 2

6 7 8 9

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fido/177659761902

http://www.thepancakepantry.com/ http://www.rocketfizz.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=160 https://www.facebook.com/RocketFizzNashville

15

Indirect Competitors
Barista Parlor, on Gallatin Ave. in Nashville, Tenn., was established in 2011 when the owners transformed an
auto shop into a hip, innovated, coffee shop. Barista Parlor is spacious, has long tables made to fit plenty, and has tables that are higher off the ground and placed along the walls to create a unique environment. Their menu items are made from ingredients bought from local farmers.1 Barista Parlor has a very simple tone to their website; it consists of one page that only has links to their Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook accounts.2 It is likely that college students, grad students, and weekend book readers are loyal customers that stay in touch with Barista Parlor through their mobile devices and social media.3 Barista Parlor sells the experience to customers and serves as a local snack shop to indirectly compete with Big Top.

The Pied Piper Creamery

was opened in East Nashville in 2007 and since has added a location in Berry Hill.

The Pied Piper Creamery is famous for their creamy, creative ice cream recipes and ice cream cakes. They have 24 different flavors with 12 of them being daily. They post flavors of the day via Facebook and Twitter, where they have established 2,916 likes and 1,307 followers.5,6 Because ice cream is a treat typically consumed in the summer, Big Top has an advantage to The Pied Piper by selling candy year round. This makes The Pied Piper Creamery an indirect competitor because although they are not located in Hillsboro Village, they lure in customers with sweet cravings to their uniquely decorated ice cream shop.

Local gas station, convenience stores, and grocery stores near the Hillsboro Village area such as
Kroger, Target, and Walmart are all considered indirect competitors of Big Top. Each of these stores provide candy at a quick and inexpensive price. Convenience is key to the measured consumer groups, specifically those aged 18-24.7 The largest percentage of consumers purchase chocolate confectionery at mass merchandisers such as Walmart or Target.7 This is because these locations are the main destination for bulk purchases of chocolates for holidays, such as Halloween and Easter. These locations promote chocolate varieties at more affordable price points than speciality retailers, allowing for increased consumption.

competitors profile cont.

1 2 3

situational analysis:

http://www.baristaparlor.com/ https://www.facebook.com/BaristaParlor http://www.yelp.com/biz/barista-parlor-nashville 4 http://thepiedpipercreamery.com/ 5 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pied-Piper-Creamery/55969469547 6 https://twitter.com/piedpipercreame 7 http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.lib.utexas.edu/display/592278/

media vision
GMM will take Big Tops memorable personality and selection of sensational sweets to the trendy streets of Hillsboro Village, targeting college students, up and coming professionals and established young adults. Big Top will become not only a favorite shop on 21st Ave., but also the place to go when in need of a sweet escape for the busy and successful. Through an assortment of vehicles, such as online, radio, print, and OOH, these targets will be sought and reached. This plan will enable Big Top to find and keep loyal customers, create a relationship with the community, and establish itself as more than just your average candy shop.

17

media objectives
In order to fulfill the advertising and marketing objectives, GMM decided to create three media objectives for Big Tops Candy Shops Media Plan: awareness, loyalty, and engagement.

Awareness
The main media objective of Big Tops plan is to create awareness in 30% of the Hillsboro Village area. Through research, GMM suggests creating positive buzz around the Vanderbilt and Belmont campuses. GMM also recommends having a continuous social and owned media plan, as well as heavy out of home advertising, starting right before the store opens in May 2014. This will allow Big Top to consistently communicate with their target customers, while also promoting its unique characteristics and products daily.

Loyalty
It is essential that Big Top develops a large base of loyal customers. GMM suggests creating a positive relationship between Big Top and its customers through events and daily promotions. As well, Big Top will feature promotions on their website, Facebook, and Twitter to increase involvement, purchase, and consumption.1

Engagement
Big Top needs to create and maintain a strong relationship with consumers and keep them actively involved.1 GMM recommends bi-weekly interaction through online and offline interactive advertising, such as free samples to the locals of Hillsboro Village.

Macmillan, Brand Media Strategy

media menu

SQAD SRDS 3 Google Adwords

1 2

Facebook.com Moegraphics.com 6 FedEx.com

4 5

7 8 9

Lamar.com Massivemediainc.com Experian.com

19

media menu

1 2

SRDS Mysan.com

flow chart

21

allocation budget

media strategy
Utilizing Nashvilles younger population is the key to success for Big Tops move to Hillsboro Village, and targeting these accomplished enthusiasts is a major drive to the media strategy. The media strategy includes four flights: Ill Take You to the Candy Shop, Calling All Smarties!, Trick or Treat Yourself, and Rockin Around the Candy Shop. These flights were strategically designed around times of the year where people have a higher propensity to purchase candy, such as the back to school season and holidays. About 97 percent of the budget is used for the campaign to achieve advertising, marketing and media objectives.

Continuous - Candy Poppin Sweet Talkin

To ensure that Big Top will remain present in the consumers minds, this continuous strategy will enforce the success of the four flights through updated and informative digital communication. Creating a source that is easily accessible to consumers will allow for a positive relationship with Big Top, while at the same time spreading knowledge about the company and all that it has to offer.

Objectives:
Provide a consistent website for potential customers to have access to. Use Google AdWords to boost internet recognition.

Flight 1 - Ill Take You to the Candy Shop

May 1 - June 7
The purpose of this flight is to introduce Big Top and to spark curiosity and interest. Fifty percent of the budget is allocated to this flight. Several measures will be taken to ensure that Big Tops grand opening is widely known across Hillsboro Village and that the buzz will reach a vast amount of the target audience.

Objectives:
Radio ads covering the AMD, PMD, and Evening Drive will play throughout the first week of May before opening, totaling 175 TRPs. A mailing list will be purchased to invite people to Big Tops grand opening. Guerilla marketing stickers and a Jr. bulletin board will attract foot traffic on 21st to Big Top.

23

Flight 2 - Calling All Smarties!

August 1 - September 20
This flight will target students during one of the busiest college seasons of the year back to school. Students that are new to Nashville will be eager to explore the city and its unique offerings, including Big Top.

Objectives:
Ads in the Vanderbilt Hustler will target fresh students directly. Posters and flyers will be handed out and released on both college campuses to ensure maximum student reach. Big Top will have a limited number of free samples to hand out on campus at the beginning of the semester.

Flight 3 - Trick or Treat Yourself

October 1 - October 31
This flight revolves around the biggest day of the year for the candy industry: Halloween.1 To promote the month of October, Big Top will engage in a four week promotion featuring a daily theme per week, including Milkshake Monday, Twizzler Tuesday, Wonka Wednesday, and Taffy Thursday. The items under each category will be marked 25 percent off for the day. Big Top will also participate in a Halloween costume event, with the first 300 customers wearing a costume on October 31 receiving $5 towards any purchase in the store.

Objectives:
Emails will be sent to customers through a list compiled throughout the campaign inviting them to participate in weekly promotions. Big Top will engage in a four week promotion featuring a themed day per week to attract customers looking for a deal.

Flight 4 - Rockin Around the Candy Shop

November 25 - December 25
Last but not least, the fourth and final flight is about spreading holiday cheer. As people are preparing for the season of giving, Big Top will re-establish their brand presence through Christmas in the Village, as well as to promote their old fashioned candy as the perfect stocking stuffer. This final flight will strengthen Big Tops relationship with its customers, creating a yearlong interaction with the target, giving them a reason to visit during every season.

Objectives:
Ads in Nashville Key and Nashville Lifestyles will attract targets from all over Nashville for the holiday season. Emails and direct mail will be sent inviting customers to Christmas in the Village.

media strategy cont.

1

http://www.mangomoney.com/blog/financial-empowerment/halloween-and-the-candy-industry

Candy Poppin, Sweet Talkin

*Continuous Media
May 1 - December 31
The most effective method for Big Top is a pulsed media plan, which will consist of continuous advertising supplemented with four specific flights. These flights will be during periods that are necessary for heavy-up advertising. At the same time, Big Top needs to remain in the mind of consumers throughout the entire eight-month period. In order to do this, GMM will allocate $20,000 of the budget towards continuous advertising, which will run from May 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. Big Top lacks a website, which is essential to keep customers informed. The website will provide information such as store hours, available products and prices, any special promotions or events, catering, and contact information. It will be the foundational grounds for building a strong, loyal customer base in Nashville.1 The total price to create, design, and maintain a proper website is $2,150.

media strategy :

$10 for domain + ($15 / month host x 8 months) + $2,000 for web designer2 = $2,150

Digital
Google AdWords will be implemented in order to make Big Top Candy Shops website more relevant. Fifty dollars of the budget per day will be designated to increase traffic to the website, keep content current and keep search results high.

Social Media
Social media is vital because it will enable Big Top to communicate and engage with their customers who spend 23 percent of their time online visiting social media sites.3 This will tap into the target audience and connect with them on a digital level. GMM will hire a public relations intern to manage all social media outlets as well as content on the Big Top

$50 / day total $2 / click = 25 clicks / day

website. The intern will work 15-20 hours per week to regulate social media buzz, evaluate brand awareness, and engage customers, while also monitoring

($50 / day ) x (245 days) = $12,250

conversations on traditional media such as newspaper and magazines. In addition to communicating on social media, customers will be asked to provide an

(25 clicks / day) x (245 days) = 6,125 total clicks

email address online or at checkout to receive emails about promotions and deals. cost of intern:

$8 / hour x 20 hours / week x 35 weeks = $5,600

1 2 3

Scarborough the digital savvy consumer report Proweb365.com/web-design Nielsen social media report

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media strategy :

Ill Take You to the Candy Shop

*Flight I
May 1 - June 7
The goal for this flight is to increase awareness of the new shop opening on 21st Ave. Big Tops mission is to satisfy all candy cravings; this thought should be embedded into minds of consumers in order to ensure success. A grand opening sets the tone of the campaign, and after May 10, Big Top will be on its way to winning over the hearts of consumers, one candy sale at a time. This promotion will also be used in the years to follow as Big Top celebrates their store anniversary.

Big Top will begin radio advertising on May 1, which will run in the morning, evening, and night hitting the most popular time slots to reach Big Tops target market.1 The Jr. bulletin board will run for 30 days and be placed on 21st Ave. in an area with heavy foot traffic to ensure a high reach and impressions. In addition, 13 sidewalk stickers will be placed on the street up and down 21st Ave. to grab consumers attention before they reach the shop. This is an original way to spread word about the hottest new candy shop in town, and its uniqueness reflects the stores characteristics.

Out of Home
Flyers will be created and distributed through a borrowed mailing list designed to reach all females in the Nashville area between the ages of 18-34. People who receive the flyer will be encouraged to come to the grand opening event and spread the word by bringing their friends, liking Big Top on Facebook and following the Big Top Twitter. To be more personal, the fliers will act as an invitation rather than a basic advertisement. Including the cost of printing and the mailing list, the flyers will cost $2,800. A Jr. bulletin board will be located in Hillsboro Village where people can see it as they are walking or driving down the street. This board will catch the attention of consumers walking down 21st Ave. and serves to increase awareness. The total cost to have an advertisement on a Jr. bulletin board for one month is $12,000.
1

Radio
Radio is an effective way to reach the 4 weeks of a Jr. bulletin board advertisement = $12,000 older women in target audience during their a.m. and p.m. commutes as well as evening times when all women 18-34 Guerilla advertising is also a beneficial way to spread the word of the candy stores opening. Through research, GMM found a company that will print and place stickers with Big Tops logo on them to place up and down the sidewalks in Hillsboro Village. This is a quirky, catchy way to promote the shop and Big Tops originality. The stickers will be put out May 10 May 17 to catch bystanders as they shop, eat, and observe the environment. may tune in while doing homework or cooking dinner.1 Having a commercial run with 25 TRPs during the morning and evening and 100 TRPs in the PM will catch consumers as they are driving to and from work or school. The radio advertisement will run for one week from May 4 - May 10. The radio commercials will be placed prior to the grand opening in order to increase awareness and after the store opens, ads will promote the shops newness and fun environment to give listeners a reason to come out and visit. AMD = 25 TRPs x $124 CPP = $3,100 PMD = 100 TRPs x $129 CPP = $12,900 Evening Drive = 25 TRPs x $62 CPP = $1,550

(production $100/sticker + installation $65/sticker) x 13 2-ft. square units = $2,145

Arbitron Radio Today report

Calling All Smarties!

August 1 - September 7
active consideration, leading to purchase, and finally creating loyal customers.

media strategy :

*Flight 2

As summer comes to an end, college students returning to school will be looking for new things to do around the Nashville area to make their studies fun and exciting. The goal of this flight is to allow Big Top to become a place where memories are made. Capturing students hearts at the beginning of school with free samples will increase

However, the Belmont campus is not as close as Vanderbilt is to the shop and is not as populated. Thus, it is not necessary to spend as much money on that campus. On August 20, the same employee will stand near the Belmont campus and distribute 500 flyers and 20 posters. These act as a personal invitation to students, while also being economical.

Out of Home
Flyers passed out on and near campus will create buzz and spike curiosity of new students. These advertisements will cover the Vanderbilt campus with 700 flyers and 25 posters, reaching 10% of the campus population. The posters will be spread around campus on August 20 for the first day of school, and the flyers will be periodically handed out to students who walk by for one hour each day for the first week

flyers ($0.20 x 1200) + posters ($1.05 x 45) + hired help ($7.25 x 7 hours) = $338

Advertising at Belmont and Vanderbilt University will increase reach for 18-24 year olds. However, the Belmont campus is not as close as Vanderbilt is to the shop and not as populated. It is not necessary to spend as much money on that campus. On August 20 another employee will stand near the Belmont campus distributing 500 flyers and 20 posters. The posters are priced at a total of $21.00 and the flyers equalled $100.00. After including $50.75 for hired help, the total amount spent advertising at Belmont College is $171.75.

Promotion
The goal of the promotion is to get Big Tops name around both on and off campus, making it a hotspot where students and their friends or family come for a quick, sugar pick-me-up during rough test weeks or a place to stop in with friends. In order to achieve this goal, $500.00 worth of free samples will be offered on campus. Students love free snacks, and by providing samples Big Top's awareness will increase, and brand utility will be created that adds to the overall experience of the brand and its products.

Print
Ads placed in the Vanderbilt Hustler will increase reach for college students ages 18-24. The Vanderbilt Hustler is the university newspaper and is seen by many people on and off campus. The ad will appear in 7 issues of a time span of a month and a half. The total cost for advertising in the Vanderbilt Hustler will be $2,756.25.

($393.75 per 1/4 page) x (7 issues) = $2,756.25

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Trick or Treat Yourself

*Flight 3
October 1 - October 31
The month of October is about Halloween and the glorification of candy. By this point, Big Top will have developed a loyal fan base that can take part in a month full of promotions. GMM collectively decided it would be most beneficial to invest in weekly sales, Halloween costume promotions, and email advertisements during this flight. The month of October is about interaction so Big Top can build and maintain relationships with consumers.1

media strategy :

Promotion
October will be an exciting month in which a series of special deals will occur each week to increase traffic and maximize sales. Twentyfive percent off of the following products will be provided on the specified days: Wonka Wednesday on October 1 Milkshake Monday on October 6 Twizzler Tuesday on October 14 Taffy Thursday on October 23

Digital
In order to promote these events, $1,250 will be allocated to design five email ads (one for each week) that will be sent out to Big Tops already established email list. The reach for these ads will be 3,000.

(cost per email advertisement design: $250) x (5 advertisement templates) = $1,250

The purpose of these weekly events is to keep candy on consumers minds and to keep them participating throughout the month.2 These promotions will lead up to the biggest event which will occur on Halloween. The first 300 customers who come to the store dressed up will receive $5 towards any in-store purchase, which will cost Big Top $1,500 in promotion money. Candy consumers are more inclined to buy a product when it is on sale, and women are more inclined to buy holiday candy for family as well as themselves; this will reach out to all 18-34 to convince them to take the time to treat themselves.2

1 2

Macmillan, Brand Media Strategy Mintel, non-chocolate consumers

media strategy :

Rockin Around the Candy Shop

*Flight 4
November 25 - December 25
The holiday season is about giving and sharing with friends and family. Hillsboro Village will be a top destination for holiday goers, making it the ideal time to increase advertising sales. Candy serves as a convenient stocking stuffer as well as a great motivator during finals season. To establish heavy traffic during the holidays, Big Top will utilize email and magazine advertisements, as well as participate in the annual Christmas in the Village celebration.

Digital
Big Top Candy Shop will send an email invitation to its already established customer database promoting its student care packages and stocking stuffers. This will be sent out on the first of December to bring it to consumers attention just in time for the season. One email design template: $250

Print
In addition to email advertisements, two magazine ads will be bought for the month of December. The Nashville Key and Nashville Lifestyle are magazines that are primarily read by young women. These ads will serve to encourage both established and potential customers to visit the store and spread their holiday cheer through gifts from Big Top.

Promotion
Lastly, Big Top will be a sponsor for Christmas in the Village, which occurs in Hillsboro on December 6. This is an ideal event to participate in not only because it will attract new consumers, but because Big Tops direct competitors will be participating as well. This event will reach people returning home for the holidays and travelers visiting from afar.

Nashville Key: Full page $1,145 Nashville Lifestyle: Full page $3,340 Total magazine cost: $5,985

Big Top Candy Shop will allot $1,500 to be a sponsor of this event, and will participate an-

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conclusion
This effective and efficient media plan is designed to ensure a smooth transition and long term succes of Big Top Candy Shops new store, opening in Hillsboro Village, in Nashville, Tenn. After conducting extensive research to thoroughly understand the area and market, GMM is confident in this custom designed media plan made to position and accurately market Big Top in the Hillsboro area.

By understanding Big Top Candy Shop, GMM was able to choose an exact target market. With a precise target, Big Top is able to communicate their messages more effectively and efficiently within the allocated budget. GMM is confident that this exceptionally designed media plan will allow Big Top become a well established business not only in their new Tenn. location, but also to open the door to new ventures and future expansions.