The primary goal of the communication plan is to generate interest in the South Asian Legacy Project among target audiences, including the South Asian community, broader Canadian society, media outlets, and relevant stakeholders. Additionally, the plan aims to promote the project’s mission of celebrating the rich cultural heritage and contributions of South Asian communities in Canada while combating racism and promoting diversity and inclusion. The communication plan will be based on engagement with the audience. The goal is to promote the main event – a screening of the “Unarchived” in different cities in Canada. The secondary goal is to collect stories of South Asians and other immigrants and add them to the database.
AUDIENCE
- South Asian communities across Canada
- General Canadian public
- Media outlets (print, broadcast, online)
- Academic institutions and scholars
- Government officials and policymakers
- Cultural organizations
- Non-profit organizations and community groups
RESEARCH
*This section is going to be a bit concise as I spent too many words to describe the content and tactics*
The research is going to be easy. We have to do demographic research and figure out which cities will be the most successful for the screening of the “Unarchived” film.
Also, we will have to research the companies who may support us in all the cities that we are going to visit. A good way would be to talk to South Asians in the city’s government and ask for approval and support.
Then, the general public is going to be reached through social media, website and traditional media.
We will reach academics through collaboration with major universities in different cities.
SPOKESPEOPLE
The main spokesperson will be Dr. Satwinder Kaur Bains. She is the head of the project and the most knowledgeable person to discuss the topic.
The secondary spokesperson can be someone related to Paldi and Mayo Lumber company. Someone who was born there will be a great fit.
CONTENT
Shared Media:
For shared media, the perfect outcome would be the boosted engagement of media users/readers. The best way to engage the users is to attach them to the initiative. The attachment will develop when users relate to the content: whether they relate to the initiative because of its concept, the spokesperson, the influencer, or a platform that the company is using to deliver the message.
- Press Release Distribution: Distribute the press release to targeted media outlets, including newspapers, magazines, television stations, and online news websites. Using the information provided in the course, we can also send it to distributors like Cision or similar media distributors.
- Media Interviews: Arrange interviews with key project stakeholders, including community leaders, filmmakers, governors, professors, and business developers to discuss the significance of the South Asian Legacy Project and the themes explored in “Unarchived.”
- Social Media Campaign: Launch a social media campaign across various platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) to promote the project and engage with the target audience. Call members of the South Asian community to post their stories/ their parents’ stories.
- Influencer Outreach: Collaborate with influential figures within the South Asian community and Canadian media landscape to amplify the project’s message and reach a wider audience.
Owned Media:
For the owned media, we want to educate our followers on the subject. The information presented in the film is going to be shared piece by piece using different media formats: the website allows us to share various types of media, the social media will give us the freedom to post video and digital content and invite followers to catch on the trend, and the email newsletter will provide a platform for introducing longer pieces of content that dive deep into the initiative.
- Website: Provide information about the initiative, the documentary film, and related events on the South Asian Legacy Project website. Also, it is important to provide links and facts about the South Asian heritage.
- Social Media/Blog Posts: Publish blog posts on the project website highlighting different aspects of South Asian heritage and contributions in Canada. Create a post that invites social media users to share their experiences and heritage.
- Email Newsletters: Send out regular newsletters to project stakeholders, subscribers, and community members to keep them informed about project developments, screenings, and opportunities for involvement.
- Educational Resources: Develop educational materials, such as discussion guides and lesson plans, for schools and educational institutions to use alongside screenings of “Unarchived” to facilitate meaningful discussions about South Asian history and identity.
- Film Screenings: To boost engagement, we have to provide a real-life experience – the screening of the “Unarchived” in different cities and towns with highlighted South-Asian communities. It is important to do the research and come to only those places where the community is present.
CALENDAR
The campaign will work as a concert tour. After we outline the Canadian cities with major South Asian diaspora, we will build a tour. It will take us a month to go from Vancouver Island to the eastern cities of Canada. The screening of the film will be hosted only in bigger cities rather than in smaller towns.
We will use social media posts and targeted ads specifically for the cities we pick. We will make two targeted posts per city with a call to buy tickets for a general audience. The best timing would be 3 weeks before the event and 2 weeks before the event. And, of course, we are going to be posting 3-5 times per week on all viral social media platforms starting 3 months before the tour. The website will shadow the social media with 1-3 posts including more details.
It will be vital to communicate to the official target audience (media, governors, non-profits, academic organizations, etc.) 3 months before the event directly (via video call) to plan the show with them and invite the members of their organizations. We will use a newsletter with bi-weekly send-outs for the official audience and dedicated followers starting 3 months before the first show.
Finally, the press release is going to be posted and shared with media supporters 4-5 months before the tour.
CONCLUSION AND EVALUATION
- Social Media Engagement: Measure engagement metrics (likes, shares, comments) on social media platforms to track audience interest and interaction with project content.
- Event Attendance: Evaluate attendance and feedback from community screenings, events, and discussions to assess audience engagement and satisfaction. As we are hosting the screenings, it is vital to understand how many people sign up and analyze the numbers.
- Website Analytics: Analyze website traffic, page views, and user interactions on the project website to understand audience engagement and areas of interest. SEO tools and tracking platforms can help to do that.
- Surveys and Feedback: Gather feedback from stakeholders, participants, and audience members through surveys and feedback forms to get insights and identify areas for improvement in future communication efforts.