PR Plan

Our Issue:

Through the initial broad research stage regarding ‘Something Develop(mental) about Social Media’, there was a recurrence of a concept known as the fear of missing out, also known by its abbreviation as ‘FOMO’. This concept unconsciously contributed to the promotion and normalisation of the adverse effects surrounding excessive social media utility and the mental implications often associated with the inability to attend social events. This prompted for the adaptation of a concept known as JOMO or the ‘Joy of Missing Out’, which rather than attempting to eradicate the use of social media, advocates for a balance between virtual and physical reality. The ‘Joy of Missing Out’, reinstates notions associated with mindfulness and placidity with one’s lifestyle rather than seeking contentment in someone else’s.

However, unlike ‘FOMO’ which has fused itself into the personal lives of both social media users and non-users and accredited recognition from the realm of academe; the ‘Joy of Missing Out’ lacked mass exposure despite the mental health benefits it produces.

To enable the notion of ‘JOMO’ to resonate with our target audience (see below), the ‘JOMO ‘Arts and Lifestyle’ Festival will be constructed in partnership with the national organisation ‘Headspace’ which addresses youth mental health. This collaboration will provide the campaign with credibility and recognition amongst our target audience in-order to accomplish set goals and objectives. An opportunity that has been identified, revolves around the fact that although Headspace offers a multifarious range of services and counselling for a multitude of issues associated with mental well-being, there lacks any cohesive information in-terms of social media and the ramifications associated with mental health.

​

Our Goal:

The end-goal of the campaign is to increase public awareness regarding the mental implications associated with excessive use of social media, through the concept of ‘JOMO’; which will remain at the epicentre of our communication strategy. Our advertising campaign consists of an informative flyer, personalised stickers and promotional video and our media story which will be in the form of a conversational podcast, will revolve around prompting initial recognition accompanying the notion of ‘JOMO’ and reiterated through the construction of an event: ‘JOMO Festival’. The aim of the event is to provide our stakeholders and publics with both a tangible outcome to the issue and an opportunity for ‘JOMO’ to resonate with our target audience on an empirical rather than mere theoretical basis.

Furthermore, as ‘JOMO’ is an intangible social movement, there is a need to proliferate its marketability through communication strategies that resemble “...strings of more or less connected events, scattered across time and space” (Diani et al, 2002); enabling accessibility from stakeholders and public.

​

Our Background Research:

In accordance with Philips and Smith (2010), the notions ascribed to that of an ‘Australian’ include “...suburbanism, mediocrity, ‘fair go, mate’, ‘having a good time’ and ‘giving it a go’” (ibid. p. 217) whilst ideologies are inclusive of: “egalitarianism, individualism and mateship” (ibid). Furthermore, they are “shaped, by everyday life, in popular culture, real individuals, real places and real community groups rather than by abstract ideals” (ibid. p.220).

The research conducted by Adams (2015) states that “...millennials spend roughly 14.5 hours per week using their smartphone devices, equivalent to...2 hours per day”, correlating with our primary research in the form of surveys. The results indicated that the average hours spent on social media for individuals aged 18-27 was either “2 to less than 3” or “4 to less than 5”.

​

Our Target Audience:

The identified target audience consists primarily of millennial's, constituting individuals born between 1980 and 2000 (Eastman et al., 2014); however, due to the broad age bracket, a narrower audience has been reconfigured, which consists of females from the ages of 18-25 and males from the ages 18-22. This target audience was selected for reasons including the fact that they are often described as the “first high-tech generation” (ibid., p.457) and have been accustomed to this mode of communication since childhood; their social networking usage is excessive as it constitutes their social ecosystem and a major segment of their lifestyles; and their economic power precedes that of past generations (ibid).

These individuals are inhabitants of the Melbourne region, work and/or study either part-time or full-time and are ethnically diverse. Further research indicated that “Victoria…is a multicultural state comprised of people from 230 countries” (Siokou et al., 2010, p. 193), and “…ethnic identity is socially constructed…ethnic boundaries, identities and cultures, are negotiated, defined and produced through social interaction inside and outside ethnic communities”. This information enabled for further perusal in-terms of Australia’s predominant ideologies and esteemed cultural values (see background research), which would enable the constructed campaigns to understand the social and cultural context in which it would be operating within.

Furthermore, our secondary research regarding ‘Australian’ activities and events, emphasised the desire of “…being together with other people and having fun…perhaps in a hedonistic way” (Philips et al, 2000, p.216-217) and activities that “brought people together in a kindred spirit” (ibid., p.217). Therefore, the concept of a “JOMO Festival” presented itself as a means of communicating a desired message through an event that would mould itself within the lifestyles of our audience rather than abstract from them.  

Through cohesive research surrounding the ‘Role of Involvement on Millennial’s Mobile Technology Behaviours’ (Eastman et al., 2014) we have been able to congregate information regarding the concept of ‘social comparison theory’, which revolves around the perennial drive for individuals to gauge themselves in relation to others; and embodied the central concern faced by both females and males within our target audience.  

Furthermore, there existed three types of involvement stages which contributed to the consumption behaviour of this audience; ‘outcome relevant involvement’, ‘impression relevant involvement’ and ‘value relative involvement’. The attributes of ‘ORI’ consist of seeking out additional information in-terms of the perceived benefits and impacts a product or service will have on their lifestyle as well as considering future outcomes. Impression relevant involvement, is preoccupied with the “desire to express attitudes that are socially accepted or desired by others” (Eastman et al, 2014, p. 457) and results include individuals adjusting their consumption behaviour to align with others. Finally, ‘VRI’, consists of the correlation between an individual’s values and its alignment with the product or service. Therefore, the campaigns will provide individuals with links to necessary information through our social media page, utilise opinion leaders and/or influencers to bolster interest and reinstate the underlying values accompanying these individuals.

The configured insights regarding the determined audience include: ‘Instagram’ as a preferred social networking platform, social media as an exacerbator of insecurities, cyclical comparisons of both lifestyles and body-image, profound interest in a healthier usage rather than its abandonment, are exposed to unattended events and finally whilst the political voice of others in their age bracket is highly-valued.

A subculture that has been targeted include Australia’s bohemians known as an “enduring…tradition reproduced in each generation” (Moore, 1998, p. 174). These individuals are known for their construction of “cultural products and experimentation with lifestyles, art and ideas, pushing at the edge of acceptability” (ibid. p.172). They yearn for a sense of nostalgia towards “…the free space they enjoyed in (their) precocious and hungry youth, when they have tossed aside the restrictions of childhood but are yet to acquire the responsibilities of career, family and reputation” (ibid. p.173). Although these individuals reject conventional society there is a desire to succeed within it as despite their being an “urge to disrupt and subvert” (ibid. p. 176) it, there is no desire to eradicate it. These values align themselves with the progressive ideals of millennial's as a collective group and elevate them as prospective opinion leaders for our campaign.

​

Our Key Stakeholders:

Headspace: The  Australian youth mental health organisation: ‘Headspace’ will function as the ‘enabling linkage’ for the JOMO ‘Arts and Lifestyle’ Festival as they are one of the fundamental means enabling the festival to exist. This is due to their provision of the required financial grants and fundings as well as being a credible and highly recognised organisation that will allow both our campaign and media story to generate news and media coverage. Through our collaboration with Headspace, we will be able to ensure that a legitimate organization  will be able to provide the necessary research and statistical evidence relating to youth mental health, whilst providing more creative inputs in regards to our festival. This partnership with ‘Headspace’ will ensure the development of a mutually beneficial relationship.

 

Event Attendees: Through the Grunig and Hunt linkage model (Tench & Yeoman, 2017), publics that endeavour upon the consumption of our service are classified under ‘functional linkage’. As an organisation and campaign we aim to provide them with the required information and content in relation to ‘JOMO’ and the JOMO ‘Arts and Lifestyle’ Festival. Information needs to be provided in-order to stimulate our primary target audience to purchase tickets and continue to spread the message in relation to this event and its mission.

News and Mass Media Outlets: It is pivotal for both the campaign and media story to attract the attention of the news media in-order to provide awareness and mass recognition to the concept of both ‘JOMO’ and the associated ‘JOMO Festival’. Through providing media outlets with newsworthy and relevant information as well as engaging them in both our missions and objectives we will be able to both gain “earned media” (Smith, 2009) and mutually beneficial relationships. Publications that will be consulted include the New York Times, ABC Online, Broadsheet and i-D Australia and New Zealand. This will provide us with the required coverage through feature stories, commentary and expository pieces that will expand the international and national understanding of ‘JOMO’ as it becomes both a term championed by the realm of  academia and popular society.

​

Our Communication Methods:

The communication tactics that this target audience is accustomed to and will engage with include personalised, “...customer-focused information” (Adams, 2015) that is digitally driven and strives to create a conversational atmosphere around itself (ibid). The implementation of strategic and efficient communication tactics, will enable the campaign to partake in the deliverance of relevant information to the necessary stakeholders whilst both our campaign and media story (i.e. podcast) will be inclusive of both traditional and digital media. The tactics that will be utilised will range from interpersonal tactics, owned media, advertising and promotional tactics (Smith, 2009).

 

In accordance with the views of participants within Adams’ (2015) survey, factors that contribute to brands or organisations obtaining the social media engagement of millennials include “...how many followers they have” and information that is “...straightforward and simple, easy to read and understand”. Furthermore, participants claimed that they “...won’t follow them if they post more than once a day” and that they “don’t want to see low quality work”. This information provided us with contextual information regarding the habits of millennials on social media and has further enabled us to generate a project timeline and associated communication tactics that will satisfy and grasp their engagement.

The message we will be communicating is: ‘the ability for individuals to balance between social media and reality whilst being able to appreciate and remain present in the now; as a means of preserving their mental health’.

 

The first phase of our communication will commence on the 18 April 2020 until the 14 May 2020, and will provide an opportunity for us to establish ourselves within the digital arena, promote and advocate the concept of ‘JOMO’. Furthermore, instagram will be utilised to  provide relevant information, interactive memes and posts, real-stories about individuals and opinion leaders and influencers who have and/or are currently undertaken and implemented the ‘JOMO’ philosophy into their lives. This communication strategy will enable us to embark upon the use of two-way communication, provide us with the opportunity to increase our online followings, nurture our current target audience and arouse their attention whilst gathering the interest of publics that have not been previously considered. There will be around 20 posts on the @JOMOFESTIVAL instagram account by the end of that timeframe, with 1- 2 post being generated every second day.

The second phase intersects the first and shall commence on the 07th May 2020 as posts will change from being JOMO orientated to revolving around the JOMO ‘Arts and Lifestyle’ Festival. Alongside this will be the promotional flyers which will begin circulating both the City of Melbourne and the inner-suburbs on the 05 and 06 May 2020. These will be displayed and distributed within local businesses such as hairdressers, bars, restaurants, train stations, book stores and universities. These flyers will be put on display until the 07 June 2020, the date of our first event.

Furthermore, the release of the promotional video will be put in motion on the 07th May 2020 at 12:00pm and available on Youtube, Instagram and broadcasted on traditional television. The following day, 08 May 2020, will be the release of both the podcast and media release which aims to both generate mass and news media coverage as well as grasping the attention of external publics which were not the primary targeted.

Finally, as we will be collaborating with Yondr to ensure a phone-free venue, we will ensure that there will be footage of the event available on archives on both our instagram, the Headspace website, Youtube, Twitch and Facebook.

​

Our References:

• Adams A.A (2015), Digital Word of Mouth: Motivating and Engaging Millennials with Shareable Content

• Diani M, McAdam D, (2002), Social Movement Analysis: The Network Perspective, Oxford University Press

• Eastman K.J, Iyer R, Liao-Troth S, Williams F.D, Griffin M. (2014) The Role of Involvement on Millenials’ Mobile Technology Behaviours: The Moderating Impact of Status Consumption, Innovation and Opinion Leadership, Routledge

• Moore T. (1998), Romancing the city- Australia’s bohemian tradition: Take one, Journal of Australian Studies, p.172-183

• Phillips T, Smith P, (2000), What is ‘Australian’? Knowledge and Among a Gallery of Contemporary Australians, Australian Journal of Political Science, p.203-224

• Siokou C, Moore D, Lee H. (2010) ‘Muzzas’ and ‘Old Skool Ravers’: Ethnicity, drugs and the changing face of Melbourne’s dance party/club scene

• Statista. (2019). Readers of the New York Times in the U.S. by age 2018 | Statistic. [online] Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/229984/readers-of-the-new-york-times-daily-edition-usa/ [Accessed 29 May 2019].