Objective: This assignment requires to develop a strategic media relations plan for a client situation outlined below.

The challenges for the media pitch assignment are:

• To identify newsworthy angle(s) to pitch to a media organization.
• To research the appropriate media (both print and broadcast) to contact for pitches.
• To propose the recommended strategies to reach identified media for a prospective client, and to outline the required steps and timelines for implementation of media pitches.
• The plan should be comprehensive and incorporate all of the elements of a strategy as taught in class.

Grading for this will consider

• The newsworthiness of the developed angle(s), and the final media pitch
• The appropriateness and creativity of the media strategies used to connect to specific media.
• The quality of the supporting research. How do you know this is the right media outlet to connect with and why could this pitch be considered for news coverage?

This plan must be professionally represented, and ready for final approval by a potential client.

The following situation is a mix of real and made-up details for the purposes of the assignment. You are not to contact any of the media or people mentioned it the scenario. Include all the potential media outlets you want to contact in your plan. Remember this is a plan, not the implementation stage, and you would still have to get final approval from a supervisor, manager, executive team or client.

Scenario:

Vidyard, a local high-tech firm that creates video tools for sales and marketing teams, has moved to a new space in a restored historic building at the corner of King and Queen Streets in downtown Kitchener.

Michael Litt, the founder of the company, recently gave a virtual tour of the building that incorporates the architectural details of the historic building combined with the modern amenities that you would expect in a high-tech company. There are lots of meeting and collaboration spaces, a play area featuring a modern kitchen with a soda water dispenser that distributes any flavour that you can imagine.

It also has a roof top patio, and great sightlines with restored windows that allow people using the space to see up and down King Street and Queen Street and look on to a new civic space created nearby on Queen. It is also about a Tim Horton's restaurant and has easy access to coffee and other foodstuffs.

The real attraction is the drop-in spaces for employees who can work in the office or work from home and set up shop wherever they like. That includes quiet areas and spaces for collaboration that modern high-tech workers prefer. There are also conference rooms with video hookups to allow you to do your meetings virtually or in person.

The company is planning to hold a grand opening event on Feb. 25, at 1 p.m., when they hope to invite the public to view their new locations and the attractions of the modern workspace. That day will feature tours and demonstrations and a kickoff event featuring Litt and his senior management team.

In addition to the grand opening festivities, they are hosting a talk featuring Elizabeth Metcalfe, a modern office architect and influencer who helped design the space and will highlight how combining the old and the new is such a focus of high-tech space redesign. She has a big following on social media and will broadcast this live to her followers around the world.

Vidyard has hired you as a media relations specialist to get the word out about this event to highlight the great work the company is doing and the adaptive reuse of the building that they've taken over.

In addition to being a great way to celebrate the company's accomplishments, Vidyard also views this as an opportunity to recruit new talent and attract them to new workspace and working conditions they are highlighting. With Covid protocols easing they want to reassure people it's time to come back to the office, and demonstrate what a modern office has to offer.

They don't mind also taking a leadership role in the local tech community and showing off a little bit about why this area is called Silicon Valley North.

Following the lessons from class, create a media pitch and plan for Vidyard and their event in February featuring Elizabeth Metcalfe.

Evaluation Criteria

1. The identification of multiple angles, and a final pitch to the appropriate targeted media. - 4 marks

2. Identification of the appropriate media. What media outlets make most sense for this pitch? What members of the organization have you researched and targeted? (E.g. producers, editors, reporters) Who will get the final pitch? Remember to use real media organizations and names. - 4 marks

3. Use of tables, charts, flow diagrams, pictures, etc. to explain the subject matter and the organizational structure of the media outlets selected. You've done this in other SMC courses and it looks like Content strategy charts or SMART Objectives charts. - 4 marks

4. Organization and flow of information: Use of headings and subheadings to separate sections or pitches. Check for the flow, and writing well counts so make sure it is grammatically correct and spelling mistakes are corrected.

Build a strong professional pitch that makes sure all key points are covered and you come to a final recommendation for your client. - 4 marks

5. Number of sources of data used - Use at least three sources of data, including at least one database or journal resource from Conestoga College's library. This is procedures we've learned in other SMC courses like Research Methods. Add references in appropriate Conestoga College APA format - 4 marks

Tactic Media When What media outlet will be contacted? Be specific and When will you reach out and What tactic will be used? include names and contact engage the media outlet? info