Rethinking Communication

Leslie Aun

Chief Marketing & Communications Officer

February 8, 2007

2

Where we are today

Special Olympics at 40 years old…

• With sports at the core, evolving as model for fostering widespread inclusion and acceptance

• Well-known, positive image among general public

• Confusion about mission still exists for potential participants,donors and others

• Viewed as “occasional” sports program for children withunspecified disability

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Special Olympics–Our image today

How familiar would you say you are with Special Olympics?

Generally speaking,how favorable wouldyou say you are towardsSpecial Olympics?

Based on market research conducted in the US by Penn, Schoen & Berland Assoc.

55%

42%

2%

1%

Very favorable

Somewhat favorable

Not very favorable

Not at all favorable

15%

62%

20%

3%

Very familiar

Somewhat familiar

Not very familiar

Not at all familiar

AllAll

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Special Olympics v. major brands

Familiarity and Favorability

95% Familiarity72% Favorability

90% Familiarity88% Favorability

77% Familiarity95% Favorability

Ad budget 2006Ad budget 2006$635 million$635 million

Ad budget 2006Ad budget 2006$90 million$90 million

Ad budget 2006Ad budget 2006$0$0

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Special Olympics v. other major brands

In terms of favorability, we beat all these big names . . .

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But positive image doesn’t always translate into action

Generally speaking, how likely are you to volunteer for Special Olympics?

Generally speaking, how likely are you to donate to Special Olympics?

Generally speaking,how likely are you to buy a product or service from a company that supports Special Olympics?

28%

72%

57%

43%

85%

15%

14%

43%

33%

10%

All

Very likely

Somewhat likely

Not very likely

Not at all likely

5%

23%

50%

22%

All

28%

57%

13%

2%All

Most commitment Least

commitment

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Summary

The Good News (USA Only)

• Known by 77% of general population

• Regarded favorably by 95%of general population

The Not-So Good News

• 14% likely to donate money

• 5% likely to volunteerWHY?

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Market Research-Key Findings

How much do you feel each of the following

words or phrases applies to Special Olympics?

All %

Applies a

Great DealApplies / Does

Not Apply

Is an organization which helps people with disabilities 79 96/4

More than just a single event 67 93/6

Credible organization 66 97/4

For people of all ages 65 94/5

More than just sports 62 92/8

Trustworthy organization 60 93/7

Empowering for all involved 59 91/9

Life changing experiences for all involved 59 93/7

Needs contributions 58 94/7

Brings together a wide range of people 57 91/9

Important for society 56 88/12

Makes the world a better place 55 90/10

An organization everyone can be involved with 47 84/16

Is a global organization 46 85/15

Valuable brand 38 76/25

Relevant to me 15 40/60

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Why does love of Special Olympics not lead to engagement?

Correlation of Likelihood to Donate with Association

% w

ho s

aid

this

attr

ibut

e ap

plie

d a

grea

t dea

l to

Spe

cial

Oly

mpi

cs

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The Relevancy Gap-It’s not about YOU . . .

• Relevance has the highest correlation to donation intent.

• Special Olympics scores poorly in terms of mainstream relevance.

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The Relevancy Gap-It’s all about ME!

Without direct connection to Special Olympics (family member of friend with intellectual disability) or other linkage (friend of the movement, involved in athletics or special education) members of the general population don’t feel connected to us or understand how/why they can become involved.

• Relevance has the highest correlation to donation intent.

• Special Olympics scores poorly in terms of mainstream relevance.

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Viewed as less relevant/urgent

Action

• Donate $ to AIDS charities

• Donate to Tsunami

• Donate to environmental causes

• Donate to Special Olympics

Action

• Medical advances, drugs to victims, lives saved

• Villages rebuilt, people receive care and food

• Saving the world, polar bears

• A sporting event is held

Special Olympics . . . Nice but not necessary.

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Market Research-Key Findings

• Brand must become more relevant to MEHow does Special Olympics relate to those outside our natural constituency.

• An organization where I can get involvedPeople currently have trouble picturing their own involvement.

• Important to MY societyCatalytic force for creation of civil society, citizen engagement and community empowerment.

• “Making MY world a better place”Provides life-enhancing benefits to the largest disability population in the world.

Answering “Why does Special Olympics matter to ME?”

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Market Research-Key Findings

To increase donation and volunteer intent wemust position Special Olympics as:

• Life-changing experiences for all involved

• Bringing together a wide range of people

• Trustworthy organization

• Providing empowering experiences for everyone

• Important to society

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Impact of Special Olympics logo

Special Olympics logo effective at maintaining high levels of favorability towards organization.

• More than 8 in 10 respondents are favorable towards the organization after exposure to logo.

Logo increases intent to donate to Special Olympics

• About 70% say they would be likely to donate given the logo (compared to 57% initially.)

Given this logo, how favorable are you towards Special Olympics?

Given this logo, how likely are you to donate Special Olympics?

20%

51%

20%

8%

Very likely Somewhat likely Not very likely Not at all likely

ALL

38%48%

11%3%

Very favorable Somewhatfavorable

Not veryfavorable

Not at allfavorable

ALL

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Case Study–Importance of ME!

Old message:“Our software does XYZ”

New message:“Our software gives YOU the tools

so you can do XYZ.”

Results: Higher sales, higher revenue, higher favorability among general population

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What do we know about Special Olympics?

When people are exposed to our movement they engage in a big way . . .

“Special Olympics is the way the world should be, abundant in joy and understanding and showing no judgement, an environment where competition does not make an enemy of your fellow athlete, but a friend.”

—Colin Farrell

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What do we want/need?

For people to become part of the Special Olympics experience directly or indirectly . . .

Because we know that experiencechanges everything!

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Our goal . . .

Bring people to Special Olympics experience

(Directly: Attending World Games)

or

Bring Special Olympics experience to people

(Indirectly: Watching “The Ringer”)

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Developing a strategy for each target

• Who do we want to influence?

• What do they think, feel and do now?

• What do we want them to think, feel and do . . .And by when?

• What is most compelling experience, demonstration, orinformation we can give them to change their current behavior?

• How can we give them access to this?

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Key Communications objectives for 2007

• Support 2007 World Games

• Re-launch brand (2-year program)

• Support development objectives

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Tools and tactics

• Brand strategy revamp

• Cause-related marketing with corporate partners

• Public relations

• Marketing communications-internal & external

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SOI Communications Team

Senior VP and Chief Marketing

and Communications Officer

Leslie Aun

Senior VP and Chief Marketing

and Communications Officer

Leslie Aun

Director

Public Relations/Media

Sarah Cody

Director

Public Relations/Media

Sarah Cody

Director

Marketing Communications

Doug McAllister

Director

Marketing Communications

Doug McAllister

Managing Editor,

SPIRIT

Kathy Smallwood

Managing Editor,

SPIRIT

Kathy Smallwood

Senior Manager,

Website

Ida Miggins

Senior Manager,

Website

Ida Miggins

Senior Manager

Graphic

Designer

Stacy Kramer

Senior Manager

Graphic

Designer

Stacy Kramer

Manager

Visual Media

Neil Ostrander

Manager

Visual Media

Neil Ostrander

Graphics Specialist

Heather Johnson

Graphics Specialist

Heather Johnson

Senior Manager

Healthy Athletes

Jessica Stone

Senior Manager

Healthy Athletes

Jessica Stone

Manager

Media Relations

Shavonne Harding

Manager

Media Relations

Shavonne Harding

Director

Global Brand

Marketing

Kirsten Seckler

Director

Global Brand

Marketing

Kirsten Seckler

Writer/Editor

Victoria Reynolds

Writer/Editor

Victoria ReynoldsAdministrative

Benjamin Collins

Administrative

Benjamin Collins

Coordinator

Global Brand

Marketing

Ryan Eades

Coordinator

Global Brand

Marketing

Ryan Eades

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Engagement Filters

RaiseMoney

RaiseMoney

AdvanceMovement

AdvanceMovement

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Setting priorities

Where does a project or idea fall in this chart?

And how does it compare with other projects?

Advance Movement

Ra

ise

Mo

ney

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Brand Strategy Objectives

• Create consistent (not identical) brand identity for Special Olympics globally

• Help drive Special Olympics awareness globally, nationally, locally

• Recalibrate perception of Special Olympics to become more relevant to more people

• Help attract new volunteers and Special Olympics participants, especially youth

• Motivate greater financial participation from individual donors and corporate sponsors

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Brand Strategy Timelines

• Conduct Market research• Evaluate Co-branding &

Cause-related marketing options

• Create Global Ads & PSAs– print and broadcast

• Create MarComm materials including a design guide

• Create messaging tosupport brand

• Meet with SOI functional areas & Regional staff

• Global Ad & PSA placement with Top Tier media

• Localize materials• Distribute Materials and

conduct implementation training

• Train Spokespersons • Begin design integration

on Core SOI collateral – web site, Spirit, etc.

• Phase in design elements to SOI initiative materials – Healthy Athletes, Families, etc.

• Product/Icon placement• Global Ambassador

positioning and usage• Launch Cause-related

marketing campaign

• Update Global Ads & PSAs

Nov. 2006 – Q1 2007 Q2 – Q3 2007 Q3 – Q4 Q4 2007 – Q1 2008

• Global Ads & PSAs• Graphic standards• MarComm Materials• Core messages

• Grassroots tool kitsand materials

• SOI materials

• Iconic items such as hip shirts or jewelry for key influencers to wear

• Updated initiativematerials

• CRM campaign

• Updated materials

Key Activities

Timeline

Deliverable

PHASE 1

FOUNDATIONPHASE 2

IMPLEMENTATIONPHASE 3

POSITIONINGPHASE 4

UPDATE

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Branding: Advertising concepts

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Branding: Advertising venues

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Branding: Cause-related marketing

Special Olympics will launch a cause-related marketing campaign that not only raises funds and builds awareness, but also engages the public to join the movement.

Tactics:• Merchandising• Co-branding• Celebrity endorsement• Television programming

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Public Relations

General

• Create consistent messages about the movement to support branch re-launch

• See top-tier media opportunities to announce brand milestones – new PSAs, cause-related marketing, refreshed Web site

• Market global ambassadors and International Global Messengers

• See TV opportunities for story lines regarding Special Olympics and intellectual disabilities

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Public Relations

World Games• Global public awareness team

• Develop consistent messages with effective spokespeople

• Foster strong media relations through compelling stores

• Target opinion leaders

• Assist with Special Olympics regional awareness

• Develop communications partners/sponsorships

• Highlight promotional events

• Spearhead broadcast opportunities

• Exemplary Media Operations at World Games

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Public Relations Timelines

• Develop messaging & talking points based on market research

• Message & media training for SO spokespeople

• Determine PR needs & opportunitiesfor Co-branding & Cause-related marketing

• Determine high priority target media outlets for World Games & relevance/ awareness pitches: print, broadcast, Internet, radio

• Intro with SOI functional areas,Regional staff

• Determine needs for World GamesPR support/Media Center w/ GOC

• Collect unique athlete stories for pitch opps

• Crisis Communications policy review

• Pitch to national/ int’l media: - SO relevance & stories

• - World Games activities• Leverage Global & Games

Ambassadors, Global Messengers for media opps

• Support corporate sponsorships w/ partnership announcements

• Continuous N. Amer & Global PR support

• Outreach to Chinese tourism & press offices to push World Games awareness

• Media Center support to GOC• Crisis Communications policy update• Communicate news & media coverage

through bi-weekly e-newsletter• Web site Press Room updates

• Focus pitching on World Games & key messages

• World Games mediareview & outreach

• Media Center support toGOC

• Press releases & announcements of World Games activities

• Continuous N. Amer &Global PR support

• Continuous Crisis Communications support

• Communicate news &media coverage throughbi-weekly e-newsletter

• World Games PR support on location

• Media Center support & interview assistance

• Review & analysis of media results

• Continuous N. Amer & Global PR support

• Continuous Crisis Communications support

• Communicate news & media coverage through bi-weekly e-newsletter

Q1 2007 Q2 2007 Q3 2007 Q4 2007 – Q1 2008

• Messages & Talking Points• World Games activities PR &

announcement calendar• Target media list• Collection of athlete stories

• Continuous announcements/ press releases on events for NA & Global, World Games

• e-newsletter

• Continuous announcements/ press releases on events for NA & Global, World Games

• e-newsletter

• Continuous World Game activities announcements

• Media coverage report• e-newsletter

Key Activities

Timeline

Deliverable

PHASE 1

FOUNDATIONPHASE 2

IMPLEMENTATIONPHASE 3

IMPLEMENTATIONPHASE 4

UPDATE

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Marketing Communications

• Marketing Communications materials available to all Programs

• Look and feel elements

• Design ideas and template

• Photos

• Spirit Magazine – Revamped, re-targeted, published 3x in 2007 (April, August, December)

• Web site www.specialolympics.org to be refreshed, updated in 2007

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Marketing Communications

• Support World Games activities• Revamp Spirit magazine (editorial,

design, circulation)• Develop core

marketing/communications tools• Plan evolution of SOI Web site• Continue to build searchable

photo database• Support SOI activities (branding,

development, etc.)

• Support World Games activities

• Re-develop SOI Web site• Support SOI activities

(branding, development, etc.)

• Expand searchable photo database/photo archive

• Develop internal movement e-newsletter

• Support World Games Activities

• Re-develop SOI Web site

• Support SOI activities (branding, development, etc.)

• Expand searchable photo database/photo archive

• Support World Games Activities

• Launch “new” SOI Web site

• Support development, branding activities

• Expand searchable photo database/photo archive

• Plan for “new” Spirit• Special Olympics brochure

• Spirit magazine (April)• 2006 annual report• Searchable photo

database• Marketing/

communicationscollateral

• New “B-roll”

• Spirit magazine (August)

• New SOI video• Marketing/

communications collateral

• Internal movement e-newsletter

• Spirit magazine (December)

• Revamped SOI Web site

• SOI holiday card

Key Activities

Deliverable

Quarter 1 2007 Quarter 2 2007 Quarter 3 2007 Quarter 4 2007

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Thank you!

Thoughts, questions, comments?