Southeast Missouri State University. Adviser: Mr. Michael Simmons Josh Gronemeyer Danny Poole Mary Kate Renaud Liz Vinson

Transcription

1 Southeast Missouri State University Adviser: Mr. Michael Simmons Josh Gronemeyer Danny Poole Mary Kate Renaud Liz Vinson

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3 Table of Contents Summary...4 Expenses...8 Timeline...9 Appendices A: Survey...10 B: Sample of Survey Results...11 C: Press Release...12 D: Flyer...14 E: Kindness Day Photos...15 F: Facebook fan page...16 G: Kindness Day Facebook event and #passkindness twitter feed...17 H: Blog...18 I: Power plant wall photos...20 J: Kindness Cards

4 Summary Situation Analysis The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that has spent the last 16 years creating a platform to educate, inspire, and organize kind actions. Since 1995, the foundation has been motivating people across the globe to spread the message of doing kind acts for the benefit of their community with the hope of a better world. The foundation encourages people from all walks of life to take on the task of showing and encouraging kindness. The Public Relations Student Society of America wants to continue that tradition by encouraging PRSSA chapters to initiate their own public relations campaign for kindness at their own colleges and universities. Southeast Missouri State University PRSSA chapter participated in the Random Acts of Kindness campaign February 21-March 11, In this case study, four students from Southeast Missouri State created a campaign, Pass on the Kindness, to build motivation for doing random acts of kindness throughout the campus. During the period of the campaign, their goal was to increase the number of random acts of kindness at Southeast as well as build anticipation for Kindness Day, a new event that will be held annually at the university. The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation has a history of motivating kind actions without necessarily providing financial assistance, and likewise, the Pass on the Kindness Campaign was created with that same idea in mind. The campaign effectively motivated Southeast students to treat others kindly while maintaining a very conservative budget, illustrating that one does not have to spend a lot of money to see the effects of kindness. The campaign was established campus-wide as well as online in order to reach a maximum number of Southeast students. The campaign used a multiple-media platform including word of mouth marketing, newspapers, outdoor publicity and social media. Blogging, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube were important ways of reaching the target audience as well. Social media became the most successful form of getting the message to students. Pass on the Kindness was the ideal campaign to implement on the campus at Southeast Missouri State University. It is a small campus where the positive impact could clearly be seen. 4

5 Summary Research Findings Abstract This study surveyed Southeast Missouri State University college students and their perception of kindness and how often they recognize a random act of kindness. The goal of this study was to determine the best means to motivate college students to perform kind acts. The study examined the demographics of gender and class standing for any correlation in regards to performing random acts of kindness. No correlation was found between class standing and performing random acts of kindness. A correlation was found between gender and performing random acts of kindness. The majority of the respondents (about 80%) had performed an act of kindness within the week they were surveyed. Findings A slight correlation was found between gender and reporting kind acts others performed. An estimated 56% of males recognized others performing acts of kindness toward them within the week the survey was issued compared to about 67% of females. A slight correlation was also found between gender and frequency of performing acts of kindness. About 72% of males reported they had performed a random act of kindness within the week they were surveyed compared to an estimated 88% of females. A strong correlation was found between gender and the likelihood to perform an act of kindness knowing that recognition would be received. An estimated 53% of males surveyed and 29% of females surveyed reported they are not likely to perform an act of kindness if they know they will receive recognition. A slight correlation was found between gender and the likeliness to perform a random act of kindness knowing that recognition may not be received. About 6% of males reported that they are not likely to perform an act of kindness if they know they may not receive recognition compared to 16% of females who feel this way. A significant correlation was found between gender and the likeliness to perform an act of kindness after receiving a kind act from someone else. An estimated 14% of males reported that they are not likely to perform an act of kindness after receiving a kind act from someone else while 0% of females answered this way *. There was a correlation in participants that reported they are more likely to perform an act of kindness towards someone else after a kind act was performed on them. 5

6 Summary Conclusions Findings indicate that, when compared to males, females are more likely to perform kind acts. Research shows that females are either more likely to have kind acts performed toward them or they are simply more likely to recognize the kind acts. Further research is needed to determine which of these is correct. About 67% of females recognized kind acts being performed toward them while only about 56% of males recognized these acts. An estimated 88% of females, compared to 72% of males, reported performing an act of kindness for someone else during the week the survey was issued. These statistics show that females are more susceptible to kindness than males. The goal of this study was to determine the best means to motivate college students to perform kind acts. The research concluded that the best way to motivate college students to perform kind acts is by others performing kind acts on them. The majority of college students surveyed (81% of males and 96% of females*) reported they are more likely to perform an act of kindness after receiving a kind act from someone else. This determines that being kind to others is the most effective way to motivate college students to perform random acts of kindness. *3% of males and 4% of females answered they were indifferent Goals To develop a toolkit that includes a strategic plan to successfully launch a random acts of kindness initiative at Southeast Missouri State University To engage Southeast students through multiple communication platforms that focus on the random acts of kindness initiative Objectives To excite 500 Southeast students about the random acts of kindness initiative through media platforms they use often such as Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. To excite 500 Southeast students about the random acts of kindness initiative through a Kindness Day event on campus on March 2, 2011 from 11 a.m.-2p.m. Strategies The theme for the campaign to jumpstart the random acts of kindness initiative was Pass On the Kindness. We used this campaign slogan in all of our publicity to ensure maximum recognition. We encouraged students to pass on the kindness using print publications, online social networking, outdoor publicity, and a Kindness Day event. 6

7 Summary Tactics Kindness Day Event: -Passed out 500 stickers with the Pass on the Kindness logo -Passed out 300 suckers with the Pass on the Kindness logo attached -Gave students the opportunity to fill out kindness cards that were displayed in the University Center Print Publications: -Kindness Day event flyer -News Release published in student newspaper Outdoor Publicity: -painted a power plant wall (large paint walls in high traffic area on campus) with the Pass On the Kindness logo Social Media: - Pass on the Kindness Facebook fan page - Kindness Day Facebook event -#PassKindness Twitter hashtag -Kindness Blog -Produced and uploaded 3 YouTube videos about the random acts of kindness initiative Evaluation Social media and students participation in Kindness Day were used as measurable tools in evaluating the Pass on the Kindness campaign. The Pass on the Kindness YouTube account received a total of 194 views (not including views from other sources such as Facebook and Twitter). During the implementation of the campaign 106 people liked the Pass on the Kindness Facebook fan page and 54 posts were added to the page. A number of tweets were posted using the Twitter hashtag #PassKindness but due to Twitter s format, the exact number of tweets could not be tracked. The Pass on the Kindness blog acquired 232 views during the campaign. A total of 323 people on Facebook were confirmed to attend Kindness Day. During Kindness Day 300 suckers were handed out with the Pass on the Kindness logo attached, 500 Pass on the Kindness stickers were distributed to students across campus, and more than 40 kindness cards were filled out by students. Social media was used to educate college students about Random Acts of Kindness, motivate them to practice kind acts and activate them to pass on kindness. The most effective way to retain the popularity of the Pass on the Kindness campaign is through continuous social media activity and a reoccurring Kindness Day. 7

8 Expenses Item Price ($) Balloons 2.50 Labels 5.94 Suckers 7.86 Ribbon 2.00 Color Copies Helium for balloons Total *No in-kind donations were received. 8

9 Timeline Developed research questions Created and distributed surveys Analyzed survey results Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Developed campaign goals and objectives Developed campaign strategies and tactics Assigned duties to team members Began assembling materials for campaign implementation Created Facebook fan page and "Kindness Day" event page Created the #passkindness Twitter hashtag Printed and hung "Kindness Day" flyers across campus Recorded and posted first YouYube video Created a daily kindness blog Painted power plant wall Recorded and posted second YouTube video Hosted "Kindness Day" event News release printed in student newspaper Recorded and posted third YouTube video 9

10 Appendix A 10

11 Appendix B Question 6 results show a strong correlation Question 8 results show a significant correlation 11

12 Appendix C FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 28, 2011 Small Group of Students Tell Their Campus to Pass on the Kindness I helped a friend get to work when no one else would help her at the time. Pass on the kindness!!! That is what Brittany Harden, a student at Southeast Missouri State University, is saying on Southeast s Pass on the Kindness Facebook page. She is just one of dozens of students who are posting their random acts of kindness online and helping to pass on the kindness. For the next month, a small group of students at Southeast are promoting the Pass on the Kindness campaign, an idea based around the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, and forming several small events on campus as well as having an online platform for the cause. The group s efforts of spreading kindness on Southeast s campus lead up to an event that begins Wednesday, March 2, called Kindness Day, a day where the group of students and anyone who wants to get involved can help spread kindness through various acts. We are basically promoting the concept of being kind to others, said Josh Gronemeyer, a junior public relations major and one of the group s founding members. Pass on the kindness is a simple movement that everyone should get involved in. It s as simple as doing something nice for someone and expecting nothing in return. One unique way the group will be promoting the cause is during common hour when they will be passing out suckers in the University Center. They will be giving away two to everyone one for you to enjoy and one for you to share with someone else by passing it on. It s sort of a pay it forward technique. They are even hoping to offer free rides people in between classes. While it may not seem that significant, Gronemeyer expressed that to be the point. 12

13 Appendix C Even the smallest act of kindness can make someone s day, Gronemeyer said. Kindness is its own reward. We are just trying to help people realize this. It doesn t stop there. After Wednesday is over, they will continue to implement their ideas on campus and spread their message online. Facebook is just one of the many ways students can promote the idea. You can share your own random acts of kindness and talk about what someone has done for you by searching for Pass on the Kindness on Facebook and liking the page. From there, the group encourages others to share away. Also, it you are on twitter you can tweet your random acts of kindness by using the hashtag #passkindness. The group is trying to make the concept go viral through all of the major forms of social media. You can check out their video on their YouTube page at youtube.com/ passkindness, and you can also check out their blog at semoraok.blogspot.com. For more information on the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation and for ideas on promoting kindness around you, log on to randomactsofkindness.org. ### Danny Poole DannyLPoole@gmail.com

14 Appendix D 14

15 Appendix E 15

16 Appendix F 16

17 Appendix G 17

18 Appendix H 18

19 Appendix H 19

20 Appendix I 20

21 Appendix J 21