Rachel Morgan Bill Sledzik PR Measurement and ROI October 4, 2014
! ! ! Wii Fit Targets Moms: Canada
! Welcome to Wii Fit
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In 2006, the Wii Fit became available for the market of gamers, young and old. By 2008, Nintendo aimed to find a new target audience by marketing the gaming console to mothers. The gaming industry has never tried to market their products for usage by mothers, but in 2008, Nintendo developed and produced the Wii Fit. The Wii Fit Canada launch hired a highly skilled team at APEX Public Relations to try to successfully launch their newest addition to their lineup. The system allowed for users to practice healthy lifestyles, while incorporating an at home and private work-out routine, right in the comfort of your own home.
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“Within 6 months, Wii Fit generated 285 stories, maximizing the total reach to 156 million+”
APEX Goals & Objectives
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APEX outlined four main objectives in their media relations report:
1. Achieve breakthrough coverage of the Wii Fit in consumer, lifestyle and health/fitness outlets. Sixty percent of immediate launch coverage in targeted lifestyle/consumer outlets, specifically the top 10 lifestyle outlets in Canada.
2. Achieve a total program reach of 75 million within six months of Wii Fit's launch.
3. Achieve an MRP rating score of 7.5 (Canadian industry standard rating system) and a costper-contact of less than CDN$0.03.
4. Drive trial of Wii Fit and impact sales in conjunction with other marketing initiatives.
In the Guidelines for Setting Measurable Public Relations Objectives: An Update, Anderson et al. state that the purpose of PR personnel is to help set up business objectives and goals, followed by seeing them through (Anderson et al. 2009, p. 4). This helps the business and PR team provide a framework for strategy, execution and evaluation. Without the objectives, there is no foundation to help set sights on the overall goals to reach. These goals need to be meaningful, reasonable and quantifiable (Anderson et al. 2009, p. 6). Business objectives should follow the S.M.A.R.T. Model, which stands for: specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.1 “Specific” covers the most groundwork by asking the who, what, where, when, and why. Anderson et al. adapted this model into answering the “what, who, how much and when” (Anderson et al. 2009, p. 8).
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“Creating S.M.A.R.T. Goals,” http://topachievement.com/smart.html, accessed 10-4-2014.
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When using a combination of the S.M.A.R.T. Model and Anderson et al.’s requirements, it is conclusive that APEX did not 100% clearly answer all of the “W’s” in each independent bullet. Objective one did not outright state the timeframe in the initial paper, but upon further research in other APEX documents, the timeframe lasted from May to October2 (also, objective two mentioned a six month timeframe). Objective two answers all four questions of what (Wii Fit launch), who (total reach), how much (75 million) and when (6 months). Objective three also neglects the timeframe “when,” but again can be answered through objective two by a 6 month timespan. Objective four states the “what” by stating the need to accomplish the drive trial and impact sales and then the “who” with combining with marketing initiatives; it does not answer “when” nor “how much.” The objectives essentially answer all of the questions, in conjunction with each other, but are not 100% clearly defined individually. It would be best to recommend to APEX to clarify the objectives further and answer each to the S.M.A.R.T. Model:
1. Achieve breakthrough coverage of the Wii Fit in consumer, lifestyle and health/fitness outlets from May to October. Sixty percent of immediate launch coverage in targeted lifestyle/consumer outlets, specifically the top 10 lifestyle outlets in Canada.
2. Achieve a total program reach of 75 million within six months of Wii Fit's launch in May 2008.
3. Achieve an MRP rating score of 7.5 (Canadian industry standard rating system) by October 2008 and a cost-per-contact of less than CDN$0.03.
4. Drive trial of Wii Fit into holiday sales and impact sales in conjunction with other marketing initiatives by x% or x cost with marketing.
Measuring the Objectives
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The marketing and PR team planned a strategy to allow for maximum coverage to reach target consumers: moms. Instead of opting for a traditional high-tech and flashy launch, Nintendo and APEX designed an intimate hands-on, user-friendly, approach to appeal to influencers to promote the system. This experience paralleled to launches of fashion, beauty and health, to allow real-life experiences that would not generate an uncomfortable experience. The campaign to create the hype strategically happened days before the Canadian launch date. Intimate and user experiences with journalists, bloggers and lucky invited families were allowed to test the games and fitness activities. If influencers were unable to attend the event, APEX/ Nintendo sent out seeds to the target journalists (especially a high concentration towards mothers). They planned to “maintain the momentum” by keeping up with targeted media relations following the launch.
“2009 CPRS National Awards of Excellence,” http://www.mtroyal.ca/library/inc/cprs/pdfs/13-02MCN-09%20McNamara,%20Pat.pdf, accessed 9-31-2014. 2
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Objective 1: For those who attended the initial media event days before product launch, it would be ideal to survey those in attendance to get an idea as to where the journalists stories will be broadcasted/printed. The PR team could either include this as a part of the RSVP or they could collect the data as guests entered through the door. Why? Because this will give knowledge as to where the stories will then be published (with their intended target audience of mothers/families and mainstream health/lifestyle/women’s media outlets). After the event, measuring through traditional media means is highly recommended through traditional clip counts. Lindenmann, in Guidelines for Measuring the Effectiveness of PR Programs and Activities, states that “measuring outputs is usually a question of counting, tracking and observing” (Lindenmann 2003, p. 7). Clip counting rounds up all of the editorial coverage (news items, feature stories, guest editorials, reviews, roundup stories, buyer’s guides, etc.) that mention the Wii Fit. This would include print media, radio, T.V., websites and social media. APEX could either select to do in-house work or select an outside clipping service to monitor media. In-house work would be less expensive (APEX is limited to a $110k budget) and they would have control over relevance of story (quantity and quality).
Objective 2: After measuring objective one through traditional clip counting, APEX would then measure the reach prospective amounts by which clips were featured where. In the results from APEX research, it is noted that the Wii Fit media attention ran in 285 stories. From these stories, they would figure the total reach. Google’s AdWords helps to measure reach or further data collected from the traditional media outputs can determine each media’s source of reach of total numbers generated. APEX needs to know the reach amounts in order to consider the effectiveness of their PR campaign compared to the costs spent. With a limited budget and timeframe, it is ideal to reach as many in positive media attention at a small cost.
Objective 3: The Media Relations Rating Points (MRP) is Canada’s standardized form of measuring the effectiveness of any media relations campaign for communications professionals. It is a “management-by-objective system [that] can be applied to any type of media coverage…”3 Therefore, since APEX set an MRP rating score of 7.5 with a cost-percontact of less than CAN$0.03, the MRP measurement guide should be used. The chart in Appendix A shows an example of the MRP rating system.
Objective 4: The want to drive trial of Wii Fit and impact sales can be measured by constantly evaluating the amount of product shipped to retailers (via freight) in Canada and also through tracking sales from online retailers that ship to Canada. The number of units from sales will indicate the impact of sales. If sales are at 100%, then this will confirm the drive trial at maximum potential (as well as retailers creating waiting lists, which would exceed 100%).
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“Media Relations Rating Points (MRP),” https://docs.google.com/a/kent.edu/viewer? a=v&pid=gmail&attid=0.1&thid=148ccb546e1afc35&mt=application/pdf&url=https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui %3D2&ik=096b13d736&view=att&th=148ccb546e1afc35&attid=0.1&disp=safe&realattid=f_i0qxpibe0&zw&sig=AHIE tbSengSYPIyVp4No6sJv9kPGehy3jQ, 2011, accessed 10-01-2014.
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Wii-lations Results
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With a few minor details missing from the objectives, APEX did an outstanding job at pushing media awareness for the Wii Fit. All of the S.M.A.R.T. principles were answered throughout all four objectives and the initial media launch created huge success for the Wii Fit in Canada. It was known (stated in the Media Relations article) that not many lifestyle consumers knew of the Nintendo Wii, nor had Nintendo ever tried to market a product to mothers/family interests. While APEX put a strong emphasis towards Canadian mothers and their families by changing typical couch-style games to a healthy family-fun program, they faced the challenge of reaching to this market. How did they do?
• Within the first two weeks of the event, Wii Fit was featured in 90 stories, including 26 broadcast segments, with 69% of coverage in mainstream lifestyle and consumer outlets.
• 62 Journalists attended the Wii Fit launch party with 74% representatives from lifestyle or health outlets; on average they stayed for 1.5 hours (far longer than typical consumer launches).
• Key coverage generated from the launch party included CITY-TV broadcast by the station’s health expert; A full-page National Post article that included praise and a feature color image; Canadian Press coverage from an attendee at the launch party that spread to 23 print and online outlets.
• Breakthrough coverage in popular women’s magazines, such as: Flare, Fashion, ELLE Canada, Glow, Wish, Canadian Family and Best Health.
• Within the 6 months, Wii Fit generated 285 stories, maximizing the total reach to 156 million+
• Several top-tier journalists continued coverage and updates, including a popular young female blogger who ran “Wii Fit Diary”.
• Exceeded the MRP goal and costs per reach with a final rating score of 8.0 and a cost-percontact of CAN$0.007.
• Wii Fit sold out on the first day of launch and continuously sold out past October, into the holiday season; Nintendo sold 100% of the products that were shipped to retail markets in Canada from May to October 2008.4
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All data recited from the 2009 CPRS National Awards of Excellence, last section on last page.
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Appendix A
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Media Relations Rating Points Example Chart
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Appendix B
! References !
Anderson, Forrest W., Linda Hadley, David Rockland et al. Guidlines for Setting Measurable Public Relations Objectives: An Update. Institute for Public Relations. September 2009.
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Cruxton, Jenny. Media Relations Rating Points (MRP). Canada: 2011.
Lindenmann, Walter. Guidlines and Standards for Measuring and Evaluating PR Effectiveness. 2003.
McNamara, Pat, Linda Andross, Heather Hopkins et al. 2009 CPRS National Awards of Excellence: Nintendo Wii Fit Media “Wii-lations.” Canada: 2008.
! ! ! Images ! ! !
Top Achievement. Creating S.M.A.R.T. Goals. http://topachievement.com/smart.html.
Wii FIt Media Relations. Media Relations: 77-80.
Page 1: http://www.wii4.us/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/wii-fit1.jpg
Page 2: http://www.gamerparent.net/storage/post-images/Wii-Fit-U.jpg? __SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1379507181106 (Top Right)
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http://media.gamer.nl/site/dump/20131106175118-wiiu_wiifitu_1_imgel01_e3.jpg (Bottom Right)
http://spearwebdesignz.com/game_picker/images/wii_fit.jpg (Left)
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