Wednesday, May 1, 2013

That Indian Drink

Public Relations Proposal

Presented by: Park Avenue Public Relations

Maria Van Buskirk
Kelsey Novak
Matthew Stenberg
Julia Vagnoni
Danielle Zickl

Contact Us:

mstenberg@ithaca.edu
knovak1@ithaca.edu

Table of Contents
Executive Summary...2

Evaluation...23

Situation Analysis...3

Timetable...24

Objectives...9

Budget...26

Target Audience...11

Meet Our Team...27

Target Media...15
Strategies and Tactics...16

Executive Summary
That Indian Drink is a locally based company that prides itself on the quality of its product. Using their own ethnic

background, they have created yogurt drinks with flavors found nowhere else on the market. They seek to gain loyal
customers from all backgrounds, from the college student to the working parent, the food obsessed to the health
conscious senior. Currently, the product is being sold in several states but the company wishes to expand its West coast
market. They have also sought out larger retailers in the hopes that gaining their respect will then trickle down into
smaller retailers.

While we admire their determination in gaining national recognition, we believe that focusing all of our efforts on one major
city (San Francisco) will provide many more benefits for That Indian Drink in the long-run. In the same way that they have

been hoping for a trickle-down process in their retailers, focusing on one large city will trickle down to smaller surrounding
cities and eventually out to other large cities.

Being a small company, the advertising budget is non-existent, and our team hopes to address that issue using the cost-

effective yet powerful outlets of social media. A strong online presence will do a world of good for That Indian Drink, using
their own website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Youtube, and the blogosphere we hope to reach a much wider audience and
gain loyal customers.
We, here at Park Avenue PR would like to thank That Indian Drink for their time and willingness to work with us. A special
thank you to Amrit, Ipshita and Nayyir for meeting with us and providing a clear vision for this campaign. We look forward to
working with you in the future.

Situation Analysis
Current Situation
That Indian Drink, though locally based has found a national audience. It is

currently being sold in several states across America but wishes to gain more

sales on the West coast, specifically in San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, which
are highly-sought niche markets. Marketing is a difficult task for That Indian

Drink as they do not wish to connect themselves to one sole feature of their

product, but would prefer to be marketed as their own entity, a completely new
option on the market that consumers have never experienced before.

Situation Analysis
Press
Currently, there is not much information, good or bad, about That Indian Drink

online. There are a few articles about tastings at different conventions and one

from Wooster University discussing the new product being sold in an on-campus
store. In order to achieve more recognition, That Indian Drink needs a much
stronger presence online, things produced by the company itself and written
about the product by satisfied consumers.

Situation Analysis
Research
Park Avenue PR has performed an informal survey to provide insight into That
Indian Drinks current situation and its potential in the future. This survey was
distributed through several social media outlets and the results are as follows:

Total Number of Respondents: 46

State
California
Connecticut
Georgia
Illinois
Massachusetts
New
Hampshire
New
Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
Washington
Wisconsin

Number of
Respondents
1
4
1
1
2
1
3
12
17
3
1

Situation Analysis
Research (contd)
Of the 46 respondents, 23 drink yogurt-based drinks or pre-packaged
smoothies.

Of the 46 respondents, 13 have heard of That Indian Drink.

8 respondents have had That Indian Drink before

Only 3 of our respondents shop at Greenstar, which is understable given that

it is a New York based store.

16 of our participants shop at Whole Foods.

36 of our participants are willing to try new and relatively unknown products,
a promising statistic for That Indian Drink.

39 of our respondents were female

39 of our participants were 17-20

Competitor Analysis
Stonyfield: Stonyfield smoothie drinks are organic, and larger in size than That

Indian Drink. However, health-wise they serve up 100 more calories,30 g sugar, 40 g
carbs per serving. As well as concentrated fruit juice/puree, pectin, and added
vitamin D3. Stonyfield is sold nationally with plenty of press coverage and
advertising. Their current price is $3.99 for 4 bottles.

Siggi: Siggi is an Icelandic Yogurt founded and operated by a native Icelander.

Their bottles are about half the size of That Indian Drink, but are nutritionally

competitive. Siggi is currently sold nationally in Whole Foods, and have press
available online but with no advertising.

Dahlicious Lassi: Dahlicious Lassi is competitive in size and ingredients, though

they are slightly less natural. They are currently being sold for $23.88 per box of 12.
Lifeway Kefir: Lifeway Kefir is competitive in size, and nutrition, but their

ingredients are much more processed. Currently they are being sold for $3.50 per
32 oz. bottle with press available online.

SWOT Analysis
Strengths:

Threats:

-Unique

-Siggis

-Passion behind Product

-Lifeway Kefir

-Healthy

Weaknesses:

-Dahlicious Lassi
-Stonyfield

-Growing number of yogurt-drink brands

-Does not wish to be linked with one specific trait

Opportunities:
-Social Media

-Capitalize on Americas growing health-focused citizens

-Trader Joes as possible retailer

-Already sold in Whole Foods, a huge National Market

Objectives
At Park Avenue Public Relations, the constructed plan for That Indian Drink is designed to achieve the
following objectives:

To increase awareness of That Indian Drink

To develop That Indian Drinks brand voice

That Indian Drink is a start-up with a good product that relies on in-store sampling to raise
awareness and drive sales. We aim to make consumers more aware of the products distinct
attributes. That Indian Drink embodies unmatched flavor combinations that are a good source of
dietary fiber, includes antioxidants from fruit, and medicinal properties of spices. In order to develop
brand voice it is essential to convey the message that the brand is light-hearted and loves to make
the consumer laugh.
To communicate That Indian Drinks brands value and individuality.
That Indian Drinks unique blend of fruits and spices has not yet been matched in the yogurt
industry. In a society that is so health-aware, it is crucial to communicate the products use of natural
and healthy ingredients.

Objectives (Contd)
To convey That Indian Drinks brand message consistently to the target audience.
In order to consistently convey the brand message we will utilize all forms of communication and
various media outlets.
To focus strictly on one geographic area such as San Francisco.
By focusing primarily on one geographic area, our efforts can be used effectively to increase the
brand popularity in one specific location and hopefully migrate to surrounding cities (other West
Coast metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle)
To utilize costeffective social media outlets instead of advertising
To increase awareness for That Indian Drinks 5K in San Francisco and give people opportunity to
volunteer at the event.
The 5K will be a prime opportunity to increase product awareness among health oriented
consumers.
To communicate That Indian Drinks genuine Indian flavors and spices.
That Indian Drink does not contain any preservatives or artificial ingredients. The product is made
with spices and whole fruit, which contributes to its delicious taste. By effectively communicating
these product benefits, we aim to create a unique cultural experience for the buyer.

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Target Audience
Park Avenue PR understands That Indian Drinks desire to reach an audience that includes:
o Adults who lead healthy and active lifestyles
Park Avenue PR is targeting men and women between the ages of 18 and 34 years old who already consume portable
drinks like smoothies and juice, and who usually eat yogurt products on a regular basis. This includes college students,
people who are usually on the go, and men and women (middle-aged and older) who are looking for healthier
beverage options.
o Mothers and Wives
Park Avenue PR is targeting females between the ages of 20 and 44 who go grocery shopping for their families.
Research has shown that women are more interested in purchasing yogurt products, so they may buy That Indian
Drink not only for themselves, but also for their children and husbands who will then find it readily available in their
refrigerators.
o Men
Park Avenue PR is planning to introduce more men in the San Francisco area to That Indian Drink so they will buy the
product on their own, rather than women buying it for them. Studies have shown that men are least likely to buy yogurt
products on their own, so it is important that men of all ages are included in the target audience.

11

Target Audience Profiles

Meet Jessica, Joe and Emily
Jessica, Joe and Emily are students at Stanford. They are

actively involved in their college community and enjoy taking

care of themselves by exercising regularly and making healthy

eating choices. Out on their own for the first time, they are
finally making their own shopping decisions and are always
willing to try new products.

12

Target Audience Profiles

Meet Hannah
Meet Hannah, a 30 year old

Mother of 3. Hannah leads a busy

life and places her familys well-

being above all else, she is looking

for something healthy and

refreshing to have on hand for

them between school and practice

but before dinner.

13

Target Audience Profiles

Meet Ryan
Meet Ryan a 35 year old executive. Still a bachelor, Ryan is looking
to take care of himself with as little effort as possible. He prefers
cooking to involve only the microwave and frequently goes out
for meals to avoid cooking for himself. He is turning over a new

leaf and putting down the beer for healthier options but he needs a

little help finding these products that taste great but are nutritionally
fulfilling, as well.

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Target Media Outlets

Media relations is an integral part of this public relations campaign. It is important to spread
awareness of That Indian Drink through media. Here are examples of media
outlets that Park Avenue PR would like to reach:
Local Newspapers
San Francisco Chronicle
SF Gate
Radio
KQED Public Broadcasting
KUSP Public Radio
KZSU Stanford Universitys radio station
KSFS San Francisco State Universitys radio station
Television
KQED Public Television
Blogs
Bay Area Bites

15

Strategies
-Focus on Healthy Heritage (Blogs)
-Social Media Campaign
-That Indian Drink 5k
-Awareness on College Campuses
-Contact Local Bay Area Media
Outlets

16

Tactics
Focus on Healthy Heritage Via Blogs
Delish.com (MSN) is a food review section of MSN, they review products daily and to be featured on
this site would gain a great amount of awareness for the brand
Bess Be Fit- young personal blogger who reviews products and does giveaways to her over 1000
regular readers
Itzys Kitchen-mother, personal blogger also reviews and does giveaways to her over 2000 regular
readers
Fit Bottomed Girls- written and maintained by a group of women (wives, mothers,students) who enjoy a
healthy and active lifestyle, read by nearly 30,000 people regularly. To be featured on this website
would be INCREDIBLE publicity at an unbelievably low cost;contact editorial, sponsored options are
available
Serious Eats- a massive food blog that is able to be sorted by type of food or city location, getting a
review on this site would mean an increase in awareness of the brand as well as the possibility of
increase in social media; does not guarantee review but does guarantee tasting and will review their
favorite products
The Nibble-an online gourmet food magazine

17

Tactics
Press kit articles:
Sample of each flavor
Background on company
List of places sold
Company Goals

Video of behind-the-scenes for making the product (as short as a minute)

18

Tactics
Social Media Campaign
Twitter
o Their Twitter has 35 followers. Since the use of social media is extremely powerful, it is important to take full advantage of Twitter.
Communication with others and the promotion of a product comes at no cost. Tweeting about the 5k race would be beneficial to drum up
participation. When people sign up for the 5k race, it will be mandatory to follow @ThatIndianDrink. This Twitter handle will have all of the
information about the race, so it is essential to follow it and keep updated on what is going on. Twitter users may retweet That Indian Drinks
tweets and spread awareness to their followers. We are hoping to get 100 Twitter followers by the end of the year.
Facebook
o On Facebook, That Indian Drink has 347 likes. Facebook is also an important free communication tool. The Facebook page will also keep the
5k entrants updated on crucial information, so it will be necessary for them to like That Indian Drinks Facebook page upon entering the race as
well. Our goal is to increase That Indian Drinks Facebook likes from 347 to 600 by the end of the year.
Pinterest
o Pinterest is a photo-sharing website where users pin pictures and recipes to individual online pinboards. That Indian Drink would benefit from a
Pinterest because it is a free and easy way to spread awareness of this product, as well as awareness of Indian cuisine and culture. Pinterest
users who are interested in Indian culture and yogurt-related products will find and pin That Indian Drinks posts and share it with friends and
followers.
Tumblr
o That Indian Drink could also make a Tumblr account. Tumblr is a blogging website where users can post pictures, text posts, and videos to
their own blogs. If That Indian Drink created a Tumblr, people who were invested in being active, on the go, Indian culture, and yogurt-related
products could search these tags and find out more about That Indian Drink. People who are excited about the 5k race could write about it on
their Tumblr blog or put video footage of the race on their blog and their followers will then be aware of That Indian Drink.

19

Tactics
San francisco 5k
-Put on in July, on a weekend$5,000 for site rental, t-shirts, food, security, etc

-Partner with Whole foods in order to get people excited and to educate them about
the healthy product and the Indian culture

-Register for the tournament online, must like or follow TID on social media

-Entry for the run is completely free, and the winner of the race will receive an
opportunity to cook with TID

-All participants will receive a free t-shirt for participating

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Tactics
Raise awareness in bay area colleges
Stanford Healthy Taste of Stanford

The Healthy Taste of Stanford would be a great event for That Indian Drink to get involved in! It features Stanford-approved sustainable food
vendors and showcases Stanfords Neighborhood Market, The Market and Munger and the Russo Caf. People walk around and can enjoy free
sample-sized portions of food, as well as receive healthy recipes and meet local vendors. Last year the fair was a great success while people
received new healthy recipes and enjoyed free samples of cooked and packaged foods provided by over 20 vendors. The event takes place on
Wednesday May 1, 2013 at 11:00am.

Contact hospitalityevents@stanford.edu.
Wellness Fair

BeWell is proud to host Stanfords 9th annual Wellness Fair on Thursday, April 18th at the Arrillaga Center for Sports and Recreation from

10:30am to 3pm. This event would be a great opportunity for That Indian Drink to increase brand awareness among college students, and
faculty and staff of the university. Its the 9th annual Wellness Fair so this event is clearly a success at the school.

Contact jbsexton@stanford.edu
San Francisco State UniversitySustainable Fashion, Food, and Fun!

On behalf of San Francisco State University's Center for Ethical and Sustainable Business, please join us April 19 at the SF State Downtown
Campus for an evening of celebration with Bay Area professionals, influencers and enthusiasts. Kicking off the evening is a runway
fashion show at 7 p.m., featuring looks from ethical clothing retailers BeGood Clothing and Wildlife Works, with hair and makeup
sponsored by Dreamgirl Makeup Institute. VIP ticket holders have access to the pre-show reception with models and designers at 6 p.m.
Following the show, all guests enjoy a festival of deliciously sustainable food and wine, as well as the chance to shop for the looks seen
on the runway ... and more!
Contact mba@sfsu.edu

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Tactics
Contact local media outlets
Park Avenue PR recommends contacting local media outlets in and around San Francisco. Local websites are the most visited sites in
every market, and provides brands the opportunity to connect with the local community. Utilizing local media outlets will ensure that
That Indian Drink is seen by people in the target market.
KQEDs public media food blog: Bay Area Bites

Park Avenue PR suggests submitting an informative article to Bay Area Bites about That Indian Drink and its unique attributes.

Bay Area Bites is an aggregated food blog part of KQEDs interactive media platform. Contributors are responsible for their own

content, which enables you to compose an article that contains everything you want the public to know about That Indian Drink. If
interested in writing a blog all you must do is email cooking@kqed.org with the idea. BAB bloggers are culinary and media

professionals, food writers, filmmakers, and cookbook editors. Many have local food blogs of their own. Blogger profiles are online so
that readers can learn more about each BAB contributor. There is a Chef blog section as well, which would be a perfect spot for Chef
Ipshita Pall to submit the article.

SF Gate: San Francisco Bay Area

The SF Chronicle and SF Gate have partnered with Zevents in an effort to offer the Bay Areas most comprehensive entertainment

listings, both in print and online. Zevents gives the public the opportunity to submit their own listings to sfgate.com, which will then be
considered for publication in the Chronicle. Park Avenue suggests entering the 5K event into Zvents. All you must do is go to

events.sfgate.com and open a free account. Click on add a listing to fill out the event entry form. We recommend entering the event
at least three weeks in advance of publication in order to be considered for inclusion in The Chronicle. This will help build further
awareness for the 5K.

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Evaluation
Surveys

Simple 3 question surveys will be distributed after the 5ks samplings and at all food
fairs to gauge peoples reaction to the product and their willingness to buy it in the
future.

Media Outlets

We will gauge the success of our media outlet campaign through the impressions
for each individual outlet.

Social Media Campaign

We will gauge the success of our social media campaign simply on increased likes
on Facebook and followers on Twitter.

Healthy Living Blogs

We will evaluate the success of our efforts with healthy living blogs not only by the
bloggers review of the product but also on the number of regular readers of the
blog.

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Timetable
June-july
-Prepare for 5K

-Develop Facebook page/ Twitter handle to promote 5K

- Include link to That Indian Drink Facebook page and Twitter account, make it mandatory for all 5K competitors to like the
Facebook page and follow the Twitter account.
-Contact your city or county government event office and find out what permits are necessary to set up a 5K route. Your
city or county contact will help you with street closings, police officers, barricades and other logistical matters as well as
getting your route approved
-Map your route
-Solicit sponsors. Find local businesses and groups to sponsor your event, which will help defray costs and also help you
promote your 5K run. Your best bets are businesses along the race route, as well as those affiliated with your race's cause
(if you have one).
-Acquire volunteers to run registration and help along the course. The event needs portable toilets, water, and post-race
food and drinkthis is when That Indian Drink samples would be distributed.
-Publicize the event
-Contact SF Gate to submit event listing.
-Reach out to large colleges such as Stanford, San Francisco State University, and University of San Francisco, to promote
the event around campus

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Timetable
August-September
Create Pinterest account
Create Tumblr account

Reach out to blogs recommended in tactics.

October-november
-Contact Bay Area Bites
-Write article
-Submit

Contact Stanford college about taking part in:

-Healthy Taste of Stanford (May, 1st)
-Wellness Fair (April, 18th)

-Sustainable Fashion, Food, and Fun! (April, 19th)

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budget
5k-$5,000
-$2,000 for Site Rental

-$1,000 for Food/Samples

-$1,000 for Security
-$1,000 for T-Shirts

Food Fairs-$300
-$150 for Samples

-$150 for Materials for Booths

Press kit-$1,000
-$200 for Samples

-$300 for Printing Costs

-$500 for Behind-the-Scenes/Making Of

Video

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meet our team

Danielle Zickl
Danielle Zickl is a sophomore Writing major with a minor in
Integrated Marketing Communications. She comes from Macungie,
Pennsylvania.On campus, Danielle works at the fitness center, has
contributed to Ithaca Colleges Imprint magazine, ICTVs show
called Backstage Comedy and is a member of the Writing for
Production Association. She stays active by riding horses, running,
and going to the fitness center when shes not working.

Matthew Stenberg
Matthew is a Junior Sport Media major with a Marketing
minor. He is from Norfolk, Virginia, and enjoys the warm
climate.Matthew works on both Ithaca Colleges Radio and
Television stations in the sport department as an on air talent,
but he also does a great deal of production. He stays active
by playing on the schools club golf team, as well as going
through hikes in the gorges.

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Meet our team

Kelsey novak
Kelsey is a Sophomore Television-Radio major with a Media
Production concentration and a double minor in Psychology
and Integrated Marketing Communications. Kelsey works
on ICTVs student produced TV show, The Directors

Chair. She stays active by going for runs when the weather
permits and going to the Fitness Center at least once a day.

Julia Vagnoni
Julia is a Sophomore Integrated Marketing
Communications major and Art History minor that loves to
be active in the Ithaca community and around campus. She
works for Ithaca College Television on a TV show called
The Screening Room. She is a also swim instructor for the
Ithaca Youth Bureau every sunday where she teaches little
children the fundamentals of swimming and being active in
the water.

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Meet our team

Maria van buskirk
Maria is a Sophomore Integrated Marketing Communications major and
Journalism minor at Ithaca College. Maria is the secretary for Ithacas
Society of Professional Journalists chapter, a news reporter for Ithaca
Colleges television show Newswatch16, and a fashion reporter for
Entertainment16.

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Appendix
Survey results
1.) Do you drink portable yogurt-based drinks or pre-packaged smoothies?
YES= 23/46
NO= 23/46

2.) Have you ever heard of That Indian Drink?

YES= 13/46
NO= 33/46

3.) Have you had That Indian Drink?

YES= 8/46

NO= 38/46
4.) Do you shop at Greenstar?
YES= 3/46

NO= 43/46

A-1

Appendix
Survey results (contd)
5.) Do you shop at Whole Foods?
YES=16

NO=30
6.) Are you willing to try new and relatively unknown products?
YES=36

NO=8
7.) What advertising method are you most susceptible to when making
purchases?

TV COMMERCIALS=15

PRINT ADS (Magazines,Newspapers,Flyers)=2

BILLBOARDS,BUS STOPS=0

PROMOTIONAL OFFERS (Coupons,Sales,Free Samples)=27

a-2

Appendix
Survey Results (Contd)
8.) Which gender do you identify with?
MALE=7

FEMALE=39

9.) Where are you from (State)?

For results, please see the table on page 5 of the proposal

10.) How old are you?

UNDER 17=1
17-20=39
21-35=5
35-50=0

OVER 50=1

a-3