:

REDIFINING THE
WAY RAMS
DRIVE

Amanda Vargas
Kerri Kirkhuff
Courtney Noonan
Nicole Barton
Torie Hawn
Cami Schan
Natalie Hernandez
Nhung Hong Ta

What is Zipcar?
Zipcar

is a car-sharing
service intended to
provide convenient,
cost-saving, green
rides for its customers.
Join, reserve, unlock
and drive
What will we be
looking at?
Zipcar at CSU

What is the Problem?

1. Poor social media presence.
2. Lack of awareness in town and on
campus.
3. Reputation for poor customer service.
4. Currently no promotional efforts in or
around campus.

PHASE 1: RESEARCH

PHASE 1.1: Research Plan

We

conducted secondary research to

further our knowledge on what Zipcar is
and what its strengths and weaknesses
are.

Research from:
Zipcars own sites
Customer reviews
What the media
has to say

To discover:
Zipcars history
and purpose
Who they most
appeal to
Where/how it is
successful as well
as weak.

PHASE 1.1: Research Plan

Overview of Research Findings

What

is Zipcar?

Worlds largest car

sharing service
To reduce car
congestion and
provide a cleaner
alternative
810,000 members
Covers gas,
insurance, and
maintenance.

Appeal

Millennials
The environmentally
conscious.
Heavily populated
cities, expanding
into them.
New

York City
Boston
San Diego
Denver

PHASE 1.1: Research Plan

Overview of Research Findings

Issues

Described as a money loser.

Consistently described as a company with poor
customer service.

Slow response
Issues with honoring reservations

Poor social media presence

Zipcar

does not utilize the aspects of social media that

would help them connect with potential customers.

PHASE 1.2: Situation Analysis

CLIENT PROFILE
Founded: 2000
Mission: To provide a new car-sharing
service
4 Steps: Join, Reserve, Unlock, and Drive
Locations: USA, Canada, UK, Spain
Target Market: Larger metropolitan areas,
college campuses, separate European
market.

PHASE 1.2: Situation Analysis

ISSUE ANALYSIS
Strengths: rent by the hour, environmentally
friendly. Insurance, maintenance, and gas
included.
Weaknesses: low availability, minimal
presence at CSU specifically.
Opportunities: large expansions underway,
larger success rate if more knowledge is
provided to CSU population.
Threats: substitute products, lack of
reputation, rising fuel costs.

PHASE 1.3: Problem/

Opportunity Statement
Problem:

Despite the two locations

on campus, not many students
know of the Zipcar service that is
available to them.
Opportunity: to improve residents
level of awareness and hike profits.

PHASE 1.3: Problem/

Opportunity Statement
Opportunities

to Improve Awareness:

Improving social media presence.

Promoting availability and convenience of
car sharing on campus.
Catering to university audience.

Promoting

goals and addressing customer

experience can improve Zipcar and
strengthen its presence in Fort Collins.

PHASE 2: PLAN

OUR GOAL
To enhance both an online and oncampus presence at Colorado State
University in order to inspire students to
utilize Zipcars services resulting in
increased profit margins.

PHASE 2.1: Audiences

Primary:
Colorado State University Students
Ages 18-24
Intervening:
- Rocky Mountain Student Media
- The Collegian
- CTV11 News
10,00 copies distributed, over 10,000 website clicks
Prominent voice on campus

PRIMARY AUDIENCE: CSU Students

Objectives:

-To inform 50% of CSUs

on-campus student
community about the
availability of Zipcars in
one academic school
year.
-To persuade 5% of the
informed population to
use a Zipcar during the
academic school year.

Messages:
-

Convenient
Sustainable
Reliable
Hassle-free
Cost-effective

INTERVENING AUDIENCE:
Rocky Mountain Student Media
Objectives:

Messages:

- To bring attention to
Zipcars presence at
CSU through these
outlets.
- Publish at least one
article or news package
for both of our
upcoming events.

-Emphasis on
convenience and
sustainability
- Strengthening on
campus presence
with various events
for students.

Creative Concept
Zipcar:
Redefining the
way Rams
drive

WHY THIS SLOGAN?

Previous slogans did
not target CSU
students specifically.

PHASE 2.2: Action Strategies

CSU PLAZA STAND
First week of school during
the fall semester of 2014

2 days in a row (Tues. &

Weds.)
Informational Videos
Free Zipcar merchandise

Lanyards, lip balm, water

bottles

Extend invite to Fridays

event

First ten people receive

free membership
#CSUZipcar

PHASE 2.2: Action Strategies

TEST DRIVE AROUND THE
OVAL
First Friday of the Semester
Free pizza & beverages
Opportunity to drive
CSUs Zipcars with a
representative
Participants receive 20%
off discount on their first
reservation
#CSUZipcar

PHASE 2.3: Primary Audience

Strategies
Message Strategies
Discussed during our
events, through social
media and flyer
distribution.
Zipcar is an
affordable alternative
to owning a vehicle
and is accessible and
eco-friendly.

Tactics
Face-to-face

interaction

for credibility
Making our presence
known at the beginning
of the year for timeliness
Events affordable for
Zipcar (~$30k)

PHASE 2.3: INTERVENING

AUDIENCE Strategies
Message Strategies
Discussed

via
news releases and
media alerts
CTV & The
Collegian Focus

Tactics
News

Release

Discuss

revamped
website, updated
social media
Test drive event
Media
Email,

Alert

Tweet,
phone calls

PHASE 3:
IMPLEMENTATION

T
I
M
E
L
I
N
E

DATE

DESCRIPTION

OWNER

Aug. 4

Draft news release, sent to

client

Agency

Aug. 5

Make flyers/handouts

Agency

Aug. 7

Distribute

Agency

Aug. 8

News release, final edits

Agency

Aug. 12

News release

Agency

Aug. 14

Draft both media alerts, pitch

for NR

Agency

Aug. 18

Client Final due

Agency

Aug. 19

Final media alerts due

Agency

Aug. 22

Media alert (both events)

Agency

Aug. 25

Media alert pitch in the

afternoon

Agency

Aug. 26

Plaza Event

Agency

Aug. 27

Plaza Event

Agency

Aug. 28

Media alert

Agency

Aug. 29

Pitch (in the morning) and Oval

Event

Agency

Item

Number
of Items

Cost per
Item

Total

Sponsore
d Credit

Video:
Editing
Shooting
Writing/production
Staffing event

$7,300

N/A

5 people/day

Editing: $250/hr. (10 hours)

Shooting: $1600/day (2
days)
Writing/production:
$160/hr (10 hours)
$100/hr/person

$6000

N/A

Rental of big screen

2 (1/day)

$450/hr

$5400

N/A

Interactive wheel game

2 (1/day)

$25/hr

$300

N/A

News Release (includes

drafting, edits, postage
and client approval)
Media Alert (includes
drafting, edits, postage
and client approval)
Giveaways: lanyards

$100

$300

N/A

$50

$150

N/A

1,000 (500/day)

$7.50/dozen

$625

N/A

Giveaways: water bottles

1,000 (500/day)

$3.00

$3,000

N/A

Giveaways: sunglasses

1,000 (500/day)

$7.50/dozen

$625

N/A

Giveaways: Chapsticks

1,000 (500/day)

$.85

$850

N/A

$7.00/t-shirt

$700

N/A

Giveaways: t-shirts

100 (50/day)

Giveaways: 10% discount

couponspaper costs

1,000
(500/day)

Donated

Coupons on behalf of ZipCar

Equipment rental and

Plaza rental (includes
tables and chairs)
Posters

2
(1/day)

Free if registered with Slice

Office

50

$.58

$28.69

N/A

Banner

$1000

$1000

N/A

Ten

2 (1 per day)

$200/day

$400

N/A

Total: $26,678.69

Plaza
Event

B
U
D
G
E
T

Item

Number
of Items

Cost
per
Item

Total Cost

Gas and cleaning for cars

2 cars

$50/car

$100

N/A

Refreshments: Pizza and

drinks

50 pizzas

Donated

500

$.10/copy

$50

Donated on
behalf of Pizza
Casbah
N/A

$150/day

$150

N/A

500

$.10/copy

$50

N/A

$100

$300

N/A

8 people

$100/perso
n/day

$2400

N/A

$50

$150

N/A

Waivers: copies
Speakers
Fact Sheet: copies
News Release (includes
drafting, edits, postage
and client approval)
Staffing the event
Media Alerts (includes
drafting, edits, postage
and client approval)

Sponsored Credit

Total: $3,200.00
GRAND TOAL: $29,878.69

Oval
Event

B
U
D
G
E
T

PHASE 4: EVALUATION

PHASE 4.1: Evaluation

Primary Audience Output & Outcome

Output

Measurements:

People

who signed up for the Oval event

Distribution of free gifts during Plaza event.
Voluntary email survey through CSU directory
Outcome
Number

Measurements:

of people who made new memberships for Zipcar

at CSU during the school year.
Increase in social media following by CSU students

PHASE 4.1: Evaluation

Intervening Audience Output & Outcome

Output

Measurements

Collegian

analytics of people who viewed the article

Review the number of publications that report on Zipcar
during the school year & individual events
Number of written & televised stories about Zipcar

SUMMARY

Focus on Zipcar at CSU

Addressing the problem of lack of recognition within

the CSU community.
With some tactics, we hope to be able to improve
awareness and hike profits for Zipcar.

We will do this primarily through our events one at

the CSU Plaza and the following one at the oval.
We will accomplish this secondarily through forming
and maintaining relationships with CSU student
media.

Articles and news releases

PROBLEMS ADDRESSED
1) Minimal awareness
at CSU.

1) Plaza Event puts name

out

2) Promotions offering

2) Money loser
3) Low social
networking presence
4) Poor customer
service.

discounts and free

memberships will increase
memberships and usage

3) -Revamped website
-Incorporation of
hashtags and Like Us on
Facebook
4)Work on customer
service on local level

THANK YOU!

REDIFINING THE WAY RAMS

DRIVE