Buckeye Bullet Campaign Strat

Problem Statement:

1.      The Buckeye Bullet team lacks significant media relations, avid student involvement, general public awareness and consistent support.

Goal Statements:

·         Reputational Goals:

o   Generate publicity for the Buckeye Bullet team.

o   Create a positive public image with a consistent message which promotes the team mission statement.

o   Increase public awareness of team accomplishments, the 2012 event, and the VBB3 objectives.

o   Increase public acceptance of speed-racing, electric vehicles, and future technologies.

·         Relationship Management Goals:

o   Enhance communication efforts with current publics to strengthen relations.

o   Generate relationships with new publics to increase public support.

o   Optimize public relations by discerning characteristics and needs of key publics.

·         Task Management Goals:

o   Attract students to OSU Engineering programs and the Buckeye Bullet team.

o   Increase funding by soliciting support among key publics such as students, potential sponsors, and other donators.

o   Impact public perception about the future of electric vehicle technologies and OSU’s involvement.

Situation Analysis

The Buckeye Bullet Team and its Mission

The Venturi Buckeye Bullet team is a student-managed racing division of the Ohio State University Center for Automotive Research, located at 930 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH. The foremost mission of the Buckeye Bullet program is to provide unique engineering challenges, as well as valuable hands-on research and design experience for students, in order to develop some of the best young engineers in the world. The Bullet Team is dedicated to promoting and representing  their sponsors professionally and with the utmost integrity, with the goal of bringing together great minds and the latest technologies to produce the most technologically advanced EV possible.

Guiding Principles
From the beginning, the BB team has been based on a few core principles. One of the most important is that the program will adhere to the strictest safety standards at all times. It was decided early on that if the program couldn’t be conducted safely and with only the smallest possibility of injury or death, then it wouldn’t be conducted at all. Also, as part of this commitment to safety, it was decided that professional drivers would pilot the car instead of any student team members.
Another guiding principle is the team’s commitment to being directed by OSU students with guidance and assistance from the faculty and staff of CAR.. Since the program is almost exclusively student-run, it presents ample opportunities to teach more than just engineering concepts. The team members are responsible for aspects such as budgeting and sponsorship building and maintenance, as well as learning effective management skills.
Pre History: 1994 - 2001
The Bullet team was established in 2001, at the same time that another Center for Automotive Research EV race team, the Smokin’ Buckeye, was coming to a close. The Smokin’ Buckeye was a Formula Lightning class electric racer which was powered by two large banks of lead-acid batteries. That car closely resembled the larger and more powerful open-wheeled Formula 1 cars. The Formula Lightning series was established in 1994 and open only to Colleges of Engineering in the United States. All of the rolling chassis purchased by the teams were identical, but it was up to each team to design their own optimized electric drive system to achieve the highest speeds. The Smokin’ Buckeye dominated the series from 1994 to 2001, winning more than half of the races they entered and capturing virtually all of the championship races. Although OSU left the series in 2001, Formula Lightning continued on until 2004, in which year it ended.

The concept for the Buckeye Bullet land speed racer was born out of a simple question. Just how fast can an electric vehicle go?

Formula Lightning cars could achieve speeds upwards of 150 mph for limited amounts of time before their lead-acid battery banks would have to be changed out. Lithium-ion cells were also available at the time, and had higher energy densities and efficiencies than the more common lead-acids, but they were still a relatively young technology and prone to instability and catastrophic failure when under heavy load. The development of stable and even more efficient lithium-ion batteries in the late 1990s and early 2000s signalled the beginning of a time when designers could start to consider storing and releasing ever greater amounts of electricity. The possibility of building a land speed racer capable of speeds greater than 300 mph was recognized early on by the soon-to-be-retired Smokin’ Buckeye team members, and the research and design of what would become the Buckeye Bullet began even before its predecessor was officially ended. As the story goes, the first design sketches for the Bullet were made on a dinner napkin in one of Columbus’s chain restaurants.

History: 2001 - Present
Research and design on the Buckeye Bullet 1.0 began in 2001, and a goal of achieving 300 mph was set. Two and a half years later the BB1.0 made it’s first appearance at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah and exceeded its goal by reaching a top speed of 321.8 mph.
Immediately after the team achieved its goal in 2009, they swapped out the hydrogen fuel cells for a new, more powerful and efficient set of lithium-ion batteries and re-christened the car VBB2.5 in order to reflect that a new power supply and engine had been added to the tried-and-proven frame/body combination, as well as to recognize that a significant contribution of technology and support had been made by the Venturi company and its owner, Gildo Pastor.
Presently, the Bullet team is in the process of beginning the construction of the VBB3.0, another totally new streamliner being designed from scratch by the student team members. The VBB3.0 is expected to top 400 mph in August, 2012. In doing so, the team will not only establish another definitive world land speed record, but will have the distinction of designing an electric vehicle that can compete directly with land speed racers powered by piston combustion engines.
Personnel: The Key Players
The Buckeye Bullet program is overseen and guided by Dr. Giorgio Rizzoni, Director of the Center of Automotive Research. Dr. Rizzoni has an extensive background in the auto industry and is especially passionate about the Bullet program.

Daivd Cooke is a senior engineering student and the current team leader. He has held the position for the past 3 years.

Cary Bork is a grad student and lead designer in charge of Aerodynamics, and RJ Kromer is a grad student and the Electronics Systems Lead.

Gildo Pastor is the colorful owner of Venturi Automobiles. He is a millionaire with connections to Monaco royalty, the European auto inustry, and the Formula 1 racing circuit. Like Dr. Rizzoni, Mr. Pastor is very passionate about the VBB program.

Roger Schroer is the team’s driver since 2004. He is a professional test driver and driving instructor with the Transportation Research Center, located near East Liberty, Ohio, as well as an amateur road racer.

Public Relations/Awareness and Media Exposure

Up to this point, the Bullet program has existed with little-to-no public awareness outside of the somewhat rarefied environment of automotive enthusiasts, land speed racing buffs, and anyone with a particular interest in EV (electric vehicle) technology. For a time, the team accepted the so-called public relations services of Louise Noeth, a freelance journalist who goes by the nickname Landspeed Luoise and who has written an extensive history of the SCTA’s annual land speed trials held at the Bonneville Salt Flats, along with a history of land speed racing in general. Ms. Noeth’s contributions mainly consisted of writing press releases around the time of SCTA SpeedWeek in late August.

The OSU College of Engineering Communication Office helps to maintain a number of websites dedicated to the Bullet program and CAR, but at present has no centralized website that ties the all of them together in an orderly manner. The Bullet program’s web presence could realistically be described as scattered and sporadic, featuring Wikipeida entries for the team and cars, a Facebook page, and a blog or two, (currently not being updated regularly due to the lack of racing).

A couple of the team’s sponsors have produced long-form videos that feature the world record attempts at Bonneville, and the Discovery Channel sent a crew to document the 2010 season’s world record setting run. Up to this point, the program produced has seen little air time. Most, if not all of the videos featuring the Bullet team are available on Youtube, but there’s no effort to drive potential viewers to the site in order to view them.

SWOT Analysis
Strengths

• OSU Reputation
• The Ohio State University is already an internationally recognized name. Even if, for some, the Buckeye name is primarily associated with the athletic department, the majority of the public is familiar with OSU as a prominent and grand University.    
• The team has been using “Buckeye Bullet” for several years (this version will be the fourth vehicle sporting the name) so the name has some existing recognition in the racing community.  
• Team Dedication
• The Buckeye Bullet project is a full-time job for several of its members. Team leaders admit to working 40 to 60 hours weekly in addition to maintaining full-time student status and paying jobs. Some members sacrifice class attendance to work on vehicle.
• Team Experience and History
• The team enjoys an extensive and impressive history, beginning in 1994 with “The Smokin’ Buckeye”. Since then, the team has solely or collaboratively built several other electric vehicles, from motorcycles to buggy racers, with various engine fueling methods.  
• Competition Minimal
• The team is competing for speeds so high that few have challenged our target record - 400 mph. The speed-racing community is primarily an elite and rare crowd of innovative engineers, and a great deal of resources, planning, and determination are required to succeed - only 6 people in history have reached the target speed.
• Venturi Partnership
• The BB3 project is part of a larger campaign by Venturi Automobiles, a French company owned by Gildo Pastor, who is a charismatic leader and passionate innovator. The campaign, called “Jamais Contente”, means “Never Happy”, indicative of the campaign’s mission to push the limit of technology above and beyond. Each element of the campaign focuses on a different aspect of electric propulsion technology - the BB3, for instance, as a speed-racer, is testing torque.
• Venturi’s plans to open a plant in Columbus, OH by 2013 is indicative of the company’s support and investment in the BB3.
• Lithium-Ion Battery-powered Engine
• Currently, Lithium-Ion batteries are the most efficient and promising type available - with the fastest charge time, and smallest environmental impact, the team used A123 System’s Li-Ion batteries to power the engine of the Buckeye Bullet 2.5, and plans to do the same for the BB3. In particular, A123 Systems claim their batteries are 4 times more thermo-dynamic than other brands’.
• Local Resources
• The OSU Center for Automotive Research has been an essential partner in the Buckeye Bullet team, providing several importance resources for the team including simulations and collaborative research efforts. The multi-faceted and well-established program is a major element of the team.     

Weaknesses

• Inconsistent PR
• The team has never intentionally solicited media-attention, save for a few press releases. The website, blog, and other online materials have been negligibly managed, thus, they are inconsistent in style, tone, and layout. Only a small group of people are aware of the project; fewer have been active participants.  
• Low Man-power
• Each student-member is expected to be as dedicated to the team as possible, but participation after graduation is unlikely, so the turn-over rate is high. A lack of long-term commitment weakens team unity and limits individual impact.
• Inconsistent Sponsors
• Currently sporting over 30 logos, the BB3 relies on donations from various sponsors that provide an array of parts and other resources for the vehicle, but team loyalties are unsecured - throughout the years, many sponsors have been inconsistent, occasionally undependable, and potentially contracted on a whim.
• OSU Engineering Program Popularity
• The OSU Engineering Program is overshadowed by the grand statuses of the Fisher College of Business and Medical Center. Engineering is perceived as a very difficult and intense major, and there are several “more exciting” majors to choose from at OSU. The size of OSU and amount of diverse activity there, weakens the College of Engineering Program’s representation.
• Funds
• The team budget is 3-4 million dollars for the whole project, and only a few thousand will be allocated for PR purposes. Part of the budget comes from investment companies that depend on stockholders’ interests, as well as some that donate parts directly - so the above measure may not be indicative of actual expenses.
• Race Location
• The actual race is held at the Bonneville Salt Flats, UT, too far from OSU to expect a large student section to actually attend.

Obstacles

• Distinguishing BB3 Team Achievements
• No matter how powerful the Buckeye Spirit may be, the range of innovative and revolutionary accomplishments in which to boast about is daunting for students; it may be difficult to impress a student body that has been desensitized by extraordinary feats; in turn, the buzz among students is unlikely in terms of OSU-related material. It will be an obstacle generating excitement among students, especially during football season.
• Recruiting Team Members
• The team is a close-knit group, and their established history and extreme goals may deter students who may be anxious about joining, especially the younger crowd, who may be intimidated or unsure about the levels of competence required.
• Recruiting future team members shall be a multi-faceted, long term obstacle, as the future of  technology becomes more complex, the challenges more inventive, and the youth remains unmotivated or disinterested.
• Generating Hype for 1-time Event
• Save for tweets and posts on the web, a following may be difficult to maintain, or even generate, since the race is a one-time event. It will be an obstacle creating an effective build-up with routine and adamant updates with significant break-through material.  
• Securing Funds
• In seeking additional support to ensure a complete and smooth execution of the project, and it may be an obstacle soliciting more money and donations from skeptical sponsors or half-hearted partners who have restrictive or maxed-out budgets.
• It will be an obstacle evaluating prospective alliances and verifying current partnerships.  
• Attracting Spectators
• It will be an obstacle attracting spectators in general, but it shall be a greater challenge in reaching the team’s prime audiences.
• It will be an obstacle soliciting widespread media attention to ensure optimal coverage among various channels for maximum exposure.    
• Emphasising Academics and Research Innovation
• Expressing the team’s mission accurately will be an obstacle; it may be difficult in emphasizing the importance of academics and research as the prime elements of the project and balancing the sport and competition elements.
• It may be an obstacle generating meaningful connections and positive perceptions among publics that are uncertain about the educational value of the project.   

Threats

• Overshadowing by Other Events
• The event may be forgotten, overlooked, or dismissed by the public in response to unplanned events, natural disasters, main-stream television premiers and finales, sports tournaments, and other distractions to inadvertently interrupt potential attention.        
• Team Injury
• The amount of risk involved in building, testing, and actually racing the vehicle is quite significant and poses a potentially fatal threat to the safety and security of the team. There is a threat of engine combustion, poor implementation, insufficient testing, system glitches, and many other physical factors which challenge the safety of the project.    
• Belief in Abuse in Technology/Resources
• The team may fail in convincing the public of the true educational values and academic agenda for which the project entails, successfully. There is a threat of public criticism from those perceiving the team to be misusing resources, and from those who are skeptic about the practicalities such a project.
• Negative Association with Nascar
• The team has potential to be perceived as a mere racing team; just another sport offered at OSU. This threat may compromise the teams desired reputation and discredit their advanced and scholarly objectives if a mental image of Nascar is rendered and such associated stigmas arise.
• There is a threat that the team image will be subjected to stereotypes associated with Nascar, “tech-geeks”, and/or “math nerds”.
• Oil company Involvement
• There is a threat of opposition from various groups whose levels of concern will be determined by the unforeseen public perception of the team’s image.
• There is a threat that the team may be projected as revolutionary and powerful environmentalists, evoking the attention of oil-companies and other high-stake holders who may perceive the project as a potential threat.  
• Electric Vehicle Myths
• There is a threat that publics who, for whatever reason, are positioned against electric vehicles will fail to recognize the improvements, changes, and possibilities of electric technology. There is a threat that the battery technology being used will be indistinguishable from that of others’; several battery types have been known to produce harmful emissions and hazardous waste, and publics may fail to recognize the difference.

Research Findings

People to adopt new technology(s)

When the question was asked, “What influences people to adopt new technology,” the importance of values came into play.   This study looked at two different types of values: the values of cognition of need and values of the relative worth.  According to this research, “The value of an information system or technology is based in large part on a user’s actions, and in turn those actions are informed by the values that the user prioritizes” (Isomursu, 2010).  When it comes to technology, value is the foundation of a user’s action.  An individual’s actions are based on their values and what they perceive as important in life.  When deciding whether or not technology is important, people consider an object’s usefulness and what it means to them psychologically.  Therefore, the technologies that are of high value and high usefulness are more likely to be adopted quickly and become significantly important to an individual.  Conversely, technology that is considered to be of a low value will be adopted at a slower rate and will eventually be discarded.  With that said, individuals have values that help guide them through life and make most of their decisions.  Users experience the value of technology by using a product.  The more a product is used the more significant that particular item will become.

The buckeye bullet team is in need of recognition and support from different types of individuals, such as outside sponsors, fans, and volunteers. This is a crucial step in gaining awareness for the Buckeye Bullet and helping the organization achieve its goals.  People who deem the project as useful and important and more likely to volunteer their time or dedicate their time or knowledge and/or promote the project.  In order to persuade people to view the project as important, messages developed must relate to the values of the publics.

Get involved in organizations

This study examined what motivates students to become involved with volunteer organizations.  They discovered the number one motivator for student’s is that they enjoy helping other people.  Additional reasons cited by students were as follows: in order to feel personal satisfaction, in order to improve the community, and in order to improve society as a whole.   Finally, participating in volunteer work enhances student’s life skills development, academic development, and perception of civil unity.       

Taking this study into account, it is important for our team to communicate to our publics that the introduction of the electric car has be ability to improve the wellbeing of society by improving the state of the environment. Targeting publics that are interested in helping society will allow us to gain the support of these potential volunteers.  Perspective volunteers who are particularly interested in societal issues are likely majoring in the area of Social Science, such as psychology or sociology. Also, students majoring in environmental science or related fields are likely to volunteer their time.  In order to target these individuals, it is crucial to communicate the significance of volunteering as an undergraduate and as a citizen.

Electric Vehicles Integrated In Current Markets

This article discusses California and France as two regions that are dedicated to promoting the use of electric cars (EVs).  When California used CARB (California Air Resources Board) in attempt to promote electric cars, the public’s reaction was a mixture of disapproval and enthusiasm.  The mandates were ZEV that requires car manufacturers to sell and produce a specific amount of low-emission vehicles.  In 1995, the Asilomar conference on sustainable transportation energy strategies concluded that progress is only possible when technologies are good and nearly based on transparent technology.  Transparent technology involves a small amount of change or no change in the perceptions of consumers. The Asilomar Conference developed a second conclusion stating that suburbanization is unlikely to be reversed.  According to the article, there has been a lot of opposition towards electric vehicles.  Individuals have claimed that driving EVs can change peoples driving skills based on charge time and run time, in turn causing more inconveniences to the consumer.   

France’s strengths lie in the technology projects that are sponsored by the Government and intended for the public’s usage.  On the other hand, the United States technological consumer-oriented products are favored.  France and its technological advancements demonstrate a compromise between government and industry that is not seen in America.

This article is an analysis of California and France’s efforts to obtain citizens’ acceptance of electric vehicles.  Implementing and learning from some of their strategies will help us to develop an effective campaign for the Buckeye Bullet.  Because California was one of the first states to show support for electric vehicles, it may be beneficial to solicit alliances or sponsors with connections to California and the promotion of electric vehicles.  Also, it may be beneficial to persuade California’s two largest major automobile manufacturers, Honda and Toyota, to become invested in the Buckeye Bullet project.

According to the article, a successful promotion of privately owned electric vehicles in the United States requires that citizens are not forced to changed their lifestyles.  As seen in the past, inconveniences to consumers caused by electric vehicles will likely cause them to reject the new technology.  Lastly, much of the opposition of electric vehicles in France has been due to their usage of nuclear energy.  Therefore, the On Thursday June 23, the group conducted an in-person interview with a representative from the Buckeye Bullet Team, David Cooke.  Mr. Cooke revealed much about the history of car building at the Ohio State University, as well as the current condition and future goals of the organization.  First, Mr. Cooke described OSU’s long-rooted history in speed car building, which spans several decades.  In recent years, OSU’s engineering department partnered their efforts with Venturi Automobiles, an Italian company with experience in building electric cars.
Mr. Cooke went on to outline the goals of the Buckeye Bullet team, the most important of which are as follow: to increase public awareness for the both the vehicle and the organization through effective public relations, and to build the fastest wheel-driven vehicle in the world.  The team will debut the Buckeye Bullet 3 at speed racing week at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah next summer.  There, they hope to reach an average speed of 400 MPH, an achievement that would not only make the Buckeye Bullet 3 the fastest wheel-driven vehicle in the world, but also put electric cars in direct competition with combustion engine cars.

Currently, the team has no consistent public relations strategy primarily due to a shortage of workers and finances.  This is because the organization largely relies on 20 student volunteers who lack the time, money, and expertise needed to develop an effective public relations campaign.  However, the team is willing to set aside a small portion of their multi-million dollar budget for public relations initiatives.  Although Mr. Cooke could not say for sure how much money the team would be willing to spend in the PR department, he did say that it must be a minimal and reasonable expense.

In discussing potential publics, Mr. Cooke defined a few particular groups that he believes should be targeted.  They are as follows: OSU students and prospective students (especially those interested in the engineering program),  “tech geeks”, elementary students, and race enthusiasts.  Specifically, our group is interested in targeting OSU students and race enthusiasts.  First, in order to target OSU students, we must first attain information about what interests and motivates them.  The method we will use to answer these questions will be a survey of 50 random OSU students.  The survey (listed below) uses a series of open and closed ended questions revolving around extra-curricular involvement.

campaign should emphasize that the Buckeye Bullet uses Lithium-ion batteries rather than nuclear energy.

Demographics of OSU students and incoming freshmen

In considering the demographics of OSU students, there are many statistics to consider.  Overall, it was revealed in the article “Quick Facts” that there are 41,000 undergraduate students enrolled at the Ohio State University as of 2009.  Approximately 52% were males.  In terms of of geographic diversity, every state is represented, although the majority of students came from Ohio (82.2%) and nearby states, specifically, Pennsylvania, New York, Illinois, and Michigan” (Undergraduate Statistics, 2009).  85% of the incoming freshmen were ranked in the top 25% of their high school class.  Engineering is the 4th most popular undergraduate major with about 6,000 students enrolled.

With this information two key publics can be established.  One public is high school students who are considering OSU and the engineering program. Specifically, it may be effective to target Ohio teens, since over 80% of OSU’s student body comes from Ohio. A second public is students currently enrolled in the engineering program.  If even a fraction of the 6,000 undergraduate engineering students can be persuaded to join Buckeye Bullet team, the organization would benefit greatly.

Primary Research Plans

STUDENT SURVEY

What is your age?  _____

What is your sex? (Please circle)   M    F

What is your rank? _____

What is your major?  ________________________

What is your minor?  ________________________

Do you belong to any student clubs/organizations on campus?  (Please circle)


Yes                               No


If you answered “yes”, please list them below:


_______________________________                                       _______________________________



_______________________________                                        _______________________________

       

_______________________________                                        _______________________________

How did you hear about the organizations you became involved in? (Circle all that apply)

Internet                               Word-of-Mouth                             

Involvement Fair                Other

If other, please explain:  _____________________________________________________________________

What motivated you to become involved with the organization(s)?

If you do not belong to any clubs/organizations on campus, why not?   (Circle all that apply)

Don’t have time                  Nothing interests me                    

None interest me               I don’t know           Other

If other, please explain: _____________________________________________________________________

Do you participate in any volunteer groups on or off campus?

Yes                           No

If you answered “yes”, what volunteer organizations do you belong to? (Please list them below)

_______________________________                                        _______________________________



_______________________________                                        _______________________________

How did you hear about the volunteer organizations you became involved in? (Please circle all that apply)

Internet                               Word-of-Mouth                             

Involvement Fair                Other

       

If other, please explain:  _____________________________________________________________________

What motivated you to become involved with the volunteer group (s)?

       

In general, how interested are you in cars? (Please circle one)

        Not Interested                    Somewhat Interested        Very Interested                 

In general, how interested are you in electric cars? (Please circle one)

Not Interested                    Somewhat Interested        Very Interested     

In general, how interested are you in new technology? (Please circle one)

       

Not Interested                    Somewhat Interested        Very Interested     

In general, how important is the environment to you? (Please circle one)

        Not important                     Very Important                  Very important

Have you ever heard of the Buckeye Bullet? (Please circle one)

                            Yes                       No

Have you ever heard of Venturi Automobiles?

                                Yes                           No

SWOT Analysis
Strengths

• OSU Reputation
• The Ohio State University is already an internationally recognized name. Even if, for some, the Buckeye name is primarily associated with the athletic department, the majority of the public is familiar with OSU as a prominent and grand University.    
• The team has been using “Buckeye Bullet” for several years (this version will be the fourth vehicle sporting the name) so the name has some existing recognition in the racing community.  
• Team Dedication
• The Buckeye Bullet project is a full-time job for several of its members. Team leaders admit to working 40 to 60 hours weekly in addition to maintaining full-time student status and paying jobs. Some members sacrifice class attendance to work on vehicle.
• Team Experience and History
• The team enjoys an extensive and impressive history, beginning in 1994 with “The Smokin’ Buckeye”. Since then, the team has solely or collaboratively built several other electric vehicles, from motorcycles to buggy racers, with various engine fueling methods.  
• Competition Minimal
• The team is competing for speeds so high that few have challenged our target record - 400 mph. The speed-racing community is primarily an elite and rare crowd of innovative engineers, and a great deal of resources, planning, and determination are required to succeed - only 6 people in history have reached the target speed.
• Venturi Partnership
• The BB3 project is part of a larger campaign by Venturi Automobiles, a French company owned by Gildo Pastor, who is a charismatic leader and passionate innovator. The campaign, called “Jamais Contente”, means “Never Happy”, indicative of the campaign’s mission to push the limit of technology above and beyond. Each element of the campaign focuses on a different aspect of electric propulsion technology - the BB3, for instance, as a speed-racer, is testing torque.
• Venturi’s plans to open a plant in Columbus, OH by 2013 is indicative of the company’s support and investment in the BB3.
• Lithium-Ion Battery-powered Engine
• Currently, Lithium-Ion batteries are the most efficient and promising type available - with the fastest charge time, and smallest environmental impact, the team used A123 System’s Li-Ion batteries to power the engine of the Buckeye Bullet 2.5, and plans to do the same for the BB3. In particular, A123 Systems claim their batteries are 4 times more thermo-dynamic than other brands’.
• Local Resources
• The OSU Center for Automotive Research has been an essential partner in the Buckeye Bullet team, providing several importance resources for the team including simulations and collaborative research efforts. The multi-faceted and well-established program is a major element of the team.     

Weaknesses

• Inconsistent PR
• The team has never intentionally solicited media-attention, save for a few press releases. The website, blog, and other online materials have been negligibly managed, thus, they are inconsistent in style, tone, and layout. Only a small group of people are aware of the project; fewer have been active participants.  
• Low Man-power
• Each student-member is expected to be as dedicated to the team as possible, but participation after graduation is unlikely, so the turn-over rate is high. A lack of long-term commitment weakens team unity and limits individual impact.
• Inconsistent Sponsors
• Currently sporting over 30 logos, the BB3 relies on donations from various sponsors that provide an array of parts and other resources for the vehicle, but team loyalties are unsecured - throughout the years, many sponsors have been inconsistent, occasionally undependable, and potentially contracted on a whim.
• OSU Engineering Program Popularity
• The OSU Engineering Program is overshadowed by the grand statuses of the Fisher College of Business and Medical Center. Engineering is perceived as a very difficult and intense major, and there are several “more exciting” majors to choose from at OSU. The size of OSU and amount of diverse activity there, weakens the College of Engineering Program’s representation.
• Funds
• The team budget is 3-4 million dollars for the whole project, and only a few thousand will be allocated for PR purposes. Part of the budget comes from investment companies that depend on stockholders’ interests, as well as some that donate parts directly - so the above measure may not be indicative of actual expenses.
• Race Location
• The actual race is held at the Bonneville Salt Flats, UT, too far from OSU to expect a large student section to actually attend.

Obstacles

• Distinguishing BB3 Team Achievements
• No matter how powerful the Buckeye Spirit may be, the range of innovative and revolutionary accomplishments in which to boast about is daunting for students; it may be difficult to impress a student body that has been desensitized by extraordinary feats; in turn, the buzz among students is unlikely in terms of OSU-related material. It will be an obstacle generating excitement among students, especially during football season.
• Recruiting Team Members
• The team is a close-knit group, and their established history and extreme goals may deter students who may be anxious about joining, especially the younger crowd, who may be intimidated or unsure about the levels of competence required.
• Recruiting future team members shall be a multi-faceted, long term obstacle, as the future of  technology becomes more complex, the challenges more inventive, and the youth remains unmotivated or disinterested.
• Generating Hype for 1-time Event
• Save for tweets and posts on the web, a following may be difficult to maintain, or even generate, since the race is a one-time event. It will be an obstacle creating an effective build-up with routine and adamant updates with significant break-through material.  
• Securing Funds
• In seeking additional support to ensure a complete and smooth execution of the project, and it may be an obstacle soliciting more money and donations from skeptical sponsors or half-hearted partners who have restrictive or maxed-out budgets.
• It will be an obstacle evaluating prospective alliances and verifying current partnerships.  
• Attracting Spectators
• It will be an obstacle attracting spectators in general, but it shall be a greater challenge in reaching the team’s prime audiences.
• It will be an obstacle soliciting widespread media attention to ensure optimal coverage among various channels for maximum exposure.    
• Emphasising Academics and Research Innovation
• Expressing the team’s mission accurately will be an obstacle; it may be difficult in emphasizing the importance of academics and research as the prime elements of the project and balancing the sport and competition elements.
• It may be an obstacle generating meaningful connections and positive perceptions among publics that are uncertain about the educational value of the project.   

Threats

• Overshadowing by Other Events
• The event may be forgotten, overlooked, or dismissed by the public in response to unplanned events, natural disasters, main-stream television premiers and finales, sports tournaments, and other distractions to inadvertently interrupt potential attention.        
• Team Injury
• The amount of risk involved in building, testing, and actually racing the vehicle is quite significant and poses a potentially fatal threat to the safety and security of the team. There is a threat of engine combustion, poor implementation, insufficient testing, system glitches, and many other physical factors which challenge the safety of the project.    
• Belief in Abuse in Technology/Resources
• The team may fail in convincing the public of the true educational values and academic agenda for which the project entails, successfully. There is a threat of public criticism from those perceiving the team to be misusing resources, and from those who are skeptic about the practicalities such a project.
• Negative Association with Nascar
• The team has potential to be perceived as a mere racing team; just another sport offered at OSU. This threat may compromise the teams desired reputation and discredit their advanced and scholarly objectives if a mental image of Nascar is rendered and such associated stigmas arise.
• There is a threat that the team image will be subjected to stereotypes associated with Nascar, “tech-geeks”, and/or “math nerds”.
• Oil company Involvement
• There is a threat of opposition from various groups whose levels of concern will be determined by the unforeseen public perception of the team’s image.
• There is a threat that the team may be projected as revolutionary and powerful environmentalists, evoking the attention of oil-companies and other high-stake holders who may perceive the project as a potential threat.  
• Electric Vehicle Myths
• There is a threat that publics who, for whatever reason, are positioned against electric vehicles will fail to recognize the improvements, changes, and possibilities of electric technology. There is a threat that the battery technology being used will be indistinguishable from that of others’; several battery types have been known to produce harmful emissions and hazardous waste, and publics may fail to recognize the difference.    

Target Public :  Sponsors

Sponsors of the Buckeye Bullet program are a key audience because they provide the team with important resources such as funding, research and academic support, vehicle equipment, and other technological systems. These companies wield a great deal of power over the ultimate success of the team. The Buckeye Bullet program depends on several third-party contributions to ensure an adequate budget and sufficient materials. It is imperative that the team secure sponsorships as well as retain strong alliances with several reputable companies, particularly focusing on those that may be able to provide the most crucial types and amounts of resources.

According to the Buckeye Bullet team leaders, current sponsors are numerous, but most have met their limit for allowing contributions. The team wishes to secure new long-term and committed partnerships with distinguishable and sizable companies which compliment their current sponsors. Partnering with fewer highly-engaged sponsors, rather than several smaller sponsors will ensure a more manageable and consistent support system. Thus, partnering with a widely-known corporation will require a narrow focus and tailored solicitation.

Traditionally, most sponsors have been associated with the automobile industry; contributions have been material as well as financial. Securing a partnership with a company not part of the auto-industry to provide funding that is strictly financial may provide more flexibility in allocating resources and managing expenses. A familiar face could also enhance the team’s image and will increase the variety of public involvement. In addition, avoiding industry-related companies will appease Venturi, who is the most prominent sponsor since the VBB3 is in fact, an element of their larger campaign.

The sponsors being targeted shall be headquartered in Columbus, OH, locally employ a significant amount of people and not be explicitly related to the auto industry. These companies will already be familiar with OSU as a powerful establishment, and recognition of the possible benefits in forming a partnership with OSU may already be conceived. Some companies which may be worth contacting include Limited Brands Ltd., Nationwide Insurance Co., and White Castle Management Co., and American Electric Power. Targeting companies currently allied with OSU may increase the likelihood of success; Nationwide Insurance Co. is, in fact, the current official sponsor for OSU athletics.

Objective 1: Awareness

To have an effect on the awareness of local non-industry related companies; specifically to generate comprehension about the Buckeye Bullet program and their technological achievements. (Reach 80% of selected companies by September 2012.)

 Objective 2: Acceptance

To have an effect on the acceptance of local non-industry related companies, specifically to maximize interest in Buckeye Bullet sponsorship opportunities. (Reach 50% by December 2012)

 Objective 3: Action

To have an effect on the action of local non-industry related companies; specifically to generate favorable responses from each company (2 companies by June 2012)

Strategy 1: Inform targeted publics about the VBB3 by promoting attendance to the 2012 racing event, emphasizing OSU’s involvement.

v Send formal and informal invitations to the event accompanied by informative literature to corporate employees located in Columbus to introduce the VBB3 and encourage spectators.

Tactics

v Create flyers and posters that informally invite Columbus to “See How Fast” we will be at the race in Bonneville.

· Distribute them to company offices and post them around the vicinities.

· Dominate the focus of flyers with an ambiguous image of the vehicle, making “streamliners” appear sleek like a torpedo, long like a train, and futuristic like a spaceship – arousing interest in those who have never seen such a vehicle [recently]. “You wanna see how fast that thing can go?”  

·  Describe the event details such as time and place, but remain vague about other details to arouse interest in finding out more; avoid positions which could evoke controversy such as environmentalism or the oil crisis in the minds of public.

v Design informal invitations to mail to individual employees at their offices (send to a percentage of the highest paid employees)

· Use blind-mailing and personalize each according to company

· Use an enthusiastic but serious tone implying that there are indeed tons of people [from the area] attending, that the event is comparable to a festival of sorts

· Suggest “green” methods of transportation such as carpooling; provide coupons for RV rentals

· Indicate an opportunity to save money multiple admissions for family and group deals

· Insert a brief survey in a sweepstakes mail-in for a chance to win tickets to select OSU events

§ Survey shall be educational but include elements of goof to be enjoyable and absolutely memorable; “goof” shall be employed as a heurism to be enacted at a later date

§ Survey shall be used in evaluation methods

v Send formal invitations to the race offering complete accommodations to the major executives of corporations (top 5 per corporation).

· Insist the gesture was made for the purpose of generating a strong association between the BBT and Columbus in general.

· Make them formal, personal, sincere, and seemingly exclusive

v Accompany all invitations with comprehensive informational literature insertions.

· Pamphlet/brochure style in multi-dimensional mailers

· Use distinguishing and sharp colors and styles to break through the clutter of OSU literature whilst promoting the glory of OSU sports and “Buckeye Nation”

· Include details about Venturi coming to Columbus insinuating the magnitude which the project has already entailed.

· Encourage public to visit BB3 website blatantly and often

§ Link shall be monitored to measure responses

§ Website shall strongly encourage visitors to join a mailing list that will also be monitored.

v Target a total of 8 companies.

Strategy 2: Create effective, tailored sponsorship packets, titled “See How Fast We Can Be! You & BBT Program”

v The team will target corporate executives by providing attractive incentives for getting involved by designing tailored sponsorship packets and other communicative efforts.

Tactics:

v Research sponsorship histories, pre-existing alliances, the accounts of, and psychographics of the most prominent executives and identify any patterns, inconsistencies, or foul play.

v Monitor news and media coverage of each company to ensure messages are appropriately chosen

· Remain alert and look out for opportune moments to make contact.

v Hire a team of writers and graphic designers to construct packets soliciting sponsorship and mail them directly to appropriate departments.

· Customize packets, creating 4 different versions to corresponding with each of the following companies:

§  Nationwide Insurance, Limited Brands, American Electric Power, and White Castle.

· Use each company’s own mission statements and other symbolic cues as the foundation for design patterns, information presentation order.

§ Mimic power-word choices, emphases, and other design features.

§ Tailor each packet seamless enough to appear generic.

v Indicate a number of possible, hypothetical, and real-life examples of incentives to partner-up.

· Emphasize the amount of philanthropy, resources, and alliances of OSU, assuring that they are “good for their money”.

§ Claim OSU to be certainly the most prominent symbol representing Columbus, and also largely influential to the entire state of Ohio.

· Nationwide Insurance: indicate potential to attract a large number of car and race enthusiasts in need of insurance, particularly collision coverage; mention their name in the packet in thanking existing OSU sponsors

· Limited Brands: emphasize improving and representing Columbus; mention the number of OSU graduates who end up working there; mention the right to use VBB3 images/graphics as a sponsor.

· American Electric Power: indicate the fast-approaching future of electric vehicles and the potential to dramatically increase sales; emphasize ‘electric power’ in all literature; mention Columbus’ welcoming of Venturi autos.

· White Castle Co.: emphasize the number of students at OSU who will be seeing their logo; suggest the team could be eating their food at the race and would receive significant exposure.

· Packets shall be mailed no later than February but should be timed strategically.

§ Avoid mailing packets around the holidays unless the economy is in a unique and advantageous state, or the corporations are.

· Follow-up communication efforts will consist of automated e-mails attempting to confirm receiving the packets; re-sending materials may be necessary; it may be necessary to send materials to multiple departments of the corporations and possibly to the home addresses of certain employees.

Strategy 3: Persuade the corporations to donate by sending explicit requests.

v The team will establish direct and persistent communication with the corporation executives and deliberately request funding by ethical but persuasive negotiation tactics and use of news media.

Tactics:

v Prepare a news release to announce the racing event and send it to Ohio newspapers (for immediate release).

· Carefully imply having a shortage of funds and describe team fund-raising efforts.

v Prepare a news release announcing the [anticipated] completion of the VBB3 and send to Ohio newspapers (to be released in December)

· Explicitly mention the team’s efforts and interest in partnering with Columbus corporations

· Craft a quote to be approved by Gordon Gee in which he shall promote corporate sponsorship, the Columbus community, OSU as being in a positively ground-breaking state and direction, and corporate social responsibility (CSR).

· Indicate the current state of desperation and imply a certain level of disappointment in the lack of Columbus support

· Include a great deal of environmentalist-related emotional appeals

· Name drop key corporations if necessary, exercising caution.

· Be prepared to share with specific sponsorship targets if a reporter requests to follow-up

v Craft four different tailored, undated, and hypothetical news releases and mail them directly to corporate executives as teasers (to be released indefinitely but sent to corporations in June 2012)

· Announce OSU accepting a grant from that company as well as the newly-formed alliance.

· Release shall be professionally written and realistic enough to be submitted to media.

· Craft undeniably favorable quotes to be potentially approved by targeted CEOs.

§ Quotes shall acknowledge undeniable, absolutely agreeable, and legitimate reasons for choosing to partner with OSU

· Tone of news release shall comply with the agendas of the corporations.

· Release should be crafted to generate cognitive dissonance in the corporate executives if they were to ignore the underlying request; it shall tempt the companies with quality media exposure and enticing PR.

§ It shall include additional news elements that are likely to tempt reporters to write feature stories about the corporation and enhance their reputations.

· News release shall demonstrate an aspect of Bernaysian manipulation: Media involvement shall not be indicated; targets shall be mindful about the power of news media

v Accompany mock news releases with an official letter requesting partnership.

· It shall be direct in nature, but friendly and casual enough to reduce any perceptions of coercive threats.

· Reiterate several messages which were used to target them in sponsorship packets in a sincere manner.

· Make a promise to negotiate if necessary

· Include inserts for direct donations and list exclusive contact information.