Fashion Institute of Technology Issues Marketing RFP

Fashion Institute of Technology, located in New York has issued an RFP for a firm able to do Strategic marketing Communications: Media Planning, Buying, Analysis.

Purpose:

1. The ad agency will develop a media strategy and creative for advertising in print, digital, broadcast, and social media, and purchase and analyze media in support of the college’s various marketing priorities.

The firm will accomplish this by:

• Regularly monitoring, researching, and reporting on marketing opportunities for paid media in traditional and non-traditional outlets
• Developing and implementing a media strategy and detailed plans per target for the college to support the campaigns
• Supporting creative executions and production for each campaign/target including developing visuals, writing ad copy and designing paid media
• Negotiating rates and purchasing media on the college’s behalf
• Monitoring ROI and providing regular reporting on all paid media.

Background:

1957. Founded by a group of industry members to promote education for the fashion and apparel profession, the Fashion Institute of Technology (“FIT”) opened its doors to 100 students in New York City in 1944 as a post- WWII technical institute. By 1951, FIT had evolved into an associate-degree-granting community college of the State University of New York, becoming accredited in 1957.

FIT has long since expanded on its legacies of creativity and innovation, broadening its areas of study and expertise to include advertising, marketing communications, cosmetics and fragrance marketing, film and media, fine arts and illustration, interior design, and toy design. Serving approximately 10,000 students annually, FIT offers 48 majors leading to the AAS, BFA, BS, MA, MFA, and MPS degrees, and has expanded internationally with locations in Florence and Milan, Italy and Korea. FIT infuses every career-centric major with a comprehensive liberal arts education, providing students an extraordinary opportunity and capacity to excel in their careers within the intensely competitive global marketplace.

• FIT Mission

FIT prepares its students for professional excellence in design and business through rigorous and adaptable academic programs, experiential learning, and innovative partnerships. A premier public institution in New York City, FIT fosters creativity, career focus, and a global perspective, and educates its students to embrace inclusiveness, sustainability, and a sense of community.

1. The vision, goals, and strategies articulated in FIT’s strategic plan, “2020: Our Legacy, Our Future,” (fitnyc.edu/strategicplan) include a conscious sharpening and provides a refresher of the college’s identity in order to support the continued work to build a strong and powerful brand. According to the plan, thoughtful and creative attention to strengthening FIT’s brand will enable the college to achieve its vision of global recognition and acknowledgement of its special strengths and character.
2. In September 2012, President Joyce F. Brown announced an initiative to revisit FIT’s strategic plan. An 18-member planning council-with representation from across the FIT community-was charged with developing that plan. As a result, a refreshed mission, vision, and strategic plan were adopted and approved by FIT’s Board of Trustees on September 25, 2013.

Integral to the plan was the charge that FIT’s brand and image reflect the institutional goals and be defined and strengthened by them. In 2014 , President Brown convened the Brand and Image Consortium to create an updated and clearly articulated brand.

The consortium’s deliverable, an updated brand architecture, was presented to the planning council and in town hall meetings in May 2015, providing a foundation for unified, internal and external brand positioning and messaging, further informing FIT marketing communications strategies.

The consortium’s work identified the need to develop comprehensive brand messaging, design, and a creative campaign for the college, with specific plans for a range of constituents. Based on the consortium’ s work, the new brand will clarify and enhance institutional positioning among myriad constituent groups.

1. Having completed this first phase, FIT is now working with a strategic marketing and branding firm to produce strategies and related activities for developing and marketing the renewed FIT brand.

Concurrent with this work, the college is conducting comprehensive market research of a number of target audiences including prospective students, influencers, industry, and alumni. FIT is also working with a design firm to develop a new creative positioning to reflect the brand strategy. This look and feel will be an essential visual reference in the creation of materials across all marketing communication channels.

This project will yield a brand position for the college, institutional and programmatic marketing plans, proof points, and messages that will enhance institutional positioning among myriad constituent groups and broaden the college’ s reputation with local, regional, national, and international audiences.

1. FIT seeks an advertising agency to create advertising campaigns and develop a media buying strategy to reflect and support the marketing and branding plan. We seek to engage with a variety of constituencies, including prospective students and their adult influencers, non-traditional continuing education and transfer students, credit and non­ credit course takers, industry, donors and supporters, alumni, educational leaders, museum attendees, and the general public. This will be accomplished by developing institutional marketing communications strategies, as well as specific campaigns per audience.

One aspect of FIT’s reputation as a sophisticated design school demands that advertising be visually compelling and not “typical” within the realm of college recruitment marketing materials.

Scope of Work:

Part 1: Media, Planning, Buying, and Analysis

1. Research, evaluate and recommend all media opportunities
2. Develop media placement recommendations throughout the year to support:
   • Brand and image campaigns and advertising to enhance the college’s reputation to a range of audiences
   • Increase the number of students taking courses through the Center for Continuing and Professional Studies
   • Enhancement of inquiries and quality of graduate school applicants
   • Traditional undergraduate recruitment activities
   • Support marketing efforts for The Museum at FIT
   • Campaigns in support of special programs, lectures, seminars, etc.
3. Recommend how to best use the following marketing channels per audience:
   • Print advertising
   • Outdoor advertising (bus, subway, etc)
   • Online advertising (online advertising, email marketing, etc.)
   • Google key word, SEM and SEO
   • Facebook, Twitter, and all other social media
   • Direct marketing (print and online)
   • Online ad networks
   • Buying media and mailing lists
   • Broadcast media (television, radio, podcasts, etc.)
   • Special events
   • College guides and higher education publications
   • Trade opportunities as they relate to FIT’s programs
   • ” Product” placement of FIT in the media
4. Track effectiveness and ROI on all activities and provide regular and detailed reports on all integrated marketing efforts.
5. Stay ahead of trends in social media marketing and make regular recommendations for incorporating all such platforms into any marketing plans and activities.
6. Manage supplied and purchased email lists and develop, send, and track outbound email marketing campaigns if required.
7. Recommend institutional inquiry tracking and fulfillment procedures.
8. Assist in conducting market research, focus groups, or developing surveys.
9. Provide account services management including (but not limited to):
   • Reports of campaign activities and costs upon request
   • Schedules of production work per campaign

Part 2. Produce advertising for media placement

1. Design, write, and create direct consumer promotional materials including both print and online advertising, postcards and direct mailers, from concept through production as needed to:
   • Support the brand and image campaigns and advertising to enhance the college’s reputation to a range of audiences
   • Increase students in the Center for Continuing and Professional Studies
   • Support traditional undergraduate and graduate recruitment activities
   • Support marketing efforts for The Museum at FIT
   • Campaigns in support of special programs, lectures, seminars, etc.
2. Direct all photography, illustration, etc. as needed to execute creative
3. Direct and/or partner in the creative, as requested, on projects related to recruitment communications but not directly involving the agency (e.g., production of a CD or video).

Proposal due on June 5^th, 2017 to:

SUNY College at Purchase

735 Anderson Hill Rd

Purchase, NY 10577

PR firms who may be a fit for this assignment include Alison Brod Communications and PR, as well as Hunter PR.