Alabama Department Of Commerce Issues Advertising RFP

Alabama Department of Commerce has issued an RFP seeking an Integrated advertising and communications firm that will work with the Alabama Department of Commerce (DCOM) and its two divisions, Business Development and Workforce Development to:

• Support the “Made in Alabama” branding to DCOM’s Business Development target audience at the international, national, state and local levels.
• Support the “Made in Alabama” branding strategy for DCOM’s Workforce Development Division.
• Develop a brand-focused strategy for collateral marketing material, print ad units and digital ad elements and provide creative production these elements.
• Provide ongoing development, design and programming of the DCOM website (madeinalabama.com) to provide an ideal space to distribute information, current news from earned media, international interface (Korean, Japanese, German, French, Mandarin and Spanish), relevant statistics for conducting business in Alabama, a regular interface with local economic development organizations and regular technical support and content updates.
• Provide and support a strategic external communications strategy to include media relations and coverage, earned media content, brand journalism, social media channel communications and media support for all DCOM operating units.
• Maximize efficiency by collaborating with the Office of the Governor and the Alabama Industrial Development Training Institute (AIDT) when applicable.
• Perform any other duties as identified by the Secretary of Commerce.

Scope of Work:

1. Media Relations/Earned Media Placement

The media relations and earned media strategy is designed to:

1. Provide continuous support of DCOM’s “Made in Alabama” brand and the related mark to an international targeted audience.
2. Provide a plan and execute a controlled strategic rollout of messaging for DCOM’s economic development strategy across its two divisions: Business Development (Project Management, Trade, Film, Small Business) and Workforce Development (AIDT, Regional Workforce Councils, Apprenticeship Alabama, Programs & Grants, Alabama Workforce Council, Workforce Boards).
3. Execute a brand journalism strategy to include the planning and development of online editorial features highlighting business, industry, workforce, education and lifestyle in the state, maximized for searchability and designed to drive traffic to madeinalabama.com.
4. Maintain and grow a compilation of state, national and international media outlets to pitch.
5. Develop and execute a strategy for use of appropriate social media channels.
6. Assist DCOM efforts with event coordination, community outreach, media relations, press conference planning and press release development and distribution.
7. Develop and professionally execute a monthly external communications plan.
8. Provide management of brand and associated online content.
9. Provide management of social media channels and posting of relevant news on a daily basis.
10. Collaborate with the Office of the Governor to provide consistent messaging and sharing of positive news content about recruitment, retention and renewal efforts.
11. Provide quarterly reports and metrics on earned and unearned media placement.

2. Digital Media / Website

Provide continued development, design, programming, protection and maintenance of DCOM’s website, madeinalabama.com. These efforts to include:

1. Refreshing of news content and brand journalism efforts to create a professional, strong first impression.
2. Provide updated “lifestyle” elements associated with living and doing business in Alabama.
3. Maintain and provide appropriate foreign language landing pages for international visitors in Korean, Japanese, German, French,  Mandarin  and Spanish.
4. Provide features to include business successes in Alabama, benefits of living in Alabama, industry highlights and case studies.
5. Maintain a media portal with high-resolution logos, graphics, photos and b-roll.
6. Interface with local and statewide economic development organizations to create and enhance partnerships.
7. Provide monthly reports on website traffic, metrics and point-of- origin intelligence to further DCOM efforts to prospect its markets effectively. This also includes training of key personnel on the use of analytic tools for custom report application.
8. Maintain and update website external links, departmental information, reference pages and data points as necessary to support the website’s function as a point of reference for economic development in Alabama.

3. Creative Production

Provide creative production of the following:

1. Collateral Material – for digital and print informational material to include:
2. Up to 6 brochures of a two-page design
3. PowerPoint and Keynote templates.

1. Maintain YouTube channel and video for DCOM.  Provide video production services for up to 5 videos of durations ranging from 0:15 – 1:30 and any other videos on a À la carte basis.
2. Provide 3-5 updated print ad units that are versatile and can be repurposed quickly to be included in sponsorships, programs and print and digital media advertising media.
3. Provide two digital website button advertising segments for use in internet web-based advertising.

Due Date:

August 10, 2017

Address:

Greg Canfield, Secretary of Commerce
401Adams Avenue, Suite 670
Montgomery, AL 36104

Education PR firms include Weber Shandwick and Edelman PR.