The MSU Riley Center is requesting a vendor to provide services for the purpose of marketing, advertising and promoting its events, facilities and services. The Riley Center offers a wide variety of performing arts events through ticket sales, conference, meeting space and services and educational experiences and services for local and regional schools. Last year, the MSU Riley Center brought in 63,510 visitors to our building, attending 624 meeting, conferences and social events. Over 24,322 people attended performing arts events, including almost 7,000 children, teachers and parents. The number of people attending events in downtown Meridian totaled almost 87,800 through the business activity of the MSU Riley Center.
Background:
Mississippi State University (MSU) is a comprehensive land grant university of 21,500+ students and approximately 5,000 faculty and staff. The main campus is located adjacent to the community of Starkville in northeast Mississippi, with a remote campus located in Meridian with an enrollment of around 700 students.Scope of Work:
A creative services provider submitting a proposal must be prepared to function as an extension of the staff of the MSU Riley Center. A prospective creative services provider must be able to demonstrate and document expertise and experience in the following areas: 1) High-level, broad-based public relations and marketing skills. 2) Current knowledge of classical and popular music (including country, soul/R & B, rock and jazz), dance, and theater, including children’s theater. The MSU Riley Center staff takes the lead in booking performances, but it relies on the creative services provider to knowledgeably contribute to staff discussions concerning potential artists for upcoming seasons. 3) Familiarity with the live entertainment preferences and attendance habits of the East Mississippi region. 4) Familiarity with local and regional media – broadcast, print and online.ACCOUNT SERVICE
Account executives, designers and other personnel would need to visit the MSU Riley Center several times a week to attend regularly scheduled meetings as well as to present artwork, deliver materials to and from vendors and clients, and otherwise facilitate the operations of the center. Because of the center’s lean staffing, the creative services provider staff must be flexible, going beyond rigid job descriptions to pitch in whenever and wherever needed in order to accomplish the center’s mission.Required services would include:
- Exist as an extension of the Riley Center staff being reachable and accessible in a short time frame and accessible in a short time frame that is within 30 minutes to an hour on any given business day and should at a minimum attend performances and events at the MSU Riley Center in order to understand the services and products the Center offers.
- Attend weekly staff meetings at the MSU Riley Center to discuss marketing ideas, artist selections, review comps, review Daktronics boards, T.V. monitors as well be involved on any other related topics.
- Coordinate and carry out all media buys related to both performing arts, conferences/meetings and education.
- Write and distribute press releases for each show.
- Coordinate with artist agents for artist interviews.
- Coordinate with artist agents to secure photography and approval of collateral materials.
- Provide photography for events, press conferences, personal appearances by artists, meetings/conferences brochures and other promotional and marketing purposes.
- Assist Riley Center Staff, when needed, to coordinate all printing services.
