UNC Greensboro Issues Marketing RFP

UNCG is seeking a marketing, public relations and communications partner to help University Advancement and other organizations within the university proactively, effectively and energetically drive a creative campaign in order to recruit donors to fund over 40 naming opportunities for the currently under construction Nursing and Instructional Building.

Background:

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), also known as UNC Greensboro, is a public coeducational and Research university in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. However, UNCG, like all members of the UNC system, is a stand-alone university and awards its own degrees. UNCG is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award baccalaureate, masters, specialist and doctoral degrees. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate, 61 master’s and 26 doctoral programs.[8] The university’s academic schools and programs include the College of Arts & Sciences, the Joseph M. Bryan School of Business & Economics, the School of Education, the School of Health and Human Sciences, the Joint School of Nanoscience & Nanoengineering (one of the first such schools in the nation), the School of Music, Theatre & Dance, the School of Nursing, Continual Learning, Graduate School, Warren Ashby Residential College and Lloyd International Honors College. The university is also home to the nationally renowned Weatherspoon Art Museum, which features one of the largest and most impressive collections of modern American art in the country.

The university holds two classifications from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, as a “research university with high research activity” and for “community engagement” in curriculum, outreach and partnerships.

Scope of Work:

The awarded agency will demonstrate the creative ability, tactical and strategic insight and attitude, energy, enthusiasm and commitment required to be an effective partner for UNCG and University Advancement as the University enters a bolder era of marketing and public relations under its refreshed brand. The awarded agency will prove objectively and subjectively that they have the talent, resources, relationships and expertise required to target and engage a spectrum of prospects ranging from individual donors to large corporate entities.

TASKS:

1. Strategic Positioning Consulting Work with University Advancement to develop strategic positioning and messaging platforms for the naming campaign. Participate directly in helping University Advancement define its campaign in alignment with the University’s new brand pillars and strategic plan, develop messaging tools, generate materials for fundraising activities, and drive a clear, cohesive and compelling narrative to amplify visibility, awareness and favorability among a range of potential donors.
2. Public Relations
3. Strategic planning
4. Build personalized, sophisticated messaging that can be used in various channels including print pieces, earned media, social media and paid traditional media to geo-target key audiences through timely/relevant channels to drive awareness, create an emotional connection and educate on key actions
5. Create messaging to drive interaction and build excitement through sharing relevant content and providing opportunities to interact with the programs/services
6. Develop a concrete social media strategy using tools like: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram
7. Marketing Plan Agency will develop a marketing plan for the overall fundraising naming campaign in alignment with the University’s new brand campaign, “Find Your Way Here.” The plan may include print, social media, video, email, direct mail, virtual and web (campaign landing page) elements. Plan must be designed to target varying donor levels. Marketing elements should be sophisticated and nimble/personalized but work together with an overall cohesive message and look. Agency will work with University Advancement to create specific messaging and elements designed to reach potential donors at targeted levels. Agency will drive the creative look and feel for the overall campaign and provide a production budget and plan for developing the materials approved in the marketing plan. Agency may provide ongoing campaign management and performance reporting.
8. Strategic research and plan development for various programs/services
9. Create coordinated marketing campaigns (print, broadcast, digital, online, virtual, email, direct mail, etc.) to include written plan, including objectives, audience description, strategies, tactics and budgets
10. Creative strategy and design (collaterals, reports, advertising and visual display, virtual, interactive renderings, broadcast or social media materials) – separate pieces that work together to convey a cohesive message
11. Concept development, including quality graphic design
12. Develop original copy (text), copywriting and editing

Account Management & Reporting:

Agency will be accountable for measuring and reporting results based on overall and project-specific expectations. Reports will include strategic insights that are interpreted from the data (instead of just data reporting).

1. Meet with UNCG staff as needed for the purposes of carrying out initiatives
2. Maintain internal procedures that ensure budget control, prompt billing and quality control, including but not limited to auditing invoices for space, time, preparation and services
3. Prepare cost schedules and project sheets for marketing expenditures and other related costs and secure UNCG’s approval of all expenditures with regard to authorized marketing materials by submitting preproduction estimates
4. Provide weekly status reports, or as otherwise requested, to UNCG updating the progress of all projects

Due Date:

September 26th

Address:

Bid Number: RFP:4193 Naming Opportunity-18

UNCG Department of Purchasing

Attention: Sara Matherly

840 Neal Street Rm. 203F

Greensboro, NC 27403

Agencies worth considering include Finn Partners and Ruder Finn.