2 0 0 7 - 2 0 0 8 M a r k e t in g P l a n

Target Market: Generation Y College Students

Benjamin Coy, Marketing Intern

February-May 2007

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Table of Contents
Purpose 3
Executive Summary 4
Situational Analysis 5
Client Overview 5
Competitor Analysis 6
SWOT Analysis 8
Current Market Summary 11
Target Market Analysis 16
Identification of Target Market 16
Generation Y 16
College Student Sub Segment 17
Primary Market: Gen Y College Students 18
Secondary: Gen Y Midland Residents 22
Research Analysis 23
Marketing Mix 26
Product 26
Price 26
Place 26
Promotion 27
Marketing Objectives 28
Goals 28
Strategies 28
Appendix 33
A: References 34
B: Blackboard 35
C: Facebook Group 36
D: Verge Rates 37
E: Verge Calendar 39

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Purpose
This marketing plan has been created to allow the Midland Center for the Arts
(MCFTA) and its six resident groups to better promote their offerings to the
extremely important Generation Y target market, specifically to the college
students in the Tri-City area of Mid-Michigan. By doing this, MCFTA will be able
to increase awareness and in turn increase the attendance of the target market.

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Executive Summary
Midland Center for the Arts has a unique ability to showcase the arts to a variety
of audiences through a single venue. With its six resident groups managed in-
house MCFTA is able to create a continuous cycle of offerings that keep
audiences moving in the door. The current offerings, however, do not target the
crucial 18-24 year old market, specifically the college students at the four major
colleges located within just 30 miles from the venue.

Northwood University, Saginaw Valley State University, Central Michigan

University and Delta College have a total student body of approximately 50,000.

This plan discusses how to reach these students and increase the awareness
and in turn their attendance at MCFTA. The primary research in this report
shows that college students are not coming in for two reasons. One, the product
offering does not target them and two, when it does target them; they are
uninformed about it because the mediums in which it is advertised do not hit
them. The perception of MCFTA is then skewed due to these factors.

To reach the college student target market, MCFTA must create a product
offering which attracts them. Current work on creating a new brand within the
MCFTA brand will allow for a change in the perception of MCFTA.

Promotion and advertising of events must be focused towards this tech savvy
crowd through the Internet. Social networking sites, MySpace and Facebook
need to be used and promoted to drive traffic to the MCFTA website as well.

Price discounts should be offered in order to cater to the needs of a low-income

group. Offering a student rate shows them you care and they will feel they are
getting a deal. A MCFTA “rewards” program can be implemented to make
students return customers as well.

Through the recommendations in this plan, steps can be made to reach the
Generation Y College students in the Tri-City area. Their attendance is crucial to
the future of MCFTA.

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Situational Analysis
Client Overview
Midland Center for the Arts embraces the idea that you can create as well as
appreciate. "The Center helps to satisfy the creative drives that exist in all of us,"
noted Alden B. Dow. The Midland Center for the Arts building was designed by
Alden Dow to promote the relationship between art and science.

The offerings at Midland Center for the Arts are continuously changing. There
are six resident groups that host multiple events and exhibits throughout a given
year making it home to nearly 2,000 volunteers and tens of thousands of visitors
from all across mid-Michigan every year. Each group is responsible for planning
and implementing each performance or exhibit. They work with MCFTA
Marketing and Development staff to develop a marketing and media strategy for
each event.

The resident groups are:

!" Music Society
!" Midland Symphony Orchestra
!" Theatre Guild
!" MATRIX: MIDLAND
!" Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art
!" Midland County Historical Society

The Midland Center for the Arts is located at 1801 W. St. Andrews, Midland,
Michigan. It is easily accessible to two highways, US-10 and MI-20. It is located
near downtown Midland.

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Competitor Analysis
In order to determine the competition for Midland Center for the Arts (MCFTA),
an outline showing the characteristics a competitor must have. The marketing
mix (Product, Place, Price and Promotion) must be similar in order to be a
competitor. Below are six major competitors located in the same region and
offering similar events or exhibits at a similar price.

Dow Event Center

“The Dow” is one of Midland Center for the Arts’ biggest competitor. Currently,
the venue hosts an arena, a theatre and a hall. They are able to hold events
from concerts to theatrical performances, tradeshows to conferences and
conventions.

Just the name alone makes this venue extremely recognizable, not only in the
Tri-city area, but internationally as well. Dow Chemical Company bought the
naming rights to the facility in 2004.

Located less than 30 miles away from MCFTA, The Dow is competing for many
of the same customers and has the ability to host many big name acts in addition
to its OHL Hockey team, the Saginaw Spirit.

Ticket prices for events at The Dow Event Center run very close to those of the
Midland Center for the Arts performances making the buying power of potential
customers similar for both venues.

Coming in Fall 2007, The Dow will host the 2007-2008 Broadway Series in
Saginaw. The performances will include Annie, Hairspray, The Producers, Ring
of Fire and The Producers. These performances and others such as Joseph and
the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will take place in the Theatre at The Dow
this year. These types of theatrical performances as well as musical concerts
make The Dow a direct competitor due to its location, product offering and similar
pricing.

Flint Cultural Center

The Flint Cultural Center Campus hosts a number of arts related institutions
including: Sloan Museum, Buick Gallery & Research Center, Longway
Planetarium, The Whiting, Flint Youth Theatre, Flint Institute of Arts and Flint
Institute of Music (Home to Flint Symphony Orchestra)

Much like MCFTA, Flint Cultural Center provides area residents with an array of
cultural, scientific, and artistic experiences. Also, Flint Cultural Center is a
community catalyst, working to strengthen widespread support for the arts,
sciences and humanities.

Tickets run close to the same rates as those of the MCFTA. A student rate is
also offered. Some examples are below:

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Longway Planetarium: $5.00 General Admission (Adult)
Sloan Museum: $6.00 General Admission (Adult)
Flint Institute of Arts: $7.00 General Admission (Adults), $5.00 (Student Rate)
The Whiting: $15.00-$59.00 depending on performance

Temple Theatre
Open since 1927, Temple Theatre is a Mid-Michigan entertainment icon.
Located in Saginaw, MI, the Temple Theatre hosts concerts, movies, live
performances and more. There is also a ballroom within the Temple Theatre that
can be rented.

Tickets for performances at the theatre run between $7.00 and $60.00 based on
performance and seating.

Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort

Soaring Eagle offers a wide array of casino gaming and hosts an entertainment
venue that continuously brings in big name acts from around the country.

The Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort's Concert Hall opened in 1998 and has
hosted over 200 concerts and events including Alice Cooper, George Jones,
Brooks & Dunn, Ted Nugent, Bill Cosby, Tony Bennett and Martina McBride.

Events and entertainment such as King of the Cage Martial Arts, the Soap Opera
Festival and the Cruisin’ Car Show are also held at Soaring Eagle.

Upcoming event ticket prices include:

Soap Opera Festival: $20.00
Ciara: $25.00-$55.00
Fabulous Thunderbirds: $12.00-$25.00
Richard Lewis and John Blue: $15.00-$33.00
Godsmack: $55.00-$80.00
Daniel O’Donnell: $60.00-$85.00
King of the Cage: $30.00-$70.00
Ricky Skaggs, Marty Stuart and Del McCoury Band: $40.00-$55.00

Pit and Balcony Community Theatre

The Pit and Balcony Community Theatre hosts performances musicals. Now
celebrating its 75th Anniversary, the theatre is a staple in the Saginaw
community. Upcoming performances include:

The Wizard of Oz: $22.00 (Adult), $18.00 (Children $12 and under)
Christmas My Way: $22.00
Picasso and the Lapin Agile: $18.00
Cabaret: $22.00
Broadway Bound: $18.00

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SWOT Analysis

Strengths
Unique offering: Midland Center for the Arts (MCFTA) hosts an array of
offerings including professional programming, presentations, lectures, tours,
exhibits, fairs, camps, workshops and film with arts, humanities and science
focuses.

MCFTA houses a diverse host of member groups including: Matrix: Midland

Festival, Music Society, Midland Symphony Orchestra, Theatre Guild, Alden B.
Dow Museum of Science and Art, and Midland County Historical Society.
(mcfta.org) MCFTA has the ability to reach out to any target market.

Location: Located near downtown Midland, MI, MCFTA is in the center of it all.
It is located right off of both M-20 and US-10, making it easy to attract out of town
visitors. Northwood University is located just 2.5 miles away. (Google maps),
while Central Michigan University, Saginaw Valley State University, and Delta
College are all within 30 miles.

Recognition: MCFTA has been represented in the Midland Community for over
30 years. It is well known and is seen in a positive light. MCFTA is an active
member in the Midland Chamber of Commerce and boasts positive relationships
with major businesses, media and universities in the area.

Weaknesses
Slow adaptation to new trends/target markets: The biggest issue negatively
affecting the Midland Center for the Arts is its inability to garner the attendance of
the younger generations of customers. As shown in the Research Analysis
section of this report, many college students do not know about MCFTA or they
have a skewed perception of the offerings here. MCFTA must find ways to adapt
to new trends and reach this critical market.

Internet marketing: MCFTA’s presence online is currently very minimal.

Though a website exists that is very informative, it is not easy to navigate. The
site does not focus on the large Millennial target market at all. In addition,
MCFTA’s paid advertising doesn’t stretch online to other sites other than
MySpace profile’s that exist for only a few member groups. Member groups are
all responsible for creating and updating their own profiles, which does not allow
for continuity and they are not always up to date.

Awareness: According to an online survey run on Zoomerang.com from March

27, 2007 – April 6, 2007, only 4 out of 33 (12%) survey participants claimed they
were aware of events at MCFTA. Given a Likert scale and asked to select if they
were Very Unaware, Unaware, Neutral, Aware and Very Aware. Going along
with this, 39% of those surveyed have never been to the MCFTA and of those

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who have, most heard of the event through NU professors and friends. Of
traditional mediums Internet and radio were listed as well.

Perception: Students participating in the above Zoomerang.com survey were

asked to give their impression of MCFTA. Of the 33 participants, 27% thought
the MCFTA was outdated and focused at the elderly crowd.

Cost: Ticket costs for many performances held at MCFTA are expensive.
According to a focus group study on February 8, 2007 in which students were
asked what type of performances they would like to see if they had “all the
money in the world”, many responded that they do not have the money and they
would attend more if they could afford it. According to the Zoomerang.com
survey, 11% of students claimed they were unable to attend MCFTA as often as
they would like because they could not afford it.

Event and show offerings: Also, according to the above study, MCFTA
programming does not do enough to bring in Generation Y and more specifically,
college students. Some offerings that do appeal to this market are not offered at
the right time to successfully reach them. Summer events don’t get these
students because class is not in session.

Opportunities
Four Universities in close proximity: Northwood University, Central Michigan
University, Saginaw Valley State University and Delta College are all located
within 30 miles of MCFTA. This means that most students will have similar
tastes and characteristics allowing a similar message to reach more students.
This would give MCFTA a high return on its’ advertising investment.

Verge: The year old tri-city entertainment guide is quickly gaining following
providing information on “all things entertaining” to Generation Y. Verge has
distributed free copies to Northwood University, Central Michigan University,
Saginaw Valley State University, and Davenport University. The total distribution
of over 20,000 every two weeks allowed for market penetration. The interactive
website, OurVerge.com, is now averaging 250+ unique visitors and 2500+ page
views per day. The site has a free online event calendar and also offers
advertising from $50/month to $200/month.

Great Lakes Loons: 2007 kicks off the Inaugural season for Midland’s new L.A.
Dodger affiliated Minor League “A” baseball team. This is an opportunity
because the team will bring in many out of town visitors from April to September.
Many visitors will be looking for other events and happenings in Midland.
MCFTA should take advantage of this new inflow of potential visitors as well as
explore further partnership possibilities with the Loons.

Internet Marketing: Generation Y is the most technologically savvy generation

in history. They are always online and staying connected. There are multiple

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opportunities to reach this group via Internet marketing. The most cost effective
route is through social networking sites, Myspace.com and Facebook.com.
According to the Zoomerang.com survey of Northwood University students, 61%
of participants said they spent more time online than using any other form of
media.

Myspace allows free creation of profiles. This has been done for most MCFTA
member groups. The next step is towards up keeping them and gearing the
content into the direction of Generation Y. Creating continuity between them is
also necessary to promote the MCFTA brand.

Facebook also allows for creation of free profiles. In addition, members are able
to select different regional, school and business networks to be a part of.
Members of the same networks can then network and access each other’s
profiles online.

Facebook also offers paid advertising in the form of “Flyers”. Event forms that
come up in a users menu bar give information and also link to an event page
where users are able to RSVP. These flyers can be targeted to selected
networks and selected time frames.

Northwood University: There is an untapped resource in the student body of

Northwood University. These students can be used as the subject of surveys
and focus groups at MCFTA. More importantly, allowing these students to utilize
their education in marketing and advertising would build greater awareness of the
offerings at MCFTA.

Northwood University International Auto Show: NUIAS brings in around

55,000visitors every fall. This is an excellent opportunity for MCFTA to hold an
event on the same weekend and partner with the show through promotion on
site.

Threats
Great Lakes Loons: Although the addition of the Loons to Midland is listed as
an “Opportunity” above, they can also be a threat to business. In this inaugural
season, the Loons have captured the hype of the summer in Midland and
surrounding areas. This can lead to MCFTA and others being overshadowed in
the minds of potential consumers. It is possible that out of town visitors who
know nothing about Midland’s offerings will come only for the baseball. This is
why it is essential that MCFTA maintains a close working relationship with the
Great Lakes Loons organization.

Shrinking attendance: The perception of MCFTA by young people is that it is

“outdated” and mostly for the “elder crowd”. As the older, more loyal customer
base consistently dwindles it is necessary for younger people to become loyal
visitors and ticket holders.

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Current Target Market
This section breaks down the current market make-up of Midland residents. This
characteristics of these residents are not the same as those of the members of
the Generation Y Target Market that will be studied in this marketing plan.

Demographics
The following are the demographics for Midland County taken from the 2000
United States Census.
Midland County City of Midland
Total Population 82,874 41,685
Male (%) 49% 47.9%
Female (%) 51% 52.1%
Median Age (years) 36.3 36.2
0-5 yrs old 5,348 2,699
6-19 yrs old 19,390 9,533
20-64 yrs old 48,161 23,675
65+ yrs old 9,975 5,778
Midland County City of Midland
Families 22,691 10,996
Persons per family 3.03 3.00
Households 31,772 16,743
Persons per household 2.56 2.42
Per Capita Income ($) 23,383 26,818
Per Family Income ($) 55,483 64,949

Psychographics

Midland Residents
The following are the top six categories in which a majority of the Midland
population fits. There are 66 categories covering a vast amount of
characteristics. The characteristics of most of the categories in which current
Midlanders fit are similar in age and income levels as well as lifestyle traits.
These categories are based on permanent residents of Midland and do not
include the college students who live here on a non-permanent basis. They are
found using the zip codes 48640 and 48642. This information available on
Claritas.com using PRIZM NE program.

1. Big Sky Families (33*)

Scattered in placid towns across the American heartland, Big Sky Families is
a segment of young rural families who have turned high school educations
and blue-collar jobs into busy, middle-class lifestyles. Residents like to play
baseball, basketball and volleyball, besides going fishing, hunting and
horseback riding. To entertain their sprawling families, they buy virtually every
piece of sporting equipment on the market.

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2006 Statistics:
US Households: 2,014,484 (1.79%)
Median HH Income: $55,473

Lifestyle:
Own a camper, go to auto races, North American Hunter magazine, Outdoor
Life Network, Dodge Ram

Demographics Traits:
Ethnic Diversity: Mostly White
Presence of Kids: HH w/Kids
Age Ranges: Age 25-44
Education Levels: Some College
Employment Levels: BC, Service, Mix
Homeownership: Mostly Owners
Urbanicity: Rural
Income: Upper-Mid
Income Producing Assets: Moderate

2. Mayberry-ville (37*)
Like the old Andy Griffith Show set in a quaint picturesque berg, Mayberry-
ville harks back to an old-fashioned way of life. In these small towns, middle-
class couples and families like to fish and hunt during the day, and stay home
and watch TV at night. With lucrative blue-collar jobs and moderately priced
housing, residents use their discretionary cash to purchase boats, campers,
motorcycles and pickup trucks

2006 Statistics:
US Households: 2,794,581 (2.49%)
Median HH Income: $53,563

Lifestyle:
Eat at Lone Star Steakhouse, go hunting with a gun, Bassmaster magazine,
Country Music TV, Chevy Silverado

Demographics Traits:
Ethnic Diversity: Mostly White
Presence of Kids: HH w/o Kids
Age Ranges:Age 35-54
Education Levels: High School Grad
Employment Levels: BC, Service, Mix
Homeownership: Mostly Owners
Urbanicity: Town/Rural
Income: Upper-Mid
Income Producing Assets:Above Avg.

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3. Middleburg Managers (27*)
Middleburg Managers arose when empty-nesters settled in satellite
communities which offered a lower cost of living and more relaxed pace.
Today, segment residents tend to be middle-class and over 45 years old, with
solid managerial jobs and comfortable retirements. In their older homes, they
enjoy reading, playing musical instruments, indoor gardening and refinishing
furniture.

2006 Statistics:
US Households: 2,079,047 (1.85%)
Median HH Income: $49,468

Lifestyle:
Play bingo, Do needlepoint, Saturday Evening Post, Hollywood Squares TV,
Mercury Sable

Demographics Traits:
Ethnic Diversity: Mostly White
Presence of Kids: HH w/o Kids
Age Ranges:Age Age 45-64
Education Levels: Some College
Employment Levels: White Collar, Mix
Homeownership: Mostly Owners
Urbanicity: Second City
Income: Midscale
Income Producing Assets:Above Avg.

4. Second City Elite (10*)

There's money to be found in the nation's smaller cities, and you're most likely
to find it in Second City Elite. The residents of these satellite cities tend to be
prosperous executives who decorate their $200,000 homes with multiple
computers, large-screen TV sets and an impressive collection of wines. With
more than half holding college degrees, Second City Elite residents enjoy
cultural activities--from reading books to attending theater and dance
productions.

2006 Statistics:
US Households: 1,324,339 (1.18%)
Median HH Income: $74,375

Lifestyle:
Order from Readers' Digest, Travel domestically by rail, Inc. magazine,
Washington Week TV, Toyota Avalon

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Demographics Traits:
Ethnic Diversity: Mostly White
Presence of Kids: HH w/o Kids
Age Ranges: Age 45-64
Education Levels: Graduate Plus
Employment Levels: White Collar, Mix
Homeownership: Mostly Owners
Urbanicity: Second City
Income: Upscale
Income Producing Assets: Elite

5. Upward Bound (13*)

More than any other segment, Upward Bound appears to be the home of
those legendary Soccer Moms and Dads. In these small satellite cities, upper-
class families boast dual incomes, college degrees and new split-levels and
colonials. Residents of Upward Bound tend to be kid-obsessed, with heavy
purchases of computers, action figures, dolls, board games, bicycles and
camping equipment.

2006 Statistics:
US Households: 1,793,920 (1.6%)
Median HH Income: $80,345

Lifestyle:
Take a skiing vacation, Go to the zoo, Family Fun magazine, Nickelodeon TV,
Toyota Sequoia SUV

Demographics Traits:
Ethnic Diversity: White, Asian, Hispanic, Mix
Presence of Kids: HH w/Kids
Age Ranges: Age 35-54
Education Levels: College Grad
Employment Levels: White Collar, Mix
Homeownership: Mostly Owners
Urbanicity: Second City
Income: Upscale
Income Producing Assets: Above Avg.

6. Brite Lites, Li’l City (12*)

Not all of the America's chic sophisticates live in major metros. Brite Lights,
Li'l City is a group of well-off, middle-aged couples settled in the nation's
satellite cities. Residents of these typical DINK (double income, no kids)
households have college educations, well-paying business and professional
careers and swank homes filled with the latest technology.

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 2006 Statistics:
US Households: 1,684,994 (1.5%)
Median HH Income: $69,380

Lifestyle:
Go to college sports events, Eat at Bennigan's, Macworld magazine,
Independent Film Channel, Volkswagen Passat

Demographics Traits:
Ethnic Diversity: White, Asian, Mix
Presence of Kids: HH w/o Kids
Age Ranges: Age 35-54
Education Levels: College Grad
Employment Levels: Professional
Homeownership: Mostly Owners
Urbanicity: Second City
Income: Upscale
Income Producing Assets: Above Avg.

It is extremely important to understand the current market psychographics and

demographics of Midland, MI in full when marketing towards a new target market.
As is explained in the Target Market section of this report, Generation Y is
extremely valuable. Not only are the college students whom continuously cycle
through Midland and surrounding cities essential, but building a relationship with
the Generation Y residents of Midland is necessary to the future of Midland
Center for the Arts. They are your future customer base. They are bigger than
any customer base in history.

(* )These numbers refer to the Claritas PRISM NE reference number available at

www.claritas.com.

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Target Market
Identification of the Target Market
In order to illustrate the basis for this marketing strategy, the target markets are
identified. The target market is Generation Y (a.k.a. Millennials). More
specifically, the primary target market to reach is the College Student Segment.
This segment consists of 18-24 year olds. Research has shown that this is a
market not currently penetrated by the Midland Center for the Arts. It is a market
that is if harnessed will have great benefits. A secondary market that can also be
reached is the Generation Y Midland Resident segment. With similar
psychographic tastes, this market can be reached through much of the same
mediums as the college student sub-segment.

Generation Y
Typically, Generation Y (also known as Millennials) refers to anyone born
between the years 1976 to 1997. They are the most researched and written
about generation. This is the largest generation ever (80 million) and as such
they are the most influential. Their sheer size means they are extremely
important to every industry.

They are especially important to the entertainment industry because the way they
use media is extremely different from any previous generation’s members. They
are tech savvy and passionate about everything electronic; usually to a point of
obsession. They are the driving force in the digital world. They are web surfing,
downloading, gaming, e-mailing, blogging, messaging, time-shifting, place-
shifting and even producing their own content.

Generation Y is described as idealistic, socially conscious, individualistic and

anti-corporate. They are very unique with a set of characteristics and tastes
unlike any group before them. They are extremely influential due to the
segment’s size, trend setting role and influence on others due to their tendency
to be “early adopters”.

The spending power of college students is greater than in the past, and the
newest youth market is significantly larger than the previous. Generation Y is
three times the size of Generation X. By the year 2015 the campus population is
expected to rise from the current 15 million students to 22 million.

Things to consider when trying to reach the Millennial generation:

!" Understand the Millennial mindset, meaning understand how they think.
o They are confident, educated and well connected.
!" Get a Millennial makeover, meaning target Millennial “hot buttons”.
o They like to see things that are real. Don’t try to impress them with
special effects and “smoke and mirrors” advertising. Overselling to
college students will kill an advertising campaign. They will think

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 you are trying to hide something if you don’t just give them the
information straight.
o They become loyal if they can trust you. Loyalty and rewards
programs are received well with them.
o You must have an Internet presence; social networking sites such
as Myspace.com are valuable as well.
!" Routinely analyze them.
o Continuously survey and get their opinions. Doing this will allow
them to trust you because they will feel that you value their
opinions.

College Student Segment

!" College students make up for 14.1 million of the United States population.
!" They spend $93 billion per year between them.
!" Most importantly, this group is highly educated and will soon graduate and
will become the next generation of big spenders. "College students are
entry level to the upscale adult market. They are what everyone looks for:
upscale, well-educated consumers.” This means that by targeting this
group, marketers are planning and investing in their future.
!" College is the time when brand loyalties are acquired.
!" College students and Generations X and Y do not share the same
characteristics.
o College students and graduates are part of these segments but
they are also a sub-segment within them.
o Those who never attended college are more likely to already be
married and have children.
o More importantly, the college-educated are three times as likely to
have a credit card and many times more likely to own a computer.
o 45% of all Internet users are between the ages of 18 and 26.
!" Marketers must be careful not to try and be like the students. They just
need to focus on what is relevant to them.
!" The most important thing to know is that the best way to reach
college students is not through the general media formats.
o You must go to them, to their networks and their environment.
!" College papers, websites (Facebook, Myspace) college
radio stations are more likely to get a response than other
TV or radio advertisements.
!" A great way to reach them is by coming directly to them.
!" Ex. Sponsor an on campus event
!" Don’t give away something for nothing.
o It’s easy to give something away but get information from them so
you can continue to contact them and build a relationship with
them.
o They are most receptive when you keep up communications as
they are going to be even more important to you when they
graduate.

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Primary Market: Generation Y College Students

Geographics
The marketing strategies presented should be focused on students at the four
colleges located within 30 miles of the Midland Center for the Arts. The main
focus will be on Northwood University. Northwood is located in Midland, MI and
has an undergraduate student body of approximately 2000 students. The other
three colleges in the area to focus on are Saginaw Valley State University in
Saginaw, MI; Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant, MI and Delta
College in University Center, MI.

Demographics
Northwood University
Northwood University contains a total 3,577 undergraduate students. This
number includes the University College branch of Northwood. Because these
are not traditional undergraduate students and most fall into an older
demographic, we will not be focusing on these students and instead will only
focus on the 1,926 enrolled on the Midland, MI campus. 60% of this student
population is male, while 40% are female. Below is a breakdown of the Student
Body as of Fall 2005.

http://www.collegetoolkit.com/Colleges/Overview/171492.aspx

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Saginaw Valley State University
The current undergraduate student body at SVSU contains 7,931 students.
Below is a breakdown of the student body demographics as of Fall 2005.

http://www.collegetoolkit.com/Colleges/Overview/172051.aspx

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Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University has an enrollment of 27, 452 students. Of these,
20,025 live on campus and 7,075 live off campus. (www.cmich.edu) Here is a
breakdown of the CMU student body demographics as of 2005.

http://www.collegetoolkit.com/Colleges/Overview/169248.aspx

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Delta College
Delta College has an enrollment of 10,118 students. According to Delta.edu,
“Students differ considerably in their ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds
and their educational goals. Most students (85.1%) reside in the tri-county district
and more students are enrolled on a part-time basis than those attending full-
time because most students are also working full or part-time”. Here is a
breakdown of age, gender, residency and ethnic backgrounds for Delta students.

Student Age Distribution %

19 years old and under 32.6% 14.6
Other Michigan Counties
%
20-24 33.8%
Out of State 0.2%
25-29 11.5%
30-44 16.5% Ethnic Backgrounds

45 and over 5.5% Caucasian 82.6%

African-American 7.1%
Gender
Hispanic 4.0%
Females 56.8%
Not Designated 2.0%
Males 43.2%
Multi-racial 2.0%
Geographic Residences
Asian 0.8%
41.9
Saginaw County Native American 0.6%
%
28.2 International 0.7%
Bay County
% Figures based on Fall Semester 2005
Midland County 15.0
http://www.delta.edu/catalog/ProfileofOurStudents.asp

Psychographics
Psychographic variable are any attributes that relate to personality, values,
attitudes, interests or lifestyles. Students at the four schools above share typical
college lifestyle traits with those in schools across the United States. As
mentioned above college students are early adopters, tech savvy and outspoken.
College students are well informed.

According to a 2003 collaborative study by Harris Interactive and 360 Youth, 88%
of college students own their own computers and according to a 2002 Pew
Internet study, 47% of college students began using the internet before college
and 20% used the internet as early as age 5. The Internet is a part of the life of a
college student. They make it a part of a daily routine and generally have not
known life without computers.
(http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=1583871)

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Below is a breakdown of the results of an online study of Northwood University
Students. Based on the study an overwhelming 61% said they use the Internet
for information more than any other media on an average week.

Media Usage (Average Week)

13% Listen to Radio

10%
Read Newspaper
Watch Television
61% 17% Read Magazines
3% Surf the Internet

College students have a high discretionary income, however, they have learned
to spend their money wisely. The group was responsible for $210 billion in sales
in 2002. According to the Harris Poll, 41% of freshman and 79% of seniors had
credit cards. The graph below shows that a significant amount of the credit
charges are on entertainment. The Northwood study echoed these results. That
study will be explained in the Research section of this report.

Spending on Entertainment

Travel
Movies
Music Concerts
Amusement Parks
Pro Sporting Events

Secondary Market: Generation Y Midland Residents

Generation Y residents in Midland will be reachable through the efforts of this
marketing plan. They have many similarities to the college students in the
primary market because they are both Generation Y. Most importantly, they are
early adopters and because they live in Midland, MI their loyalty for MCFTA is
extremely important. They are MCFTA’s future.

- 22 -
Research Analysis

The following is an analysis of primary research conducted on Northwood

University students. The first study, a focus group brought in on February 8,
2007 focused on the students opinions of MCFTA’s website, mcfta.org. The
second is an online survey discussed earlier in this report. 33 participants were
asked a series of questions involving their residency, activities they participate in,
media usage and awareness of events in the Tri-cities and specifically at
MCFTA.

Northwood University Focus Group

Here is a breakdown of the focus group participants’ thoughts on the MCFTA.org

website:

MCFTA.org
Likes: !" Easy Navigation
!" Lots of Information
!" Online ticket sales
Dislikes: !" Too cluttered, nothing stands out
!" No “Feedback”, “Search” or “FAQ” options
!" No focus on young adults

Areas of Interest: !" Comedy

!" Concerts/Bands
!" Theatre
!" Backstage
!" Paintings
!" Dance
!" Education/Workshops

Also, when asked if they “had all the money in the world”, the 27 participants
suggested more comedy, specifically a stand-up entertainer. They also
suggested up and coming artists such as those from American Idol or bands on
the way up that are not necessarily well known. Of theatrical performances, the
participants wanted to see more comedy, action-packed, or Broadway
performances. They want to see well-known titles.

Another comment that came up for this question was that college students do not
have “all the money in the world” and therefore, they would like to see some type
of student discount.

- 23 -
Zoomerang.com Online Survey

The following data was collected from 33 Northwood University students

participating in an online survey between the dates of March 27 and April 5,
2007.

1. Gender
Male 12 36%
Female 21 64%
Total 33 100%

2. Class
Freshman 1 3% Freshman
Sophomore 11 33% Sophomore
Junior 8 24% Junior
Senior 13 39% Senior
Total 33 100%

3. Residence
On Campus 14 45%
Off Campus 17 55%
Total 33 100%
Bars
4. Activities Attend Sports
Play Sports
Bars 14 42%
Outdoors
Attend Sports 19 58%
Museums
Play Sports 9 27%
Casino
Outdoors 20 61%
Movies
Museums 7 21% Plays/Musicals
Casino 4 12% Concerts
Movies 29 88% Other
Plays/Musicals 11 33%
Concerts 11 33%
Other 6 18%

5. Media used rankings (# / % of total responses)

Radio
Media 1 2 3 4 5
Newspaper
Radio 4/13% 8/27% 9/30% 5/17% 4/13% TV
Newspaper 3/10% 1/3% 2/7% 9/30% 15/50% Magazines
TV 5/17% 7/23% 12/40% 2/7% 4/13% Internet
Magazines 1/3% 6/18% 10/30% 9/27% 7/21%
Internet 20/61% 9/27% 0/0% 4/12% 0/0%

- 24 -
These next two charts show the participants’ awareness of events and
entertainment in the Tri-city area and their awareness of events and
entertainment at MCFTA. The results are very similar, with both showing that
Northwood Students are not very aware of events in the Tri-Cities or at the
MCFTA.

6. Awareness (Tri-city)
Very Unaware 2 6%
Unaware 12 36% Very Unaware
Neutral 13 39% Unaware
Neutral
Aware 6 18% Aware

Very Aware 0 0% Very Aware

Total 33 100%

7. Awareness (MCFTA)
Very Unaware 5 15%
Unaware 12 36% Very Unaware
Unaware
Neutral 12 36% Neutral

Aware 4 12% Aware

Very Aware
Very Aware 0 0%
Total 33 100%

The following results pertain to questions regarding how many shows/exhibits

attended by survey participants and how they were informed about the show if
they did attend.

8. Events attended at MCFTA 20

Never 13 39% 15
1-3 Events 17 52%
10
4+ Events 3 9%
5
Total 33 100%
0
Never 1-3 Events 4+ Events

9. Attended 1+, how informed

Radio Ad 1 4%
TV Ad 0 0%
Newspaper Ad 1 4% Radio Ad
TV Ad
MCFTA.org 2 8% Newspaper Ad

Other site 2 8% MCFTA.org

Other site
Friend 9 38% Friend

Employee 0 0% Employee
Other
Other 9 38%
Total 24 100%

- 25 -
Marketing Mix

Product

In order for Midland Center for the Arts to establish itself as an entertainment
venue for college students in the Tri-cities, it is vital that we offer this 18-24 year
old market what they want.

As shown in our research, college students are looking for edgier performances
involving comedy and action. When asked what type of concert they would most
like to see at MCFTA, survey participants ranked alternative rock first followed by
country and pop.

Although MCFTA has the strength of being able to offer a variety of acts and
genres, the perception of MCFTA among college students is still that it is a place
for older, Midland residents and even that they are not very welcome. Creating
an offering that puts less emphasis on the MCFTA brand and more emphasis on
a more edgy, millennial focused brand is ideal. Following through with the
“Underground” brand is perfect positioning. It is, however, important not to
create this brand and try to be like the students or act “hip”. This will turn them
off immediately. Go to them on their level with a product offering they want. It
can’t be overdone or else it won’t be accepted.

As displayed throughout all of Generation Y, college students are individualistic

and have a desire to be cultured. The experience is equally as important as the
product offering itself.

Price

Cost is one of the biggest factors college students consider. With limited
incomes, something must be affordable before many will even consider it. This
being so, it is imperative that MCFTA offers a student rate for events and
admissions. This makes MCFTA more affordable and even if it is not much of a
discount, college students will feel they are getting a deal.

As explained in the Target Market Analysis, reward programs are extremely well
liked by college students. This is something MCFTA should consider
implementing in the future as a way to drive in more traffic from the college
market and to track them and the programs they attend.

Place

Selecting mediums that will reach the target market is most important.
Television, radio and other traditional mediums are expensive and are not as
effective with this current target market. They should continue to be used
because they reach other markets, however.

- 26 -
Internet is the main medium that needs to be used in reaching this target market.
Traditional mediums do not work as well because one; they contain a lot of
clutter which is tough to break through and by focusing the advertising in the
website, we can easily direct traffic to the MCFTA.org site as well as the
MySpace and Facebook pages. It is much easier for our consumers to look back
on Internet advertising for information as well. This is something that can’t be
done through television and radio.

Internet advertising is very cost effective. The strategies in this plan are low cost
and are very specific to the target market they intend to reach, Tri-City area
college students.

Promotion

Promotional Blend
Creating a promotional blend that maximizes reach and impact on the target
market means MCFTA needs to tailor to the wants and needs of their
consumers, in this case college students. It is also important to consider the
current return customers and members who attend MCFTA when implementing
any advertising or promotional efforts. It is, however, necessary to make big
changes and take risks when reaching out to this demographic.

Advertising
As stated earlier, broadcast media will not be a part of this promotional blend.
Radio and television, while having the largest audiences overall, do not reach the
market well. Radio is not popular with the target market, with most choosing to
listen to compact discs, satellite radio (which is mostly commercial free) and mp3
players. Television is expensive and the minimal advertising time that is
purchased for the market is highly inefficient when trying to reach this target
market. The clutter on both of these mediums is tough to break through without
an extremely high frequency of hits on members of the target market.

Print advertising should also be used minimally, with focus only on the Tri-City
Entertainment guide, Verge, which is targeted at the Generation Y members.
Out-of-home advertising should be implemented on a low level with reach to all
college campuses through posters in high-traffic areas, classrooms and
computer labs. These are simple, cost effective ways to build top-of-mind
awareness.

Sales Promotions
Sales promotions are important to complete the marketing mix. Free give-aways
allow students to keep items that inform and excite them about offerings from
MCFTA. A simple themed give-away showing the MCFTA web address can
build top-of-mind awareness for a low cost.

- 27 -
Marketing Objectives
Midland Center for the Arts has two main problems that make it necessary to pay
attention to marketing to college students. The awareness of MCFTA’s very
existence is extremely low with this market. The attendance of the college
students is also very low due to this fact and also due to other causes such as
image and cost.

This marketing plan will utilize the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats given in this report to achieve the following goals.

Goals

Increase college student awareness of MCFTA

Increase college student attendance at all resident group events and exhibits

Strategies

Make Contact

We must initiate methods to create top of mind awareness within the college
student community. This must be done by going to the students and building a
presence on their level. Contact should be made with students from day one, at
freshman orientation and continue with other on-campus contacts and events.
This can be down through simple flyers in orientation packets and posters. A
good way to get these freshmen interested would be to give them a free ticket to
an event or to MCFTA in general. Remember, the new students have zero
knowledge of MCFTA. If they like it before they hear negative things about it
being for the elderly crowd, they will be able to make up their own mind about the
offerings here.

Face-to-face interaction is key to increasing the awareness and more importantly

the attendance of college students in the Tri-city area. MCFTA must develop a
presence on campuses and a way to do that for college students is through
promotions such as student discounts, ticket and prize give-aways and performer
interaction. Offering sneak preview performances or meet and greets with
performers on campuses will raise interest for the actual event.

Student Organizations

Every college campus has multiple student organizations from fraternities and
sororities to professional clubs to sports teams. Reaching out to these
organizations and allowing them group rates will draw more students and allow
them to experience the MCFTA and its’ offerings.

- 28 -
Rewards Program

To increase retention of college students at MCFTA, a rewards program should

be implemented. This could be implemented as a simple punch card system
which allows card holders to receive free admission after a certain number of
paid admissions or a number of other give-aways or ticket offerings.

Eventually, the program could be turned into a barcode or swipe card type
programs offering the same types of prizes and discounts on a larger scale. This
system will also allow cardholders to be tracked and information about them and
their attendance to be kept in a database. This can be used for research into
what types of product offerings, college students receive better than others and
how to market better towards them.

Get Online

University Internal Communications (Blackboard)

Reaching current students must also be done on their level. As stated earlier,
college students are always online and most of them own their own computers.
Reaching them through this medium is top priority. Northwood University
communicates on the Blackboard Academic Suite networking program. This
program allows posting of events both on and off-campus and reaches all
students; as it is the central login page for student e-mails, class information and
student organization information. A screenshot of the Northwood University
Blackboard, My.Northwood.edu, can be seen in Appendix B.

Facebook

In addition to Blackboard, all schools are featured on the social networking site,
Facebook.com. Originally created for only college students, this site now has
network segmentation for high schools, businesses and regions. Group profiles
can be created for free and allow an easy way for our primary market to learn
about MCFTA and its’ offerings. The recently created MCFTA Facebook group
can be seen in the Appendix C.

Facebook also offers advertising through “Facebook Flyers”. With these, MCFTA
can display basic information along with a picture, for a very low cost and a high,
pinpointed reach. The table below breaks down the costs for flyers targeted at
each of the four colleges included in this marketing plan. All flyers are shown per
day. Campaigns can be run for up to 30 days.

- 29 -
 Central Michigan Saginaw Valley
Flyers Cost ($) Flyers Cost ($)
2500 5 2500 5
5000 10 5000 10
7500 15 7500 15
10000 20 10000 20
12500 25 12500 25
15000 30
17500 35 Delta College
20000 40 Flyers Cost ($)
22500 45 2500 5
5000 10
25000 50
7500 15
27500 55
30000 60
Northwood
32500 65
Flyers Cost ($)
35000 70 <10000* 5
37500 75 *There are not enough people at NU to guarantee
40000 80 10,000 flyers per day.
42500 85
45000 90

MySpace

MySpace.com, another highly used online networking site, is also a necessary

means of reaching the primary target market. MySpace profiles have been
created for the following resident groups and programs:

!" Alden B. Dow Museum of Science and Art

!" Music Society/Theatre Guild
!" Midland Symphony Orchestra
!" Matrix: Midland
!" Music Society Choral
!" The Show

The next step is to communicate the existence of these pages. This needs to be
done through mcfta.org, as well as placement on promotional materials. College
students must be aware the MySpace profiles exist to access them.

These pages must be continually updated to keep viewers coming back.

Changes to create more continuity between profiles should also be considered
as it allows for better recognition of the MCFTA brand as a whole. Interactive
content such as music and videos when applicable are a must as well.

- 30 -
Verge

Another way to penetrate the tri-city college market is through Midland Daily
News’ Verge. Originally a publication freely distributed alongside the Midland
Daily News, Verge has now chosen to “give the readers what they want” and put
more emphasis towards their website, OurVerge.com. It will be updated more
regularly with information about local artists, happening places and events and
interesting people. An outline of the current ad rates for OurVerge.com can be
seen in Appendix D. Online ads are very cost effective ranging from $50-$250
per month depending on size and placement of the ad.

In addition to the paid advertising, Verge also offers a free online calendar.
Anyone is able to insert events on the calendar. A screen shot of this free
calendar is shown in Appendix E.

The print side of Verge will be a one-two page section of the Midland Daily News
on Fridays. Direct campus presence will no longer exist at this time; however,
post-summer arrangements with universities will be regained. The total
distribution to universities was over 20,000 issues every two weeks this past year
and Verge would like to continue to penetrate that market in the future and drive
them to their website. MCFTA should be on board.

Focus Groups

Bringing in university students to check out MCFTA’s offerings is a great way to

build awareness and attendance for two reasons. It brings them directly to
MCFTA and shows them what it has to offer without making them worry about
costs. The students’ opinions are used making them more loyal to the center
because they feel they had input in MCFTA’s success. Being valued was one of
the key points to gain loyalty with Generation Y. This method should continue to
be used to build working relationships with the universities and their students,
specifically but not limited to Northwood University.

The next step in this process to make it more effective is to run more of these
focus groups and gear each towards a specific aspect of MCFTA. For instance,
bringing in students in interior design and architecture programs to give input on
how to liven up the interior and exterior of the building will give new perspective
on how to make MCFTA more appealing to the college students in our primary
target market. Bringing in students to see a performance by one or more of the
MCFTA member groups will also give better perspective on what product
offerings are most appealing to college students. Allowing marketing and
advertising students to give their opinions on the MCFTA website, MySpace
pages and other traditional media pieces will allow for an outsider perspective on
current marketing efforts.

- 31 -
Focus groups are used to gain input from members of a particular target market,
however, they are always used to create a perception in a particular target
market and give that perception a base in which to spread from. Creating the
right image for focus group participants allows them to spread their experiences
through word-of-mouth.

- 32 -
Appendix

- 33 -
Appendix A: References

Generation Y/College Students:

Marx, Wendy. (1995, September). Marketing 101. Management Review Volume

84 Pgs40-43. Retrieved February 9, 2007 from
(http://newfirstsearch.oclc.org/WebZ/FSPrefs?entityjsdetect=:javascript=true:scre
ensize=large:sessionid=fsapp2-47012-eydjkv2e-kr5brk:entitypagenum=1:0)

Mumford, David E. (2006, November 13-20). Make a Connection with Tech-

Savvy Millennials. TelevisionWeek Volume 25, Issue 43. Page 11. Retrieved
February 9, 2007 from
(http://newfirstsearch.oclc.org/WebZ/FSPrefs?entityjsdetect=:javascript=true:scre
ensize=large:sessionid=fsapp2-47012-eydjkv2e-kr5brk:entitypagenum=1:0)

Pokrywczynski, James & Wolburg, Joyce M. (2001). A Psychographic Analysis

of Generation Y College Students. Journal of Advertising Research, Volume
41, Issue 5.
Retrieved February 9, 2007 from
(http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=5000936081&er=deny)

Demographics:

CMU Info
http://www.collegetoolkit.com/Colleges/Overview/169248.aspx

Delta Info
www.delta.edu

NU Info
http://www.collegetoolkit.com/Colleges/Overview/171492.aspx
http://www.northwood.edu/mi/aboutus/fastfacts/default.asp

SVSU Info
http://www.collegetoolkit.com/Colleges/Overview/172051.aspx

Psychographics:
http://www.clickz.com/showPage.html?page=1583871
http://www.claritas.com/MyBestSegments/Default.jsp?ID=20

- 34 -
Appendix B: My.Northwood.edu

- 35 -
Appendix C: Facebook Group

- 36 -
Appendix D: OurVerge.com Ad Rates

ourverge.com focuses on all things

entertainment, popular features, and
weekly updates. Our homepage is an
essential portal into the local Tri-City arts,
entertainment, and issues. The Verge
Calendar is a community listing of what is
happening around the Tri-Cities. Verge
Radio showcases artists of diverse genres.
The Verge Classifieds are a complete
online marketplace for house and
apartment rentals, autos, music, and
more.
Ad Rates
Average Monthly
Type Size Cost
Views
Leaderboard 468 pixels x 60
40,000 $200 / month
Banner pixels
468 pixels x 60
Baseboard Banner 40,000 $100 / month
pixels
120 pixels x 600
Tower Skyscraper 40,000 $250 / month
pixels
120 pixels x 120
Square Tile 40,000 $100 / month
pixels
Personalized $300 / 6
Calendar 6,000
Calendar months
Classified Section 468 pixels x 60
1,000 $50 / month
Sponsor pixels
Above prices include FREE ad design
10% off with a 12-month commitment
Ad Specifications
We can accept static or animated gifs or jpegs; we can accept flash files and rich
media if accompanied by a back-up gif or jpeg. Maximum file size: 40k. E-mail your
ad to your sales representative or to vergeads@mdn.net along with the URL link for
the ad.

The ourverge.com experienced design staff is happy to design your ad for you.
Please allow one week for production and approval time before it can be posted
online.

- 37 -
Hybrid Advertising: Online + Print
ourverge.com readers also read the print edition
Advertisers can increase the reach and frequency of their ad impressions with
simultaneous print advertising. Reach our total audience with the combination of
ourverge.com and Verge.

For advertising and rate information please contact the advertising department at
vergeads@mdn.net or call (989) 839-4222.

- 38 -
Appendix E: Verge Calendar

- 39 -