Helios Media: National Geographic Channel's MARS

HELI S MEDIA

TABLE OF CONTENTS Meet the Team

1

Executive Summary

3

Situation Analysis

6

Research

9

Audience

11

SWOT

17

Strategy & Objectives

21

Tactics

23

Timeline

49

evaluation

51

works cited

52

MEET THE TEAM Helios Media is a Washington, D.C. based communications company founded by a diverse team of authentically curious young professionals with eyes on the future of communications and entertainment. Helios Media believes in embracing a collaborative and creative process to yield results-driven works. A typical meeting with Helios Media is filled with comradery, inspiration, coffee and cake-pops. We cultivate a team-oriented environment that translates the needs of our clients into tangible, measurable, and creative outcomes. We are passionate about the work we do. With Helios Media - the future is bright.

Bianca Concepcion

Public Communication | Marketing Queens, NY With a thirst for adventure and curiosity, Bianca is open to all types of challenges and looks at them with a strategic, tactful and creative integrated approach. Her passion for exploration and travel has taken her to over 50 cities around the world and she hopes to make MARS her next destination.

Jack Fitzpatrick

Public Communication | Marketing | American Studies St. Cloud, MN Firmly planted in the “Experience Generation,� Jack is a communication and marketing strategist. Event management, social media strategy, media relations and content creation of all sorts are in his realm of expertise. He is a foodie largely interested in lifestyle brands. Jack believes in the MARS project because his childhood fascination lives on through the scientific exploration of others.

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Alexandra Johnson

Public Communication | Theatre Performance Chantilly, VA Alexandra is a communications professional with a passion for designing and organizing campaigns in the entertainment field. Alexandra is excited to be working on the MARS project because she loves the fantastical world of science fiction. She is hopeful that she will get to be a part of the first interplanetary generation.

Ariana Kruszewski

Public Communication | Musical Theatre Performance Oak Hill, VA Ariana is passionate about projects and companies that champion creativity, inspire new ideas, promote diversity and innovation, and utilize storytelling in its many forms to develop engaging art and entertainment content. Ariana is thrilled to be working on this groundbreaking project during this pivotal time for National Geographic Channel.

Rachel Roderick

Public Communication | Marketing New Bedford, MA Rachel is passionate about work that visually stimulates and sparks curiosity. Her expertise lies within the ‘big picture.’ She’s a communications professional who sees the whole puzzle first and then worries about the pieces. Rachel is excited to be working on this campaign because it brings together her fascination with terraforming Mars and the National Geographic brand.

2

EXECUTIVE SUMMMARY National Geographic has a loyal and committed community. As the network matures, it hopes to expand its viewership to younger generations. MARS has the potential to reach and engage Millennials.

To promote this new six-part genre-busting miniseries, Helios Media has developed a plan to attract Millennial viewers by enticing them to join an experience-based MARS community.

The Millennial generation has been nicknamed the experience generation because of their overwhelming tendency to value experiences over material goods. More than 3 in 4 Millennials (78%) would choose to spend money on a desirable experience or event over buying a tangible product.

Not only do they want these experiences, they want to share them with others. Shared experiences create meaningful and lasting communities that inspire members to take action. Helios Media used this information to create a plan that turns a TV show into an experience.

Helios Media hopes to promote MARS as a leading source of entertainment and scientific content for Millennials. We want to invite them on an integrated adventure that makes them feel as if they are a part of something bigger than just a TV show.

Captivating the tiny attention spans of Millennials is not a simple task. This group is extremely diverse and already inundated with a constant stream of new media. In order to break through the clutter, we have chosen to turn MARS into an adventure that will drive Millenials to tune in and get excited about the show. These range from a ten city MARS Roving Tour to a robust media relations plan to a 360 degree digital experience. Helios Media brings millennials to MARS, on a quest for sensory experience.

Helios Media is authentically curious, not only about the future of the MARS project but about the future of National Geographic Channel itself. Helios Media’s “MARS Community” campaign will turn NGC viewers into NGC fans.

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“helios media brings millennials to MARS on a quest for sensory experience�

“MARS will be the turning point for NGC’s enhanced commitment to high-level, long form narrative programming.”

SITUATION ANALYSIS Overview of MARS National Geographic Channel (NGC) is about to embark on a new project, a television series called MARS. This six part immersive series will be a hybrid blend of scripted drama and documentary, breaking barriers between entertainment and education. The project is a collaborative effort between Imagine Entertainment and Radical Media, led by acclaimed producers Ron Howard and Brian Grazer.

Beginning in 2020, MARS will chronicle a 50 to 75 year period in which humans colonize Mars and make it home. The series will follow the character progressions of twin girls living on separate planets, switching between present, near future, and distant future.

Internal Environment MARS is more than just a television program; it is a 360 degree experience. To accompany the series, there will be a book, experimental pop-up exhibits, short-form videos, and a feature in National Geographic Magazine. Viewers will be able to follow a dramatized life on Mars, while keeping the journey grounded in actual science. Through this cross-platform rollout, NGC aims to leave no viewer behind by providing multiple ways to learn more about MARS. National Geographic hopes to leverage the series as a launch for the Channel’s new direction. With the newly expanded role of Twentieth Century Fox, National Geographic Channel has new opportunities to compete with major networks by creating a big- budget television drama.

As a product of National Geographic Society, National Geographic Channel is the premiere destination for science related education and entertainment. After 15 years on the air, National Geographic Channel’s goal is to embrace bold new content opportunities and become the world leader in delivering science and adventure programming. MARS will be the turning point for NGC’s enhanced commitment to high-level, long form narrative programming.

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External Environment and Competition The new direction of NGC is creating a completely new niche for television. NGC has always excelled amongst the science channels because it is the only one backed by a scientific agency. As they begin creating new programming that has a more primetime feel to it, they are entering a new competitive market.

This market includes players of the entertinment field not just those focused specifically on scientific programming. MARS is scheduled to air during primetime and must compete for the attention of “page turner” and “sophisticate” preferred programming. The newly expanded role of 21st Century Fox enhances National Geographic’s competitive edge by providing them with the resources needed to participate in new joint ventures.

Audiences Currently NGC’s audience skews older, with a median age of 54. With this new direction, National Geographic hopes to capture younger audiences. For MARS specifically, they hope to appeal to the Millennial generation and create lifelong National Geographic fans.

Their current audience is primarily composed of “fact finders,” an older group looking for informational programming about science and tech. They hope to retain this group for MARS while also gaining other audiences such as “sophisticates” and “page turners.” Sophisticates are in search of cultural superiority through education, and page turners are the coveted prime time drama audience. These two groups could help expand the conversation about MARS and truly leave no viewer behind.

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“For MARS Specifically, NGC hopeS to appeal to the millennial generation and create lifelong national geographic fans.�

Key FindingS

62% of U.s. adults would buy from companies that supported 89% solutions to specific social issues of millennials would choose to spend money on an 78% experience or event over buying things they want of millennials agree that their peers social posts are 68% likely to influence them of Millennials are more likely to become brand loyal if a company engages with them on social networks

18 to 24-year-olds watch a weekly average of

15.5 hours of traditional TV

RESEARCH Millennials make up over one fourth of the United States population. The largest generation, this cohort of 18-34 year olds is responsible for reshaping the way in which society consumes media. Since they have entered the workforce, Millennials have come to command an estimated $1.3 trillion in annual consumer spending.

The consumption habits of this social generation are different from those of the past. They emphasize experience and adventure, hover between multiple screens, and are influenced by the suggestions of family, friends and sometimes strangers. The Millennial generation is a gregarious one due to globalization, the accessibility of the Internet, and the expansion of social media. There are very few things these tech-savvy young professionals cannot solve via a Google search or text to a friend.

Additionally, Millennials define themselves by their interests and passions. With access to a variety of tools for self-expression, this group is constantly curating their personal identities to gain attention amongst others. They share more with the general public than any other generation and identify with brands that share their personal values. Millennials admire brand authenticity and pay attention to corporate reputation and image. They are an active audience and expect companies to communicate and engage with them in a reciprocal manner.

As this generation begins to assume the dominant role in society, it is important that communications professionals note the ways in which they think and consume. Helios Media has developed a public relations plan that will foster strong viewership through an experience based community of Millennials.

Because this peer group uses their passions as a means for self-identification, Helios Media intends to emphasize the values of science, adventure and exploration shared between Millennials and NGC.

Key Characteristics: Digital Engagement • Social Responsibility • experiental fufillment • peer influence

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AUDIENCE TRAITS This plan will focus on three key audiences: Sophisticates, Page Turners and Fact Finders.

Page Turners are the prime-time television audience. They are generally female and blue collar workers. They are influenced by their friends, family, and popular trends. They often look to the comments section and reviews when researching a product or program. They are motivated by their desire to be “in the know,” and a part of a larger society. Page Turners are involved social media users, likely to live tweet a show and use the hashtag posted in the corner of a screen. They typically read material like People Magazine, Buzzfeed and digital sources such as Now This.

Messaging Statements: • “The journey that will change lives forever” • “The epic voyage that will have you on the edge of your seat” • “The producers of Empire, 24, Parenthood and Friday Night Lights brings you the next big adventure of a young astronaut and her struggle to survive on Mars.”

Fact Finders are already at the core of Nat Geo’s existing audience. They are affluent enough to invest in the latest technology and spend their money selectively. Fact Finders decide to purchase products only after conducting their own detailed research on them. They are driven by their interests and love for facts and figures in the tech and automotive fields. They enjoy the thrills of action and adventure.

Fact Finders are the guys you would probably give a tech-related gift to for any holiday. You would likely find them “window shopping” in places like Best Buy, the Apple Store or Microsoft just to see and try out new products. They’re weary of products endorsed by celebrities, big-budget advertising, and like to make decisions by themselves. Fact Finders won’t put socializing and leisure before their obligations at work. Fact Finders keep up with the news, both international and domestic headlines, and trade publications. They are moderately involved in social media, primarily Facebook.

Messaging Statements: • “How will we terraform the future?”

• “How will humans survive on a planet with no vegetation?”

• “With an average temperature of -67 degrees, what technology will be needed for survival?”

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Sophisticates are interested in the finer things in life. They have a diverse group of friends and are interested in diverse cultural experiences. This audience is not gender specific and comes from upper middle class families. Sophisticates are aware of their environmental impact and the environmental impact of others.

Sophisticates are motivated by the vastness of the world and the ways they can have a role in changing it. They are driven by self-improvement, professional accomplishment and their own set of standards.

They not only keep up with style trends, they excel at them. They’re interested in cultural heritage and believe that maintaining it is important to society. They do not accept the social and cultural norms they are dissatisfied with. They are not necessarily interested in the latest technology. Sophisticates keep up with the news, both international and domestic, and in their specific areas of interest. They are involved social media users that tend to interact across various platforms for both personal and professional reasons. It is likely that they are big fans of Nat Geo’s Instagram and Snapchat, but may not be familiar with their TV programs.

Messaging Statements: • “An epic journey into the future like you’ve never seen it before” • “What will it take for humans to turn a foreign planet into their new home?”

• “How will inhabiting Mars change life on Earth as we know it?”

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SOPHISTICATE Xander (27) & Avery (26)

After both graduating from NYU, Xander & Avery now call Chicago home. Xander’s passion for beer inspired him to open his own microbrewery along with his 3 best friends. While working as an intern at an advertising agency in NYC, Avery accepted a fulltime position as a creative director in its Chicago location. Both Xander & Avery love to travel in their spare time and have been to over 30 countries combined. They are avid readers of Lonely Planet, Time Out Magazine, Bloomberg Business, The Economist, GQ and Vogue. They’re both hoping to use their frequent flyer miles to take a volunteer trip to a school in Thailand.

Both Xander and Avery are self-sufficient and confident but love to learn, try new experiences and are open minded.

They explore their new city by walking or biking and support small businesses. Although they share a car they try to bike and take public transportation as often as possible to reduce their carbon footprint.

Being environmentally conscious and sustainable is embedded into their daily routine.

Xander and Avery are both tech savvy but not experts. They follow tech trends but don’t buy new products until they’ve been reviewed. They have busy lives but make time to socialize with friends and family. They love to try new bars and brunch spots with their friends. On the weekends they visit museums, friends’ art shows and concerts. They love to keep up with new events happening in the city and try to sign up for festivals, conventions and social events. They live far from home but call their family every so often to catch up on their lives - chatting about news, television and travel plans.

In their free time, they stay up-to-date on their favorite shows on their Apple TV such as Suits, White Collar, Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad and Avery’s favorite- Downton Abbey. In between lunch breaks Avery loves to catch up on her favorite bloggers and Instagramers while Xander briefly scrolls through Twitter.

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PAGE TURNER Karen (31)

A resident of Seattle, Washington for the past five years, Karen works as a neonatal nurse at Virginia Mason Medical Center. She loves helping people and gossiping with her co-workers about the latest episode of her favorite shows: How To Get Away With Murder and The Good Wife. Her 6-year-old daughter Katie is a kindergartener at Lowell Elementary School. In order to balance work with picking up her daughter on a regular basis, Karen works the 7 a.m. - 3 p.m. shift. After a long day of work, she kicks back with a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and a bowl of popcorn.

Karen is a dreamer and gets a lot of her inspiration from Pinterest and magazines such as Better Homes, Cooking Lite, and People. Her bounty of subscriptions has accumulated from PTA fundraisers to help her daughter’s school. Thankfully, Her long-term carpenterfriend, Mark, is handy enough to help her accomplish her HGTV renovation projects.

Every Saturday morning, she joins her friends at Work It Out Women’s Fitness for a Zumba class.

She wears a pedometer daily to make sure she hits 10,000 -- an achievable benchmark working at a hospital. She is married to her high-school sweetheart, Rick, a financial planner at Goddard Financial Planning.

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FACT FINDER John (35)

John is employed at CORT furniture in their Chantilly, Virginia office as their head of information technology. He takes great pride in his IT work and makes sure to stay up to date with all of the latest technology. He is a strong supporter of Apple products and is happy to remind anyone who asks that he had the original iPod. In his younger years, John attended Virginia Tech as part of their engineering program. He was also president of the robotics club and graduated with latin honors. He loves cars, the great outdoors, and all things tech. He used to dream of being an astronaut but feels that his job of the head of IT is a close second.

John is most well known for his blog where he writes about new products. His most viewed post is his scathing review of the Apple watch as an unnecessary addition to the tech world, in which he laments that Steve Jobs is no longer the head of Apple. He does, however, still wear his Apple watch daily.

John spends most of his free time at home working on his 68’ camaro, writing product reviews, and joining his friends in chat rooms. Every morning he gets in his camaro and immediately turns on NPR. In the evening, the moment he gets back to his small and affordable townhouse in Manassas, John puts National Geographic Channel on his 65 inch Samsung Curve television. On the weekends he works one shift at Best Buy just so he can take advantage of employee discounts.

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Millennials aren’t a monolithic audience, they ALL have different wants and needs.

SWOT 1. Audience Segment: Sophisticates

Males and Females, 25-35 This audience seeks fulfilling experiences and premium television. They enjoy quality dramas (i.e. Game of Thrones, Suits, Girls) and keep up with news programs (i.e. CNN, BBC). Driven by self-improvement and multi-culturalism, they seek television shows that will broaden their horizons and make them more well-rounded individuals.

2. Segment Decision Factors • • • • • • •

Experience (Will my friends like it/watch it? Will I?) Entertainment (Will this be a premium show?)

Motivation (How will this show motivate me to get involved?)

Ability to start a conversation (Can I talk to my peers about this show in an intellectual manner?)

Self-Improvement (How will this show improve my personality or my knowledge?)

Character Investment (Do I relate to the characters? Do I care about the characters?)

Informative (Will I learn useful and interesting information?)

3. Strengths and Weaknesses

Experience Entertainment Motivation Ability to start of conversation Self-Improvement Character Investment Informative

NAT GEO Channel

Discovery

HBO

USA

4. Opportunities

5. Threats

• • • • •

• Mars show not luxury/premium enough • Not challenging enough • Audience does not want to be associated with target audience (Fact Finders/Page Turners) • Might be reluctant to repositioning • Another more interesting show would be released at the same time and that would get more attention/prime-time competition • Day of the week could influence viewership ( i.e.

Wednesday vs. Friday)

• • • •

Channel / Series loyalty Total National Geographic Brand loyalty Interest in other aspects of brand ( Magazine, Nat Geo society etc.)

Audience can create word-of-mouth buzz and build audience anticipation Associate MARS with premium television Can be key audience for success and future seasons Younger audience interested Gain attention of social influencers

Key Issues to be AddresseD: The overall ‘experience’ of the show must be emphasized in all aspects of the campaign. Sophisticates should feel like they are getting the most out of the show and the campaign. The overall image has to stay high quality and not veer too much into the technical aspects.

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SWOT 1. Audience Segment: Page Turners

Females, 25-35 This segment is a group of prime-time viewers who love the social experience and community of television. They enjoy TV series and dramas such as crime (i.e. CSI, NCIS), medical (i.e. Greys Anatomy) and "real life" shows (i.e.

Keeping up with the Kardashians, The Bachelor). While they are very active on social media, they love face-to-face conversations and interactions. They anticipate upcoming episodes and use TV as conversation topics.

2. Segment Decision Factors • • • • • • •

Social desires (Will my friends like it/watch it?)

Entertainment (Will I be bored?)

Cliff hangers (Am I excited to watch the next episode? Do I want more? Am I drawn in?)

Ability to start a conversation (Can I talk to my friends about this show?)

Interaction (How else can I be a part of this show? Can I interact on social media?)

Character Investment (Do I relate to the characters? Do I care about the characters?)

Informative (Will I learn useful and interesting information?)

3. Strengths and Weaknesses

NAT GEO Channel

Discovery

CBS

TLC

Social Desires Entertainment Cliff Hangers Ability to Start Conversation Interaction Character Investment Informative

4. Opportunities

5. Threats

• • • •

• Not trendy enough/ Not enough relatable drama • Too scientific/ hard for viewers to understand • Targeted audience doesn’t want to be associated with current audience • Might be reluctant to repositioning • Another more interesting show would be released at the same time and that would get more attention/ Prime time competition

• • • •

Channel / Series loyalty Total National Geographic Brand loyalty Interest in other branches of brand

Audience can create word-of-mouth buzz and build audience anticipation High social media activity Can be key audience for success and future seasons Younger audience interested Gain attention of social influencers

Key Issues to be Addressed: It is crucial that there is a social aspect embedded into this communications strategy.

The target audience thrives off of social interaction and conversation. They are a key audience to creating buzz and anticipation. Since NGC is competing with big entertainment channels, there needs to be other ways to interact and create full fan experience.

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SWOT 1. Audience Segment: Fact Finders

Males, 25-35 This audience is Nat Geo’s current and most loyal segment. Fact Finders are interested in the accuracy of information, credibility and challenging information. They seek out shows based on science and history which include both nonfiction and fiction. Fact Finders enjoy higher quality shows (i.e. Cosmos, Brain Games, BBC Horizons) but do not necessarily seek out premium television. This audience is also well informed about the tech and science industry.

2. Segment Decision Factors • • • • • • •

Informational accuracy (How accurate is the show?)

Entertainment (Will I be bored?)

Challenge (Is it an active or passive viewing experience? Is it mentally stimulating?)

Opinion (How can I contribute to the conversation/include my opinion?)

Cutting Edge (How innovative is the topic? How new is it?)

Time Management (Do I have time to watch this show?)

Influential/ credibility (Who is going to be on the show? Who will be part of the community?)

3. Strengths and Weaknesses

NAT GEO Channel

Discovery

HISTORY

A&E

Informational Accuracy Entertainment Challenge Opinion Cutting Edge Time Management Influential/ Credibility

4. Opportunities

5. Threats

• • • • • •

• Too drama/plot line focused • Audience does not want to be associated with target audience (Sophisticate/Page Turners) • Might be reluctant to repositioning • Another more interesting show would be released at the same time and that would get more attention/ Prime time competition • Day of the week could influence viewership ( i.e.

Wednesday vs. Friday)

Younger audiences interested Contribute to Nat Geo community Maintain existing audience Total National Geographic brand loyalty Interest in other branches of brand Audience can create word-of-mouth buzz and build audience anticipation • Add credibility to the Nat Geo audience

Key Issues to be AddresseD: The new NGC repositioning might turn off some of our loyal Fact Finders so we must emphasize consistent credibility and accuracy of our information. Fact Finders want to know as much as possible so our communications plan must include as many facts, informational tidbits of Mars as possible. This campaign will focus on the concrete aspects of the show (how? why? what?) rather than the dramatic points.

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STRATEGY & TACTICS Objectives

• Drive tune in to MARS • Strengthen the NGC brand as the company launches their new phase of programming • Transform viewership into loyal fan base • Create positive change through engaging the science, technology, engineering and math education initiatives • Rally the Washington, D.C. community by engaging political thinkers and culturally adept Millennials

Tactics

Helios Media has developed a strategic plan that appeals to the Millennial sense of exploration and can harness their use of digital mediums. Millennials love to experience new things and share those experiences with others. The tactics within this campaign are designed to not only drive people to tune in, but get them excited to do so.

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Campaign Strategy

Create an experience based community surrounding MARS through shareable adventures

Shareable Experiences

community

Tune In

22

M

RUST CARPET PREMIERE

S R A

#MARSMATE

SOCIAL MEDIA

PRINT & BROADCAST

MARS VR

COM

STEM OUTREACH TO DCPS

MU

YOUTUBE INFLUENCERS

NITY RELEASE OF THE ASTRONAUTS

MARS ROVING TOUR

“IN ORDER TO FEEL INVOLVED WITH A BRAND, MILLENNIALS LIKE FOR SOCIAL MEDIA TO BE A HEAVILY INTERACTIVE EXPERIENCE”

SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEgY 62% of Millennials are more likely to become brand loyal if a company engages with them on social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Social Media Plan Focus Community engagement. Our research highlights the importance of interaction with followers on social media. While the social media strategy will remain consistent with NGC’s existing presence, this plan will emphasize interaction and engagement with followers.

Call To action Interact with us. Social media supports the community created by every tactic, including itself. It is the “connective glue” of our shareable content.

Overview Instagram posts should be high resolution photos and still images from shows. Instagram posts should refrain from using texts on images.

Facebook should continue to post about NGC show news, links to Nat Geo articles and Nat Geo video content. As much content as possible should be uploaded directly onto Facebook’s native platform to best work with the algorithm.

Twitter should continue to post about facts, science and exploration news, influencer tweets, NGC show updates and hyperlinks to more information.

Introduce new hashtags to align with each campaign on all platforms.

#NatGeoMars #MARS #MARSmate Additional campaigns to includE Content from the tactics below will be incorporated into the social media presence.

• Roving Tour • Release of the Astronauts • MARS Virtual Reality • STEM Outreach

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INSTAGRAM NGC Instagram Current: 1.1m followers New MARS Account: @NatGeoMARS Timeline: July 1 – Nov 30 Objectives • • • •

Generate an average of 7K Likes, 40 Comments and 50 Shares per post Generate website traffic through comment links Increase usage of #NatGeoMars, #MARS, and #MARSmate Increase conversation about MARS, Space Exploration and Nat Geo

Campaign: #MARSmate #MARSmate will be a social media campaign where followers can post a photo with their designated “MARS mate” or first choice travel companion. About 5 Instagram posts over the span of 3 weeks will explain the concepts of this campaign: “In 2050 humans will have fully inhabited the planet Mars. Who are you going to bring? Post a photo of you and your #MARSmate and enter a chance to win two tickets to the premiere event of MARS!” A “MARS mate” can include a friend, family member, favorite celebrity or even a pet. The hashtag will also enter users to win a chance to attend the MARS premiere event in Washington, D.C. This campaign aims to drive community engagement and interaction.

Additional Platform Requirements: Posts must stay consistent with National Geographics highdefinition photographs. Ways to go about this include uploading still shots of MARS episodes, actual photos of Mars, winners of the #MARSmate competition, and a cohesive design across all platforms.

Hashtags: #NatGeoMars #MARS #MARSmate

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FACEBOOK NGC Facebook Current: 56,435,342 likes New MARS Account Page: MARS Timeline: July 1- Nov 30 Objectives • • • •

Generate an average of 2K Likes, 300 shares and 250 comments per post Generate website traffic through comment links Increase usage of #NatGeoMars, #MARS, and #MARSmate hashtags Increase conversation about MARS, Space Exploration and Nat Geo

Campaigns: #MARSmate #MARSmate will be a social media campaign where followers can post a photo with their designated “MARS mate”. Followers can post pictures with people they would want to go to mars with, with the hashtag #MARSmate. The hashtag will also enter users to win a chance to attend the MARS premiere event in Washington, D.C. This campaign aims to drive community engagement and interaction. Post short video explaining rules of #MARSmate. The Facebook page will repost a collage of #MARSmate entries as its cover photo for three weeks.

MARS Virtual Reality Facebook’s algorithm allows video content to rise to the top of any organic reach content. While the actual MARS VR full experience will be hosted on its own site, shortened 360 videos of the experience should be downloaded directly to Facebook. These videos can be accompanied by a link to the full virtual experience. For more information on MARS VR turn to page 41.

Additional Platform Requirements: Posts must stay consistent with National Geographics highdefinition photographs. Ways to go about this include uploading still shots of MARS episodes, actual photos of Mars, winners of the #MARSmate competition, a cohesive design and theme across all platforms.

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TWITTER NGC Twitter Current: 1.06m followers New MARS Account: @NatGeoMars Timeline: July 1- Nov 30 Objectives • • • •

Generate an average of 7K likes, 40 retweets and 50 replies per post Generate website traffic through hyper links Increase usage of #NatGeoMars, #MARS, and #MARSmate hashtags Increase conversation about MARS, Space and Nat Geo

Campaigns: #MARSmate #MARSmate will be a social media campaign where followers can post a photo with their designated “MARS mate”. About 20 tweets over the span of 3 weeks will explain the concepts of the campaign. Followers can post selfies or photos with family, friends, animals etc. with #MARSmate.

The hashtag will also enter users to win a chance to attend the MARS premiere event in Washington, D.C. This campaign aims to drive community engagement and interaction. This account should encourage users to engage with campaign by retweeting their #MARSmate.

Fact tweets: About 21 tweets a week containing facts about Mars, space and other relevant information. Posts can include quotes from key big thinkers and behind the scenes information. Fact tweets (particularly bizarre or unbelievable facts) should garner the most engagement on Twitter.

Influencers: All influencers should be encouraged to tweet about their excitement for the upcoming show. They should also join in the #MARSmate fun and tweet. All tweets from influencers should be retweeted on the Nat Geo channel accounnts.

Additional Requirements: Use as much media as possible, for tweets with photos or videos get 313% more engagement according to twitter’s in house statistics. Posts must stay consistent with National Geographics high-definition photographs. Ways to go about this include uploading still shots of MARS episodes, actual photos of Mars, winners of the #MARSmate competition, a cohesive design and theme across all platforms.

Sample Tweets: “Happy #WildlifeWednesday, which animal would you take to live with you on Mars? #NatGeoMARS” “BREAKING: [twitter handle of star] confirmed as the star of #MARS. Read full story here: [link]” “If you could only bring one personal item to Mars, what would it be? #NatGeoMARS”

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“One of the most valuable tools in capturing the attention of millennials, is finding out who they love.�

INFLUENCERS Vsauce

Vlogbrothers

Subscribers: 10,153,430 An entertaining trawl through the Internet.

Answering questions that maybe have never been asked before.

Subscribers: 2,790,432 Two brothers talking about things they find interesting. Raising nerdy to the power of awesome.

Good Mythical Morning

TestTube News (and TestTube Plus)

Subscribers: 9,772,217 Rhett and Link appeal to millennials with an absurd sense of humor and keen perspective of the world. They cover topics ranging from science and history to art and pop culture.

Smarter Every Day Subscribers: 3,758,014 Smarter Every Day explores our world through science with host, Destin Sandlin. This YouTube series often has famous guest stars, including President Obama.

The Philip Defranco Show Subscribers: 3,649,271 A Monday through Thursday show where host Philip Defranco, talks about the news and pop culture that matters to him.

Subscribers: 1,011,498 TestTube News is committed to answering the smart, inquisitive questions people have about life, society, politics and news. TestTube Plus is built for enthusiastic science fans seeking out comprehensive conversations on the geeky topics they love, Mars exploration is a regular part of the show.

Universe Today (Fraser Cain) Subscribers: 73,957 Space and astronomy news from Fraser Cain, publisher of Universe Today and co-host of Astronomy Cast.

Veritasium Subscribers: 3,372,590 Veritasium is a channel of science and engineering videos featuring experiments, expert interviews, cool demos, and discussions with the public about everything science.

Millennials are heavily influenced by the opinions of their peers and people they respect. So one of the most valuable tools in capturing the attention of our audience is finding out who they love. Helios Media decided YouTube was the most valuable place to find influencers, due to how often Millennials share video content on social media. All influencers will be offered a stipend, a behind the scenes tour of the set, an invitation to the premiere in return for coverage of the show on their channel, and the opportunity to be affiliated with the National Geographic brand.

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PRINT & BROADCAST Earned media coverage will be tackled with a three-pronged approach, aiming towards fashion, entertainment and science reporters at large outlets providing nationwide coverage. Between fashion, science and entertainment publications no potential viewer will be left behind.

Fashion The power of the unknown surrounding Mars allows for great flexibility when

pitching stories. This tactic involves exclusively pitching either Elle, Vogue, Esquire, and GQ to take fashion to another planet. In return for a fashion spread about the potential of clothing on MARS, they will also get an exlusive interview with MARS’ costume designer. This can help us reach “Page Turners” and “Sophisticates” alike, who may not be accessible through typical entertainment publications.

Entertainment Due to the program’s “genre-busting” nature, MARS is a story that

entertainment reporters will naturally gravitate towards. Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, and the rising stars from the show can be pitched to late night shows, which millennials tend to watch in greater numbers than any other generation.

The rising stars should be brought out in groups or with a bigger name to boost them, it could be beneficial to have the producers or well known big thinkers at their side to give them a ratings boost.

There is also an opportunity for edgy publications, such as Vice, Rolling Stone, and The New Yorker to cover the program. Larger newspapers including The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Los Angeles Times, should also be pitched in hopes of wide, sweeping coverage.

Science Tapping into NGC’s current “Fact Finder” audience, science publications

should not be forgotten. Space bloggers and columnists will be sold on the educational value of MARS, focusing on the great minds of science involved in its production. MARS can also be pitched as a project that can get people excited about space exploration again by making it feel like an attainable goal.

Quotes made by industry influencers can be shared via a quote sheet attached to every pitch.

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“BETWEEN FASHION, SCIENCE AND ENTERTAINMENT PUBLICATIONS, NO POTENTIAL VIEWER will be left BEHIND”

MARS ROVING TOUR EVENT DESCRIPTION

The MARS Roving Tour will be a multi city tour that brings the National Geographic MARS experience to audiences in the form of a custom made interactive exhibit. This trade show-style exhibit will attract and captivate through three different interactive areas named after the existing Mars rovers; Spirit, Opportunity, and Curiosity. The space will be divided to allow audiences to try new foods, view footage of MARS, space exploration, and scientific programming, or have a 360-degree virtual reality Martian experience. The interactive tour exhibit will be placed in high-traffic areas of shopping malls to grab passerby audiences.

BUSINESS PURPOSE

This tactic allows audiences to physically interact with the brand and continue the conversation via social media. As a result, local and national media coverage opportunities are anticipated.The Roving Tour will strengthen existing brand loyalty and spark new interests in those that are new to NGC programming. The MARS Rover Tour is also designed to directly reach out to the interests and habits of NGC’s target Millennial audiences, particularly Sophisticates and Page Turners.

The tour appeals to the Sophisticates’ interest in the finer things in life and their tendency to invest in experiences over ownership. Sophisticates are motivated by the vastness of the world, and the MARS Roving Tour gives them the chance to experience the limitless world that NGC’s MARS will create.

This tactic appeals to the Page Turners’ interest in popular trends the collective experience of entertainment. The MARS Roving Tour gives Page Turners a preview experience of the adventure that MARS will create for audiences, the opportunity for an enjoyable and shared experience, and a new experience to post and share with their social media network.

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TOUR SCHEDULE & TIMING The MARS Roving Tour will begin in August to capitalize off of the “back-to-school” shopping rush. The MARS Roving Tour will remain at each designated location for four days (Thursday - Sunday) before moving to the next location.

Seattle, Washington Los Angeles, California Denver, Colorado Austin, Texas Houston, Texas Nashville, Tennessee Bloomingdale, Minnesota Boston, Massachusetts New York City, New York Washington, D.C.

August 4-7 August 11-14 August 18 - 21 August 25 - 28 September 8 - 11 September 15 - 18 September 22 - 25 September 29 - October 2 October 6 - 9 October 13 - 16

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MAIN ACTIVITIES & PARTICIPANT EXPERIENCE Spirit The Spirit section of the MARS Roving Tour is dedicated to the scientific, factual,

and historical foundation that MARS is based on. The Spirit section will resemble a more traditional museum exhibit that displays text, images, and video information on the past, present, and future of space travel.

Opportunity The Opportunity section is the main attraction of the MARS Roving Tour. This section gives passerby audiences that chance to experience Mars through a 360-degree virtual reality experience.

Curiosity The Curiosity section of the MARS Roving Tour experience is dedicated to trying new things that the new age of space exploration might bring, from tasting the latest flavors of space ice create to trying on astronaut helmets for a photo.

Free give-away paraphernalia will be available to people that pass by and participate in the MARS Roving Tour exhibit’s activities. These would include: • Sunglasses with the MARS and National Geographic logo on the side • National Geographic pamphlets and brochures on science, space exploration and more

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MARS ROVING TOUR MARS Roving Tour Exhibit Floor Plan Floor Plan Option #1

Floor Plan Option #2

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MARS ROVING TOUR

MARS Virtual reality 360-Degree digital Experience (mars vr)

MARS VR, the 360-degree digital experience, is an online collection of five simulation videos. Each recording offers viewers a unique, detailed look at MARS. It will inclued behindthe-scenes footage, a close-up of the terrain, and a walkthrough of the shuttle. This form of virtual reality presents to the curious viewer greater insight into the colonization of Mars.

It lets those who want to learn more, explore the inner workings of this project. Additionally, MARS VR is a means for targeting those who are unable to partake in the physical experience of the MARS Roving Tour. Providing an alternative experience to this segment of our target market ensures that they are equally engaged. The videos would be available through an interactive platform on the landing page for the entire MARS series and will be used as promotional content on social media.

Augmented and virtual realities are popular at the moment due to the abilities they give consumers. By providing an artificial realm, mankind is able to manipulate the environment at hand and accordingly, create an experience as realistic or imaginary as desired. For this purpose, MARS VR is designed to elicit authentic feelings amongst those who use it.

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“By providing an artificial realm, mankind is able to manipulate the environment at hand and accordingly, create an experience as realistic or imaginary as desired.�

What would you do if you saw an astronaut in full gear walking down your street?

RELEASE OF THE ASTRONAUTS Unsuspecting city goers find themselves walking among Martians visiting Earth for the first time...

When: 1-2 weeks before series premiere; between 12-2 p.m.

Location: • New York City (Times Square) • Washington, D.C (National Mall) • Los Angeles (Venice Beach)

Event Description: Dozens of actors dressed in astronaut suits will walk among the citizens of DC, NYC and LA “touring” the planet. Unsuspecting bystanders will watch as the astronauts do normal touristy things in each city such as taking selfies, eating ice cream and walking along famous landmark. The idea is to create a feeling of what it would be like to visit another planet. This “flash mob” will walk in mostly crowded touristy areas and move throughout certain locations of the city for footage of major sights.

Set up cameras in key locations in each city to get footage of event from different angles. Designated people will act as bystanders and film the event. Large professional cameras should be avoided to create a more authentic experience. Footage will include astronauts, bystander’s reactions, interactions with astronauts and NGC logo.

Additional Information: The astronauts' backpacks will feature the Nat Geo logo and MARS information. A small NGC crew will hand out flyers about the series. Video will be edited and posted on NGC social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat.

Media: #NatGeoMARS #MARS #AstronautWalk

This event will build buzz organically, increasing promotion. The event will be shared once through each social media platform. This spontaneity of this stunt will gain the attention of a variety of media outlets both local and national.

Strategy Conncection: The localization of Release of the Astronauts will create a community that will bond over this spontaneous experience. Guerilla marketing stunts create exclusivity. Those who learn of the event via the news or social media will wish they were there and experience a sensation known as Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), which will drive them to tune in.

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The rust carpet will create a fun atmosphere and unforgettable press photos

PREMIERE An event for political leaders, media contacts, and lucky contest winners

When: Monday, November 14, 2016 at 8:00 p.m.

Location: National Geographic Society’s Gilbert H. Grosvenor Auditorium Event Description: In order to build buzz around the show’s premiere, there will be a rust carpet premiere in Washington, D.C. The rust carpet will resemble the surface of Mars. The auditorium will be filled with 385 attendees as they watch a screening of the first episode of MARS. The event will be six days before the premiere in order to give attendees time to create buzz through their channels.

Target Audience: The auditorium will be filled with political figures, key press, talent, winners of the #MARSmate competition, YouTube influencers and select members of the public, gaining access through social media contests.

Additional Information: Cocktail attire is encouraged for the event.

Strategy Connection: This event is all about buzz and shareable experiences. Opinion leaders, media contacts, and contest winners will be tasked with spreading the work surrounding the MARS program. This premiere event brings the MARS communities cultivated through this campaign in one place for an opening celebration. This tactic further aligns communities not just with MARS but with NGC.

Social Media: #NatGeoMARS #MARS #MARSPremiere

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STEM OUTREACH An initiative to inspire the scientists and space explorers of tomorrow...

The philanthropic aspect of the campaign encourages Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education in District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). This tactic involves collaborating with National Geographic’s Education Department to develop a lesson plan about life on the planet Mars.

The lesson will discuss the history of Mars exploration and environmental conditions of the planet.

Another aspect could speak to what it takes to be an astronaut. The idea of being one of the first adventurers on a new planet can help to inspire future mathematicians and scientists. There will also be a video clip featuring insights from the key big thinkers in the show MARS. This will put a science advocacy spin on the educational content of the television.

This partnership helps to achieve the goals of DCPS STEM Integration initiative, “to improve student readiness for STEM majors and careers as well as prepare all students to be STEM literate citizens.”

Because the STEM integration team works with all grade levels, different lesson plans will be created for different grade levels. The lesson plan will be distributed to DC teachers on a proffessional

work day in October.

This tactic not only sparks children's interest in space and our greater universe, but the show MARS. It carries the conversation from the classroom to the living room.

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The students in elementary school today will be the first people who set foot on mars

July July 5 NASA Orbiter reaches Jupiter Social Media Posts july 21 Launch #MARSmate Campaign on all platforms

August August 1 Send out press information about Roving Tour to all August Cities august 4 Roving Tour Begins august 4-7 Seattle, Washington august 11-14 Los Angeles, California august 18-21 Denver, Colorado august 19 Launch MARS Virtual Reality august 25-28 Austin, Texas

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September September 1 Send out press information about Roving Tour to all September Cities September 3 OSIRIS Rex Launch of NASA mission t asteroid |Social Media Posts September 5 Contact youtube influencers and begin promotions September 8 Roving Tour continues September 8-11 Houston, Texas September 15-18 Nashville, Tennessee September 22-25 Bloomingdale, Minnesota September 29-Oct. 2 Boston, Massachusetts

October October 3 Send out press information about Roving Tour to all October cities october 4 Magazine and Newspaper pitches | fashion and science features during the month of October october 6-9 New york City, New York OCtober 13-16 Washington, D.c.

October 18 Release of the Astronauts Event October 19 ExoMars 2016 - ESA orbiter and lander reach Mars | social Media posts October 28 Stem Outreach DCPS Teacher Work Day

TIMELINE

November November 1 Reach out to entertainment reporters about feature on Mars | Send out press kits and invitation to premiere event November 14 Rust carpet Premiere Event November 14-19 Press Tour with Actors November 19 MARS PREMIERES

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Evaluation Social Media • At least 100k uses of #MARSMate amongst all platforms • At least 500k uses of #NatGeoMARS amongst all platforms

Influencers • At least 75% of targeted YouTube influencers mention MARS on social media and feature the program on their channel

Print and Broadcast Tactics • Secure mentions in 75% of major targeted news sources • Secure placements of Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, and MARS stars on three well-watched television programs

MARS Roving Tour • At least 30k interactions with Roving Tour exhibit over ten city tour (1k per day) • At least 30k social media mentions of #MARSRovingTour

MARS VR • 30k shares of MARS VR content on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram • 100k interactions with the site

Release of Astronauts • 50k mentions of #AstronautWalk on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram • 30 mentions on local and major news outlets

STEM Outreach • 50 classrooms using lesson plan throughout DC Public Schools (DCPS) out of 111 schools

Premiere • Draw full crowd to the premiere event • 15 local and 10 national news outlets represented at and cover the event

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