Public Relations Plan

This plan aims to revive interest in the Canada Food Guide. After experiencing success in 2007 with the first re-launch, today the guide is not as front of mind as it was before. This plan was developed using the R.A.C.E. method.

Situation:
Although the food guide experienced success when it was initially launched in February of 2007, it is not as important to Canadians today. Health Canada is aiming to revive interest and make the food guide a resource Canadians will go to when making dietary selections.

Objectives:
1. To increase awareness and understanding of the Canada Food Guide. Furthermore, inspire Canadians to live active and healthy lifestyles.
2. To increase the number of people following the guidelines of the Canada Food Guide.

Audiences:
Media
Community and Community Organizations
Parents, Students, Children, Elderly

Strategies:
1. Launch an informational campaign using media to reach community/community organizations and parents, students, children and the elderly.
2. Show and demonstrate the benefits of following the Canada Food Guide.
3. Use a celebrity spokesperson to act as a brand ambassador to the Canada Food Guide.

Themes:
1. It’s your life – live it right!
2. Canada’s Food Guide – The Next Right Thing!

Tactics:
For Strategy # 1 – Launch an informational campaign
- Create public service announcements to run on radio, television and in the newspaper – some to include the use of celebrity spokesperson.
- Distribute flyers, posters, brochures and information kits to the community and community organizations using celebrity spokesperson.

For Strategy # 2 – Show the benefits of the Canada Food Guide
- Prepare fact sheets that provide statistics including obesity rates, etc.
- PR Advertising – Use testimonials from doctors, nutritionists, parents and those who actually followed the plan and made a lifestyle change. Done via video news releases, audio news releases and speeches.

For Strategy # 3 – Use a celebrity spokesperson
- Use a media release to inform public that celebrity is spokesperson for Canada Food Guide.Conduct news conferences to inform public that celebrity is spokesperson for Canada Food Guide

Budget and Timeline
Can be downloaded and viewed in table format

Evaluation
Strategy 1
1. Public Service Announcements – will be evaluated to determine:
- How many different vehicles ran the PSA
- How many times the PSA was ran
- How many times the PSA was ran during peak broadcast times

2. Distribute printed materials – will be evaluated to determine:
- How many public institutions displayed either a poster, flyer or brochure
- How many flyers were taken within a certain period (following up with institution)
- How long materials were displayed
- How many people contact Health Ontario for more information citing a brochure, poster or flyer

Strategy 2
1. Fact sheets – will be evaluated to determine:
- How many stories used facts from the sheet (through a mass search)
- How many public institutions distributed the fact sheet
- How many fact sheets were distributed (following up with institution)
- The responses collected during focus groups and interviews

2. PR Advertising – will be evaluated to determine:
- How many people attended the presentations and speeches
- How many news outlets used testimonials in their stories
- The response to surveys measuring PR advertising effectiveness
- The quality of the coverage

Strategy 3
1. Issue a media release – will be evaluated to determine:
- How many media vehicles ran the story
- How many times the story was ran at peak newscast hours
- The quality of the news coverage
- The number of times the journalist properly quoted the spokesperson

2. Plan and hold a news conference – will be evaluated to determine:
- How many media outlets attend the conference
- How many media outlets run the story
- How many times the story was ran at peak newscast hours
- The quality of the news coverage