The American Cancer Society is hosting a Relay for Life event at Cleveland State University in April 2013 to raise funds for cancer research and patient support services. The Cancer Killers PR group has created a campaign plan to increase awareness of the event among CSU students, faculty, and the local community in order to boost participation, attendance, donations, and the amount of money raised compared to the previous year's event. The campaign will utilize online communications, campus publications, and promotional materials placed around campus to promote the Relay for Life and encourage involvement. The success of the campaign will be evaluated by comparing the participation, donation, and attendance totals to the previous year's event.

1. Letter of Transmittal
Cancer Crushers
Chelsea, Jess, Katrina, Angela
2121 Euclid Ave
Cleveland, Ohio
44115
11/5/12
American Cancer Society
123 Fake Street
Cleveland, Ohio
44114
Dear Mr. Dave Grams,
I am sending you this campaign proposal in regards to your
Relay for Life Fundraiser at Cleveland State University.
Attached you will find the strategies and tactics we would
use, our situation analysis, a calendar of events, budget, our
goals and objectives, the audience we would like to reach
and other important information to the campaign.
Thank you for your time and as always please do not hesitate
to ask if you have any questions.
Cancer Killers

2. Executive Summary
American Cancer Society
Client Background
The American Cancer Society was created to bring
awareness, raise money, and educate everyday people about
the causes, effects and processes of cancer. Since 1945, the
American Cancer Society has been raising money to help
fund ground breaking developments and research in hopes
to find a cure for this unfortunate illness. Some examples of
fund raising events they host are Coaches vs. Cancer, Making
Strides against Breast Cancer, and Relay for Life. These events
are held all throughout the country and are primarily run by
volunteers.
Situation Analysis
The American Cancer Society is hosting a Relay for Life event
at Cleveland State University in April of 2013. The following
public relations campaign is a plan devised by the Cancer
Killers to create awareness, increase participation,
attendance, and donations among the CSU campus
community. The outreach to college students benefits the

3. American Cancer Society because it encourages a younger
audience to participate in future fundraising events.
Audiences
The primary target audience for the Relay for Life campaign
is CSU students, since they make up the largest population of
the campus community. The secondary target audience is
faculty and staff members of Cleveland State, because they
can tell their classes about the Relay for Life event. Finally,
the tertiary target audience is community people who live
near Cleveland State, because the event is open to all
publics, but this population may not have as much exposure
to the event.
Objectives
The main objectives for this campaign are to increase
awareness about the Relay for Life event, as well as increase
attendance, donations, and participation among students
and campus community members alike.
Strategies
The strategies that will be used to obtain these objectives are
using internet communications to reach the student

4. population, as well as campus newspapers and publications
such as the Cauldron and Cleveland Stater. In addition to
these, there will also be promotional materials posted
around campus, and novelties handed out to volunteers and
participants.
Tactics
The tactics that will be used to implement these strategies
are a frequently updated Facebook, Twitter and webpage to
communicate the event to students. There will also be a
news release about the event that will be placed in the
Cauldron and The Cleveland Stater, as well as fliers posted
about busy areas on campus.
Evaluation
In order to evaluate the efficacy and success of the
campaign, the participation and donation totals will be
compared to those of the previous year. Hourly attendance
counts will be done in order to determine the increase in
overall event attendance. As well as survey distribution to
determine how and where attendees learned about the
event.

5. Client Background
Organizational Structure
The American Cancer Society is the largest voluntary health
organization in the United States. The headquarters or
National Home Office is located in Atlanta, Georgia. The
National Home Office facilitates the overall planning,
development, and implementation of all of the society’s
programs and events.
The National Home Office is overseen by the National Board
of Directors, consisting of 11 officers, 24 directors, and eight
directors-at-large, all elected for a two year term. The CEO is
selected and reports to the Board of Directors. This is a paid
position is responsible for the operation of the National
Home Office, selects the key national staff officers; as well as
coordinates the work of the NHO and divisions.
The Society is then broken down into 12 chartered divisions
throughout the United States and Puerto Rico. These division
offices are responsible for creating awareness, fundraising,
and ensuring programs are carried out successfully in their
region.

6. These division offices are broken down even further into 900
smaller local offices. These offices are responsible for
bringing awareness and fundraising opportunities to our
local communities. On the community level are the
volunteers, the American Cancer Society has nearly three
million volunteers that really make the society what it is
today.
Key Manager Bios
JOHN R. SEFFRIN, Ph.D. has been chief executive officer of the
American Cancer Society since 1992. As CEO, Seffrin has
helped the Society become the world’s largest voluntary
health organization fighting cancer, with a billion dollars in
resources to save lives by helping people stay well and get
well, by finding cures, and by fighting back.Dr. Seffrin has
made his organization’s voice heard in legislatures around
this country and in forums worldwide.
He spearheaded the creation of the Society’s nonprofit,
nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society
Cancer Action NetworkSM, of which he is also the chief
executive officer. Seffrin is a past president of the Geneva-
headquartered International Union Against Cancer, the first
globally-oriented cancer non-governmental organization

7. (NGO). He served as chairman of the board of Independent
Sector, the largest coalition of nonprofit groups, and he
helped to create the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids
(now the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids), among his many
collaborations and affiliations.
CYNTHIA M. LeBLANC, Ed.D., has been volunteer board chair
for the American Cancer Society, as well as an active Society
volunteer at the local, state and national levels for over 22
years. She has been a member of the National Board of
Directors since 2006 and currently serves as a member of the
Compensation, Governance, Strategic Planning and Agenda
Development Committees, and National Board Advisory
Committee on Transformation. A St. George National Award
winner, Mrs. LeBlanc is also a Road to Recovery volunteer,
Legislative Ambassador, and an ACS National Leadership
Development Program coach.
LeBlanc has a Bachelor Degree in Psychology from Holy
Names College and received a Masters Degree in Education
from San Francisco State University and a Doctorate Degree
in Education, with a focus on Organization and Leadership,
from the University of San Francisco.

8. GREGORY P. BONTRAGER is chief operating officer for the
American Cancer Society, oversees the overall day-to-day
operations of the world’s largest voluntary health
organization. Bontrager served as deputy chief operating
officer and chief mission officer at the NHO. Prior to these
positions, he was chief executive of the Society’s Great Lakes
Division, which encompasses the states of Michigan and
Indiana. Under his leadership, the Division became one of the
most successful of the Society’s 12 regional affiliates.
Bontrager first joined the American Cancer Society in 1988 as
director of development for the former Michigan Division. He
later served as the Division’s vice president of development,
senior vice president for operations, chief operating officer,
and chief executive officer. He holds a bachelor’s degree in
psychology and business administration from Spring Arbor
University, a master’s degree in administration from Western
Michigan University, and is a graduate of the Emory
University Business School Executive Development Institute.
Financial Information
According to the 2011 annual report the Society had a total
amount of $2,104,359 in assets in 2010 and in 2011 the
amount was $2,039,204.The assets included items such as:

9. cash and cash equivalents ($117,968 in 2010 and $129,289 in
2011), short term investments at fair value ($844,921 in 2010
and $959,019 in 2011) and gift annuity investments at fair
value ($34,838 in 2010 and $34,946 in 2011).
The Society’s liabilities and net assets totaled $2,104,359 in
2010 and $2,039,204 in 2011. It included items for research
and program awards and grants which totaled $212,571 in
2010 and $217,591 in 2011.
The revenue, gains and other support total was broken down
via items such as contributions, special events, other special
fundraising events, legacies and bequests, change in value of
split-interest agreements, contributed services, merchandise
and in-kind contributions. In 2010 the total support of the
public came to the amount of $903,200 in 2010 and $888,314
in 2011.
The total revenue, gains and other support in 2010 came to
the amount of $956,159 and in 2011 the amount totaled
$953,576. The totals included items such as grants and
contracts from the government ($11,180 in 2010 and $10,945
in 2011) and other revenue (loses) ($3,695 in 2010 and $4,583
in 2011).

10. The Society’s expenses consist of the following program
services and totaled $680,540 in 2010 and $680,573 in 2011:
research ($148,644 in 2010 and $148,468 in 2011), prevention
($148,982 in 2010 and $149,719 in 2011),
detection/treatment ($112,262 in 2010 and $102,741 in 2011)
and patient support ($270,652 in 2010 and $279,645 in 2011).
Other expenses came in the form of supporting services:
management and general –direction of the overall affairs of
the society through executives, financial and administrative
services ($68,373 in 2010 and $63,456 in 2011). There were
also expenses for: Fundraising-programs to secure charitable
financial support for programs and supporting services
($202,210 in 2010 and $202,941 in 2011). The total amount
for supporting services in 2010 was $270,583 and $202,941 in
2011.
Since 1985 the relay events have raised a total of $4.2 billion.
In 2011 $148.5 million was invested in research to help find
cures for cancer. $121.7 million have come in charitable
legacy and bequest income. E-revenue has increased by
more than 10% n 2011, now represents 17% of public
support. Fund raising goes towards: Hope Lodge (free short

11. term stay for cancer patients), Patient Navigator Program
(connect patients with resources and informational),
Transportation and college scholarships for students with a
history of cancer.
Brief History of the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society began in 1913 and was
originally named the American Society for the Control of
Cancer. The organization was created by 15 physicians in
New York City who felt they needed to raise awareness of a
disease that was not publically spoken about and was
basically considered a taboo subject. They began to send
writing articles and in journals in order to reach colleagues in
the medical field and publishing Campaign Notes, which was
a monthly bulletin with information about cancer.
The sword in the organizations Sword of Hope logo was
created in 1928 by George E. Durant who won nationwide
poster contest held by the ASCC and the New York City
Cancer Committee. According to the American Cancer
Society website, Durant chose the sword “to express the
crusading spirit of the cancer control movement. The twin-
serpent caduceus, which forms the handle of the sword,

12. emphasizes the medical and scientific nature of the Society's
work. Classically, twined serpents represent healing of the
sick and creativity of the healthy.”
The Women’s Field Army was established in 1936 based on a
suggestion by Marjorie G. Illig, an ASCC field representative
and chair of the General Federation of Women’s Clubs
Committee on Public Health. She felt that there should be an
organization of volunteers who’s main purpose was fighting
cancer.
In 1945, after the end of World War II, the ASCC became what
is now known as the American Cancer Society (ACS).
Philanthropist Mary Lasker and some of her colleagues
helped the ACS raise over $4 million dollars, $1 million was
used to fund the Society’s research program. In 1947 the
Society began educating the public on the signs and
symptoms of cancer. During this time, Dr. Sidney Farber
achieved the first temporary cancer remission in a child with
acute leukemia.
Some of the accomplishments of The ACS: helped establish
the link between cancer and smoking; demonstrated the
effectiveness of the Pap test; developed cancer-fighting

13. drugs; increased the cure rate for childhood leukemia as well
as proven the safety and effectiveness of mammography.
The Society has given nearly $3.6 billion in research,
including giving 46 future Nobel Prize winners the funding
they needed to get started in their work.
In the 1960’s due to studies sponsored by the ACS, the
Surgeon General reported on the link between smoking and
cancer. In 1971, the National Cancer Act was passed, it
granted more funding and allowed the expansion of the
National Cancer Institute (NCI). Today the ACS has over $1
billion in revenue and due in part to the Society’s work
almost 12 million cancer survivors (350 per day) in the United
States.
History of Relay for Life
Relay for Life started in Tacoma, Washington, as the City of
Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer. In the mid-
1980s, Dr. Gordy Klatt, came up with the idea to run
marathons as a way to help raise money for his local
American Cancer Society chapter. In May 1985, he ran around
the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound
in Tacoma for 24 hours. During the night, many of his friends

14. paid $25 to run or walk 30 minutes with him. He raised a total
amount of $27,000. Months after completing the race he
created a committee to plan the first team relay event known
as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer.
The following year, 19 teams took part in the first team relay
event on the track at Stadium Bowl and raised $33,000

15. Situation Analysis
Cancer is something that affects virtually everyone in one
way or another. The American Cancer Society is one of the
leading nonprofit organizations that provides funds for
cancer research and cancer patient support services.
A majority of the funds that the American Cancer Society
raises come from a fundraiser called Relay for Life. Relay for
Life is held in cities, military bases and on college campuses
around the world.
Some of the money that is raised at a particular Relay for Life
event is used for patient services in that same city. Cleveland
is known for their hospitals, cancer research and cancer
patient care. Although other schools and cities surrounding
Cleveland have Relays, with all of the hospitals in the area
more Relay for Life fundraisers are needed.
Up until April 2012 Cleveland State University had been one
of the only college campuses in Ohio to not have held a
Relay for Life. Cleveland State had not been a strong enough
campus to hold one until now. The first year Cleveland State
raised almost 17,000 dollars.

16. The American Cancer society is holding another Relay for Life
at Cleveland State in April of 2013 to raise even more money
than was raised previously. Cleveland State is growing each
year. With more people to reach to participate in the
upcoming event the bigger the PR campaign needs to be.

17. Audience
Primary Audiences
Relay for life will be held at Cleveland State University, the
primary target for teams would be Cleveland State students.
CSU is still a commuter campus with low involvement in
student organizations, special events, or other activities
outside of classes. It is necessary to target students that
would be interested in participating. Students who would be
interested in participating would most likely already
participate in activities at Cleveland State. This means that
students that stay on campus and participate or attend
events at Cleveland State even after their classes for the day
are over. The primary audiences are past Relay for Life
participants that now attend Cleveland State, student
organizations, athletic teams, and residents of the
dormitories.
Students that may have participated in a Relay for Life in
their hometown and now attend Cleveland State would be
likely to participate and form a team with their friends. Many
students that stay on campus after classes are involved in
Student Organizations. These student organizations have
specific purposes that bring all the members together. The

18. different student organizations can form teams with their
members. Similarly, the athletic teams such as men’s and
women’s soccer, basketball, softball, tennis, etc. can all form
Relay for Life teams and participate in the event as well. CSU
Residents stay on campus throughout the week and often
look to participate in events on campus during their free
time. They would most likely form teams with their
roommates or other residents on their floors.
Secondary Audiences
Those that will intervene for Relay for Life would be faculty
and staff at Cleveland State University. Faculty including
professors, instructors, and lecturers can let their classes
know of Relay for Life and encourage participation. Staff
members throughout the different departments can also
encourage students. Many faculty and staff members are
Faculty Advisors for groups on campus and therefore
communicate with students outside of academics.
Tertiary Audiences
Organizations such as Student Life, Athletics, Residence Life
and different departments on campus would be able to
communicate with students who are most involved in

19. various activities on campus. These three Cleveland State
departments oversee and run many smaller groups. All 223
student organizations must report to Student Life. Student
Life communicates with these groups through email,
OrgSync, Campus Mailbag, and by posting materials within
the Student Organization offices. Cleveland State Athletics
also runs all of the Division I teams. Athletics can then
encourage and communicate the different teams to
participate.
The Department of Residence Life also can communicate
with the residential audience by hanging promotional
materials, utilizing their staff, and sending emails. Residence
Life can hang promotional material throughout the
dormitories to raise awareness of the event to the residents.
Residence Life can also utilize their student staff of Resident
Assistants to encourage their respective floors to form teams
at their mandatory floor meetings. When sending out emails
about updates or evaluations, they can also include
upcoming events such as Relay for Life.

20. Goals
Overarching Client Goals
To reduce and eliminate cancer as a major health problem in
the United States.
To raise money to help research cures, and different
treatment methods.
To encourage people to stay well and maintain a healthy
lifestyle, get well and take necessary health precautions, and
help find cures and fight back against all cancer.
To create a world with more birthdays and less cancer.
Campaign Goals
To create awareness among CSU students about the Relay
for Life event.
To recruit students to participate in Relay for Life.
To encourage students to donate to the Relay for Life cause.
To encourage students to attend the Relay for Life event.

21. Objectives
Informational Objectives
To increase awareness among CSU students about the Relay
for Life event.
Motivational Objectives
To increase participation in Relay for Life 10% from last year.
To increase donations to Relay for Life 10% from last year.
To increase attendance to Relay for Life 10% from last year.

22. Strategies and Tactics
Strategy
Create a CSU Relay for Life event Facebook page
Tactic
Use the Facebook page to promote the event, include
information such as the date, time, location and event
contact person. Also include instructions on how to sign up
and/or make a donation.
Strategy
Create a CSU Relay for Life event Twitter Account
Tactic
Use the Twitter account to send out announcements prior to
the event, can also be used to live tweet during the event.
Tactic
Send fact sheets to the Cauldron and The Cleveland Stater to
inform the CSU student body about the event as well as to
encourage participation and/or donations. We can also have
the event added to the CSU website event calendar.
Strategy
Promote the Relay for Life event using posters
Tactic
Have Relay for Life posters hung in all buildings throughout
the CSU campus. Posters will be recognition of the logo and
name of the event.
Strategy:

23. Create a flyer to promote the event
Tactic:
Flyers will include information about the event and posted
throughout the campus

24. Budget
Flyers: 25 flyers for $45 = $0.55 per flyer. 1000 flyers
dispersed around CSU’s 20 main buildings would allow for
approximately 50 flyers in each building and would all
together cost $550.00.
Posters: The CSU Print Shop has 22 bulletin boards available
to display posters. A single-sided color poster from the Print
Shop costs $.065. All together it would equal $14.30.
Banner: The banner could be displayed in the Student
Government office to be displayed. A full-colored 3’x2’ costs
approximately $26.99
Total: $591.29

25. Calendar of events
Entirety of Campaign November 26th-April 15th
Save the Date for the event on April 12th- 13th to be sent out
on November 26th via Facebook
Start making posters- January 2 – 14th
Create Twitter and Facebook- January 14th
Daily Facebook updates start – January 15th
Weekly Facebook follower drawing winner contest begins -
January 15th
Daily Twitter updates- January 15th
Posters are to be hung up at school- January 15th – April 13th
Start making flyers - January 2nd- 9th
Flyer will go to print- January 9th
Flyer distributed- January 15th

26. Fact sheet prepared to be sent to The Cauldron and The
Cleveland Stater –March 1st
Fact sheet sent to be printed- March 15th
Flyer redistributed upon students returning from spring
break
Live Twitter feed during event- April 12th -13th
The evaluation of the campaign- April 15th

27. Evaluation
Compare monetary and attendance totals from Relay for Life
to other student fundraisers held throughout CSU in 2013.
Distribute surveys to participants inquiring how they found
out about the event, what they’ve learned, if they would like
more information, etc.
Compare the Relay for Life participation lists from this year to
the previous year.
Compare the Relay for Life donation totals from this year to
the previous year.
Determine if there is an increase in participation in the
American Cancer Society’s programs and services after Relay
for Life has taken place.