Running head: LDS PUBLIC AFFAIRS

LDS Public Affairs Planning

Brett Steele
Laura Harrison
Alyssa Chard
Brynne Turville
Eric Martino
Caroline Smith
28 October 2014

LDS PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Problem Summary:
LDS Public Affairs has been tasked to connect with young men who are single between
the ages of 18 and 29 who could be swayed to get married but for a variety of reasons are
choosing to delay marriage. Over the last 30 years marriage rates have been steadily declining as
more young adults are opting to cohabitate or live a single lifestyle.
Research shows a number of social factors contributing to this decline in marriage.
Unreal or vague expectations on marriage have caused many millennial males to feel skeptical
about getting married and starting families. Many are hesitant to commit to marriage because
they fear divorce and do not see many examples of healthy marriages. They fear losing their
independence and freedom and do not want to sacrifice success in education and career
opportunities.
One of the biggest obstacles we face as we work to promote marriage and family is
pornography. Research shows that 56 percent of divorce cases involve one person having an
obsessive interest in pornographic websites and that 62 percent of college students view
pornography on a weekly basis. The use of pornography alters the way individuals view
relationships and has devastating effects on relationships.
There is also a trend towards delaying marriage. The average age of marriage in 2014 is
27 for women and 29 for men, up from 23 for women and 26 for men in 1990. Many more young
adults now view marriage as a capstone event to be considered once they are financially stable
and have completed their education and are well into their career pursuits.
Although Americans are trending away from marriage, research shows that married couples
committed to their marriages are more likely to be financially stable and are happier. Divorce
rates have actually been decreasing since 1980, another reassuring piece of information we can

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share with millennials. We want to spread the good news about marriage to encourage young
single males to pursue marriage as an important life milestone. We hope to begin to curb the
trend towards single life and reestablish the importance of stable family homes throughout the
United States.
Goal: Teach millennials how to build a successful marriage and family by promoting its
personal and social value.
Objectives:

To combat the social forces that prevent families from forming by reaching 1 million
millennials with messaging within one year of the campaign.

To stimulate discussion and action in terms of life planning and marriage among students
at 500 high schools and 10 major universities in the United States within 18 months.

To empower millennials with the tools and confidence they need in order to be open to
marriage earlier than previously planned within 18 months.

The Big Idea: Our research shows that those who will, are, or have gone to college share certain
characteristics. For the most part they are driven and hope to further their education, they seek
job security and value stability. Included in these ideals is a desire to settle down and get
married someday. With a goal to educate and empower 18-29 year old men, this campaign
rallies around the big idea Someday is Today. We want our publics to understand that now is
the best time to do what is necessary to attain their ultimate goals: education, employment and
marriage.
Intervening Publics and Messaging:

Third Party Businesses- We want the support of other organizations that share our beliefs
regarding marriage and family. We will contact them via email pitches and face-to-face

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meetings. As this intervening public will allow us to achieve objective 2, this will initially
act as a key public until an agreement has been established. At this time the third party
business partnerships will shift to becoming intervening publics.
o Stable family units positively influence your business.

Studies show that those who are married are more successful financially
than those who are single.

Your business can help promote the American dream that a stable family
life is preferred and possible.

o You can have a lasting impact on Americans perception of marriage and family.

By donating to provide a service or product in this campaign, American

perception of marriage will improve.

You can help build your business reputation as a family-based company by

helping in this campaign.

Your brand will receive recognition and promotion as you help sponsor
this campaign.

Undergraduate women- This intervening public will be crucial in reaching our key
publics. Women are able to positively influence men and apply pressure to do what is
rightlife planning, marriage and a career. Because of the nature of the campaign, it will
naturally appeal more to traditional male roles in our society, yet will still make an impact
on undergraduate women.
o The majority of young people want to build a stable home with a spouse and
children.

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Studies show that as you keep realistic expectations of your spouse, a

successful marriage is possible and likely.

Men and women are more successful financially when they are married in
their 20s.

Divorce rates are decreasing in the United States annually; its possible to
have a happy marriage.

Influential married figures- With societys emphasis on role models and emulating those
we look up to, influential married figures from a variety of fields will have a powerful
influence on our publics. Partnering with those who also believe in the importance of
marriage will be key.
o Many Americans look to the family guy when seeking an influential figure in
society.

You can have an impact on the stability of American society by sharing

how your family helps you be successful.

You can be a social force for good as you promote home and family.

You can build personal reputation by promoting yourself as a family man

or woman in this campaign.

Potential Partnerships (Individuals and Organizations)

o Denzel Washington
o Will Smith
o Danny Devito
o Kevin Bacon
o Tim Mcgraw and Faith Hill

LDS PUBLIC AFFAIRS

o President Obama
o Tom Hanks
o Marissa Mayer
o Angelina Jolie
o National Organization for Marriage
o National Marriage Project
o StrongerMarriage.org
*It is to be noted that we will not target high-school graduates who are not enrolled in college.
We want this campaign to influence and impact single males in a meaningful way that will
change their behavior. For this purpose, we have narrowed our focus and will focus on some of
the most effective communication channels to reach this age group including university
communications. Research shows that 65.9 percent of male high school graduates enroll in
college (Bureau of Labor Statistics). This is more than half of the suggested target audience, and
is an audience we can realistically segment and reach. Research shows that race and socioeconomic background play a large role in young males opting out of a college path. In order to
significantly influence these males, we would need to segment these publics and determine why
they are not attending college, then appeal to their self-interests. Additionally, the number of
males who choose to attend college has increased by 5.7 million (National Center for Education
Statistics) since 2000. If this trend continues, more males will attend college each year and our
campaign will continue to perpetuate. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, at 27 years of
age, 28 percent of high school dropouts were cohabiting and 27 percent were married. In
comparison, 15 percent of college graduates were cohabiting and 37 percent were married. This
statistic is proof that millennials enrolled in college are more likely to marry. LDS Public Affairs
wants to target those who could be persuaded to aspire for marriage rather than those unlikely to
marry. For these reasons, we feel the key publics we have selected will be help us reach our
campaign goal.
Publics, Messaging, Strategies and Tactics
Junior and Senior High School Students

Demographics: Grade 11-12, ages 16-18 respectively, men, women, adolescents,

ethnically diverse, religiously diverse, dependent on families, generally involved

Psychographics: malleable, high ability to be influenced, in the process of developing and

solidifying beliefs, generally care to do what is right, want to be accepted, carefree stage,

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little responsibility (compared with other age groups), searching for friends, developing
talents

Self-Interest: want to be accepted, loved, cared for, want to feel belonging and successful,
friends, families, pleasing others

Objectives: 1, 2, 3

Channels: social media, school district communication, national survey

Influentials: parents, teachers, students, peers, group leaders, school government officers,
celebrities, older grades.

Messaging:

College, careers, marriage and family life seem way off in the distant future, but they will
be here before you know it. Make someday, today. Start planning now and live your life
in a way that when these milestones come up in the next five to ten years, you are ready.
o

Youre at an important point in your life to create a decision making process.

When you get married in your 20s, you are more likely to have a happy and
healthy marriage. This could be something you consider committing to in five
years.

Married people live longer, make more money and have more stable emotional
health. (Statistics through testimonials, interviews, etc.)

Make a 10-year plan (flexible) to make future decisions easier and goals
attainable. Start making the life plan you have assumed you will create someday,
today. (Use inspiration through successful families and influentials in the area).

Set habits now that will benefit your future life decisions.

Strategies and Tactics:

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Help junior and senior high school students think ahead and consider what lies ahead for
them in the next ten years of their lives through high schools.
o

Distribute surveys to 500 high schools across the United States for juniors and
seniors that ask about their current views on life after high school.

Third-party assemblies in high schools to spread statistics and national averages

about marriage in the U.S.

Have students meet with school counselors to discuss the most important steps for
their future plans and help to make the aspirations they have for someday, begin
today.

Use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to remind high school students of

upcoming assemblies and events.

Help junior and senior high school students find role models to look up to about marriage
through social media
o

Find celebrity social media platforms to promote at high school assemblies and
encourage students to follow and share posts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram.

#somedayistoday competition so they can follow celebrities or other role models

to become more comfortable with educational goal, career goals and marriage.

Use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to share profiles of influential role models
who are successful and who also value marriage and family.

Create the blog somedayistoday.com as a platform for celebrities and role models
to share content and one minute videos.

Present to students the dangers of pornography and its affect on marriage through
forums. Help them identify resources they can use to stop viewing pornography

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and help them understand that their someday to stop viewing pornography is
today.
o

We will have a document online that can be downloaded. It will be a life planning
worksheet for high school students to fill out that they will then take to their
school counselors to help in their five and ten-year plan.

Undergraduate Students

Demographics: Ages 18-24 respectively, men, women, ethnically diverse, religiously

diverse, many undergraduate students are independent from their parents,

Psychographics: It is generally this age group that gets involved in a cause that they are
passionate about and fight for. Undergraduate students want to be involved with their
peers and look to them for acceptance and validation. They are trying to prepare for their
futures and are making important decisions.

Self-Interest: Validation from peers, financial independence, success in school and

professional world (jobs), they are still concerned for the well-being of their family
members.

Objectives: 1, 2, 3

Channels: social media, communication through university organizations, university

professors, surveys

Influentials: other students, professors, friends, parents

Messaging:

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Preparing yourself today for your future marriage will help you to reach the stability
that you are working towards someday. But, when does that time come? Someday is
Today.
o

Statistically speaking, more than 80% of people will marry by the age of 40.

More than 90% of married people are glad they got married.

Realistic expectations of marriage will positively affect your marital satisfaction.

Establishing good habits (health, savings, dating) today will improve your future
marriage.

Strategies and Tactics:

Encourage undergraduate students to consider their own marriages and prepare

accordingly through role model presentations with the theme, Someday is Today.
o

Live forums at select universities across the country. We will identify influential,
family-centered leaders from a variety of fields who can speak at universities. The
topic would be their paths to success. These individuals will share our goal of
empowering millennials to make Someday, Today. The topics, while focusing on
paths to success, will highlight the effects of life-planning, marriage and family,
and how these factors contributed to their success.

These forums will also be streamed online for others to view.

We will use social media (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn) to publicize these events.

Similar to the high schoolers, undergraduates will have the opportunity to

download the script of the forums and a life planning checklist based on their

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present needs. It will contain useful links to online resources that they can use for
networking, job skills and organization.

Educate undergraduate students of proper marriage preparations and expectations through

university organizations.
o

Team with family and marriage organizations/majors at universities to hold life

planning-type events with the promotion of the Someday is Today message.

Have short, visual pamphlets with quick facts about marriage, preparation and the
negative effects of pornography use.

Advertise the role-model forums in offices and ask professors to promote it.

Potential Long-term/Reach Plan: Appeal to school administrators to require a life

planning class OR add a section (length to be determined) to some other required class
(econ, social sciences, etc). The material would cover important things such as setting
goals, personal finances, career preparation, dating, etc and the curriculum would be
outlined by us and our partnerships.

Graduate Students

Demographics: 22-29, all ethnicities, equal men and women,

Psychographics: hard-working, smart, care about their future, goal-oriented, driven, on

the latter end of their plan to get where they want to go, can see the end/successes from
all their hard work

Self-interests: graduation, good job, money, success, happiness

Objectives: 1, 2, 3

Channels: social media, school communication, face to face

Influentials: professors/mentors, parents, peers, leaders in their field of study

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Messaging:
You have set goals in school and are seeing them fulfilled. The life you have dreamt for
yourself is becoming tangible in regards to career path, but family life is still up in the air.
Someday is Today, and now is the time to actively pursue your goals for marriage.
o

Statistically speaking, more than 80% of people will marry by the age of 40.

More than 90% of married people are glad they did it.

Realistic expectations of marriage will positively affect your marital satisfaction.

Now is the time to actively pursue marriage to get the life you have planned for
good job, money, family, kids

Married people are happier, healthier and richer.

Stories of people in this age category who have set goals to get married and
achieved them, and how that has impacted their lives.

Strategies and Tactics:

Encourage graduate students to consider their own future marriages and prepare
accordingly through presentations from influentials.
o

Live forums at select universities across the countries. We will identify influential,
family-centered leaders from a variety of fields who can speak at universities
(potential speakers include Mitt Romney and Louis C.K.) The topic would be
their paths to success. These individuals will share our goal of empowering
millennials to get married. The topics, while focusing on paths to success, will
highlight the effects of life-planning, marriage and family, and how these factors
contributed to their success.

Stream forums online for others to view.

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o

Publicize events and online links through social media (Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn).

Get graduate faculty/mentors at local schools involved in the forums, though

speaking, selecting speakers and advertising to students.

Connect students to forums/further discussions about life planning through their

field of study.

Show graduate students how marriage fits into their life plan, and that someday is here.
Also show that they have the capacity and skills to plan ahead for marriage using social
media.
o

Post quotes from the influential presentations of marriage tips on Facebook,

Twitter and Instagram with hashtag #somedayistoday.

Post video clips from the influential presentations on Facebook, Twitter and
Instagram with the hashtag #somedayistoday.

Post tips from the marriage pros on how to have a happy, successful marriage on
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #somedayistoday.

Post marriage timelines of prominent, successful individuals who got married in

early/mid-twenties on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag
#somedayistoday.

Link to posts by National Marriage Project and other third parties who are
concerned with marriage on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag
#somedayistoday.

Link to articles about marriage trends and tips on Facebook and Twitter with the
hashtag #somedayistoday.

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Communication Confirmation Table

Key Publics

Objective
s

Strategies

Tactics

Junior and Senior High

School Students

1, 2, 3

1. Help junior and senior high

school students think ahead and
consider what lies ahead for them in
the next ten years of their lives.
2. Help junior and senior high
school students find role models to
look up to about marriage

1. distribute surveys
-high school assemblies
-school counselor meetings
2. celebrity social media
platforms
-#planahead #getahead
competition
-blog planahead.com

Undergraduate Students

1, 2, 3

1. Encourage undergraduate
students to consider their own
marriages and prepare accordingly
through role model presentations
2. Educate undergraduate students
of proper marriage preparations and
expectations through university
organizations.

1. live forums with influentials

-forums streamed online
2. team with family
organizations to hold lifeplanning events
-visual pamphlets
-appeal to school administrators
to require life-planning course

Graduate Students

1 and 3

1. Encourage graduate students to

consider their own marriages and
prepare accordingly through
presentations from influentials.
2. Show graduate students how
marriage fits into their life and that
they have the capacity to be married
through social media.

1. live forums with influentials

-forums streamed online
2. post quotes from the
influential presentations of
marriage tips on social media
-link to marriage articles on
social media
-post marriage timeline of
influential on social media

Evaluation Criteria and Tools

Objective 1
o Criteria: Reach 1 million millennials with messaging within one year of the
campaign.
o Tool: Track the number of shares of each social media post that is pushed out by
LDS Public Affairs related to this campaign.

Objective 2

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o Criteria: To stimulate discussion and thoughts on life planning and marriage
among students at 500 high schools and 10 major universities in the United States
within 18 months.
o Tool: After presenting at high schools and universities, we will publicize the URL
for either the life planning worksheet (high schoolers) or checklist
(undergraduates). After 18 months we will use the website analytics to see the
total number of downloads.

Objective 3
o Criteria: To empower millennials with the tools and confidence to be open to
marriage occurring earlier than previously planned within 18 months.
o Tool: Launch a benchmark survey on attitudes on marriage and family to students
at 10 major universities where campaign forums are held. Distribute the survey at
some point before the forums and social media campaign are held and again
within a month following the activities at each university. The survey will be
distributed through a variety of means including Facebook, Twitter and university
email.

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