Executive Summary: Integrated Marketing Communications Plan

Prepared for: Mi Caribe

Submitted By: Kaitlin Kennedy
I.

Overview of Situation & Current Marketing Communications

Mi Caribe doesnt have many marketing communications methods outside of word-ofmouth and social media marketing, but being such a small and new restaurant; this can
be a good start for a company like Mi Caribe. Mi Caribe posts regularly on social media
accounts such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Although their social media
presence is strong, the website needs serious changes and adjustments. Their word-ofmouth or buzz marketing efforts in combination with their social media marketing is an
effective way to reach college students. They are also featured in a few articles for
Sauce Magazine, the Riverfront Times, and Feast Magazine.

II.

Marketing Communications Objective

The marketing communications objective for Mi Caribe is to increase purchase, traffic,
and patronage to the restaurant. Increasing the amount of people who come to Mi
Caribe also increases the restaurants revenue, their word-of-mouth recommendations,
and overall exposure.

III.

Current and/or Proposed Target Audience and Target Market

Mi Caribes current target market is the SLU students and people who like authentic
food. Proposed target audience could be people living in St. Louis who enjoy eating and
trying new exotic foods. The proposed target market, specifically, could be college
students and people who appreciate and are looking for authentic, good Dominican food.

IV.

Summary of Primary Message Strategy

Traditional:

Radio ad - Ke Buena
Focus on the Spanish target market and people who want real, authentic, Dominican food.
Alternative/Digital:

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram - boost posts

Hire a Social Media Coordinator to keep the social media presence high and consistent.
V.

Media Strategy and Plan

Traditional:

We chose to do a radio advertisement as our traditional media message because

we wanted to reach a completely different audience than the one Mi Caribe is currently
reaching. We wanted to reach an older, family-oriented, Spanish or Latino people who
enjoy eating authentic food. The Spanish radio station Ke Buena will expand our
audience to the entire Spanish-speaking population in St. Louis, increase exposure, and
possibly bring in new customers and foot traffic to the restaurant. We want to also have a
free appetizer and drink offer for anyone who comes in and mentions they heard our Mi
Caribe ad on Ke Buena. This way, we can actually measure the impact of the
advertisement. Each 30-second radio spot costs about $106 per ad, the rest of the
budget information is located below in the Budget section.

Alternative/Digital:
We want to keep the momentum going with the Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram
posts, and boost them to get even more views and a wider audience. Boosting posts lets
you choose age, gender, location, and the amount you want to reach. Adjusting the
reach adds to the cost of the boosted post, so we are keeping ours relatively close to
SLU, and are keeping the age range for these posts between 18 and 25. To accomplish
this, we would want to hire a Social Media Coordinator with a salary (for six months) of
$12,500. This way, management and staff wont have to waste too much time posting on
social media, and having one person do it will keep the posts consistent and frequent.
This will help reach any students or young people in the area who are looking for great
food and drinks. Social media events also adds to the word-of-mouth and buzz
surrounding the restaurant.

VI.

Budget

ITEM/MEDIA VEHICLE

MONTH 1

MONTH 2

MONTH 3

MONTH 4

MONTH 5

MONTH 6

TOTAL

% Of Total Budget

$1,696.00

$1,696.00

$1,696.00

$1,696.00

$1,696.00

$1,696.00

$10,176.00

44.88%

TRADITiONAL MEDIA
Specify: Radio

Advertisement
Specify:

$0.00

0.00%

Specify:

$0.00

0.00%

$12,500.00

55.12%

Specify:

$0.00

0.00%

Specify:

$0.00

0.00%

ALTERNATIVE MEDIA

$0.00

0.00%

$0.00

0.00%

Specify:

$0.00

0.00%

Specify:

$0.00

0.00%
100.00%

DIGITAL MEDIA
Specify: Social Media
Coordinator (boosted
posts, )

Specify: None

TOTAL $ DOLLARS
PERCENT OF
BUDGET

$2,083.33

$0.00

$2,083.33

$0.00

$2,083.33

$0.00

$2,083.33

$0.00

$2,083.33

$0.00

$2,083.35

$0.00

$3,779.33

$3,779.33

$3,779.33

$3,779.33

$3,779.33

$3,779.35

$22,676.00

16.67%

16.67%

16.67%

16.67%

16.67%

16.67%

100.00%

Besides the expense for hiring a Social Media Coordinator (around $2,083.33 each
month), we also aim to air around 4 radio advertisements per week to maximize our reach. The
cost of each advertisement, as mentioned earlier, is $106 and hence we will devote around
$424 per week, or $1,696 per month for this traditional outreach. We want to reply both on
traditional and nontraditional media to increase customer's loyalty and to reach new customers.
This is why we will spend approximately similar amount for each method (44.88% of our budget
for traditional media and 55.12% for non-traditional media).
We aim to air 4 radio advertisements per week and the first three will be broadcasted
around 5-6pm on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. These are the times when young people
usually make plans for their evenings to dine and go out. The last radio advertisement will be
broadcast at around 10-11 am on Sunday when everybody is thinking about having a lunch on a
nice and sunny Sunday.
VII.
Schedule

VIII.

APPENDIX

CREATIVE BRIEF CONTENT/FORMAT#2:

(Foote, Cone & Belding)

1. What do we want this advertising to accomplish?

We want this advertising to let consumers know that theres a family-friendly, authentic
Caribbean inspired restaurant in Saint Louis. This is the only Dominican restaurant in Saint
Louis. We also want it to continue to increase patronage from SLU students to the restaurant.

2. Who are we talking to, and what insights do we have about them? What points can
we use to gain leverage? Does the target have a hot button?
We are talking to families and individuals who are of Hispanic descent or those looking to
experience Dominican/Caribbean cuisine. We can leverage certain aspects of the food (beans,
rice, meats, pork, jerk chicken, island-style drinks) to reach these types of highly involved,
knowledgeable consumers. Our hot button would be Caribbean/Dominican.

3. How do we want consumers to describe the brandits essence and personality?

What do we want the brand to mean to the audience? Can we get them to think of the
brand in the same way they think of a friend?
We want consumers to describe the brand as chill, inviting, and authentic. We want the
audience to feel at home in the restaurant. The food should resemble what they can get at a
traditional Dominican/Caribbean meal - homemade, and made from scratch.

4. Whats the single most important thing we want them to take out of this advertising?
Whats the most important idea, feeling, or memory we want our advertising to leave with
the customer?
The most important thing we want the customer to take from this advertising is that the food it
the most authentic Caribbean and Dominican food in St. Louis. We want them to feel at-home
and comfortable, and we want to them to eat a great meal.

5. How can we make our promise, claim or even the ad, believable? Are we being
honest with the consumer? Can we, and do we support the claims we are making in this
advertising?
We can make out claim by mentioning that Mi Caribe has been featured in Sauce Magazine and
Feast Magazine multiple times. We can also mention that chef is Dominican, and that adds to
the credibility of the restaurant as a whole, as well as the message we are trying to make.

6. Is there anything worth thinking about that might help us achieve great advertising?
Is there any current trend, fad, or news that we might in some way relate to our consumer
insight?
Current trends that we could utilize are word-of-mouth recommendations and marketing, along
with Facebook events, and reviews on websites such as Yelp. These trends are especially
popular among the younger target market, the SLU students.

7. Is there anything that we must get into our advertising?

That Mi Caribe is an authentic Dominican and Caribbean restaurant with scratch-made food and
fun events for the whole family.

EXECUTION EXAMPLE: Radio Ad

MI CARIBE! Check out the only Caribbean restaurant in St. Louis! Enjoy our large patio, island
decor, and authentic, scratch-made food from our head chef from the Dominican Republic. We
also have tons of events and happy hours like Salsa and Karaoke Nights! Mi Caribe is your
perfect spot for either date night, family night, or just your regular night! AND, if you mention you
heard about us on Ke Buena, you can get a free appetizer or drink, your choice! Located in
Midtown.