Irish Association for Infant Mental Health Keeping the

Irish Association for Infant Mental Health “Keeping the baby in mind” Campaign Presentation 16 th May 2016 Lorna Gardiner Beth O’ Regan Cork Institute of Technology Rachel Hill

Today’s Presentation… • • Introduction and background to the campaign Analysis and research Who do we target and what do we want to say? Campaign strategies Campaign timeline and budget Evaluation Future Recommendations Conclusion and questions "Keeping the baby in mind" LBPR

Introduction and background to the campaign • LBPR were provided with a clear brief: To increase IAIMH membership and raise public and professional awareness. • The IAIMH is a supporter, promoter, enabler, educator and collaborator. • Inspired to conduct new and primary research specific to our campaign. • Our strategies are simple, but provide endurance and momentum for the next 12 months and beyond. “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Analysis and Research • As part of our campaign, we all undertook extensive primary research that included interviews and surveys across primary and secondary care givers. • From this research, we were able to form our PEST and SWOT analysis. • According to Anne Gregory, these analyses provide context for existing attitudes and behaviours that need to be considered when embarking on a public relations campaign. “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

PEST Analysis Political Economical Strategy document, ‘A Vision for Change’ US research demonstrates how for every $1 spent (2006), was not fulfilled. on early intervention, $4 - $7 is later saved. € 12 million of the € 35 million ring-fenced for • The opportunity to create a campaign that mental health in the last budget will be diverted highlights preventative measures that aid in to other areas. reducing an already bottle necked health care system in the future. Social Technological Housing issues and homelessness threaten to damage and impair early stages of Irish childhoods. Stress caused by economic and social factors impact an infant, who’s parent/caregiver is experiencing such issues, as care and attention can be affected. IAIMH’s absence of an online presence is highlighted when compared to other national mental health organisations and associations. Furthermore, there is a need for the IAIMH to create a presence on social media channels, based on similar mental health organisations, that will promote two-way communication. “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

SWOT Analysis Strengths Professional Members Working from a blank canvas Appeals to large cohort of society Some key connections made Events/training courses organised Weaknesses IMH is a challenging conversation topic Work on social media presence Website could be easier to use for the novice or unfamiliar user. Potential for publicity around events Opportunity to also target outside Munster Opportunities Main information leader on IMH Partnerships with organisations Develop member-only content Partnerships with journalists Publicity around AGM Celebrity endorsement Development of postcard Threats IMH is a sensitive topic Other mental health issues currently take priority in the public domain Members have full-time jobs Social Media is 24/7 IAIMH is not a service Confidence in media relations “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

SWOT + PEST = Effective Situation Analysis • With the information we were equipped with from the PEST and SWOT analysis, we applied what we have learned to a Situation Analysis that comprised of a majority of primary research. • We concluded that infant mental health is underpublicized, but we welcome this as an advantage because it gives the IAIMH a chance to be a national leader on the topic. • Our primary research that can be observed in the Appendix reveals that secondary caregivers as well as upcoming graduates would welcome increased infant mental health education and involvement in the organisation. “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Who do we want to target and what do we want to say? Gregory (2008: 110), says that the easiest way to define the publics you are targeting is to “move from the general to the particular”. We implemented this in determining our publics for this campaign. • Primary research enabled us to identify our publics • The need to categorise publics into primary and secondary care givers • Established a two phase plan, as this was adhering to the strategic messages that we wanted to convey “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Phase 1 publics: Secondary care givers Provide secondary care givers with appropriate knowledge, support and training needed for the workplace. • • Targeted at: Psychologists Public Health nurses Maternity Services Recent/ Upcoming psychology graduates Early childhood educators/ facilitators Current members of the IAIMH Key media people “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Phase 2 publics: Primary care givers Introduce the concept of infant mental health to this cohort and present the IAIMH as an organisation fostering support, guidance and reassurance. Targeted at: • Parents/ Guardians • Online parenting forums/blogs “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Being “SMART” with Campaign Objectives and Messages Setting appropriate objectives is key to a successful campaign. We believe it must encompass the SMART model. Specific- Know who we are targeting and why. Measurable- Ability to identify quantitative research Achievable- The plan needs to be feasible and be smoothly executed Realistic- Taking a pragmatic approach and knowing what is possible Time sensitive- Understanding the life cycle of the campaign. “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Campaign Objectives • Public and professional awareness: babies have mental health needs • Promotion of the IAIMH as a professional organisation • Infant mental health as important as other mental health issues • Double IAIMH membership (two year plan) • Boost attendance at IAIMH events • Form relationships with influencers working within the Irish mental health realm • Support application of infant mental health practices in childcare and education organisations nationally “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Campaign Objectives • IAIMH as the primary organisation for infant mental health in Ireland • Promoting education, training and research for infant mental health • Promoting and supporting childcare and education based organisations nationally “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Campaign Strategies: An Overview • Campaign strategies are created to ensure consistency, overlap and complementary characteristics. • In turn allows for a strong and enforced campaign, which is cyclical and assumes a smooth sequence. • Strategies therefore work collaboratively in order to translate the IAIMH messages and achieve objectives in the optimum way. “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Strategy 1: Creating relevant and engaging content for the IAIMH website Overview: • • • The IAIMH can raise its profile and infant mental health awareness through creation of website content. Ideally the website should contain owned content pertaining to IMH in a variety of forms. Content must attract different publics and increase their interest in IMH and the IAIMH. Publics: • Psychology/childcare professionals • Public health nurses • Psychology/childcare graduates • Existing IAIMH members “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Objectives: Tactics: • Creation of a video: Video • To raise public and professional content is becoming increasingly awareness of the fact that important for organisations. babies have mental health needs. • Articles by IAIMH members • To create interactive and featured in a blog tab. Different compelling content to be shared articles for different publics. online. • Information postcard/ • To highlight upcoming IAIMH infographic-features “ 3 reasons events. good infant mental health matters”. Strategy 1: Creating relevant and engaging content for IAIMH website. “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Front of postcard “Keeping the baby in mind”

Back of postcard “Keeping the baby in mind”

Strategy 2: Create a distinctive presence for the IAIMH on Linked. In Overview: • • • Social media is an effective way for the IAIMH to reach their desired publics. A professional Linked. In presence would help establish connections with key mental health organisations. There is less demand to be regularly active on Linked. In, so organisation can touch base with it when feasible. Publics: • Professionals from other mental health organisations. • Existing members of the IAIMH. • Key IMH influencers. “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Tactics: Objectives: • To promote the IAIMH as a professional organisation that promotes and organises interdisciplinary education, training and research. • To build relationships with key mental health/children organisations. Strategy 2: Create a distinctive presence for the IAIMH on Linked. In. • Platform should encompass created, curated and commissioned content. • Created content-sharing of owned website content. • Curated content- sharing content of professional connections. • Commissioned content- Influencing key media people to write content about the IAIMH. “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Strategy 3: Create and launch an infant mental health article collection for upcoming/recent psychology, early childhood and nursing graduates. Overview: • • A long sighted tactic, as we are targeting the future providers and promoters of IMH, as well as harnessing potential resources for the IAIMH. It complements existing efforts to encourage student membership A unique and specific effort on behalf of the IAIMH Some concern, but we at LBPR have refined and produced an effective tactic Publics: • Upcoming/Recent psychology graduates • Upcoming/Recent early childhood practitioners • Upcoming/Recent nursing graduates “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Tactics: Objectives: • To promote the IAIMH as a professional organisation that promotes and supports graduates • To increase membership and attendance of IAIMH events • The article will be available exclusively to online members Strategy 3: Create and launch an infant mental health article collection for upcoming/recent psychology, early childhood and nursing graduates. • Contact relevant third level courses nationwide • Theme: “The importance of infant mental health in Ireland – Provisions and promotion for our youngest citizens” • Not measured on article returns, based on raising these publics’ awareness of the IAIMH • Complements AGM efforts “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Strategy 4: Forge links with a well-known Irish key figure Objective: Overview: • • Third party endorsement as a way of raising the profile of the IAIMH Ambassador can aid building awareness and credibility for the IAIMH A knowledge/interest in Infant mental health as this will resonate better with publics Suitable profile to fit ambassador role • To develop partnerships with mental health professionals “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Publics: • Parents and parenting bloggers • Existing panel of the IAIMH • Professionals Tactics: • • • Video Article Postcard Launch Radio/Podcast AGM Strategy 4: Forge links with a well-known Irish key figure “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Strategy 5: Forge links with early childhood facilitators and educators Overview: • • This cohort conveyed significant interest in infant mental health Ideal public who deal with infants on a daily basis Objectives: • • Increase membership at IAIMH events Application of infant mental health practices in childcare and educational environments “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Tactics: Publics: • • Early childhood facilitators/ educators Parents/ Guardians Strategy 5: Forge links with early childhood facilitators and educators • Individuals selected for workplace ambassador • Ambassadors to get complimentary membership; seen as long term investment to the IAIMH • Implementation of infant mental health practices into individual workplaces with assistance of the IAIMH. “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Strategies in action: AGM, November 2016 According to the Institute for Public Relations, Every PR campaign should encourage informational, motivational and behavioural change in publics. • Our strategies converge to provide for an effective AGM • The strategies collaboratively provide content, raised profile online and offline, which is also appropriate and third party endorsement • Look forward to the AGM because it provides us with an opportunity to gauge and assess strategies at a key time in the campaign Please see p. 30 and p. 31 of report for Campaign Timeline and Budget “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Evaluation • Public relations is no different to any other business function, in terms of measurement and evaluation. The client is entitled to see whether time and financial spends are working to achieve the objectives set out. According to Gregory (2008: 162), “Evaluation is an ongoing process if you are talking about long term programmes. ” • Therefore, our evaluation encompasses the measurement of success by regularly reviewing the campaign quantitatively and qualitatively. Campaign evaluation is assessed through our campaign objectives. “Keeping the baby in mind”

Evaluation methods Qualitative methods: • Types of social media mentions-are they positive or negative #keepingthebabyinmind • Survey responses • Types of traditional media coverage Quantitative methods: • Level of website traffic • Number of social media shares • Number of new member sign-ups • Workshop attendance “Keeping the baby in mind”

Going forward Future Recommendations: Fusing Phase 1 & Phase 2 publics Recommendation 1: Stress-ball and Pamphlet • For mothers to be, existing parents and existing publics • Stress-ball in the colour blue with the IAIMH logo, as well as existing postcard • Distributed into antenatal packs “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Recommendation 2: Tailor made workshops • Forge crucial relationships with early childhood facilitators/ educators, further building on Strategy 5 • To make workshops more specific to the organisations the IAIMH are working with. • We feel this will engage our publics, and make it feel like a “personal service. ” Thus, a higher attendance at workshops. “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Recommendation 3: Create a Facebook page and further develop social media presence • The IAIMH would benefit from setting up a Facebook page in Phase 2 of the campaign as this is the social media platform where parents are most present. • Further enhances Strategy 2 • The organisation could touch base with it on a weekly basis and easily track progress using Google Analytics. “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Recommendation 4: Website development • Further developing Strategy 1, website development should be a big focus in targeting Phase 2 publics, like parents and parenting bloggers. • Inviting a guest blogger to write for the IAIMH website would raise the profile of the IAIMH among parents. • Sharing content from the IAIMH website to Facebook would also effectively promote their content to more parents. “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

Recommendation 5: Lobbying • Lobbying now would be too hasty and rash -Regulation of Lobbying Act (2015) -Time consuming -Programme for a Partnership Government (2016) • Lobbying as a future recommendation, enables the IAIMH to streamline and strategise from the bottom up, internally and eventually externally, for the years ahead “Keeping the baby in mind” LBPR

By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail - Benjamin Franklin “Keeping the baby in mind” Thank you for listening, we are happy to take any questions. Irish Association for Infant Mental Health “Keeping the baby in mind”