Kaplan Publishing hired Rose Communications to promote its big winter title: Campus CEO: The Student Entrepreneur's Guide to Launching a Multimillion Dollar Business. The book, by Randal Pinkett -- winner of NBC's The Apprentice, an academic superstar, and CEO of a multimillion dollar business -- empowers students to create and grow their ventures.
Fresh Perspective
Google. Yahoo! YouTube. Facebook. The much-publicized list of successful businesses started by college students was growing exponentially. We noted, however, that there was a disconnect: While nearly two-thirds of college students said they intended to become entrepreneurs, research showed most of these would-be business builders had nowhere to turn for advice. With that in mind, we took a multifaceted, influencer-heavy approach to the campaign. We emphasized Pinkett's early success as a student entrepreneur himself, his outstanding academic achievements, his role as CEO of a multimillion dollar business, and his Apprentice win.
Authentic Approach
To generate excitement we:
- Tapped Pinkett's credibility and positioned him as a coach for burgeoning entrepreneurs
- Capitalized on his existing celebrity
- Earned support from influencers: teachers, entrepreneurship professors, bloggers, leaders of entrepreneurship groups, and media
- Created a media campaign which tied the book to related topics/trends
- Staged the "Most Promising Campus CEO" contest to engage the audience on campuses nationwide and inspire word of mouth
- Organized a campus-centric tour
Meaningful Impact
As a result of our efforts we:
- Secured media coverage in over 200 outlets including Nightline, Entrepreneur Magazine, Ebony, Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer, satellite radio, and dozens of college papers
- Garnered hundreds of positive blogs on the book and contest
- Inspired action: nearly 50,000 people voted for the "Most Promising Campus CEO"
- Galvanized partners: contest information appeared on Web sites of key entrepreneurial organizations
Credit Information
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Client: Kaplan Publishing
Agency: Rose Communications
Budget: Undisclosed
Date of Campaign: November 2006 - March 2007
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