Division C - Audio/Visual Tools of Public Relations
Category 9 - Web Site
www.LowerMyGasPrices.org
CoreMessage, Inc., Design Farm, Wal-Mart/Murphy USA
Golden Image Award
Grand Golden Image Award
Research/Situation Analysis:
In 2005 and 2006, gas prices in Florida reached all-time highs. As a
result, Wal-Mart, Murphy USA and a coalition of supporters wanted to
repeal a portion of the Florida Motor Fuel Marketing Practices Act,
also known as the Minimum Markup Law. Economic studies showed that
repealing this law would eliminate a required 3-cent premium on
gasoline, thereby encouraging and increasing competition, lowering gas
prices around the state, and saving consumers more than $250 million
per year. The Florida Petroleum Marketers Association, which had strong
ties to state legislators and did not want to lose the guaranteed
margin this law permitted, claimed that repealing the law would force
smaller gas stations out of business by allowing larger gas stations to
sell their gasoline below cost. However, economic studies showed that
in the 38 states without such a law, small gas stations still operated
and competed, mainly by diversifying their convenience stores and
adding other features to entice customers, but also because, according
to the Federal Trade Commission and the Supreme Court, there were
already federal laws in place to prevent predatory pricing. Plus in
those states, competition flourished, and as a result, the average gas
prices were lower than in states with Minimum Markup Laws. This
demonstrated a need to educate Florida lawmakers about the benefits a
repeal would bring to their constituents. Wal-Mart and Murphy USA hired
CoreMessage, Inc. to mobilize a consumer lobbying effort to encourage
Florida lawmakers to support a bill to repeal the law. CoreMessage
developed an integrated public relations strategy which included a Web
site as one of the tactics. This Web site, created for the Florida
Coalition for Lower Gas Prices, would inform Florida residents about
the Minimum Markup Law and enable them to e-mail their state lawmakers
urging them to vote for the repeal. The site would be used as a tool
for consumers to reach the client’s audience: state legislators.
Objectives: In developing a Web site for the
Florida Coalition for Lower Gas Prices, founded by Wal-Mart and Murphy
USA, and in implementing corresponding promotional tactics, CoreMessage
set the following objectives to be achieved within nine weeks of the
Web site launch: 1.) Deliver at least 10,000 consumer-generated e-mails
to state lawmakers via an “e-mail your legislator” feature on the site.
2.) Generate letters to the editor in at least five Florida media
markets highlighting information consumers learned from the Web site.
3.) Inform Floridians about the Minimum Markup Law by attracting an
average of 200 unique visitors to the site per day, with an average
visit length of at least five minutes. 4.) Generate an average of 25
phone calls to the Web site hotline and 50 e-mails per day to the
address listed on the site from people seeking additional information
about the law. 5.) Serve as a central source of information for the
media on the issue.
Implementation: CoreMessage hired Design Farm,
LLC to develop the Web site database and execute the design.
CoreMessage directed all graphic concepts, determined the navigation
and flow of the site and drafted all copy. Prior to launching the site,
CoreMessage developed “tear-off pads” promoting the site and shipped
them to all Murphy gas stations in the state. Gas stations posted the
pads on each gas pump so consumers could tear off one of the ads if
they wanted to visit the Web site to find out how to help lower gas
prices in Florida. The Web site was launched on Feb. 27, 2006 and
remained live throughout the Florida legislative session. On the site,
visitors could access factual information about the law and learn about
the benefits a repeal would bring. They were also able to find and
e-mail their legislators directly from the site using drop-down menus
and a pre-drafted e-mail containing key messages. An e-mail address and
hotline number were listed on the site for consumers seeking additional
information. Callers and e-mailers were encouraged to submit letters to
the editor of their local newspaper outlining information they gathered
from the site. These individuals also received additional tear-off pads
so they could give the sheets to friends, family and member
organizations. Interested consumers who did not have access to a
computer were mailed the information contained on the Web site along
with the address of their legislators and a pre-drafted letter.
CoreMessage engaged in a separate media outreach effort that directed
reporters and consumers to the Web site, and the press began visiting
the site regularly for detailed information.
Evaluation: CoreMessage exceeded its objectives within the nine-week time frame. 1.) 14,995
e-mails
were sent to state lawmakers via the Web site and 1,245 letters were
mailed to lawmakers from consumers without access to the Internet,
exceeding our goal of 10,000 by 62%. 2.) The site helped generate
letters to the editor in seven Florida media markets, exceeding our
goal of five media markets. Two were markets that encompassed the
districts of legislators who were strictly opposed to the repeal. 3.)
The Web site attracted 27,025 unique visitors, an average of 428 unique
visitors per day, more than double our goal of 200. The average visit
length exceeded eight and a half minutes, exceeding our goal of five
minutes. 4.) The e-mail address listed on the Web site received an
average of 65 messages per day, exceeding our goal of 50, while the
hotline logged an average of 41 calls per day, far surpassing our goal
of 25. 5.) The campaign generated more than 100 positive news stories,
most of which contained factual information that reporters obtained
directly from the Web site.
Budget: Wal-Mart and Murphy USA paid CoreMessage
a monthly retainer to implement the entire campaign, including Web site
efforts. In addition to the monthly retainer, the client budgeted
$35,000 for Web site development and promotion. CoreMessage came in at
$7,718 under budget. Design, printing and shipping of 5,000 “tear-off”
pads promoting the site: $10,232. Site design and database development:
$16,030. Site hosting and maintenance: $1,020. Total: $27,282.