2. Table of Contents Know Who You Are – Brand Your Identity – Why is Your Image Important? Marketing to the FIRST Audience Marketing Outside of FIRST – Outreach and Community – Engaging in the Conversation Updating & Re-Branding FIRST Branding Benefits of Good Imagery There are two handouts associated with this presentation. Strategic Planning & Imagery Worksheet Imagery & Branding Guidelines and Recommendations If you do not see them with this PowerPoint you can access them at ExplodingBacon.com, under Resources.

3. Know Who You Are Start with a Mission Statement  Discuss what you want to do  Include values, inspiration, strengths  Be real and specific.  Be Short, sweet and to the point…. FIRST Mission Statement The mission of FIRST is to inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting Mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.

4. Know Who You Are Imagery is about more than your colors and logo – it is everything you do. And your greatest resource is your team. Take some time to investigate who you are and who you want to be with your team Schedule a strategic planning meeting or just set aside time at meetings Create Mission & Vision statements SWOT Analysis Establish Goals for 1, 3 and 5 years See our Strategic Planning handout for more information

5. Branding your Identity Resources available to your team through Mentors & Sponsors – Software – Talents Maintain Control of your Image Logo Guidelines – Pantone Colors, RGB and Vector – Fonts Print and Merchandise Taglines See our imagery handouts for more information

6. Thursday Shirts Friday Shirts ??? Lessons Learned Everyday Shirts

7. Marketing to the FIRST Audience There are many ways to market and brand your team inside FIRST, but at our very beginning we learned that the most critical element of a FIRST team is the team’s shirts. We thought we were being creative and clever with a Thursday, Friday and Saturday shirt, but no one knew who we were from day to day. Regionals and especially Worlds are incredibly busy times and people need easy ways to identify you.

8. Can You Pick Us Out of a Crowd?

9. Why is Your Image Important? Know who you are so others will know who you are. This becomes evident when you are: Marketing Within the FIRST Community Marketing Outside the FIRST Community

10. Marketing is… 1.Marketing is anything you create or share that tells your story. Ann Handley 2.Marketing is the ongoing process of engagement whereby strangers are nurtured into advocates. Trey Pennington 3.Marketing is the messages and/or actions that cause messages and/or actions. Jay Baer

11. Marketing to the FIRST Audience Marketing to Judges – Judges packet – Judge whispering – Pit design – Presentation boards, pictures, and print materials Marketing to Teams – Pit design – Giveaways – Peer awards – Overall image The FIRST Community – Chief Delphi/Reddit – Off Seasons – Outreach

12. Some Possible Judge Packet Material Business Plan Marketing Packet Community Outreach Information – Press Releases and Articles – Flyers & Marketing Materials – Thank You letters Digital Media Award Submission Team Handbook Brochure Chairman’s Submission Engineering Design Manual

13. Engineering Design Manual & Robot Cards

14. Judge Whispering Ensure student confidence to communicate to judges Pit Test Practice Sessions Games: Jeopardy, Trivia, or create one at getkahoot.com Present Chairman’s to Your Team Practice, Practice, Practice – Outreach is great practice!

15. Nice Pit, Flash! Nice Pit, Bacon! Nice Pit, ????! Pit Identity An easily identifiable pit, makes it easier for judges, your sponsors and other teams to locate you.

16. Marketing to Other Teams Pins/Buttons Giveaways (buttons, pens, clappers, balls, bandanas) Trading Shirts Spirit Cheers Peer Awards Robot Cards Mascots Off-Season events Use your strengths to help other teams Developing relationships with other teams Workshops and Seminars (like this) Mentoring year around (FRC, FTC or FLL) Collaborate

17. Pins and Buttons

18. We’ve Got Spirit, Yes We Do!

19. Can they hear you coming?

20. Team Mascots

21. Have You Seen My Pig? Embrace your image. You know you have successfully marketed your image when others embrace it.

22. The FIRST Community Every post on Chief Delphi, Facebook, blogs and sub-reddits reflect your team. A clear identity can help your members better represent you and FIRST. Chief Delphi Reddit Off Seasons FIRST Outreach can provide opportunities to outreach to professional conferences and events.

23. Marketing Outside FIRST The most common reasons teams market outside first… Raise Funds Recruit Students and Mentors Promote STEM and FIRST

24. Tools to Market Outside FIRST Community Outreach – Girl Scouts/Boy Scouts – Libraries – Science Centers – Schools – Farmer’s Markets – Professional Conferences – Business Organizations Local Media – Press Releases – Social Media Sponsors – Newsletters – Thank You’s

25. BRANDING YOUR BOT! A colorful robot can help you stand out in a crowd and be memorable to your audiences.

26. Benefits of Good Marketing Fundraising – Sponsor Demos – Professional Conferences – Local Businesses – Associations, Clubs and Chamber of Commerce Member Recruitment – FLL Tournaments – School Demos – Science Programs – Summer Camps – Community Outreach

27. Outreach and Community By demonstrating in your community, you share your passion for FIRST and create opportunities to gain new students, mentors and sponsors. Outreach is also an invaluable tool for your students to become better communicators and share their stories.

28. Exploding Science & Summer Camp With our summer camps, we instill an appreciation for STEM in younger students in our community who will join JR FLL, FLL, FTC and FRC teams. We have created an Exploding Science Resource Book with instructions for these STEM camps. Which also helps us spread our image to other teams (available on our website).

29. Engage in the Conversation Social media is the global voice of your team and can be a fun way to engage new audiences

30. Social Media Strategy Target your audiences Select your channels - find which ones work best for you. Create banners and badges that reflect your team’s image – colors, logos and pictures of your robot and/or smiling faces. List your Goals and Objectives for each Identify key persons responsible for managing sites and creating content Review the FIRST Digital Media Submission rubric

31. Engage your audience Online Content: create, engage and be relevant – Communicate with your audience, not to your audience Use good video and pictures Spelling and grammar MATTER Keep a casual tone when writing for social media Post about build season, outreach, sponsors, FIRST and STEM news Schedule release of posts to maximize message impact Consistent Image and Branding of your team Stay up to date with the best ways to succeed in your specific channels

32. In addition… Educate your team – Encourage them to Follow, Like, Share and Retweet Utilize both Private and Public Facebook Channels to communicate appropriate information for your team and sponsors and fans. Employ numerous admins to share the responsibility Watch for up and coming channels Experiment to see what works best for you

33. Use Video! Build/Competition Season Vlogs are a nice way to keep supporters updated YouTube and Facebook are both valid options for distribution Schedule video releases for consistent message impact Videos are shared 12x more on Facebook Get video releases signed, if needed

34. Print Media Brochures Flyers Business Cards Marketing Packets Sponsor Thank You’s Even, PowerPoint Presentations Business cards are an inexpensive way to send a reminder with a new friend to check out your website, email, or follow you on social media. Maintain your consistency with your…

35. Getting the Word Out

36. Marketing to Potential Sponsors Unique image can help you stand out. Marketing Packet – Business Plan – Budget Presentations Activity Book Sponsor Levels Bring the robot!

37. 1K-5K - Big Bacon Company name of Logo (Small) on T-shirt and Robot Company name on marketing materials Link on team website 500-1K – Squealer Company name on T-shirt Company name on marketing materials Link on team website 0-500 – Piglet Listed on website Our un-dying love and gratitude 10K and above - Boss Hog Company name or Logo (Large) on T-shirt and Robot Company name on promotional materials Link on team website Logo displayed in pit 5K-10K - Power Pig Company name or Logo (Medium) on T-shirt and Robot Company name on promotional materials Link on team website Logo displayed in Pit Sponsor Levels Incorporate your branding into your sponsor levels.

38. Sing Your Praises! Thank your sponsors often

39. Keep Your Sponsors Informed Sponsor Dinner Newsletters/ Emails Use pictures

40. So Should we Re-Brand or Update? In 2015 the students of Exploding Bacon wanted to update the brand. Our pig on a rocket and dynamic orange and green colors are a solid part of who we are as a team, but after 11 years we chose to use a more readable font in the circular format to the left. FIRST updated their brands in 2015.

41. FIRST Re-Branding & Guidelines FIRST Branding FIRST updated it’s branding in 2015 with new logos, branding elements and guidelines. (www.firstinspires.org/brand)www.firstinspires.org/brand Use New Logos and branding elements Read new branding guidelines

42. Rebranding or Updating Your Team So should change your brand/image? Evaluate Pros and Cons. Is your current or new branding a more accurate representation of your team? Is your team confused with other teams or not clearly identifiable? Ask for outside input from sponsors and consultants. Document your new branding elements.

43. Benefits of Good Imagery More Memorable Leave a Good Impression Press/Media Fundraising Member Recruitment

44. Gracious Professionalism

45. Exploding Bacon Robotics Team For more information visit our website and complete the form or email us directly at info@explodingbacon.com info@explodingbacon.com Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, & Pinterest Let us know if the information was helpful or if you have questions.