| DECEMBER 3, 2011 -- The Public Relations committee is offering a total of seven contests this year. There have been a few changes to the six contests from last year to hopefully make them more appealing for Granges to participate. We also added a brand new contest as well. Let’s take a quick peek at each one.
1) “Spot On” - 60-Second Grange Video Commercial Contest: Think of an idea for a commercial representing your Grange. Make us laugh. Make us cry. Make us say, “Wow! I want to join the Grange.” Make it something you’d want to see on TV. You write it. You cast it. You direct and shoot it. You have total creative control. For 2011-12, the Commercial time has been extended to sixty (60) seconds in length, including any tags. Also, entries must reflect either the theme “Community Grown” or “Create, Win, Grow.”
2) “Spreading the Word” - Connecticut State Grange Website Participation Contest: Spread the Word about your Grange, its projects, activities and events by submitting content to the Connecticut State Grange website. Submissions can be articles, photos, calendar events and scrapbook items (such as newspaper clippings and historical data). Submission period runs from November 1, 2011 - October 1, 2012.
3) “Show Us Your Stuff” - Grange Marketing Contest: One of the best ways for the Grange to reach the community is to spread the Grange name. Show us a collection of the ways that your Grange promotes itself in the community through its marketing efforts. The possibilities are endless. Some examples include:
• Hosting and then publicizing an Agricultural Fair
• Community Displays and Booths at local non-Grange sponsored community events
• Signage in your community
• Participation in internet activities such as having an individual Grange Website and Social Media such as Facebook and Twitter
• and more!
To enter, submit a report of NO MORE than 12 pages containing a description and photos/scans on how your Grange promotes itself through marketing. Note that this contest is not a community service contest, although it incorporates community service fundamentals. Entries should concentrate on the promotional aspects of the projects your Grange participates in.
4) “Convey the Message” - Best Grange-written Press Release Contest: An engaging press release with an interesting ‘hook’ or angle is an excellent way to gain exposure for your Grange and can lead to publication in newspapers, magazines and on the internet. Show us how your Grange uses Press Releases to capture an audience. Entries must be an ACTUAL press release written and used by your Grange, should be less than 500 words in length, and follow the proper style and format as described in the Connecticut State Grange Public Relations Tool-Kit booklets.
5) “Let’s Advertise” - Best Grange Event Poster: Set your imagination lose! Let your mind run wild, but be sure that your artwork relates to your Grange event. Submissions must be an ACTUAL poster designed, executed, and used by your Grange for an event. Posters should be a minimum of 8.5 x 11 in size (no limit on maximum size), and may be in either black and white, or color, and can be computer designed or hand-drawn.
6) “In the News” - Best Newspaper Article Contest: Research has revealed that the news media is responsible for influencing the thoughts and behavior of the general public. Here’s an opportunity to show how the Media has helped promote your Grange through the written word. Entries must be an ACTUAL printed or published newspaper article written about your Grange.
7) “Creating a Buzz” - Connecticut State Grange Social Media Participation Contest: New for 2011-2012. Create a Buzz about your Grange, its projects, activities and events by setting up a proper Facebook or Twitter Page and then managing its contents. This contest is open to all Community Granges, Pomona Granges and Junior Granges. Pages must be active at any point within the period of November 1, 2011 - October 1, 2012. Pages must be set-up according to the guidelines specified by the Connecticut State Grange, and be in compliance with the Terms of Service of Facebook and/or Twitter.
All of the details, rules, and information for the contests can be found on the Connecticut State Grange website at www.CTStateGrange.org, and are also available in the BlueBook. The deadline for all of the Public Relations contests is October 1st. Entries should be mailed to Robert Charbonneau, 102 Spring Street, Meriden CT 06451, or sent via e-mail to publicrelations@ctstategrange.org.
We hope that the variety of contests will appeal to Granges of all sizes - as the saying goes, there’s something for everyone. |
