Tribeca Studios Tackles the Anxiety
*Task was to develop the outlines of a Strategic Communications Plan that shows clear relevance to broader organisational strategies and priorities for chosen organisation in 2017 (I chose Tribeca Studios as my organisation)*
Situation Analysis
Recently, there have been a lot of discussions about mental health issues in the media. The reports show that “1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year.” (Mind- website) There are different types of mental health problems, however anxiety has become one of the most common mental health disorders. “In 2013, there were 8.2 million cases of anxiety in the UK.” (Mental Health Statistics) Many people suffer from mental health issues in Great Britain and “hundreds of thousands of people are hooked on prescription drugs for not only depression but also pain and anxiety…in 2013 about 11% of women and 6% of men were on antidepressants – 5.4 million people nationally.” (The Guardian, 03/04/2017) However, taking pills in order to heal mental health issues is not always useful or effective treatment. Moreover, people might become dependent on such pills. Dr James Davies, social and medical anthropologist at the University of Roehampton states that: “Dependence can be physical or psychological…People may feel they are only better because they take the drug.” (The Guardian, 03/04/2017)
This situation analysis indicates that many people in the UK suffer from mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression. What is more, it points out that many people take pills in order to feel better, which is not always the best solution for their mental health issues.
It is important to acknowledge in this situation analysis that 2017 has become an extremely significant and relevant year for mental health in the UK. Many influencers and celebrities have opened up to public and talked about their own mental health issues. For instance, “Prince Harry has revealed how he sought counselling after coming close to a breakdown following more than 15 years of “not thinking” about the death of his mother.” (The Guardian, 16/04/2017)
It has certainly helped people to talk about their own mental health issues and encouraged them to seek for help or advice. In addition, people’s attitudes and opinions towards mental health issues are changing in a positive way. “Stigma is reducing and awareness and understanding are growing” (Mind’s booklet- Building on Change).
After highlighting the facts, statistics and people’s attitudes towards mental health, Tribeca Studios, a gym based in West London, has decided to join a conversation about mental health and is ready to tackle anxiety throughout its specialized Yoga Class for Anxiety. This is an opportunity for Tribeca Studios to raise the awareness about anxiety and offer people a natural way of tackling this issue. Many people may not be aware of great benefits of yoga exercises, which have positive impact on their mental health. “Multiple studies now confirm what countless yoga practitioners have found: Whether we’re dealing with acute stress like childbirth or struggling with longer-term stress and anxiety, yoga can be a powerful tool to calm our nervous systems.” (Psychology Today, 15/09/2016) Tribeca Studios believes that its new Yoga Class for Anxiety would be successful and beneficial for many people, who struggle with anxiety and seek for an alternative natural way to cope with this issue. Moreover, it will differentiate Tribeca Studios from its competitors, which do not offer such class.
In order to create an effective strategic communication plan for launching a new yoga class, it was important to conduct SWOT analysis for Tribeca Studios.
SWOT |
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| Strengths
-Variety of yoga and other classes -Professional instructors -High quality equipment -Smoothie & snack bar -Classes offered at a variety of times -No joining fee (pay –as- you- go model) – 200 yards from Ealing Broadway station
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Weaknesses
-The capacity of a class is limited (max 30 people) -Unknown brand name -Limited local awareness of yoga benefits for anxiety
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| Opportunities
-To increase the number of members -To increase the number of facilities -To appeal to new customers -To increase the awareness about yoga and its benefits on mental health -Offer discounts |
Threats
– Many competitors on market – There is only one studio in London- many people may not be willing to travel for yoga class
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To understand the fitness market in West London area, (Tribeca Studios is based in West London) and yoga classes, which are being offered at the moment, the analysis of Tribeca Studios’ competitors was conducted.
This analysis revealed that Tribeca Studios is one of the most affordable gyms in West London area in comparison with its competitors. Moreover, none of the competitors offer a yoga class specialized for mental health, which is a great opportunity for Tribeca Studios to differentiate its brand from the others and to appeal to its new customers.
Objectives
Primary Objective: To raise the awareness about anxiety as an issue and how to tackle and cope with this issue by doing yoga exercises
Secondary Objective: To enrol up 30 (maximum capacity for this class) new Tribeca Studios members by the end of September 2017 for Yoga Class for Anxiety
Target Audience
Tribeca Studios’ Yoga Class for Anxiety targets individuals:
- Who suffer from anxiety or stress issues
- Who work in offices or having stressful jobs
Meet Olivia, 28
Olivia, 28, lives in West London and works for the publishing company in the city. Despite the fact that she likes doing her job, she sometimes feels stressed and anxious. Working for the publishing company puts a lot of pressure on her, especially when setting and meeting deadlines, participating in meetings as well as dealing with clients on daily basis. After work or in her spare time she likes to go to gym but recently finds it difficult because her gym has become overcrowded. She is thinking to join smaller gym or a studio where are less people, but she does not know what gym she should join.
To achieve the objectives of this communication plan and successfully launch Tribeca’s new yoga class, the effective message is needed.
A message: “Do more of what makes you happy…Do Yoga at Tribeca,” would perfectly reflect what Tribeca Studios would like to promote with its new Yoga Class for Anxiety. It would communicate and promote healthy benefits of doing yoga exercises for happy mind without anxiety.
Strategy
There are three key elements in Tribeca Studios’ strategic communication plan for launching its new yoga class:
1. Inform– Tribeca Studios would like to inform target audience about its new yoga class. The company will organise an open day event on 21st of May 2017, week after Mental Health Awareness Week (08/05/-14/05/). There is a chance that after Mental Health Awareness Week people will have more knowledge about mental health issues and would like to seek for an advice or services, which tackle such issues. Moreover, mental health issues will get a lot of media attention during this week and therefore it is an opportunity for Tribeca Studios to launch this yoga class. In order to let people know about Tribeca’s new class, there will be advertisements placed in local press (Get West London, Ealing Times, Hammersmith Today etc.) and on Tribeca’s social media (Instagram, Facebook). Moreover, leaflets will be hand out on the streets of West and Central London (in order to appeal to our target audience) and detailed information will be available at the studio and on Tribeca’s website.
The open day event will be held at the studio and it will inform people about benefits of yoga and its positive impacts on mental health. It will be also an opportunity for people to meet Tribeca’s yoga instructors, who will be taking questions on variety of subjects about breathing exercises and how yoga helps to improve people’s mental health. On this day, people will be able to book themselves for their first free Yoga Class for Anxiety. Depending on the number of people, who will book themselves for this class, Tribeca will allocate 2-6 classes during the weekend of 27th and 28th of May. These classes will be used as a taste of Yoga Class for Anxiety. This event will also raise the awareness about anxiety and will help people to know how to cope with this issue.
2. Engage– Yoga instructors as Tribeca’s specialists will engage with people who will sign up for Yoga Class for Anxiety. Engaging with those who suffer from this mental health disorder during this class will help them to cope with this issue. Additionally, participating in such class would enable people to know other people with similar issues and therefore there will be more understanding and social connection between these people. This class will be used a safe environment where people will not feel ashamed by the fact that they suffer from anxiety. Moreover, Tribeca Studios will invite people to celebrate National Yoga Day on 21st of June 2017. At this event, the participants of Yoga Class for Anxiety will be asked to fill out questionnaires in order to get the feedback for this class. It will be very useful to know whether or not this new class is helping people with their mental health issues and what should be improved in this class. At the end of this event, people will receive “Goodie Bags” which will contain gifts such as Tribeca Studios’ vouchers with free classes, yoga mats, snack bars etc.
3. Educate– Joining Yoga Class for Anxiety is also a chance to teach people about mental health issues such as anxiety and stress. People will be taught how to cope with these issues by doing yoga-breathing exercises. The instructors will teach people special yoga poses, which will help them to calm the anxiety. People will be able to apply these poses and breathing exercises whenever they feel anxious or stressed or in cases they are unable to attend the class. The educative approach in this class will be beneficial for people, who would like to know how to cope with their mental health issues.
Timeline
*Mental Health Awareness week- 08-14 May 2017* (media will be focused on mental health)
15th-20th of May 2017- Week after Mental Health Awareness week, adverts, leaflets and detailed information about Tribeca’s new yoga class available in press, on the streets, in Tribeca Studios and online
21st of May 2017- Tribeca Studios launch new Yoga Class for Anxiety
21st of June 2017- Tribeca celebrates National Yoga Day
July-August 2017- Tribeca’s Summer Yoga Camp- Yoga Class for Anxiety
September 2017- end
Evaluation
The objectives of this communication plan are:
Primary Objective: To raise the awareness about anxiety as an issue and how to tackle and cope with this issue by doing yoga exercises
Secondary: To enrol up 30 new Tribeca Studios members by the end of September 2017 for Yoga Class for Anxiety
In order to measure and evaluate the success of this communication plan, Tribeca Studios will conduct surveys and questionnaires for members of Yoga Class for Anxiety. These surveys will reveal:
- Whether this class has raised the awareness about the anxiety as a mental health issue
- Whether this class has been effective or not in tackling and coping with anxiety
- What Tribeca should do in order to improve its new class
- According to Tribeca’s client database, it will measure how many new members join the class and if the company achieves the objective of enrolling up to 30 new Tribeca members for this class. It is important to bare in mind that during summer period (July, August) people are usually away on holidays and therefore it is hard to gain new members, however Tribeca Studios believes that people would sign up for this class because of its benefits
REFERENCES
Dillner, L. (2017). How long should you stay on antidepressants? The Guardian, 3 April. Available from https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2017/apr/03/is-britain-a-nation-hooked-on-antidepressants [Accessed 24 April 2017].
Gillihan, S.J. (2016). 7 ways yoga lowers stress and anxiety: regular practise soothes the mind and body. Psychology Today, 15 September. Available from https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/think-act-be/201609/7-ways-yoga-lowers-stress-and-anxiety [Accessed 24 April 2017].
Mental Health Foundation (2017). Mental health statistics: anxiety. Mental Health Foundation. Available from https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/statistics/mental-health-statistics-anxiety [Accessed 24 April 2017].
Mind (2013). Mental health facts and statistics. Mind. Available from http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/types-of-mental-health-problems/statistics-and-facts-about-mental-health/how-common-are-mental-health-problems/ [Accessed 24 April 2017].
Mind (2016). Building on change: Mind’s 2016-2021 strategy. Mind. Available from http://www.mind.org.uk/media/4205494/building-on-change_booklet_final_pdf_21march16.pdf [Accessed 24 April 2017].
Press Association (2017). Prince Harry sought counselling after ‘total chaos’ following mother’s death. The Guardian, 16 April. Available from https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/apr/16/prince-harry-sought-counselling-after-total-chaos-following-mothers-death [Accessed 24 April 2017].
Nikola Do Anh 