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Greater Victoria
Bike to Work Week BC

2016
Strategic Communication Plan
Royal Roads University
November 27, 2015
COMM380
Team #7

Prepared by:
Chelsea Lee
Laura Allgrove
Marleen Iapalucci
Mohin Stewart
Shay Daviau

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SUBJECT

Bike to Work Week Greater Victoria 2016 Communications Plan

-30 days (four weeks) leading up to the event

PURPOSE

To increase the number of participates in the Greater Victoria Bike to Work

Week 2016 Spring event. To promote community engagement by hosting four
weekly keynote speakers to raise awareness of the upcoming BTWW event.

GOALS

BACKGROUND

The goal of the Greater Victoria Bike to Work Week 2016 Spring
Campaign is to primarily promote Bike to Work Week in advance to the
event starting May 23, 2016.
Increase registration by 40 per cent from last year, and the overall
participation rate by 15 per cent or 1,370 new riders during the spring
2016 Bike to Work Week Greater Victoria event.
Bike to Work Week (BTWW) began in Greater Victoria in 1995 with a core
group of commuter cyclists committed to raising awareness of the benefits of
commuter cycling.
The statistics for the Bike to Work Week spring 2015 in Greater Victoria:
9,134 Participants
1,347 First-time commuter cyclists
731 Teams
441,405 Kilometers were cycled
13,242,156 Calories were burned
95,697Kg GHGs Saved
In 2016, BTWW Greater Victoria will be held May 23 to 27, 2016. Registration
will open April 11, 2016.

SWOT
STRENGTHS
Popularity (of the event in Victoria and
cycling in Victoria)
Environmentally focused (advocacy)
Cultural environmental mindset
Free to participate
Topography
Mild weather

WEAKNESSES
Equipment cost
Safety
Lack of cycling education
Dependent on grants, volunteers and
sponsorships

Existing infrastructure
Current municipal support
Free swag and prizes
Historical credible

OPPOURTUNITIES
Education (health, finances,
environmental, community building,
social)
Increase ridership awareness
Gathering statistics that support initiative
Employer benefits (healthy work life
balance, decrease sick days, increase
engagement, workplace moral boost)
Health benefits (exercise)
Greater Victoria provides reasonable
distance for commuters to ride
Enjoyable event for families, all ages
AUDIENCE

THREATS
Other events taking place in Greater
Victoria
Weather
Because it is free
Time commitment
Peoples motivation and inconveniences
Physical ability
Weather
Un-motivation
Skills needed to participate
Equipment required

Adults ranging in age from 18-65 who are commuting to and from post-secondary
and/or work.
A 15 per cent increase of 1,370
participants from the 2015 Greater
Victoria Bike to Work Week
campaign.
Greater Victoria communities
include:
Esquimalt
Malahat
North Saanich
Oak Bay
Saanich
Sooke
Victoria City
Westshore

1. Vested interest: Cyclists, Cyclist Advocacy groups

2. Non Cycling-Commuter: Bus commuters, car owners, car-pooling, walkers,
recreational bike riders, environmentalists
3. Who will benefit? The City of Victoria, Mother Earth, participants,
advertisers, sponsors, BTWW organization, and local bike businesses
4. Who are we dependent on for support? Sponsors, participants, local
government, community, and volunteers
KEY
MESSAGES

Become a Cyclist:
Try riding your bike to work for a week and you will see the benefits
for yourself.
Participants learn that cycling is an enjoyable and feasible option for
everyday commuting.
Legacy:
Over 9,000 riders participated in 2015 in Greater Victoria, join us May
23 to 27 for Bike to Work Week 2016.
Health Benefits:
The average cycle commuter easily meets Health Canadas
recommended daily physical activity. Adults who bike to work have
better blood pressure, insulin levels and are typically as fit as someone
ten years younger.
Participants learn that cycling is an enjoyable and feasible option for
everyday commuting.
Save Money:
On a round trip commute of 15km, cyclists can save $15 a day by
biking to work, not to mention cutting out the inconvenience of parking.
Participants learn that cycling is an enjoyable and feasible option for
everyday commuting.

STRATEGIES
AND
ACTIONS

Save the Planet:

During the 2015 BTWW, Victoria prevented over 95,000 KG of
greenhouse gasses from being emitted into the environment.
A four-week strategy leading up to the event in which we will have a weekly guest
speaker at a public location leading up to the event
Traditional Media:
Press release
TV

Shaw TV
CHEK TV

v Pitch to local news stations via a news release for their community calendar
segments
v Request local news coverage on-site at the four major key note speaker
events

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v Hold a press conference at the beginning of April 2016, BTWW
spokesperson will promote the four weekly events and our key messages.
Radio

The Zone
Kool FM
The Q
The Ocean
CFAX 1070

v Pitch to local radio stations via a news release for community event
segments on air
v Project lead to go on-air and be interviewed about BTWW Greater Victoria
2016 (Kool FM and CFAX 1070 are event sponsors and have granted
interviews)
v Run regular advertisements on Kool FM and CFAX 1070
v Give radio stations free swag &/or event tickets for on-air giveaways
Newspaper
Times Colonist
Monday Magazine
Saanich News
Fairfield News
Fernwood News
Oak Bay News
v Pitch to local newspapers via a news release to inform them about the
events
v Give local newspapers the BTWW information to put in their community
event calendars
v Request Times Colonist to cover the keynote speaker events
Social media:
Twitter, Instagram and Facebook
v Contests and prizes on social media platforms using hash tags, photos and
sharing
v Refer to Social Media Strategy Plan below
Website
Email blasts
Flyers/Pamphlets
ACTION PLAN
Audience

Channel of Communication

Non Cycling
Commuter

All non-cycling commuters will be targeted with:

Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
TV (Shaw TV, CHEK TV)
Newspaper (Times Colonist, Monday Magazine, Saanich News,
Fairfield) News (Fernwood News, Oak Bay News)

(People who may

or may not own a

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bike, and do not
commute to work
on a bicycle)

Website (BTWW Greater Victoria Website)

Bulletin board (Coffee shops, grocery stores, community centres,
restaurants/bars)

Specific to each group:

Bus commuters
Posters at bus stops
Car owners
Radio (The Zone, Kool FM, The Q, The Ocean, CBC-NBNW)
Pamphlets on windshields
Carpooling
Radio (The Zone, Kool FM, The Q, The Ocean, CBC-NBNW)
Pamphlets on windshields
Walkers
Posters at telephone poles
Handing out brochures
Bike owners
Posters bike shops
Post on local biking social media groups on Facebook
Recreational bike riders
Pamphlets to local biking groups and clubs
Environmentalist
Post on local environmentalists groups on Facebook
Add environmentalist groups to email blast contact list
Vested Interest
(Historical
participants in
BTWW, current
cycling
commuters)

All vested interest members will be targeted with:

Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
TV (Shaw TV, CHEK TV)
Newspaper (Times Colonist, Monday Magazine, Saanich News,
Fairfield News, Fernwood News, Oak Bay News)
Website (BTWW Greater Victoria Website)
Bulletin board (Coffee shops, grocery stores, community centres,
restaurants)
Cyclists
Posters at local bicycle shops/bicycle supply stores
Email blasts to past participants in BTWW
Cyclist Advocacy groups
Specific press release

Actions
WEEK ONE EVENTS: Lisa Helps with biking

Responsibility
o Event

Timeline
Friday, April

Location: Centennial Square

Speaker: Lisa Helps (Mayor of Victoria) - Community
engagement
Event: Review and demo bicycle safety by Lisa in
addition to a speech about City of Victoria supporting
Bike to Work Week
Food trucks:
o Taco Justice
o Tacofino
o Perogie Town
o Sandwich Palace
o Pig Truck
Bicycle advocacy groups (mobile bike mechanic)
Greater Victoria Biking Coalition
Local bike businesses/shops
o Oak Bay Cycles
o Fairfield Cycles
o Trek Bikes
o MEC
Prize giveaways
o Climate change with Suzuki 2 tickets
o T-shirts
o Blinkie buttons
o Stickers
o Helmets
o Bicycle (grand prize)
WEEK TWO EVENTS: Race against Ryder
Location: Inner Harbor
Speaker: Ryder Hesjedl (Winner of the Tour de
France, local of Victoria)
Event: Race against Ryder A timed race on
stationary bikes against Ryder. The bikes track speed
and distance and all participants will receive a prize.
Ryder will give a speech on why he started cycling,
talk about the Tour de France, and how the biking
community in Victoria influenced him
Food trucks:
o Taco Justice
o Tacofino
o Perogie Town
o Sandwich Palace
o Pig Truck
Bicycle advocacy groups (mobile bike mechanic)
o Greater Victoria Biking Coalition
o Victoria Wheelers
Local bike businesses/shops
o Oak Bay Cycles
o Fairfield Cycles
o Trek Bikes
o MEC

o
o

o
o
o

Coordinator
Volunteer
Coordinator
Volunteers

29, 2016
5pm

Event
Coordinator
Volunteer
Coordinator
Volunteers

Friday, May
6, 2016
5pm

Prize giveaways
o Climate change with Suzuki 2 tickets
o T-shirts
o Blinkie buttons
o Stickers
o Bicycle (grand prize)
WEEK THREE EVENTS: Olympics with Clara
Location: Vic West Park
Speaker: Clara Huges (Olympic Cyclist and Speed
Skater, multiple medalist inductee into the Canada
Sports Hall of Fame)
Event: Speech on biking in the Olympics, Canada Hall
of Fame, motivation to bike and benefits, photo
opportunity with Clara and her medals, talk about her
humanitarian efforts and Right to Play
Food trucks:
o Taco Justice
o Tacofino
o Perogie Town
o Sandwich Palace
o Pig Truck
Bicycle advocacy groups (mobile bike mechanic)
o Greater Victoria Biking Coalition
o Victoria Wheelers
Local bike businesses/shops
o Oak Bay Cycles
o Fairfield Cycles
o Trek Bikes
o MEC
Prize giveaways
o Climate change with Suzuki 2 tickets
o T-shirts
o Blinkie buttons
o Stickers
o Bicycle (grand prize)
WEEK FOUR EVENTS: Climate change with Suzuki
Location: UVIC Farquhar Auditorium
Speaker: Key note speech by David Suzuki
Event: TED talk style speech on environmental impact
of carbon footprint
Ticketed Event: $10 per ticket (adults), $5 (students).
Must register for BTWW Greater Victoria in order to
buy a ticket. Some tickets held, two given out each
event for three weeks. Also using social media, prior
to event share and like Facebook page in order to be
entered in a draw to win tickets to this event.
Food trucks:
o Taco Justice
o Tacofino
o Perogie Town

o
o
o

o
o
o

Event
Coordinator
Volunteer
Coordinator
Volunteers

Friday, May
13, 2016
5pm

Event
Coordinator
Volunteer
Coordinator
Volunteers

Friday, May
20, 2016
5pm

o Sandwich Palace
o Pig Truck
Bicycle advocacy groups (mobile bike mechanic)
o Greater Victoria Biking Coalition
o Victoria Wheelers
Local bike businesses/shops
o Oak Bay Cycles
o Fairfield Cycles
o Trek Bikes
o MEC
Prize giveaways
o T-shirts
o Blinkie buttons
o Stickers
o Bicycle (grand prize)

PERSONELL:
Job Title:
Project Coordinator

Event Coordinator

Responsibilities:
Manage event budget
Process supplier invoices
Payments and expenses
Manage online registration and invitation lists, distributing agendas and
materials pre-event
Manage all coordinators
Liaise with communications staff and other internal team members on
event details, promoting events across multiple platforms to try and
maximize attendance
Prepare post-event evaluation to assess the level of success
Oversee the project flow and performance including: project startup,
budget costs, schedule, project status and efficient project close out
Create schedules and closely monitor progress and deadlines
Resolve issues and develop requirements that arise throughout the
project
Will write the News Release
Spokesperson for BTWW Greater Victoria media relations
Will coordinate the four weekly events leading up to BTWW Greater
Victoria with the support of volunteers
Delegate event volunteer staff
Set-up and take-down events
Apply and acquire permits and licensing
Contact and organize St. Johns Ambulance for on-site support
Will MC the event as well as distribute prizes
Propose new ideas to improve the event planning and implementation
process
Answers to Project Coordinator

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Sponsorship
Coordinator

Volunteer
Coordinator

Social Media
Coordinator

Volunteers

Will acquire new sponsors for the event

Reconnect with old sponsors from previous years
Will acquire and organize monetary sponsorships as well as goods and
kind sponsorship
Will coordinate follow up appreciation materials to all sponsors (thankyou cards)
Initiate, maintain and steward corporate and community sponsorships
and partnerships
Increase program offerings, sponsorships and event participation rates
Manage jobs to volunteers at all events
Will acquire volunteers by April 2016
Contact previous registered volunteers
Assist with on-site management of event including set-up, tear-down and
supervision of volunteers where applicable
Conduct a training session for event volunteers (in April 2016)
Maintains and updates all social media feeds
Develop social media content
Monitor online activity of BTWW Greater Victoria social media pages
Respond to customer inquiries though social media, ensuring excellent
customer service, redirecting inquires when necessary and offering a
consistent positive brand experience
Use metrics to analyze the level of engagement across all platforms of
social media
Live tweet at events, use event hastag (#BTWWVic)
Execute and preform all assigned duties and responsibilities
Report to all coordinators
Set-up and take-down of events
Putting up posters and distribute promotional material

SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY PLAN:

Facebook: Bike To Work Week Victoria
Facebook page to be created and launched by Jan. 1 to
make connections with businesses and attract new and/or
previous followers and/or likes months prior to the event

Create a separate Facebook event on our page for each

weekly keynote presenter:
o Ask people to RSVP on Facebook so they are
reminded about the event.
o By sharing our Facebook page or events entered in a
draw to win tickets to the David Suzuki talk
o Make event page open to the public
o Create event on Facebook for actual bike to work
WEEK (May 23 to 27)
o All events launched on April 10, 2016

Social Media
Coordinator

Jan. 1, 2016

April 10 to
May 27, 2016

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Share Twitter and Instagram handles on Facebook Page

Hashtag #BIKETOWORKBC and #BTWWVic

Twitter: @biketoworkvic
Twitter account to be created and live Jan. 1, 2016 to
make connections to other businesses and gain followers
and/or likes months prior to the event

Jan 1, 2016

Ongoing
April 10 to
May 27, 2016

Live tweet the events

Tweet pictures of participants and volunteers involved
Tweet reminders of events
Retweet local cycling news
Link to registration
Live updates on registration numbers
Twitter will act as a live bike to work week news feed
Hashtag #BIKETOWORKBC and #BTWWVic

Instagram: @biketoworkvic
Instagram account to be created and live Jan. 1, 2016 to
make connections to other businesses and gain
followers/likes months prior to the event

Social Media
Coordinator

Social Media
Coordinator

Jan. 1, 2016

Ongoing
April 10 to
May 27, 2016

Live Instagram posts of events happening

Weekly photo contests with specific requirements
(different theme each week: best outfit for biking, best
landscape photo while biking etc). Winner picked by Bike
To Work week social media coordinator will win prizes
and tickets to David Suzuki talk #BIKETOWORKBC
#BTWWVic
Throwback Thursdays to previous years events #TBT

NEWS RELEASE:
Create news release and send to local TV, Radio, and
Newspapers
o Schedule of events Who, what, when, where, why,
and how

Social Media
Coordinator

April 4, 2016

EMAIL BLASTS:
Send an email blast to last years registrants, and archived
email addresses (sponsors etc.).
Schedule of events Who, what, when, where, why, and
how
Add BTWW logo banner to bottom of emails
Focus on our key messages

Social Media
Coordinator

April 4, 2016

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COLLATORAL
MATERIALS

RESOURCES

Event posters
Informational brochures
Content on social media accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)
Content of website
Bike to Work Week Victoria t-Shirts
BTWWVIC swag (reflective bands, buttons, stickers, pens)
Donated bicycles signed by the celebrity presenters (David Suzuki etc.)
Roll up banners for events
Branded dcor at events
Content of News Release
Sponsors: (all confirmed for 2016 event)
Donation types:
Goods and Kind = G/K
Monetary = $
MAIN SPONSORS:
UVic (G/K Auditorium and Staff for event)
Black Press (G/K Printing and banners, advertising)
Government of British Columbia ($ - grants)
CTV ($)
Kool FM ($, on-site advertising)
CFAX 1070 ($)
CRD ($)
Island Health ($)
Dockside Green ($)
GENUMARK (G/K Promotional Products)
Douglas Magazine (G/K Advertising)
Oak Bay Cycles (G/K Bicycle, bicycle equipment [for prizes])
Camosun College ($)
Uptown ($)
Cobbs Bakery ($ and G/K)
Save-On-Foods ($)
Vancity ($)
Island Farms (G/K Milk/Chocolate Milk, products and food for events)
Saanich Municipality ($)
City of Victoria ($ and G/K event spaces, guest speaker [Lisa Helps],
waived permit fees)
City of Langford ($)
City of Colwood ($)
City of Esquimalt (G/K, Donation of event space, permits)
Starbucks (G/K, coffee at events)
Oak Bay Bicycles (G/K Bicycle, bicycle equipment [for prizes])
Smaller Goods and Kind Sponsors
(Donated items for prizes)

Cycles West North Park Bike Shop

Wayne & Pam's Performance Bicycles
Coastal Cycle

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Goldstream Bicycles
Bicycleitis
Straight Up Cycles Ltd.
Two Wheel Gear
KP Sound

SMALLER SPONSORS:
(All monetary $ sponsors)
Davids Tea
Sustainable Produce Urban Delivery (SPUD)
Save-On-Foods
Double Tree by Hilton
Rumble
Phillips
Silk Road
The Pedaler
Planet Organic Market
Old Spaghetti Factory
Lifestyles Market
Accent Inns Victoria
Eagle Wing Tours
Deerholme Farms
Cora Bike Rack
H&C Concrete
Il Terrazzo
The Fairmont Empress
Patagonia
Victoria Tonys Trailers

BUDGET

TOTAL BUDGET: (for four weeks leading up to BTWW Greater Victoria)

$20,000 (paid for by monetary sponsors including government grants)
TOTAL COSTS: (for the four week campaign)
$18,500
Staff Costs:
$10,000 - Project Coordinator, three month contract
Event Coordinators, volunteer
Sponsorship Coordinators, volunteer
Social Media Coordinators, volunteer
Volunteer Coordinator, volunteer
Celebrity Guest Speaker Costs:
Airfare, Accommodation, Transportation
$1,500 each x 4 =
$6000

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U-Haul and transportation costs for events
$500
Event Liability Insurance (Event Policy)
$1,000
Miscellaneous Costs
$1,000
EVALUATION

Registration Goals:
In the four weeks leading up to the event, we want to increase registration by 40 per
cent compared to years numbers of 1,100 registered participants
April 25th 10 per cent increase
May 2nd 10 per cent increase
May 9th 10 per cent increase
May 16th 10 per cent increase
Social Media Goals:
After initiating our social media accounts, we will take a baseline and from there use
this information to track our progress on the effectiveness of our social media
strategy.
Followers The number of people who like/follow each platform
Engagement The number of people who click on each post
Shares The number of times a post is shared to other people (e.g. sharing/retweet)
April 25th
Gain 100 followers (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)
Engagement 8 per cent increase
Shares 2 per cent increase
May 2nd
Reach 1,000 followers (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)
Engagement 15 per cent increase
Shares 4 per cent increase
May 9th Reach 3,500 followers (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)
Engagement 22 per cent increase
Shares 7 per cent increase
May 16th
Reach 6,000 followers (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)
Engagement 28 per cent increase
Shares 11 per cent increase
By the end of the actual event, Bike to Work Week (May 23 to 27) we will reach
9,000 followers on each (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)
Overall Goals:
After the event, we want to evaluate our total participation, and see if it increased by
15 per cent or 1370 riders up from last year.

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