The East Baton Rouge Parish School System is seeking proposals from 11 local and regional advertising agencies for a nearly $300,000 marketing and public relations campaign that will seek to rebrand the public school system. According to the RFP, which was issued this week, “The goal is to develop a comprehensive community campaign to increase support for EBR Schools throughout the business community and to encourage more families to select EBR Schools as their schools of choice.” The RFP also says the district has $68,000 to spend on procuring professional services for the campaign and $217,000 for media buys, ad placement, printing and production costs. All the money, which was included in the 2012-13 budget, must be allocated for the campaign by the end of the fiscal year on June 30. That’s a tight window for such a massive campaign, according to some local agency execs interested in getting the work. But Susan Nelson, the system’s new interim executive director for communications and external affairs, says the money does not have to be completely spent in the next three months, just allocated for the campaign. Nelson says the purpose of the campaign is to engage the community in the reforms and positive changes Superintendent Bernard Taylor has been making since joining the system last summer. “I don’t think TV commercials are going to cut it,” Nelson says. “We need something innovative that allows people to connect with Dr. Taylor and understand his vision, along with the board’s approval of the new Strategic Plan, so that they can see real milestones being put forth and watch us meet those milestones toward the community goal of having a top-ranked school district by 2020.” —Stephanie Riegel
Editor’s note: This story has been changed since its original publication to correct the name of new interim executive director for communications and external affairs Susan Nelson.
