The Anniversary Program

There is a saying that there is only one really beautiful child in the world and each mother has it. Something of the same feeling surrounds anniversary celebrations. From the beginning of time, there has been only one really meaningful celebration and that is the one you have prepared for this company.

And it would indeed be strange if you felt differently. For many months, all your time, your effort, your ingenuity, your thought, your persuasiveness, and your technical skill have been focused on creation of the thin sheaf of pages which now makes up The Anniversary Program.

You have completed your final tour of company departments and have concluded the series of talks with department heads. The information you gleaned along the way has been sorted and assimilated. Each Idea has been documented so far as humanly possible, and every aspect of it has been supported with all avail­able detail. You have prepared a draft of a program which is a good program. You know it is good. You know it is the best program anyone could produce within the framework of time, personnel, and budget allotted.

And you rightly want to give it every chance to go into pro­duction without further modification, swiftly and efficiently, and in the sunlight of enthusiastic management approval.

The purpose of this chapter is to help you achieve that final preproduction step authoritatively, conclusively—and immedi-

SOME TOOLS TO HELP YOU

Pages 176 through 178 contain Figs. 27, 28, and 29 which are diagrams of how The Anniversary Program may look when you complete the final draft. We include a page for each of the ar­bitrarily chosen departments of advertising, personnel, and pub­licity. You will notice that each company division or department has a separate page, that the department's anniversary program assignments are on that page, and that each such page (or assign­ment sheet) is a self-contained unit.

Each assignment sheet contains the name of the department responsible for the activities listed, the specific activities and events for which the department is responsible, the name of the departmental committee chairman, the names of the committee

Date.
ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES Assignment Sheet and Production Schedule for The Advertising Department
COMMITTEE: Advertising Manager, Chairman Copy Chief Production Chief Art Director Media Director Buyers' Representative Other

FOR THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES	ALL PREPARATIONS MUST BE COMPLET­ED BY	TO INSURE PRES­ENTATION ON DATE ASSIGNED BELOW	ESTIMATED NET COST
1. Continuously use anniversary fact in advertising — never let public forget, 2. Make standard-size, glossy, b/w postcard pix of old-fashioned delivery wagon. 3. Make all possible added use of mailmeter slugs carrying anniversary theme. 4. Develop special series of decorative anniversary posters, incorporating emblem, slogan, color. 5. County-wide saturation billboard promotion, 1 month, 24-aheet size. 6*. Accepted institutional ad program* cut down frost one originally submitted.	May 1     Dec. 1   One month prior to Anniversary Month	Continuous, be­ginning Jan. 1 June, July, and August. Through annivers­ary, beg. 1/1 January 1 for­ward. Change monthly. Anniversary Month	NONE $100 $1,200 S4,OOO $10,000*
* This amount tentatively assigned from original amount estimated. May be expanded or reduced contingent on development of over-all program.		TOTAL:

Date_ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES Assignment Sheet and Production Schedule
for
The Personnel Depart Bent
COMMITTEE: Personnel Director, Chairman Training Director Management Representative Union Representative Representative for Out-City Units Other

	FOR THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES	ALL PREPARATIONS MUST BE COMPLETE ED BY		TO INSURE PRES­ENTATION ON DATE ASSIGNED BELOW	ESTIMATED NET COST
1.	Produce a special anniversary issue of the company's house publication.*	Nov. 1 prior to opening of Anni-		Christmas- New Year's week prior	$5,000
				Anniversary Year
2.	Institute a strong employee inform­ation program.	Immediately		SAP (soon-as-possible) and throughout Anni­versary period	NONE
3.	Identifying service pin (badge? rib­bon?) to each regular employee, noting years of service and anniversary.	Nov. 1 prior to opening of Anni­versary Year		January 1
4.	Every piece of printed matter going to staff during the celebration should			January 1, and throughout period	$50
5.	Seek employee participation in anni­versary planning by submitting ideas and suggestions.	Immediately		From this moment through cele­bration	NONE
6.	Departmental and sectional sales contests.				NONE
• We also recommend inclusion of the editor of the publication, the publicity director, the photographer, and the printer on the committee for-this project.			TOTAL:

Fig. 28·

members, the deadline date by which all preparation for each individual activity is (as of this moment, and subject to change) scheduled to be completed. Much of this material was crystallized in the course of your recent tour of company departments.

The estimated net cost of each event is listed in the extreme right-hand column. These net costs are over and above normal departmental expenditures. In simple terms, they represent an added appropriation by the company for the activity listed. The total amount listed at the bottom of the Estimated Net Cost col

Date_
ANNIVERSARY PROGRAM RESPONSIBILITIES Assignment Sheet and Production Schedule
for
The Publicity Department
COMMITTEE: Publicity Director, Chairman Advertising Manager Director of Special Events Director of Public Relations Other

	FOR THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES	ALL PREPARATIONS MUST BE COMPLET­ED BY	TO INSURE PRES­ENTATION ON DATE ASSIGNED BELOW	ESTIMATED NET COST
1.	Arrange for signature of proclamation by the Mayor.	Two weeks before date chosen for release		$25
2.	Public relations press lunch for mass information media representatives, & top company brass.	7-10 days before date of lunch		$2,500
3.	Present company gift to local public public institution.	Two weeks prior to chosen date	During Anniver­sary Month	$5,000
4.	Barbershop quartette singing.	April 15	May 15
5.	Press, radio, and TV coverage of significant anniversary events during the period of observance.	Spot coverage	Begins as pertinent	NONE
6.	Prepare and route old-fashioned horse-drawn delivery wagon.	Mayl	June, July, & August	$3,000
7.	Fill, seal, and store a Memory Chest at the end of Anniversary Year. Em­ployee presence, public presence* press- invited,,	Dec. 1 of Anni­versary Year	December 31, to wind up Anni­versary Year
8.	Sponsor an art exhibit.			$15,000
			TOTAL:

Fig. 29. For a discussion of this illustration, as welt as the two which immediately precede this one, refer to the text.

umn on each departmental assignment sheet says, in effect: "In the anniversary period you can spend this much MORE than your regular annual budget allows you."
Clipped together, this set of pages (as numerous as the inclu­sive number of participating company departments) makes up The Anniversary Program.
Prepare the assignment sheets in this manner, have them copied, assemble and bind them, and begin distribution with the General Chairman. Sufficient copies should be made, though not necessarily bound, to supply each departmental committee chair­man with one. If he wants copies for each of his committee mem­bers, he should have them made up and the cost charged to his departmental budget.

On page 182 you will find suggested Organization Chart ^3 (Fig. 30), which will help you to develop your own if you can't use this one. This chart is more elaborate than the ones presented in Chapter 1 (which may still be functioning for you), and is offered like everything else in this book: for your convenience and with no requirement of acceptance.

Beginning on page 181 we present a check list of matters which should be completed before you begin your celebration. Keep careful track of these items and all similar additions of your own. They must be in readiness for the opening of your celebration.

On pages 183 through 190 we offer a sample Preview Report. We recommend that you prepare a report of this kind for your Gen­eral Chairman as much in advance of Opening Day as possible. We also recommend that he be provided with a similar report at regular intervals during the period, no less frequently than quarterly during an Anniversary Year. It not only represents an extremely important service to the General Chairman, but it also serves to confirm the professional polish and administrative efficiency of your own performance. Make only one copy of such reports and bring each to the General Chairman personally. If he wishes to order duplication and distribution, it will be at his discretion.

DEVELOPMENT OF COMMITTEES

You may begin now to develop your departmental committees. You proceed thus:
Bring to your General Chairman the list of recommendations for departmental committee chairmen collected from division and department heads in the course of your recent series of visits. {See page 169.) The General Chairman should then take these steps:

1. Approve the nominations which are acceptable to you and reject the nominations which are unacceptable to you. You, not he, must work with these people and obstructionists should be weeded out now.

1. Send a personal note to each of the acceptable chairman candidates, asking his service as a member of the specified committee.
2. Include in the note a request for the names of persons whom the departmental chairman-elect would like to have on his departmental committee.

As the General Chairman receives suggested names from the various departmental committee chairmen, he sends a note to each suggested committee member asking his service on the com­mittee specified and under the chairman selected.

It is the responsibility of each departmental committee chair­man to insure that he and his committee complete departmental assignments by the specified deadline.

One effective way to insure this completion is to see that each committee member is assigned a set of specific duties and responsi­bilities which will remain undone unless and until that person does them.

DO COMMITTEE MEMBERS KNOW?

It will be just as well if you, as Co-ordinator, make sure that each committee member knows he is a committee member, and of which committee, and who his committee chairman is. To that end, it is suggested that you send out—immediately after the mem­bership of each committee is established—a memorandum which might read something like the following:

MEMORANDUM
Date___________________________
TO: Name of Committee Member
This is just a double-check for confirmation and clarifi­cation.
You are a member of the____________
Anniversary Program Committee, of which (committee chairman's name) is chairman.
Through your chairman, the (name of company) has begun work on various projects, promotions, and general activities connected with the upcoming anniver­sary celebration.

Your chairman will contact you shortly concerning the introductory Planning Meeting he is arranging for his committee.
(Signed)_______________ Co-ordinator
The Co-ordinator should be ready to meet with the individual departmental chairmen at any time. The Co-ordinator should hold a formal group meeting of all departmental committee chair­men at least once a month for a review and progress report. Allot­ments of assistance and integration of activities will result from these meetings.

CHECK LIST OF ITEMS REQUIRING COMPLETION PRIOR TO ANNIVERSARY YEAR OPENING

Early attention to these and like matters is vital to punctual and placid program production. Presentation of events on sched­ule is impossible if components are not ready ahead of schedule. If this list is applicable to your operation, use it. If it is not ap­plicable, let it guide you in preparing one that is. But make a list. Don't forget it. Do use it.
♦Advertising (kick-off, all media, local and state)1
Annual Report (revisions in design completed)
*Badges (personnel identification)
Balloon promotion plans
Billboards (space reserved, content and sequence settled, paper
printed and stored) Birthday cakes Car cards (design and copy)
#         Credit development
*Decals, labels, stickers (design and distribution) ♦Decorations (interior and exterior, windows, lobbies, ledges, parking lots, all units; selected, produced with anniversary emphasis, and in place; sequence of seasonal and special deviations from anniversary theme decided)
*      Emblem, and color(s), and slogan (theme) Employee publication (special initial issue)
1 An asterisk (*) marks an item which will probably be a continuing opera­tion throughout the period of the celebration.

Exhibits
Film produced (and promotion begun)
*Good News Folder
History written and printing contract signed
Imprinting completed, including removal and storage of "old" (standard) supplies and replacement with "new" (anniversary) supplies
Information packet Kit, for suppliers and dealers

1. Personnel refresher training course completed
2. Postage-meter slug designs

Post cards (giveaway)

1. Posters (anniversary period special)
2. Press party

Radio and television schedule (institutional and promotional)
*Special promotions and sales
Souvenirs (manufactured and stored; all units)
Speakers' Bureau established and training completed

1. Speakers' Bureau Stationery redesign *Tours (all details settled)
   Trucks (decals and decorations)
2. Uniforms (elevator operators, waitresses, stockmen, drivers,

maintenance)
*      Windows

SAMPLE

Preview Report
on Plans for the First Three Months
of the Company Anniversary Program
Introduction
This report will attempt to summarize all presently available information concerning the status of anniversary celebration ac­tivities and events now ready for presentation in the first three calendar months—January, February, and March—of (company name) 's Anniversary Year.
For convenience, most of the material herein has been depart­mentalized. This will enable the General Chairman to locate lagging preparations and take any steps necessary to complete them. However, all matters pertaining to devices scheduled for common use by all units (e.g., anniversary emblem, slogan, color) have been assembled under the title immediately following.
GENERAL
1.     Emblem design.
The design of the anniversary emblem has been chosen and confirmed. It is to be used without alteration. It has been designed specifically for this company and this celebration and any ideas respecting variations in or deviations from the accepted design must be cleared with Mr. __ , the Display Manager. He has been assigned full responsibility for all matters pertaining to emblem use during the anniversary celebration. Naturally the design will be used in many combinations
—the more the better—but without change unless sanctioned by Mr. (name of Display Manager) .
2.     Color(s).
The colors chosen for, and to be identified with, our anniversary celebration are (color) and (color) . Swatches are attached to this report. The Display Manager, Mr is responsible for use and control of color as well as emblem during the celebration period. He should be consulted regarding any emblem or color problems, general or specific, or any pro­posed changes or ideas touching anniversary displays or decora­tions. His jurisdiction includes the inside and outside of all com­pany buildings and properties, adjacent streets, company vehicles and parking lots.
3. Theme.

The slogan (theme) for the anniversary is "_ "
It will be used wherever possible in good taste. It will never be forced. It will be used with discretion and fitted to the project
at hand. The Advertising Manager, Mr. ____ ,
will edit and control its use in all printed publicity.

ADVERTISING
1. Local.
a.     All major sales and promotion events will carry company anniversary identification.
b.     All smaller ads will carry anniversary identification plus a special Anniversary Year sig cut developed by the Art Director,
Mr_________________ These will be used,
as an example, in the "Did You Know That   " type of ad approved for three months' trial. A sample treatment is at­tached to this report. Mr. (name of Art Director) will be re­sponsible for development of all possible usage. Mr. (name of Advertising Manager) will be responsible for controlling use in sales and service advertising, manuals, stuffers, flyers, etc.
c.     Attached to this report is the approved copy and a suggested layout treatment for the opening institutional advertisement of the Anniversary Year. It is scheduled for publication in all local newspapers on January 1. As per the cleared schedule, one institutional advertisement per month will run through the
Anniversary Year. Each will take a full newspaper page. Subjects, dates, and media have been approved by your office and a copy of the schedule is in your hands. Copy for the February and March institutionals is complete. All three institutionals await art approval, engravings, and composition. The copy is being
written by Mr. (name of writer) .
d. Great care has been exercised to keep all our advertising free from undue self-glorification.

2. Out-city.
We are polishing the details of an out-city advertising cam­paign which has as its theme: "Deal with the companies and businesses in your own communities as long as they supply what you want. However, if you find that you must go outside, come to (name of city) and visit (name of company) and inves­tigate the advantages of dealing with us/'
5. Special.
Anniversary promotions will begin in January and a sufficient number will be run in the month to provide a lot of momentum. They will have a similarity of layout treatment to tie them together in the public mind. Of the entire number, approximately per cent will be run by the home office. (Central building? Main store? Local plant?).
4.     Mail meter.
The accepted year's set of mail-meter ad plates is on hand and the first of the series will go into use on January 1 for the month.
5.     Radio.
a.     The sign-off at the end of each program will contain the statement, "The (name of company) , celebrating its   th year of service to (name of city) ."
b.     Historical material relating to the company will be inserted into the script with reasonable frequency. All possible tieins between our company and our city will naturally be exploited.
Responsibility for assembling this material has been assigned to
Mr. (name of researcher) .
c.     Musical selections having historical significance over the
past (no.) years will be featured as much as possible.
d.___________________ Company liaison with the advertising agency is the re­
sponsibility of Mr._______
PUBLICITY
1. News Releases.
News releases are being prepared by Mr. for January 1 release. The stories will announce the opening of the Anniversary Year and include selected details of our program for the period. Copy will be submitted for clearance prior to release. Releases will go to local and state dailies and weeklies, local and state radio and television news editors, trade press, wire services.
2. National TV.
We are continuing our efforts to obtain publicity tie-ins with, or recognition on, national television programs, but no definite commitments have been received. Our local television stations will co-operate, however, though final details are not yet com­plete.
DISPLAY
1.     Interiors.
The Display Manager is utilizing all available space for deco­rations employing the anniversary emblem, colors, and theme. (A tentative schedule is in your hands.) It is intended that this usage be particularly heavy during January. In January, the above decorative components will be introduced, and their use and purpose during the anniversary celebration explained and demonstrated. Various displays are planned to achieve this ob­jective. Completion awaits obtaining the necessary props from (name of person or place) .

(Name locations) have been permanently appropriated for a series of institutional displays, including some three-dimen­sional presentations and interpretations of company history. These areas have been put under control of the Display Manager. They will be made available to company departments when not required for Anniversary Year displays.

During the month of January, (location) will be used for a commercial display directing attention to our Old Merchandise Exhibit scheduled for February.
2.     Exteriors.
a. Flags have been made of the anniversary emblem-color-slogan combination and constitute the only exterior display presently planned for the opening month. (Medallions were eliminated at the last moment, and final decision has not yet been reached on street decoration for the Summer Festival.) These flags will be flying every day as long as they hold together. The American flag will also be used at the highest point of each building. Responsibility: Display Manager.

SYNOPSIS of DEPARTMENTAL EXHIBITS

Opening Date Closing Date___
Department                          Exhibit  Location Responsibility
Lighting equipment Antiques
Paintings by state artists over the past _ years. (Available for· purchase.)
Ceramics, figurines, chinaware, jewelry, woodwork
Period dolls
Coin and stamp collections
Old books
Old household*utensils (sadirons, pots, lamp­lighters, etc.)
Button collection
Fig. 31* This program of departmental exhibits may also be adapted to use as a single-page information .flyer for public distribution.

SPECIAL EVENTS

1. Our departmental exhibits open (date) . They will con­tinue through (date) . A synopsis of the program is attached. (See Fig. 31, on this page.) It should be a topnotch presentation, and we are promoting it with full-page newspaper ads. Our Display Manager, our Exhibits Committee, and outside sources have pooled talent and efforts to make this a memorable event in (name of company) 's anniversary program.

1. Old Customers' Day is definitely scheduled for (date) . It will be held during business hours. Arrangements are being completed by the Special Events Committee and the Quarter Century Club.
2. The following items have been imprinted with the anniversary emblem (some also with slogan and/or color) and will be in use in all units on January 1.

(Here list the items the company is imprinting. The list furnished in this book on page 117 may be used for com­parison.)
Mr. ________  will co-ordinate removal of
standard supplies and replacement with Anniversary Year sup­plies.

1. The St. Valentine's Day Show is set for (date) . It will be staged by the Special Events Committee and will incorporate some historic wedding groups and gowns.
2. A co-sponsored public-service lecture series will begin in March and continue through May. The series will be held at

(location) .

1. Five thousand helium balloons will be released from the roof on (date) . Publicity department has prepared advance releases to prime the promotional pump.
2. The Mayor's proclamation is scheduled for release the day before (6) above.
3. Only last-minute details remain to be tied up for the employees' Open House scheduled for (date) . Informational flyers should be distributed to employees this week.

PERSONNEL
1. House Publication.

The special anniversary issue of the house publication will be distributed to the employees between Christmas Day and New Year's Day. It will include up-to-the-minute advance news of the celebration before we break our initial newspaper announce­ment. The house publication will feature the celebration through out the year. Serious consideration is being given to production of a second special issue for Birthday Month.
2. Employee Identification.
Anniversary Year identification badges have been designed for public-contact personnel and are on hand. Instructions have been issued for their use, and distribution will be made through the personnel department.
5. Other Activities.
Other personnel activities for the opening months are being developed. Some are nearing completion, including decoration of the employment office, employees' lounge, library, and cafe­teria. A continuing refresher course in courtesy, service, and sales­manship is assured, content is in preparation, instructors are being interviewed.

SECRETARIAL POOL

1. New stationery with the Anniversary Year imprint will be available to all members of the secretarial pool on January 1 and should be used.
2. Miss (name) , Pool Director, is prepared to make assignments of blocks of time to departments requiring much additional secretarial work. All secretarial work above normal quotas should be contracted for as far in advance as possible.

Conclusion

In addition to the foregoing, other supplementary activities {e.g., preparations for tours, speaking engagements, and orches­tra and chorus rehearsals) are presently in the works. Although a certain amount of leeway is reserved in some of the events re­ported above, management is assured that every effort is being made to see that this schedule of events, as here presented, is strictly adhered to.

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