Sep 22, 2008 12:31 PM

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#7. Best Cause-Based Promotion

Warm Coats & Warm Hearts Drive
Agency: ABC, Inc.
Client: One Warm Coat/ABC’s GMA/Burlington Coat Factory

Hoping to help people stay warm during the winter months, “Good Morning America” partnered with retailer Burlington Coat Factory and One Warm Coat, a nonprofit organization that collects and distributes coats for families in need, on a national coat drive campaign. The morning talk show brought in big-name celebrities to support the “Warm Coats & Warm Hearts” coat drive, which ran Dec. 6 to Jan. 31. It also ran taped segments about the program. Information on ABCNews.com directed people to Burlington Coat Factory locations to make donations and to visit http://www.onewarmcoat.com to learn more about the cause. Burlington Coat Factory served as the collection point for coats and supported the campaign with e-mail blasts, in-store signage and recorded spots. In addition, the retailer offered a 10% discount off any purchase at nearly 400 stores nationwide to people who donated a coat onsite. And consumers rallied to the cause, donating175,125 coats to help those in need. That represents a three-fold increase over the target number of coats, and 23% of the total coats collected by One Warm Coat since its inception in 1992. What’s more, Burlington Coat Factory received 15,156 redemptions of its 10% discount Thank You certificate.

Pedigree Dog Adoption
Agency: Catapult Action-Biased Marketing
Client: Pedigree Brand Food for Dogs
See Category #1

American Express Members Project
Agency: Digitas
Client: American Express

To reach a new target of affluent consumers, American Express launched a cause-marketing campaign that asked card members to develop projects it could fund that would positively impact the world. The idea was to solicit suggestions from cardholders and get people to agree on one idea. American Express, in turn, would bring the notion to life, committing up to $5 million. The initiative used social media, viral and broadcast backed by the Web to spread the word. More than 1.5 million people experienced “The Members Project.” It appeared in 628+ blogs and more than 2,000 local radio placements, in addition to print and TV, becoming the most recognizable AmEx campaign in recent history. It has a more than 50% recognition among card members. The company received a more than 10% lift in respondents who said American Express “fits my lifestyle,” and a more than 15% lift from those who said American Express “is for someone like me.” Based on its success, American Express brought the campaign back again this year.

Tide CleanStart-Loads of Hope
Agency—Gigunda Group, Inc.
Client—Procter & Gamble

When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in August 2005, Procter & Gamble sought a way to help the storm’s victims. So it turned to one of its best known products, Tide, to roll out a mobile Laundromat. The company used its Tide CleanStart Mobile Laundromat, a 48-foot beverage trailer that features 32 high-efficiency washers and dryers, to help residents make a “clean start” with fresh laundry. Since then, P&G has continued its mission to help natural disaster victims and volunteers. In the spring of 2007, reps returned to New Orleans with the Laundromat to assist people still in need with clean clothes. It sponsored five-time Grammy Award winner John Legend at the annual New Orleans’ Jazz Festival, and recruited the singer to help wash clothes. The Tide brand also committed to help rebuild 10 homes as a way to help revitalize the community. In the fall, Tide took its traveling Laundromat to California, offering residents affected by 24 wildfires its services. Through the effort, nearly 15,000 miles over 10 months were logged to aid in disaster relief nationwide. P&G delivered more than 25,000 bags of fresh, clean laundry to families, and volunteers washed more than 100,000 pounds of clothing over 39 washdays.

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