Boston’s #1 hip hop station, Jam’n 94.5, and everyone’s favorite hip retailer, Target, which has a store less than a mile from the hospital, teamed up to reward some very needy kids with a great Christmas and a happy New Year.
The partnership was a simple but generous arrangement. Target invited the morning show team from Jam’n 94.5 to the store for the whole day to collect items for BMC’s Pieces of Home Backpack Project.
Target also donated all the backpacks for the day.
Friends, the kids these backpacks go to are in terrible straits. They are removed from their homes in emergency situations, mostly due to violence or neglect, and oftentimes have to leave without any personal belongings.
The pediatric nurses at my hospital took on the issue head-on 18 months ago.
The Pieces of Home Backpack Project collects donations to make starter kits for kids to take with them to their new homes. Each pack is filled with new items that are gender and age specific.
The kits include blankets, stuffed animals, toiletries, clothing and more.
With a location to hold the event and packs to fill, the team at Jam’n promoted the event on air and through their respective Twitter handles: @jamn945, @ramirotorres, @pebbles945 and @melissa945.
We also did our part and promoted the event to our donors and employees through traditional and online media.
The payoff on Monday was that we reached our goal of filling 100 backpacks in the first thirty minutes of the event! We went on to fill several hundred more backpacks throughout the day.
For a hospital that helps so many needy men, women and children (50% of our patients earn less than $20,000 year) these backpacks will bring comfort and stability to a lot of kids.
Compared to a lot of the cause marketing programs my team executes this one was small, but it packed a big punch. It also reinforced a few key rules for successful local cause marketing.
People like tangible. When Target shoppers heard what we were doing, they asked us what we needed for the backpacks and shopped for us on the spot. They loved addressing a real need. This type of urgency and fulfillment should extend to every cause marketing program, whether it’s a backpack donation drive or a point-of-sale program at the register.
Even when asking shoppers for a buck at the register, the request should should be personal, immediate and rewarding. “Would you like to donate a dollar to the Food Pantry at BMC so poor families can have a Thanksgiving meal?”
This tweet today from friends at MS & L Worldwide and @ecmsl reminded just how much a tangible goal can drive giving (be sure to check out the pic!):
So proud of MS&L Boston staff RT @bigguyd: Folks at @mslworldwide & @Digitas crush @thedimockcenter toy drive http://twitpic.com/ts640
Radio is key. Radio support for a cause marketing event is a fantastic promotional tool, especially when you’re working with a top station like Jam’n 94.5. We had seen the power of radio before with our other events, particularly Halloween Town (another event Jam’n supported), but this event confirmed that radio works.
Don’t forget in-kind. I have to admit that I’m focused on raising cash when it comes to cause marketing programs. I generally don’t consider product donations. The reason is simple. While they help the hospital, they don’t help the cause marketing team achieve its modest revenue goals. Shame on me for being so self-serving. Besides, not focusing on cash is a great way to engage a brand new partner, or a reluctant partner that has taken a pass on giving you money.
Target falls into this category for my nonprofit because their pinup cause marketing programs are centered around national causes, not local causes like mine.
In short, having a backpack donation drive is probably the best I can hope for from Target right now. The good news is is that their best was pretty darn good for my hospital and the needy kids we help.
Back in December I told you about Ocean State Job Lot and their annual pinup programs to support the hospital. Despite a sputtering economy, Ocean State not only met its goal, it blew it away!
