Dating from 1634, the Boston Common is one of the oldest city parks in the country. And like our national parks it’s literally being loved to death and in desperate need of improvements and repairs.
Boston’s ABC affiliate reported last week that there’s a movement afoot to allow corporate sponsorships on the Common. Boston Parks and Recreation supports the idea as does the neighborhood group that supports the Boston Common and nearby Public Gardens.
“We have to find new ways to fund these projects,” said Boston Parks Commissioner Toni Pollak.
But a key person doesn’t share the common opinion: the Mayor of Boston, Tom Menino. He doesn’t want the Common cluttered with cheesy banners and corporate logos. Neither do I. That’s why I don’t think corporate sponsorship is the right strategy for the Common.
I wonder if anyone has considered cause marketing?
Cause marketing would be a better alternative since most of the promotion would happen off the Common and not from signage on site.
But what would be the best cause marketing strategy?
- Would you pool the Boston Common together with other city parks across the country and launch a cause marketing campaign similar to the ones we’ve seen for national parks?
- Would you position the Boston Common as a national landmark similar to the Adams National Historical Park that Columbo Yogurt raised $100,000 for in 2003? I suggested a similar approach for Boston’s Freedom Trail four years ago.
- Or would you take a different approach and connect the Common to an issue like childhood obesity and city kids having green places to exercise and play and raise money that way?
How would you execute a cause marketing campaign for the Boston Common?
Let’s come up with a couple great ideas together and I’ll present them to hiz honor the Mayor myself!
[Update: Here's the email I sent to the City with our comments.]
FREE Newsletter
This situation is somewhat near to and timely for me.
I was contacted a few months ago by a local preservation society for a historical cemetery (Kansas City's oldest), with similar pain points. The city's maintenance and support has eroded (no pun) over the years to the point of nonexistence. What awareness and maintenance support they have now is from the sweat of volunteers, aging volunteers at that.
My mission was to come up with a solution for both awareness of the area (not a problem with the Commons) and sustainable maintenance + financial support. Two obvious groups that could have a hand in both pain points are local business who have a (selfish) interest in the area looking good and attracting visitors, as well as families of those buried there. Some of which were the first settlers of the city.
Fortunately, their property literally borders the HQ's of Hallmark, as well as other significant local corps. All of which have a history of supporting the local green spaces and public places (playgrounds, etc). The influence of those groups chips away at the awareness and financial support needed without 'NASCAR-ing' the area with branding.
The maintenance solution comes from collaborations with local college/univ horticulture groups, each taking quarterly (90 day) turns in maintenance with financial support from local landscaping companies, including decent coin from John Deere.
Not sure any of this addresses the needs the Boston Commons, it has yet to be fully executed let alone evaluated here. POint is, like Brian's take, it does take a shift in thinking to provide a democratized solution. I think it is a blend of civic and corp support, many of which will selfish interests in the attractiveness of the area.
I think what we'll see in everyone's comments is that it really requires a variety of solutions. No one solution is going to solve the problem and make it go away.
Great challenge Joe! A couple of quick tactical thoughts:
-Make an ask at all MBTA automated kiosks asking people to donate $1, $5, $10 to "Save the Common" when purchasing their daily, weekly, monthly transit passes.
-Hold a "Common Fest" next Spring once the weather warms up to showcase all that the Common has to offer. Hold a concert with Boston bands and celebs leading the charge. Tickets and merchandise sales, etc to benefit the cause.
-Take advantage of the thousands of tourists visiting Boston and create a coupon book to sell at hotels, Duck/Trolley Tours, etc with deals at the local business. Proceeds go to the cause.
Looking forward to hearing others thoughts!
Thanks,
Chris
I like the MBTA idea, Chris. How many t-stations border the park? Is it just the one at Park Street. If you could do a campaign at that one station that highlights the Boston Common, a place those commuters see and perhaps enjoy every day, you could raise some money and build awareness.
I like the coupon book for a longer lasting income, with less donor fatigue. Tourists will buy just for their own benefit, whether they care about The Common or not. Also makes sense to gain funds from the very demographic that contributes to the wearing down of The Common — for the more civic-minded tourist, it's a fulfilling purchase too.
There's always new tourists, but asking MBTA people to ask for donations, ad finitum as opposed to a 1-month period (along the lines of most point-of-purchase programs) is a heavy lift on both sides of the transaction.
The MBTA makes sense. Even
though Park St. is the only stop many people get to the Commons on foot. Especially during the week. The use other stops closer to their work. Even though I am in Richmond, VA I worked on Washington for yrs and would walk to meetings via the Commons. I also remember the MBTA always being open to support causes t
hat supported and protected youth/children like ABCD and Childr
ens Trust Fund. Those groups could allow for some form of cross marketing with groups that support them as well. An ongoing campaign with an event would work.
I wouldnt. While I happen to think parks are incredibly valuable and important, it’s hard to make a business case for just letting people hang out on the grass for free. The history angle is nice, but I wouldn’t bet the bank on it. Instead, what’s the business opportunity for the commons. How can you do good, and do well, by giving people experiences they value – and can only get through this space. I would start by letting Shake Shack operate there… but strike a deal so that the business benefits the park through every purchase. Not a donation, a rev-share. I would organize programming, daily, so that people had a reason to visit the Commons, purchase food and similar. I don’t expect a corporation to fund a concert series, I want the City to create a venue where people pay for access, and merchandise – and will because the show is worth the expense. Create the wonderful experience that you can only get by being in the heart of Boston and the numbers will start to take care of themselves because of the market. That requires a shift in thinking.
You know, Brian, you make a good point and one I should have made clear in my post: cause marketing is just one strategy to "fix" the Common. You really need a variety of strategies of which cause marketing would be one. No charity is funded completely through cause marketing. As a matter of fact, corporate fundraising as a whole only seems to deliver 5 to 15% of a nonprofit's revenues. Not very much. So, yes, I think you have to look at the business model.
These are all great options, Joe. In my mind, the Common just screams out for some sort of collaborative corporate partnership among local businesses.
Why not collect stories of and about the Common and join them together in a collaborative book project to be sold by a huge handful of local retail outlets (or purchased by corporations to gift to employees) where the proceeds from the book go to Common restoration (if you're interested in doing this, do let me know…I've got some insider tips that may help). Or even a video montage of stories or video submission contest – the history is so rich!
Or, what about a commemorative ornament or partnership with the "Make Way for the Ducklings" story rights/licensing effort again to be promoted by local retailers?
Speaking of licensing, what about just establishing licensing rights to some sort of historical seal or emblem representing the Common that can be used on ANY locally produced product for a fee?
Or what if all the members of the Boston Chamber and other Main Streets retailers banded together and agreed to donate 5% of their gross receipts for the week of X to be donated to the Common restoration?
And, c'mon…really? Could you ask for a better name than "The Boston Common"? All sorts of plays on the word "Common" you could harness: Common Good, Common Ground, etc.
I love this opportunity and that you're thinking about it from a cause angle. Long live the Boston Common!
@meganstrand
Yes, long live the Common! The more we talk, the more I think the Common needs a formal nonprofit entity to manage it. Perhaps like the National Parks Foundation, it should be part of a coalition of city parks across the country. That would certainly make cause marketing easier in some regards. Regardless of whether it's a local or national structure, something is needed to manage the site and the opportunities. The City needs to be a partner in this, not the landlord (because we all know landlords generally suck.)
Hey Joe, the initial effects of my first quadshot are just kicking in, so I've got more of a gimmick than a real idea:
Create a Boston Commons photo booth onsite that automatically uploads to Facebook and or Flickr. Let folks get their picture taken and uploaded for free, but give them the option to donate to preserve the commons. Have brands match the donation for the right to be included in the tag stream (or for the right to collect the photos on a branded page). Add a few hundred thousand tourists each year. Mix well.
Might be cheaper to have 2-3 roaming photographers than a physical booth, and better range of possible photos too. But less branding opportunity.
Again, good business ideas. I think we need to fun the improvements and repairs in a variety of ways.
We could also have you move to Boston instead of New York and set up an expresso bar on the common near wear I bet you would live. We would make fortune! We could improve the whole area (Massachusetts).
Maybe, make it possible for hundreds of thousands, possibly millions, of people to donate through personal purchases throughout the year.
Take a page out of the author of the cause marketing preamble, American Express, and create a Boston Common Visa or Mastercard. Go to any large sporting venue and you'll see the MBNA peeps offering sports team credit cards. Have banks bid on the rights to the Common in the name of their card, encourage Boston venues that offer discounts when 'The Common' Card is used, and assign x% of sales to go to the Boston Common.
This will also expand the geographic base of the card-holders — Transplated New Englanders will be able to support The Common every day. It brings the Boston-philes together for a cause that costs them nothing more than what they'd normally spend. By using The Common Card, everyone knows you're helping The Common.
I can't envision the new Dunkin Donuts' Boston Common, but I can certainly see a "coffee for the park" campaign with a percentage of sales to revitalize and maintain the Common and all it has to offer as a historic and recreational community asset. To argue Mayor Tom's point though, corporate sponsorship also does not have to obtrusive, it can be subtle and attractive. Receptacles with BFI logo on them, etc. I love the cause relationship with obesity — health related organizations are constantly on the hunt for exposure to their efforts to curb the crisis. The key is to find the right corporate partner that has a vested in interest in the Common and its success. If my corporate headquarters looked out at the Common and my employees picnicked there, I'd be vested.
All great points, sir. See my comment to Chris Noble above. The key is to get Chris to move to Boston and bring his big, fat coffee wallet to profit-sharing entity near the common!
You make a good point on tasteful forms of corporate promotion like the trash barrels. Good point. It can be done well.
As a Mass refugee and suffering Red Sox fan, like many commenting — I have fond memories of the Common. It is a park of the people, and in light of the economy it must become a park by the people. Love the fact you've started the conversation — let's pray the momentum builds.
In Chicago, Millennium Park has corporate names tastefully placed throughout the park, and all of this sponsorship plus revenues from the parking garage below and a restaurant on the park were supposed to cover all costs to the city for the park. Sadly that was not the case, as the park cost Chicago taxpayers US$8Million alone last year, and who knows how much more this year, especially with continually dwindling parking revenues.
As a former Boston area resident, I know the Common well, and it is a great space and always take it and the Public Garden in when I am in town. Some of the ideas already stated in comments as I post this are great, and if invoked could certainly help the Common get over the hump.
However, true planning – short and long term – needs to be put into place to truly sustain the great, historical space now and into the future. Planning that is beyond politics, and is transparent as to what it costs to run such a space – every line item, for everyone to see. Then think about what else could be there – the renovation of the Frog Pond is one example, and maybe some out of the box thinking as well.
It's the easy, band-aid solutions that typically get applied to a project like this. Real leadership is needed to make great things happen – and it should go well beyond people on the city's payroll.
mp/m
Mike, you're absolutely right. You really do need long-term planning. I think that's why you need a governing body or nonprofit to oversee these activities. Maybe not just for the Common either, but for a lot of city parks.
Also a 'Boston common' Mass lisence plate. Have The common as a background on the plate, and extra fees for the plate go to the Common.
This is a great challenge, Joe! I like the idea of a local non-profit entity leading the charge for the Common restoration and preservation. One group to take a look at is the Trust for the National Mall (http://www.nationalmall.org/)
Partnering with the National Park Service they are working to restore the Mall area in DC. They seem to have a fairly well-rounded approach – corporate partnership opportunities, fundraising events and individual contributions. I think one interesting move they made is to work with the L’Enfant Society which is a local group of influential young professionals. A great way to foster support and build a donor base for years to come. Also a great group to rally local support for any additional fundraising – merchandise sales, local insiders guide…
I’m not intimately familiar with the Trusts other fundraising activities but I think they are off to a good start.
Hey, thanks for the link to the Trust for the Nat'l Mall. Thinks to learn there.
Hi Joe:
I'm not super familiar with Boston, but my recollection is that The Commons was one of the first places in America to experience the famous economic dilemma of 'the tragedy of the commons.' That is, people used to send their cows there to graze because it was free and close with the natural result being that The Commons were chronically overgrazed. As you describe it sounds sorta like what's happening now.
So I suggest something light-hearted, historical, visual for the media and the public, and a guaranteed fund-raiser that has been working for decades.
Take a large section of the commons and divide it into a grids and fence it off. Sell the grids for $5, $10, $20 or more. Then, on some historically-appropriate day (for instance, the day that cows were finally banned from The Commons) release a cow into the area. Which ever grid(s) the cow voids itself on wins the lottery.
I'm still thinking about what to call it, but to generate $1,000,000 you'd only need 50,000 square feet and sell the grids for $20. Even if you gave away half the total, you'd still net out $500,000.
You could wrap the promotion as some sort of festival with concerts, vendors and the like.
You could do the same thing with a smartphone app. The price of admission is the cost of the app and a virtual cow would void itself on a predetermined day.
Warm regards,
Paul
What’s interesting to me about this opportunity, Joe, is that Boston Common is a system of connected parks that wind through many of Boston’s neighborhoods.
Many brands have been struggling with the shift from “marketing to demographics” to “interacting with communities.” The “think global but act local” is widely accepted, but it’s so much harder for major brands to shape individual community partnerships than it is for the local shops to do so.
I envision a “Greater Community Common Challenge” which asks individual neighborhoods to leverage their own community partners. Get one overarching “City” sponsor (mega-brand) but have the smaller community organizations leverage their own ideas (the photo booth, the MBTA, the coffee shop, etc.)
In this way you could encourage all community members — from elementary school kids and the PTA to Rotary Clubs and Kiwanis – to get involved. Each neighborhood would see themselves as a gem on the string of the “Emerald Necklace” – which is a pseudonym of your park.
~Lee Fox @KooDooZ
1. Two good local business opportunites: Loews Cinema – could do percentage-of-sale for the next Boston-based movie release, or a Boston Common Saver popcorn coupon, etc. There's also the parking garage located directly underneath the soil of Boston Common. Lots of cash transactions, but that would be a really difficult point-of-sale, and I'm guessing they don't care so much about PR value.
2. Tapping into Bostonians' local pride could help out, because everyone loves the Common, and everyone loves to rep Boston. Slangy slogans could work: "I'm wicked good at charity". Also heritage-based slogans could get popular, "Boston-Born. Boston-Bred. Boston-Common."
3. Get Emerson professors to challenge (or make an assignment for) students who could organize and run a charity event hosted by bars in the Alley. Students could promote on 88.9 FM and on campus. It could be Boston Common's "Rally in the Alley." (We need Frasier + Ali!) A couple of the bars, I believe, are owned by the Lyons Group, which could be a corporate partner. Not sure who owns The Liquor Store/Gypsy Bar. Communications students would bring the party, no doubt.
I like them all, Dan. You're a real hometown boy! I do think tapping businesses that physically sit across from the common, like Loews, is a no-brainer. Surprised someone hasn't thought of that already. What they need know is not so much to be asked as they need to be motivated! What's the larger cause? If you can't identify it people will say, "Oh, the city and state should be paying for that…"
I forgot to mention 50,000 square feet is a little more than an acre. So it's not a ton of land, but it is a little bigger than a football field.
I suspect some of the costs of the putting it on…. printing tickets, promotions, legal stuff… could from a sponsorship package.
Another thought is that you could use a larger plot and sell the chances at a range of prices. So the grids closest to the cow's entry point would be more expensive than grids further away from it. Or you could sell a full square foot grid for $20, but a half-square foot grid for $15 and quarter-foot grids for $9.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by KooDooZ, Marketing Filter. Marketing Filter said: RT @KooDooZ @joewaters stirs up another great conversation, I had to interject! http://ow.ly/2JwXq who else is going to add their voice? [...]
Let's include some youth art in the Common. Artists for Humanity has already collaborated with the City on public bike racks for neighborhood sites and public art at Logan. Would be good to develop youth enterprise for the creative class of young people who have lots to contribute, but few platforms to show their work. Kids are a big part of the burgeoning creative class, and creativity will give an energy shot to tourists and locals alike who want to get involved with youth who are making positive contributions.. Check out AFH's tee shirt stand at Faneuil Hall for an example of how energized adults and youth get when encountering enterprising teens; they're great ambassadors for Boston when given the opportunity to express themselves and have direct contact with a global audience.
[...] was on display last week when I posted on how cause marketing could help the Boston Common with its repairs and improvements. Neither I nor anyone who commented thought cause marketing would [...]
[...] As promised, I took your comments from Cause Marketing Challenge: The Boston Common and offered our help to the City of Boston. Based on my outreach to my contacts at City Hall, they [...]
[...] always been interested in how state and national parks–and green spaces in general–can use cause marketing to raise money. These popular places are a national treasure, but [...]
[...] Boston Common [...]