By: Mollye Rhea
As cause campaigns shift and adapt with new digital activations, in-store experiences, and even adopting AI technology, we try to keep our finger on the pulse of not only what is trending in our social impact world, but what resonates with consumers and employees to leave a lasting impression. Keep reading for five examples of cause campaigns that hit the bullseye for us in 2018.
Kellogg “All Together” Cereal Benefits GLAAD
Kellogg partnered with GLAAD as an official sponsor of Spirit Day. Limited Edition “All Together” Spirit Day cereal boxes were available this year for one day only, Oct. 18 – exclusively at Kellogg’s New York City Café. The cereal box mixed favorite Kellogg’s cereals together in celebration of belonging no matter how you look, where you’re from, or who you love. All proceeds from Kellogg’s “All Together Cereal” were donated to GLAAD.
Kellogg employees around the world participated in conversations that will enable the company to build a culture where all employees are inspired to share their passion, talents and ideas. At Kellogg Company World Headquarters, employees invited the community to help celebrate Spirit Day with an anti-bullying art exhibit – created by local students – during a local art hop event.
What we loved about this campaign: how it connected consumers, employees and the community emotionally to the cause. The special cereal box was a creative, light-hearted way to illustrate how we can all get along.
Nature Valley “Find Your Park” Campaign
Nature Valley joined the National Park Foundation as a partner for the Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque movement. Nature Valley’s support includes a three-year commitment and a donation of up to $3 million. Nature Valley fans were given the opportunity to increase the donation by buying a 6-count box of Nature Valley Oats & Honey at retailers across the country. For every box purchased between March 1 and May 15, 2018, Nature Valley donated $0.10 to NPF, up to $750,000.
To help raise awareness, Nature Valley also supported hikers who are passionate about the outdoors and exploration by telling their individual stories of what nature, and America’s national parks in particular, mean to them.
In addition to the donation, Nature Valley encouraged consumers to make a difference by participating in public national park volunteer events and additional donations to the National Park Foundation. Fans were also encouraged to share how they are making a change on social media, tagging @NatureValley and @GoParks and using #NatureGives, #FindYourPark, and #EncuentraTuParque.
What we loved about this campaign: absolutely perfect brand alignment makes this campaign authentic. Nature Valley showed it understands what its target audience cares passionately about. And of course everyone knows that hiking makes you hungry, so it’s a natural fit. We also liked the storytelling element of this campaign because people aren’t just buying products anymore, they are buying and sharing experiences.
Ziploc Honors Teachers as Super Heroes
Ziploc brand redefined what it meant to be a super hero by honoring teachers around the country. In celebration of National Superhero Day April 28 and National Teacher Day May 8, Ziploc brand announced a new initiative, #MoreThanATeacher, which asked everyone to thank the real-life super heroes among us –teachers – by helping to provide resources to empower teachers and encourage students and the public to recognize the heroic impact they have on our lives.
To give teachers nationwide extra superpowers, Ziploc pledged $100,000 to DonorsChoose.org, which provided 100 teachers across the country with funds for various classroom projects. Purchases of Ziploc brand products, including its new line inspired by Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War, will help support Ziploc brand’s donation. The brand will also provide Ziploc brand products featuring Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Infinity War designs to each teacher’s school.
Ziploc brand encouraged people to thank a teacher who changed their life using the hashtag #MoreThanATeacher on social media. To kick off the conversation, Ziploc brand commissioned portraits to honor three teachers who represent super heroes to former students. The portraits were creatively constructed with Ziploc brand bags and containers filled with mementos that represent the ways each teacher was a super hero. Ziploc brand surprised the teachers with an unveiling ceremony alongside these former students, and the teachers were also featured in a series of videos on Ziploc brand’s social media pages.
What we loved about this campaign: #MoreThanATeacher is another way the brand is connecting with communities, especially teachers, students and parents, to support their educational and classroom experiences. The product tie-in with the blockbuster Avengers: Infinity War designs was a perfect way to reach families and honor teachers as super heroes. Who wouldn’t love a portrait constructed of Ziploc bags? Our grade: A+ for originality.
Colgate and Michael Phelps Continue to Spread #EveryDropCounts
Colgate’s goal to bring attention to water scarcity and help save water continued in 2018 by asking people to join their efforts to reduce water waste. The Phelps family encouraged their millions of social media followers to turn off the faucet while brushing to save up to eight gallons of water a day.
New initiatives included a call to action using Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa to learn water facts, get conservation tips or to even hear the sound of running water while brushing. A water-activated drain sticker that revealed the reminder to “Turn off the Faucet” when it came into contact with water was available exclusively at Walmart in the Colgate Total Care Toothpaste special pack.
As part of the 2018 effort, the brand announced its sponsorship of #RunningDry, an initiative created by water advocate and ultra-runner Mina Guli, who ran 100 marathons in 100 days across six continents to shine a spotlight on water challenges around the globe. Also new this year, a Times Square billboard takeover featuring Phelps and “Save Water” messaging.
What we loved about this campaign: it’s a challenge to draw attention to multi-year campaigns after the inaugural year so adding celebrity influencer ultra-runner Mina Guli gave it “fresh legs” this year. We applaud the clever ways Colgate used to reach consumers in their homes such as Google Assistant and especially the water-activated drain reminder sticker. Everyone loves secret messages!
Dove Men+Care Champions Paternity Leave
Going beyond a typical celebratory Father’s Day campaign, Dove Men+Care identified a cultural need to connect with modern dads and used the relevancy of this holiday to: raise awareness around the issue of paternity leave and its impact on society. While a majority of men understand and value the importance of taking time off to care for a newborn, a lack of access, workplace pressures, and cultural stigmas still prohibit this from being a reality for many.
To help combat these issues and raise awareness, Dove has also made surprise donations to parental leave fundraisers for 27 fathers around the country. Two dads included in the campaign are a gay couple whose journey to have a child via surrogacy depleted their savings.
A new film, ‘Dear Future Dads’, an emotional compilation of stories from real dads on why taking the time to care for their children is so important was introduced. The company also launched a digital hub on Dove.com to provide men and their families tangible resources on how to go about asking for and taking paternity leave.
Dove continued its “New Dad Care Package” program for a fourth consecutive year, distributing care packages to new dads at hospitals throughout the country. The company also partnered with notable athlete dads who had recently taken paternity leave to share their personal stories and highlight their own pivotal moments of taking this time to care.
What we loved about this campaign: how Dove advocated for change to challenge stereotypes by positioning the brand as a leader in the conversation around the issue and by supporting paternity leave for dads everywhere by spotlighting personal stories and experiences of real dads.
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