Toys for Tots Literacy Program
To demonstrate its commitment to social responsibility and to strengthen its three-year alliance with Toys for Tots (TFT), UPS subsidary The UPS Store decided to make the holidays-only program a year-round initiative centered on children’s literacy.
With the help of Fleishman-Hillard, UPS Store’s Toys for Tots Literacy Program sought to maximize participation of its franchisee network to bring the issue of childhood illiteracy to light. The team collected donations at participating store locations to purchase books for children; secured a “Buck a Book” agreement with Scholastic to enable the purchase of a book for every $1 donated; organized local reading events and book drives; and obtained support from professional athletes, celebrities and Marines.
The team’s efforts reversed the two-year decline in UPS Store franchisees’ participation in the traditional holiday TFT program. Plus, the program raised more than $840,000 in its first year alone. â–
Honorable Mentions:
Howorth Communications & Starlight Children’s Foundation: Livewire Launch—The campaign around the launch of Livewire—a social network designed to empower the community of young Australians living with serious illnesses—was so successful, it accrued more than 1,000 new members in just two weeks.
Porter Novelli & Valley CAN: Tune In and Tune Up—The campaign successfully engaged California’s San Joaquin Valley community of individuals who are not fluent in English to participate in the free vehicle emissions cleanup program.
Eczacibasi Group (EZ): Personal Hygiene School Program—Turkey’s EZ Group executed a campaign that focused on reducing excretion-related diseases by increasing awareness of proper toilet hygiene among rural school children.
Weber Shandwick & the US Army: Dallas Grassroots Initiative—The team’s aggressive grassroots community pilot program supported the local Dallas Battalion, fostering an environment that is more favorable to the Army’s recruiting messages and enlisting 4,300 new recruits.
Pearson Foundation & Jumpstart: Read for the Record 2008—Read for the Record 2008 broke the campaign’s participation record, registering more than 400,000 readers and raising $2 million for Jumpstart.
Western Union & Cone: Our World, Our Family Program—Western Union’s community relations program successfully engaged community members, delivered social benefits to consumers and enhanced the company’s visibility around issues surrounding the needs of the migrants and their families.