Winner: Dome Communications
Campaign: Sears Holiday Care-A-Van Program
Budget: $750,000-$900,000
Sears realized the 2001 holiday season would be a special one following Sept. 11. Sears and its employees had already contributed more than $3 million to the victims of the
terrorist attacks, but the consensus among employees was that they should do something more to make the season magical for kids.
Sears called in Dome Communications to help it develop a holiday program focusing on local communities. Dome rose to the challenge, suggesting a holiday "Care-A-Van," a gift
giving initiative that would support Sears brands, allow employees to be involved in the community, and make great use of Sears' existing partnership with the Points of Light
Foundation.
Sears and Dome enlisted the Points of Light Foundation to identify local kids charities that could benefit from a holiday gift-giving program.
The Care-A-Vans themselves were powerful visuals that would be used not only for logistics, but to attract media attention. The 10 28-foot trucks, covered in Care-A-Van and
Sears signage, were loaded down with more than 45,000 gift items at a Dec. 2 launch party. Sears headquarters employees gave up their usual holiday luncheon to participate in the
kickoff event. Sears' CEO, Points of Light's CEO and Bob Vila joined employees and volunteers as they stowed toys, clothing and other holiday necessities in the vans.
The vans went out to destination cities around the country and remained on site at Sears stores through Dec. 23, allowing consumers to add to the gifts already provided by
Sears for local kids charities.
Meanwhile, Dome set to work generating national and local coverage, building awareness of the Sears brand and reaching out to communities nationwide. Dome appointed "team
captains" for every destination city who worked with the local media and charities. The tireless effort of Dome staffers and the generosity of Sears employees paid off. The
campaign garnered more than 31 million media impressions in three weeks, including the "Today" show, CBS' Saturday "Early Show," and Univision's "Despierta America." And on
average, local charities were able to distribute nearly 20 gifts per child.
"I have never in my career worked with people like this," says Alix Salyers, deputy general manager at Dome. "It wasn't about doing business. It was all about the community and
the employees."
(Contact: Alix Salyers, 312/467-0760)