By Aimee Stern/Potomac Communications
Publicizing the Sweet Charity benefit for AIDS orphans -- and raising the visibility of it to the Washington, D.C., market -- was a real challenge because we had no time to
plan; the charity was unknown in our market; and the children were not here. We had to quickly make the plight of AIDS orphans around the world matter to Washingtonians.
We examined fundraising materials for several international charities and they focused on the millions of AIDS orphans and how their numbers keep climbing. The volume of the
problem was so daunting that we didn't think it would drive media coverage, donations or attendance. So instead we took the approach that a little goes a long way and positioned
FXB as a charity that "saves one child at a time" through local projects that build support systems for these kids.
To make the short time framework to our advantage, we developed a mini-three-week campaign as opposed to just marketing the May 3rd event. We created a series of chocolate-
themed parties and invited broadcast, print and radio reporters to all of them. FXB's primary partner, Albert Uster Imports, held chocolate martini tasting and taught guests how
to make their own chocolate truffles. The strategy worked: more than 500 people attended the event, and broadcast, print and radio covered both the AIDS orphan issue and Sweet
Charity.