Harv Pautz, Dave Doerfler and Robb Williams have long since retired from their jobs as sales reps for Pfizer. But when the PR team at Pfizer Animal Health planned a cross-
county road trip last year to promote a new flea and tick remedy for dogs and cats, all three men jumped at the chance to serve as drivers during the seven-month campaign. Herein
lay an opportunity for them to once again share their enthusiasm with Pfizer customers. And who wouldn't want to cruise the country in a 25-foot petmobile, fabricated by the same
company that made Oscar Mayer's infamous Wienermobile?
Corporate loyalty may be all but dead in the workforce du jour, but it's a concept that's still alive and kicking among the senior crowd - a demographic now estimated at 35
million (roughly 21% of the U.S. population) that's expected to grow as the Baby Boomer generation enters its twilight years. If your corporate communications department isn't
maintaining ties with retired employees, you may be missing out on, well, a golden opportunity to mobilize a corps of dedicated ambassadors on behalf of your corporate brand.
Goodwill Ambassadors
Pfizer certainly isn't alone in recognizing the PR value of its alumni. As Goodwill Industries International gears up for its 100 year anniversary celebration - a year-long
campaign scheduled to kick off in July - its retirees (former heads of local human service agencies) will play a critical role in a retrospective documentary slated to run on PBS.
"Our alumni will offer testimonials about how Goodwill has transformed the lives of individuals by helping them to gain competitive employment," says spokeswoman Christine
Nyirjesy Bragale. Who better to tout the mission of the organization than the people who've driven it for most of their careers?
Meanwhile, on the corporate side, more than a handful of Fortune 500 community relations teams mobilize their alumni to serve as ambassadors to nonprofits like Goodwill.
Public affairs staffers at both Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola Co., for example, devote a considerable chunk of time to matching retirees with volunteer opportunities in the
cities where they are headquartered. In essence, each company serves as a staffing agency and dispatches its veterans as philanthropic envoys.
"Our retirees are extremely loyal and interested in the company, and P&G people are frequently in demand to serve on nonprofit boards because they have strong
organizational skills," says Pat Frey, senior manager of corporate communications at P&G. The public affairs department simply helps bridge the connection (and informally
brand the philanthropy). Retirees can also apply for grants on behalf of the nonprofits they serve through P&G's Volunteer Support Center, thus helping to funnel
charitable corporate funds to worthwhile causes.
Like P&G, Coca-Cola helps place its alumni on community boards, and in tutoring and mentoring positions at local schools and colleges. Going the extra mile to plug retired
employees into charitable gigs not only strengthens a corporation's bond with its former employees, it also reflects well on the company at a time when consumers' purchasing
decisions are increasingly influenced by the perception of corporate good citizenship (PRN, Dec. 4). "Our former employees really serve as champions for the company," Frey
says.
Major Stakeholders
Of course, a strong alumni relations program also has its merits beyond cause branding initiatives. "It's important to remember that retired employees also are shareowners,"
says Coke spokesman Robert Baskin. As such, Coca-Cola's investor relations plan includes an annual holiday luncheon for several thousand former employees in the Atlanta area,
featuring presentations by its chairman and CEO.
P&G similarly pitches a special booth for retirees at its quarterly shareholder meetings in Cincinnati - and incorporates senior clubs around town into CEO's executive
speaking schedule. The company also keeps its retirees in the loop with regular email alerts and a newsletter, P&G Champions, which is published three times per year,
featuring updates about company management, new products and technological advances. Roughly 2,000 retirees have signed up for the email list, while 15,500 throughout the U.S.
receive the printed newsletter. It's a two-color job that costs around $15,000 per issue in printing and mailing costs.
A small price to pay for retaining the curiosity, loyalty, and stewardship of such a valued stakeholder group. And definitely more interactive than a gold watch.
(Baskin, 404/676-7732; Bragale, 301/530-6500; Frey, 513/983-5542; Pfizer, 212/573-2323)
Will Work for Free
How can you enlist your corporate alumni as community relations volunteers? Ask them. According to the DC-based Independent Sector, citizens over age 55 volunteered 4.8
billion hours in 1999 - roughly three hours per week, per person. And the number of senior volunteers has increased by 4 million (to a nearly 28 million) since 1995. But asking
for their help makes all the difference. According to a national survey conducted by Independent Sector, 84% of seniors said they volunteered when asked, whereas only 17%
volunteered unsolicited.
(http://www.independentsector.org)
Will Work for Free Samples
P&G also leverages the loyalty of its alumni by giving them the opportunity to test market new products before they hit the shelves -- particularly those geared toward
older Americans. "For example, we just got FDA approval for Actonel, a treatment for osteoporosis," says Pat Frey, senior manager of corporate communications. "And last summer
[our retirees] helped us test [Crisco] CookSmart, a new oil targeted toward people who are watching their cholesterol."