Example 1
Targeting Consumers with Robotic Outreach
Challenge: In 1986, this multi-billion dollar private company was the largest service provider of it’s type in the world. Then, a major industry journal published a study showing that while the company excelled in a number of important areas, it had virtually no image of community service. The client was especially concerned with positive public recognition at that time as they were about to go public and the owners were trying to pre-sell blocks of stock to institutional investors.
The company had 72 regional locations representing nearly 1000 retail outlets in 19 states. They needed a PR program that would work well from coast to coast. To save costs, the program also had to give each of their regional administrators the tools and skills needed to mount their own local media, public relations and government outreach campaigns.
Experience: The client hired G&K to design and implement a series of national and local marketing programs over a 9 year period. The Educational Outreach Marketing segment of the program ran from 1988 to 1992 and provides an excellent example of multiple location promotion with robots.
Results: The client set clear objectives . . . and exceeded them! In the program’s first year, the client donated educational programs to targeted local schools taught by their robot mascots. By the program’s conclusion, more than 1,000,000 children and their families had direct contact with the client’s custom robotic mascots and promotional materials. Their generous support of local education was amply rewarded.
The client’s ad agency media counts showed that the robot mascot was a magnet for positive media coverage. The media return alone exceeded the client’s first year program costs by 2 to 1. CNN gave the client international coverage with a 3 1/2 minute spot that ran 24 times. The spot identified the client and prominently featured their custom robot mascot. Their mascot also appeared on the Today Show and in hundreds of local media spots. All told, the client’s positive media coverage nationwide was worth more than $2,000,000, much of it in front page feature articles.
Principals, teachers, parents and children sent the client more than 30,000 personal letters of appreciation. Perhaps more significant were the letters of praise sent by Senators, Congressional Representatives, Governors and Mayors. State proclamations applauding the client’s contributions were passed in California, Maryland, Texas and Florida, followed by dozens of city proclamations. The client’s most distinguished recognition came from President Bush in the program’s third year. At a special White House ceremony, the program was presented a Presidential Award for Private Sector Initiatives.
And there were enormous results within their own field. In 1990, the client’s community service program got them a standing ovation from peers at the industry’s annual conference. They went on to win the highest professional award in their industry for Marketing Excellence. The client finally retired their award winning EOM program after their successful public stock offering in 1992.
