Campbell’s Expands Go Red Cause Marketing Initiative
Campbell Soup Co. is stepping up its efforts to support the American Heart Association’s (AHA) Go Red for Women campaign with everything from a branded entertainment segment on an ABC soap opera to fund-raising activities.
In its second year, the consumer packaged goods firm is continuing its fund-raising efforts to raise awareness around women’s heart health. A Campbell’s microsite at www.GoRedWithCampbells.com encourages people to help raise money for the cause by clicking on a Campbell’s-branded dress on the site created by designer Lisa Perry. The firm will donate $1 for every click through April 15 to the AHA up to $75,000.
Visitors in December and January cast their vote for their favorite Campbell’s dress, and Campbell’s donated $1 to the cause for every vote. More than $20,000 has been raised so far. R&B singer and heart disease survivor Toni Braxton, who signed on as Campbell’s campaign spokesperson, is to unveil the winning dress today on “The View.”
“This is a cause that is close to Campbell’s Heart,” said Kim McGough, senior manager of integrated marketing, for Campbell Soup Co.’s light soup and breakthrough division. “We wanted an opportunity to leverage Campbell’s…to engage women to take notice of the cause and the fact that we have heart healthy products.”
Campbell’s is also promoting the cause through a partnership with ABC’s “The View” and on the network’s soap operas. Hosts of “The View” will promote a fund-raising initiative, the Dress Your Heart with Campbell’s mug, during the show.
Campbell’s is also donating 50% of the proceeds from a limited-edition Campbell’s Art of the Heart T-shirt it’s selling on the site to the AHA.
The cause will get some additional airtime on ABC’s three soaps. “All My Children” integrate Campbell’s into a storyline around a Go Red fashion show. “One Life to Life” will run a separate story about a Go Red ball and talk about the issue of Heart Disease. “General Hospital” will air a story about a character suffering from heart disease.
Tagged TV spots featuring Campbell’s messaging will also promote the campaign and engage women to take care of their heart, McGough said.
For Campbell’s the branded entertainment segment is a home run. The company can “talk” to its core viewers, women 35 and older, through an entertaining medium.
“I think it will resonate with women,” McGough said. “It carries that special message from the actors from the shows.”
An FSI promoting the cause drops to more than 40 million households on Sunday. It will include coupons for Campbell’s Healthy Request soups. Campbell’s is also partnering with 40 retailers to set up P-O-P materials and in-store displays of its products and the Go Red for Women cause.
Campbell’s this year expanded the number of heart-healthy products in its roster, which also includes V8 vegetable juice and V8 V-Fusion products, Prego Heart Smart sauces, Pepperidge Farm bread and Swanson Premium Chunk chicken.
The company is pledging more than $1.8 million for the awareness campaign as part of its multi-year alliance.
G2 Interactive handles the Web site, Weber Shandwick is in charge of PR, Mediaedge:cia oversaw the media integration, Circle 1 Marketing is Campbell’s promotions agency and Mars Advertising handles the customer marketing activities at retail.
Macy’s, the AHA’s national sponsor, is supporting the campaign with in-store discounts. Shoppers who wear red and visit a Macy’s store today will receive an all-day savings pass good for 15% off apparel and accessories. People who make a $2 donation to the Go Red cause will receive a red dress pin and a shopping pass, the company said.
