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| Path: Main Street : Resources & Library : Research Articles : Feature Article |
Spirits sipping and species savingJuly 3, 1996; Canadian FundRaiser
When was the last time you helped the environment by sipping a glass of your favourite wine or spirit? An innovative cause-related marketing partnership is helping to save endangered species around the world and has raised nearly $200,000 in the past two years. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF), the Canadian Nature Federation (CNF) and nine LCBO suppliers joined together last year to create the Help Save the Animals promotion in LCBO outlets across the province. This year, it raised more than $140,000, surpassing its goal by $20,000.
Building on the success of the inaugural program, which raised more than $50,000 to support Canadian environmental programs, this year 21 suppliers pledged both straight donations and sales volume based gifts to various conservation initiatives. In conjunction with the LCBO Shop the World promotion, the partners created the Shop the World ,Help Save the Animals program. In addition to donations from the supplier partners, the LCBO outlets sold limited edition t-shirts, posters and an 18-month wildlife calendar to support the cause. In-store displays provided information about the featured endangered species.
Chris Layton, of the LCBO corporate communication department, explained that the partnership is an excellent opportunity to draw people into the store and give them another reason to try a new product. "It's a win-win-win situation. We add value to our product, our suppliers gain better exposure for theirs, and the environmental cause gains vital public awareness and funding."
Trish Sullivan, Director of Corporate Marketing with the WWF, is similarly enthusiastic, "We have access to the resources of the LCBO, and draw on them for as much publicity as possible." Of 593 outlets in the province, 568 participated in the program. "We just couldn't afford that volume of exposure over that period of time ourselves," she explains. The promotion took place over four weeks in April.
In all 15 projects will receive Shop the World, Help Save the Animals funding. Suppliers designate their funds to one or several specific projects supported by WWF or CNF. Canadian projects include funding for the University of Guelph's Aquatic Sciences Facility, conservation activities in Manitoba's Churchill National Park, and the preservation of the Western Prairie Fringed Orchid among others. International projects include funding for wetlands in Paraguay and wildlife corridors in Costa Rica.
Sullivan admits that the organization was slightly nervous about associating itself so readily with suppliers of alcohol: "In the first year, we didn't give the project much logo exposure, but it went over so well that we were much more at ease this year." Sullivan notes that the group received only one negative letter about the partnership. "For the most part, the exposure was great… people loved the designs and we got our message across."
Building on last year's success, promotional products in this campaign included free postcards with pictures of endangered species. In addition to information about specific environmental programs supported, the postcards included the logos of the LCBO, WWF or CNF, and the suppliers. According to Sullivan, "We want to be very up front that this is a social marketing project. We all have interests and goals, and I believe that we have been very successful in achieving them…our group's success hasn't been at anyone's expense."
All parties in the program are enthusiastic about its future. Termed a "four-week public awareness and fundraising-themed promotion" in the media materials, this partnership offers a good example of cause-related marketing that is beneficial to all parties involved.
For more information, contact Chris Layton, LCBO (416) 864-6772, or Trish Sullivan , WWF, (416) 489-4567 ext. 271.
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