“Gifts that Give Back” Initiative

Client:

hb-baking-logo

Background:
For the 2009 holiday gift-giving season, Hollyberry Baking faced a huge challenge. In the wake of the financial crisis, the economy was weak. Many companies in the St. Louis area were laying off personnel and tightening their budgets. By July, several of Hollyberry’s largest corporate gift clients had already informed Hollyberry of their decision to not place orders in 2009.  With the economic downturn, they simply could not justify spending money on gifts. In addition, many of Hollyberry’s most loyal customers stated they would be decreasing their orders.

Audience:
Corporate gift givers in the St. Louis area.

Objectives:
A unique and creative public relations plan for its gifts business during the 2009 holiday season
Introduce Hollyberry’s products to new corporate customers
Reinforce to existing clients why they should choose Hollyberry over the myriad of gift options available to them.

Responsibilities:
Schumacher Creative created a cause-marketing program entitled “Gifts that Give Back!” in which Hollyberry Baking created a unique partnership with St. Patrick Center, one of the area’s most well-respected non-profits. The campaign partnered Hollyberry’s gifts with the mission of St. Patrick Center, to build permanent, positive change for those in need. Hollyberry gave St. Patrick Center clients, who were homeless or at risk of being homeless, employment opportunities for the holiday season, job-skills training in the culinary industry, and tangible kitchen experience with an established and well-respected company.

Results:
The partnership was a win-win for both organizations. Hollyberry Baking employed four clients of St. Patrick Center on a full-time basis during the holiday season. Each of these individuals learned valuable job skills in the culinary industry and now has a resume full of hands-on experience with an established local business.

The “Gifts that Give Back” partnership was feature in numerous media outlets in the St. Louis area including: KSDK’s Show-Me St. Louis, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, The Best of the STL, Suburban Journals, KMOX and St. Louis Review.

 

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