2012 IAB Awards | Not for Profit / Public Service Winner
Signed Finds
Agency: George Patterson Y&R Sydney
Client: St Vincent de Paul Society
Strategy
Vinnies was losing relevance with Gen Y and with the stores accounting for 50% of the money used to help underprivileged Australians, losing the Gen Y shopper meant less money to those in need.
George Patterson Y&R Sydney were tasked to reach 18-25 year olds and get them entering the stores. The next step was to create a database of young people who could become future advocates.
Tactics
George Patterson Y&R Sydney’s idea was to collaborate with the music industry, getting 90 local and international artists including Moby, Missy Higgins, Motley Crue and Julia Stone to sign and donate shirts and clothing. Vinnies then hid those items in 263 stores across NSW using Facebook and social media as a direct marketing platform to get the audience searching. Music blogs, local and metro newspapers and radio stations were heavily relied upon to generate word of mouth for the campaign. The dedicated Facebook page was used to post clues, get updates from the artists directly and find their closest Vinnies. This platform was also used by fans, who would post their stories of how many stores they visited and what lengths they went to, to find a signed shirt.
Results
The campaign generated a 9.5% yoy uplift in sales, with $784,638 moving through the tills. Facebook organically generated a fan base of over 30,000 people with a 77% social engagement for the duration of the campaign. For every $1 spent, over $127.60 was made that could be given directly to someone in need. That is a 12760% return on investment not including the long-term value of the fan base or the media coverage. Mainstream media and online blogging also covered the campaign including Channel 10 news, MX, The Australian and the Sydney Morning Herald, generating $1m in free media.
