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THE FAMILYFRIENDLY PROGRAM
Embassy Suites hotels
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One might think it would be difficult for a public relations program
targeted at kids and working without advertising support to stand out from
the crowd. The Embassy Suites FamilyFriendly program did it by going beyond
the typical approach -- an appeal that was "emotional, not promotional"
-- and making the concept of family-friendliness pervasive throught the
organization.
Winner of the Gold CIPRA Award, "this was an extraordinary program,"
said Carlton Curtis, then VP of Corporate Communications at Coca-Cola, "it
didn't overlook a single detail." By hitting at the heart of issues
parents face when traveling with kids (Will the rooms be safe, with all
the glass, exposed outlets, sharp corners? What if I run out of diapers?
Who'll watch the kids if I have to go out?) and responding to these issues,
Spector & Associates helped make Embassy Suites the hotel of choice
for this growing travel market. The message became, "We understand
you better than anyone else."
The many steps that were implemented to demonstrate the hotel's commitment
to child safety -- the childproofing of the rooms, the development and executing
of training courses for hotel staff, from front desk to housekeeping, the
supervised play centers providing arts and crafts, indoor playgrounds and
video games, the welcome kits with juice boxes and snacks -- demonstrated
their family-friendly empathy that pervaded every aspect of the hotel's
operation.
The issues orientation of the campaign extended its reach beyond the
travel media into a broader range of media, including Fortune, The Wall
Street Journal, Time, The New York Times, Fortune, and the Chicago Tribune. |
BAYER CORPORATION
Making Science Make Sense
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| Dr. Mae Jemison, former NASA Astronaut and Bayer's science education
advocate, engages Pittsburgh-area children with science experiments. |
This award-winning program positions Bayer as a national catalyst behind
science literacy and science education reform. Through Making Science Make
Sense -- a program involving both in-school curriculum change and public
awareness -- Bayer is seen as a company that not only gratuitously addresses
important issues, but truly cares about its customers, communities, and
employees.
Working with the National Science Foundation, we developed The Bayer
Facts of Science Education I and II, a first-of-a-kind series of surveys
to discover the state of U.S. science education today. At our 1996 Washington
briefing, Madeleine Kunin, Deputy Secretary of Education, was the keynote
speaker.
To spread the word about keeping kids interested in science, Dr. Jemison
visits Bayer site communities throughout the country, talking to employees,
doing experiments with school children, and meeting with local policymakers. |
NEUBERGER
& BERMAN MANAGEMENT
Interactive Web Site
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Winner of the 1997 CIPRA Award for financial services and USA Today's
"Hot Site" award, Neuberger&Berman
Management Inc.'s Web site was designed as part of a broader effort
to position the no-load mutual fund firm as a credible source of information
on two of the most important financial issues facing adults today -- saving
for retirement and paying for a child's college education. The site allows
visitors to create customized calculations in an interactive format they
can really use.
The Neuberger&Berman site stands out from other corporate home pages
because it goes beyond the self-promotional style of most web sites and
features information and interactive programs that people can really use.
Highlights include two interactive worksheets that allow visitors to create
customized calculations for planning retirement and college. By providing
these and other value - added features, the site creates goodwill among
visitors while delivering important messages about Neuberger&Berman
and the need for investing. |
AT&T CAPITAL
CORPORATION
Partners For Growth
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Although it is the nation's second largest equipment leasing and finance
company, AT&T Capital Corporation had low name recognition, particularly
among small businesses. This award-winning program was designed to provide
a high level of recognition and goodwill for the company within that sector,
while demonstrating understanding of small business owners' unique financial
needs.
We developed a first-of-its kind program called Partners For Growth.
Entrepreneurs in major U.S. cities were invited to compete for start-up
grants by submitting business plans focused on "making good while doing
good." Winners included a designer of clothes for the physically challenged
and an inner city fuel-buying co-op. The American Institute of CPAs was
invited to be a co-sponsor and provided complementary mentoring services
for the entrepreneurs.
Media coverage of the national launch and local grant winners -- including
a Houston Chronicle editorial praising AT&T Capital Corporation
-- dramatically boosted the company's visibility. Partners For Growth earned
1995's CIPRA Award for Business-to-Business and won several regional competitions. |
TELECOMMUTE AMERICA
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Though telecommuting has many obvious benefits to employers and employees
alike, many companies have been slow to accept it. In order to build widespread
acceptance quickly, credibly and powerfully, we worked to create a first-of-a-kind
public/private partnership called Telecommute America -- a coalition of
AT&T and several agencies of the federal government, such as the General
Services Administration, the Dept. of Energy, and the Dept. of Transportation.
The centerpiece of the campaign, Telecommute America Week in October,
provided dozens of opportunities for making news and getting "buy-in"
for telecommuting on both the national and local fronts. Roger Johnson,
Secretary of the General Services Administration, heralded in the week at
a Washington press briefing. At the same time, we convinced scores of mayors
and governors to declare Telecommute America Week in cities and states throughout
the country.
International media coverage -- NBC Nightly News, Good Morning America,
CNN Headline News and The Washington Post -- brought telecommuting
to the forefront of the corporate agenda. In fact, a follow-up study of
Fortune 1000 executives showed a nearly 25 percent increase in acceptance
of telecommuting nationwide. |
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