Energizer's interactive charity is more than just good P.R.

Pretty much all charity initiatives from major corporations are self-serving, with the ulterior motive of gaining positive PR exposure. According to Marketing Mag, Energizer has taken this idea one step further, by creating an online initiative that allows users to enter contests to win Hasbro toys, while having toys donated to Ronald MacDonald Charities at the same time.
Essentially, users can log into the Energizer website and enter for a chance to win a Hasbro toy. For each toy won, a toy is sent to the charity. By the time the contest closes, Energizer will have given away $50,000 in toys.
This initiative allows Energizer to increase their public exposure, combining their charity giveaway with a contest promotion. This way they can drive traffic to their website through the contest and have positive PR resulting from the charity donations.
This is significant to the client because it is an example of how interactive communications can be used in conjunction with other promotions to maximize exposure. It is also significant to the agency because it shows how different aspects of communication (interactive, PR) can combine to produce positive results. Finally, it is significant to me entering the workforce because it shows how creativity can be used to maximize public exposure and opinion.

Timmies Goes Social

According to Marketing Mag, Tim Horton's has recently entered the Social Media world. With the introduction of their new social sub-site EveryCup.ca, Tim's has entered a new generation of advertising and promotion.

The introduction came in an effort to help consumers connect with Tim Horton's product and the brand on. a more personal level. A PR Director at Tim's stated that they were constantly getting letters from consumers explaining their connection with the brand on a personal level, and they wanted to create an environment that allowed them to share these stories and connect with other consumers.

A commercial demonstrating how Tim's is present in consumer's lives, as well as online advertising are used to drive traffic to the site.

This is significant to the client because it demonstrates how a brand that is as well established as Tim's is able to benefit from the history and the presence of the brand in the consumers lives by allowing them to share their experiences on a social level. It is also significant to agency personnel because it shows that a brand with such longevity and traditions can be marketed in a non traditional way to maintain and build its consumer base. This is also significant to me as I enter the industry because I am interested in interactive media, and this is an example of the effective implementation of online communication to a large brand.