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via PRNewsire

PUMA Mixes its Signature Red with Project Pink

Just one day ago PRNewswire released that PUMA is partnering with WPS....

I don't know about you, I have always like the story behind PUMA and the quality of their athletic attire as a runner. But PUMA is soccer more of a brand associated with soccer than perhaps running. That is okay by me, as I think the sport of soccer has opened up many doors for young girl athletes. Furthermore, I always recommend to fitness apparel brands I work with to think about how they can leverage their professional alliances to enhance their giving back programs. For some reason, this works best for athletic brands. Why? I don't know, but it does.

Now there is even a better reason to absolutely love PUMA, they just announced their new initiative that links women's soccer with a well-deserving cause: launching this month, PUMA's Project Pink will strive to raise awareness — and funds — in support of the fight against breast cancer. In conjunction with their partnership with Women's Professional Soccer (WPS), PUMA will outfit some of the best female players in the world in special Project Pink kits for five WPS matches. (source PRNewsire)

As stated in the PRNewswire release: "In line with the first match, PUMA's new range of Project Pink merchandise is set to debut on July 26 on shop.puma.com and at select PUMA Stores and other retail partners. It will also be sold at participating stadiums during WPS games throughout the season. Allowing soccer fans and novice athletes to show their support alongside their favorite players, PUMA's Project Pink replica jersey, tee-shirts in pink and white, trainer and (mini) skill ball, and gym sack will all be available for purchase.

In an effort to drive additional awareness to the cause, the brand will be using the Twitter hash tag #projectpink when communicating updates about Project Pink and will also encourage fans creating content to do the same. For every tweet using the hash tag from July 31 through October 18, PUMA will donate an additional $1 to the Project Pink cause, up to a maximum of $25,000. PUMA will count one tweet using the hash tag per user per day.

PUMA became an official founding partner of WPS and an official sponsor of all WPS franchises in December 2008. The multi-year partnership makes PUMA the official sport and lifestyle apparel, footwear and equipment supplier of WPS, including the official WPS Match Ball; PUMA is also the official supplier of PUMA WPS Fanwear. PUMA's roster of WPS athletes includes four-time FIFA World Player of the Year, Marta, as well as Natasha Kai, Leslie Osborne, Amy Rodriguez, Karina LeBlanc, and Alex Scott."

For more information about Project Pink and PUMA's partnership with WPS, visit wps.pumafootball.com.

PUMA is one of the world's leading Sportlifestyle companies that designs and develops footwear, apparel and accessories. It is committed to working in ways that contribute to the world by supporting Creativity, SAFE Sustainability and Peace, and by staying true to the principles of being Fair, Honest, Positive and Creative in decisions made and actions taken. PUMA starts in Sport and ends in Fashion. Its Sport Performance and Lifestyle labels include categories such as Football, Running, Motorsports, Golf and Sailing. Sport Fashion features collaborations with renowned designer labels such as Alexander McQueen, Mihara Yasuhiro and Sergio Rossi. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf and Tretorn. The company, which was founded in 1948, distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs more than 9,000 people worldwide and has headquarters in Herzogenaurach/Germany, Boston, London and Hong Kong. For more information, please visit http://www.puma.com/
SOURCE PUMA

Read more about the parntership here: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/07/26/2915601/puma-mixes-up-its-signature-red.html#ixzz0uuV6G8RI

The Lazarus Effect Campaign

Watch Bono, Penelope Cruz, Hugh Jackman, Don Cheadle, Gwen Stefani, Gabourey Sidibe, Common & so many more friends of (RED) show the power of what 40 cents can buy.

The Lazarus Effect Campaign: 40 cents = 2 lifesaving pills

Robert Redford & Sundance Film Festival

So, this is off the beat-n-path of my regular posts. See, last week I received a call from Conspirator, LLC, the casting company for the movie, The Conspirator, directed and produced by Robert Redford. The movie is to be released sometime in late 2010 and it was filmed in my hometown, Savannah, Georgia.

The call I got was, "Hi! Maggie are you available next Thursday to be 'On Set' for the movie The Conspirator? You've be selected as 1 of 15 other people to be in this scene." "Sure," I replied. As if there was any other response! An-on-the-whim submission by me to be considered as an 'extra', which I had forgotten about became a reality. Can you say, Wowza!

That Thursday, I arrived early in the morning. Wardrobe, hair, makeup were in that order. I was a "theatre patron" as in the Ford Theatre the evening President Lincoln got shot. The entire day was an amazing experience! I had a chance to meet the other 15 men and women called for this scene and met the Marshell Canney, a local business woman, who had the part of Mary Todd Lincoln. Dang, Marshell was great. OK- she rocks. And, apparently Robert Redford loved her acting skills. We hit it off (she is a hoot) and I was super excited for her, giving her a continuous Hi-Five! We laughed out load (LOL) all day.

This day, I had a chance to not only be a part of a big Hollywood motion picture movie, but also got to be in the same room as Mr. Redford, who was a soft-spoken, humorous, and had a rather laid back demeanor to his 'directing' of our scene. I know this for sure because I couldn't wear my glasses, and with no contacts one can only go on voice as everything else is a total blur.

Throughout the rehearsal of the scene and shooting of it, I actually got an extra-extra bit part. This was all surreal. All I can say is, see the movie when it hits the box office to see my extra-extra part and all. I am the one who stands up exasperated and tries to make my way out of the theatre (in a hoop wire skirt through a 18 inch aisle-HA!) and have too much respect for Mr. Redford to spill the beans.

Then, after a very long day, I realized the dedication to film production and got to thinking of Robert Redford's Sundance Film Festival, the big annual festival of the Sundance Institute. The Festival supports aspiring artists in their film making endeavors. I find it amazing and very humble as you visit the Festival's website, that you are hard pressed to find a page with Robert Redford's name on it. Humbling. But know this: The Sundance Film Festival’s longstanding commitment to documentary has been driven by the personal connection Founder and President Robert Redford feels for the form. Leading up to the premiere of Chicago 10, the second doc to ever open the Festival, The Insider talked to Redford about the past, present, and possible future of documentaries.

"The Sundance Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to the discovery and development of independent artists and audiences. Individual donations to Sundance Institute support theatre, film, and music artists as they receive guidance and resources at critical points in the creative process. The community of supporters help these artists navigate the challenges of creating new work and see their projects succeed."

To support the Sundance Film Festival and Institute, individual donors can support the Institute by making general contributions, providing program specific support, purchasing tables and tickets to the annual Gala in New York, or by joining the Patron Circle. This is a very large event and huge undertaking all to make the dreams of film makers a reality. Inspiration at its pinnacle.

I do think a sustainable source of funding for the Festival would be advantageous. There are several organizations which support the arts through an ongoing stream of revenue. One in particular is MicroFundedArts (http://www.microfundedarts.org/). This model is brilliant and founded by William Keith. I am proud to be affiliated with him and supporting his vision to supporting the arts. I always say to William, "Dang, boy! Only wish I thunk of it first!"

From philanthropy, to the arts, to meeting Robert Redford, to the Sundance Institute, this is what I know for sure: as business woman who gets the importance of sustainable funding for nonprofits, having a commitment to the arts, and having the opportunity to be an 'extra' in a big motion picture film, I am thrilled!

I wish The Sundance Institute and aspiring film artists and documentaries only the very best of success. And to you, Mr. Robert "Bob" Redford (you are so not a Bob in my book, you don't even look like a Bob) many years of continued success!

PS: Here's to hoping you bring the Premier of The Conspirator to Savannah, GA. (Just Saying!)

Turn-Key Community Impact Software Programs Turn Me Off

What's the latest, newest tool on the market with bells, whistles and flashing screens stating promises to business owners that this tool will solve their problems and even save them time (sound familiar). Poof-away! All your headaches are gone. All over what? Oh:( the challenges of creating your business community involvement (giving back) program.

There has been a rise in the growing number of turn-key software programs to help business owners develop 'custom fit' community involvement programs with the click of a mouse. At the cost of not sounding too snarky, I hesitate to think there is any striking similarity between 'custom fit' and a 'click of a mouse.'

The business can pick from a drop-down list of charities, import data for giving options, communicate your giving to the software company's list of other businesses (which sharing the message is inspiring, the important aspect is to reach your audience), and a few other windows that, well quite frankly, are as boiler-plated as possible to of course make the entire process, e-a-s-y. What about the other 'e' word...Effective!

Surely, there is a cost benefit to turn-key solutions. But, community involvement programs are unique to a business and ideally aligned closely with its brand and values. Thus implying, if we believe this statement to be true, then the click of a mouse will not create for you the one thing that can be uniquely yours to make a difference. Impossible, as the array of options are not infinite.

I like ease and making things a simple as possible as much as anyone else. But, there are a few pieces to the process that are missing. A few of them: creativity, participation, and authenticity. Perhaps its my passion here surfacing, but I believe impact and business identity are too closely linked to assume it can be done with a click of a mouse.

6 Key Indicators To Know if Your Business Giving is Making a Difference

Almost every business owner has a passion for some social issue that we know we can help to make a difference. Your cause may be illiteracy, breast cancer, the environment or hunger. There are so many causes and the desire to help a lot of them can be overwhelming. Realistically, you know you just can’t help them all. So, what do you do and where do you begin?

Most of us start our business putting in countless hours with little financial return for the first few years. Spending time away from core activities of your business just isn't a priority, like going through donation requests or returning calls for donations. But no one ever really said to you, "Hey this is how to create a giving program that works."

I know about the owner of a small communication company who works tirelessly taking new orders, making sure technicians are in the field, handling crises, hiring new sales persons, then, exhausted and burned out, she would let the stack of donation requests pile up. She would literally wait until December to handle them all. Frustrated and tired of reading requests, she realized one day that she'd have to do something different if she really desired to make a difference.

It's at this point you must make a decision. Most of us try to be the good neighbor to charities. But you simply can't. The problem is there are things you MUST DO to truly create a successful business giving program. If certain systems are not in place then you really don't have a business giving program at all. Below are some key indicators to let you know if you are making a difference. And making a difference means you are effective with how you give and what you give.

Here are Six Indicators:

1. Your giving is purpose-driven. Giving is a good thing to do. But, as a business owner you need to align your giving with your values and your business's values. As a small business you may be thinking that you are your business so how can the two be different. But, in some ways they are. When your giving is not purpose-driven, it is unfocused and reactive. And this is a sure way for your giving not to help build your brand or build cause-related connections.

2. You have a business giving plan. Jotting down donation requests on a legal pad doesn’t count. Using sticky notes don't count either! You have to take the time to create and follow a written business giving plan, just like you do for your marketing. A plan allows you to become effective with the resources you give, and by giving you the tool to measure your success each year.

3. You have a giving budget and leverage business assets for giving. Writing a lot of checks are you? $25 here, $75 there and not balancing it against a giving budget! Oh, you don’t have a giving budget! This is an absolute must. You need a budget for your giving even if it's a small one. Keep in mind that business giving is not all about money! As a matter of fact, small business owners should have a well leveraged giving program.

4. You give to fewer charities. Giving smaller size checks to as many organizations you can actually waters down your giving impact. This goes back to being unfocused and reactive and you are missing a key ingredient giving success. A well focused program leads to business success and charities will thank you for it too.

5. Your communication is clear. You have to have a way to say no to charities that ask you for donations and not feel bad about it. You can't be all things to all organizations. It's impossible. If you are saying yes to just about anyone or any friend that asks you to make a donation from your business, this will leave you feeling depleted and awful because you know that you just cannot make the donation at the time and you don't want to say no. Having a communication plan in place to address this situation alleviates any regret or from feeling badly. Actually, your plan allows you to say proudly and confidently what you do support.

6. You have an accountability system. You scramble to find receipts or letters from organizations that you gave to because your accountant needs them. If this is you, you should have a system for managing and monitoring your giving records. It helps with end-of-year evaluation of your giving.These are just a few of the indicators to know if you are making a difference.

A business giving program that makes a difference for you and the causes you care about most has a solid plan in place, is well managed and measures its giving. If you are someone who desires to have a business that stands for something and makes a difference, creating a business giving program and system is the key to giving success.

Copyright © 2009. Maggie F. Keenan, Ed.D. All rights reserved.

Connecting Your Giving Message to Market

Question: What is the one way you can interact and gain trust from clients and customers without selling to them?

Answer: Sharing your business's giving back story.

And it is a business strategy that is working better than ever. In fact, it works so well that big corporations are doing it more and more and I KNOW that when you connect with clients on a level that goes beyond 'the transaction' to one that you both share in, like making a difference, you create an immediate emotional connection which builds trust and loyalty.

So, whether you give back in a small way or big way, your business can be influenced by supporting causes and when you create a giving story that is credible and authentic it can be a driving factor in increasing sales. And I want to share with you great tips on this topic. That is why I am interviewing Lisa Manyon, President of Write On Creative and copywriting expert because what you say is just as important as how you say it.

Join us for this free teleseminar, "Connecting Your Giving Message to Market in an Authentic Way" on 4:00pm EST on Tuesday, June 23, 2009.

On this call you will learn:

• How to connect with customers on their terms
  
• POWER points to ask yourself before you start writing
  
• Why what you say is as important as how you say it
  
• Shortcuts to copy success
  
• Crafting copy that compels your customers to act
  
• Why credibility and authenticity count

Sign up to reserve your spot on this call.

The Science Behind Our Generosity

In Newsweek, 3/9/09 Issue, Peter Singer's article, "The Science Behind Our Generosity", highlights how psychology affect what we give to charities. I don't know if it's science or just basic humanity. In his article, Peter states that "according to UNICEF, 10 million children under the age of 5 die each year from causes that are preventable." They die of diseases from unsafe drinking water, sanitation and malnutrition. These are things that we can take for granted. Most of us buy bottled water because we don't like the taste of tap water, and that wouldn't even be a decision for some children and families. They just want clean water. They struggle with some of the most basic needs to sustain life.

So, why do we give? Peter says that we give because even though in the toughest of economic times most people realize that they are better off than others in this world and it's about making a choice to do what is right for others and our planet. Maybe it's because anyone would lend a hand to someone who is in danger, dying, as it maybe just a part of our human instinct and respect for humanity, life.

On a lighter note, in the article it indicates a survey of Americans found that those who gave to charity were happy people. Now we don't know if giving made people happy or if happy people are more likely to give. From my experience, I'd say it's a balance of both. I've met very wealthy people who are just unhappy folks and actually are not very giving. Unbelievable, but true.

So, here is what you can walk away with from this post and Peter's article, people give because we have instincts to care. When we give, it makes us feel really good.

Boost Your Brand by Giving Back

Boost Your Brand by Giving Back (tm)

A philanthropy program for businesses is not just limited to Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies. Actually, any business of any size and at any stage of the business can have success through charitable giving. So, if you think you are too small or don’t have the resources or that you are just in the first couple of years of beginning your business and a giving program is not the right time, let me tell you to lay those assumptions to rest.

Nearly ninety-two percent of Americans have a positive image of a company that supports causes (Cone, 2007). Believe it or not, your business qualifies as a part of that statistic. The study doesn’t say, “Americans have a positive image of really big corporations that give back.” Rather it refers to all businesses, of all sizes, from all different types of industries. So, if you are a business owner (solo entrepreneur) the very same analysis applies to you.

Think for just a moment when you donated your time, or a product or service or when you wrote a check (regardless of the size) to a charity, in your community. How did you feel about giving? Did someone else or group know you gave? Did you share your giving story with customers or clients? Aside from the intrinsic rewards you feel, there are significant extrinsic rewards that can benefit your business simply by implementing a giving program. Again, no matter the size.

Customers, clients and communities recognize businesses for their philanthropy (also called community involvement). When you give, you are creating customer and community connections. This is boosting your brand and branding creates loyalty among customers. Eighty-seven percent of Americans will switch from one product or service to another, even when price and quality are equal, if the other product or services is associated with a cause (Cone, 2007). That is a statistically significant.

Wouldn’t you like to boost your brand? The American Marketing Association defines brand as a “name, term, sign, symbol or design or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers”. We also know that branding is your message and how you communicate it to customers and communities. Ask yourself, “What are you doing to differentiate your brand (business) from another similar business offering the same service or product?” (Notice, I didn’t say “competitor”. Trust me, there are enough customers and clients for everyone, and it’s your job to connect with those who want to business with you because of your value and values.) Having a business giving program is one way to successfully brand your business. Keep in mind, cutting a few checks here and there or volunteering once in a while does not comprise a business giving program. As altruistic as your intentions are, a giving program has a strategy so that it works for both business and causes.

Here are just a few tips to help you boost your brand through a giving program.

1. Identify your values: Brand is based on values, period. Your business values influence every decision and action you make.

2. Identify mutual benefits: Your aim should be to have a giving program that serves your business, customers, community which makes a difference in the world.

3. Create a connection: Build a meaningful connection with your customers on every level of your business. Each experience is crucial to defining and building your brand. Even your message creates an emotional connection that shifts the value perception and equation to build customer trust and loyalty.

Not sure if your giving back is building your brand? If you can’t define your giving program through your brand, your customers won’t be able to either. Your brand and giving program must be aligned to authenticate the brand connection with your business, customers and communities.

I share all of this AND more in my new Boost Your Brand by Giving Back (tm) Audio. You can get your copy of this mp3 for only $27 at http://www.givingadvice.com/products.html.




© 2008. Maggie F. Keenan, Ed.D. All rights reserved.