Monday, March 12, 2012 | Edited by Daniel Moores
Stars Record Song For ConAgra Anti-Hunger Campaign

This year, ConAgra Foods' annual "Child Hunger Ends Here" campaign has its own original theme song, recorded in three versions by Jewel, Owl City and Jay Sean.

Free downloads of the three renditions of "Here's Hope," written by award-winning songwriters Hunter Hayes, Luke Laird and Barry Dean, are available by purchasing products from any of nine ConAgra brands, and entering the special code on the packages at the campaign's site, childhungerendshere.com.

The song versions also will be released to country, pop, top 40 and urban radio stations, based on the genres of the individual artists.

ConAgra brands participating in the campaign are Chef Boyardee, Orville Redenbacher's, Healthy Choice, Marie Callender's, Hunt's, Hunt's Manwich, Banquet, Snack Pack and Peter Pan.

For each code entered through Aug. 31 of this year, ConAgra will provide one meal through Feeding America's network of U.S. food banks, up to 3 million meals (a $1 donation translates to eight meals secured by Feeding America for food banks). As part of this year's commitment, ConAgra will donate the monetary equivalent of 80,000 meals ($10,000) to each of the 10 Feeding America-affiliated food banks that receive the largest number of codes entered within their service areas (based on ZIP code).

ConAgra will spend a total of $25 million on this year's campaign, which also includes a 30-second spot ("Dinner Table") that will begin airing nationally in mid-March; video and audio public service announcements from each of the three recording artists; a campaign logo; and a consumer call to action on the participating brands' packages.

Since 1993, ConAgra Foods and the ConAgra Foods Foundation have donated more than 275 million pounds of food and more than $36 million to Feeding America to combat child hunger. The Foundation, primarily funded by ConAgra Foods, is in the midst of a $10 million, five-year commitment to Feeding America, the largest donation ever made to that organization specifically to fight child hunger.

(Source: Marketing Daily, 03/07/12)
Community Service Spotlight

Giving back through community service efforts and charity donations is a positive force that keeps many retailers and suppliers of the convenience store industry moving ahead. On a regular basis, Convenience Store News highlights these philanthropic efforts in this special section.

The Pantry's Kangaroo Express

Kangaroo Express, The Pantry Inc.'s convenience store brand, delivered a $233,426 check to Give Kids the World in Kissimmee, Fla. The check was the culmination of a fundraiser held throughout the state. Customers donated to Give Kids the World either by donating change or buying a $1 or $5 pinup to hang in one of Kangaroo Express' 400 Florida convenience stores.

Give Kids the World provides week-long vacations to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families, including a place to stay and theme park tickets.

SuperAmerica

For the second consecutive year, SuperAmerica has been named the top fundraising sponsor for the Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare. In 2011, the convenience store chain raised $724,758.12 for Gillette, Minnesota's designated Children's Miracle Network Hospital.

A longtime Children's Miracle Network Hospitals sponsor, SuperAmerica's more than 166 participating stores raise funds for Gillette through year-round events, including cookouts, sports tournaments and gas-a-thons. Weeklong "ask" campaigns, held once each quarter, supplement fundraising efforts. During the campaigns, employees ask customers to either make a cash donation or round their purchase up to the next dollar.

Stores' combined efforts have raised more than $3,115,000 for Gillette in the last 13 years, funding treatments and services for children who have disabilities and complex medical conditions.

ExxonMobil Corp.

The ExxonMobil Foundation is collaborating with National Engineers Week for the ninth consecutive year to present "Introduce a Girl to Engineering," where ExxonMobil employees will host students at 13 company locations across the country. The program seeks to promote curiosity among middle school students and help shrink the gender gap in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

ExxonMobil employees will lead fun, hands-on activities that connect math and science to real life, while also reinforcing classroom instruction. Activities may include demonstrations on how the energy industry uses 3D technology to search for oil and natural gas; water purification experiments; bridge-building with straws; exploring the science of manufacturing cosmetics; and panel discussions with ExxonMobil engineers.

Since ExxonMobil began the program more than a decade ago, more than 4,000 students have participated in math and science activities conducted at ExxonMobil facilities, or had a classroom visit from a company volunteer.

In other ExxonMobil Foundation news, 30 North Texas nonprofit agencies will participate in the 2012 ExxonMobil Community Summer Jobs Program. The program provides much-needed assistance to nonprofit agencies while giving college students valuable work experience and a better understanding of the important role of nonprofit organizations.

Paid summer internship positions involve students in a range of activities, from coordinating housing for area residents to developing summer programs for underprivileged children. In addition to daily internship duties, students will also team up for a group service project. Qualified college students interested in gaining hands-on experience in the nonprofit sector this summer are encouraged to apply.

To be eligible, applicants must be current undergraduate students returning to college as a full-time (minimum 12 credit hours per semester) sophomore, junior or senior in the fall of 2012.

Since 1990, the ExxonMobil Foundation has contributed more than $3.7 million to fund the program in Dallas, subsidizing 1,535 internships and benefitting more than 300 agencies.

(Source: ConvenienceStoreNews.com, 02/24/12)
Vans Teams With Anti-Smoking Effort at SXSW

Shoe manufacturer Vans is teaming up with truth, a youth smoking prevention campaign, at the South by Southwest music festival.

Events include live music, a movie premiere, custom gear giveaways and online.

Truth will bring its iconic orange truth truck, truth tour riders, and important life-saving messages to Austin, Texas. Through March 17, an on-site truth crew will meet with festivalgoers, give out specialty gear, sponsor musical performances, and share festival experiences through videos and social media.

The truth campaign exposes the tactics of the tobacco industry, the truth about addiction, and the health effects and social consequences of smoking, allowing teens to make informed choices about tobacco use by giving them the facts about the industry and its products. Truth spreads this message by connecting with teens' "passion points," including music, games, fashion and film.

Each summer, the truth campaign travels with the Vans Warped Tour, reaching thousands of teens and educating them about tobacco use through Vans' popular summer music festival. Vans -- which is popular in the skateboarding, surfing, urban and punk youth markets -- has been a partner with truth for more than a decade.

Along with other on-the-ground outreach efforts, truth will join Vans for three collaborations during SXSW. Truth will be featured at the Vans Pop-Up Shop -- Vulcanized Vinyl and after-party where truth-branded gear will be distributed and visitors can buy Vans merchandise; the SXSW Vans Music Showcase; and the "No Room for Rockstars" movie premiere and after-party focusing on the Vans Warped Tour.

To coincide with SXSW's music focus, Vans has created a pop-up merchandise store designed as an old-time record shop, called "Vulcanized Vinyl." Truth will have a presence throughout the store with posters, record cover artwork, and T-shirts. Vans will sell limited-edition reissued band shoes such as Iron Maiden Slip-ons, Slayer Old Skools, Descendents Authentics, as well as Bad Religion and Social Distortion pairs.

An opening party will feature the truth tour riders giving away truth-branded guitar picks and USB drives with music from bands that have been featured on the Vans Warped Tour, including Bad Religion, Social Distortion, The Descendents, and Pennywise. A truth-themed photo booth will allow visitors to take branded snaps.

Vans also will screen its documentary film "No Room for Rockstars," which documents the 2010 Vans Warped Tour and gives a behind-the-scenes view of life on the road with Warped. Prior to the screening, attendees will view a mixture of music, Warped Tour, and truth trivia as well as a special teaser video for truth's next mobile game, Flavor Monsters.

Truth also will bring the SXSW experience to all of its followers online. thetruth.com will highlight videos, photos and tweets from the crew to teens across the country, providing a "virtual festival visit" for teens who are not in Austin.

(Source: Marketing Daily, 03/09/12)

Daily Sales Tip: Something to Chew On

Chewing Gum is a highly-competitive industry, even though its consumer price-points are low. Each year, companies like Wrigley devote millions of dollars to consumer sampling and promotions, plus additional millions in trade spending.

Chewing gum-makers want to make connections outside the regular gum and candy aisle territory, to create brand loyalties with consumers, spark purchases of new flavors, garner incremental display space, and so forth. Talk to regional sales representatives, brand managers, and distribution executives and build opportunities for chewing gum brands in your event marketing efforts, station remotes, and other experiential activities.

Source: Brandeis C. Hall, RAB, BHall@rab.com, (972) 753-6786

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