Kroger Adds More Digital Tone to 'Giving Hope'

Kroger continued to dwarf the "Breast Cancer Awareness Month" activity of other retailers this year by staging its eighth annual "Giving Hope a Hand" campaign.The company-wide effort kicked off on Sept. 22 with the retailer pledging to turn all of its digital communications pink if one million loyalty cardholders downloaded a "digital ribbon" through a promotional page operated by San Francisco-based You Technology. Home page carousel ads on chain websites, ads in emails and Facebook updates linked to the page. A dedicated "Show Your Courage" Facebook page helped consumers turn their own Facebook photos and covers pink.Reaching the one million mark also would trigger a $50,000 donation to nonprofit Susan G. Komen for the Cure by General Mills' Yoplait, which regularly serves as a lead partner in Kroger's campaign. (See "Kroger Lends …" in Related Articles.) An Oct. 1 Facebook update and Oct. 4 email declared that the goal had been achieved.Overall, the 2013 campaign enlisted 31 brands from 19 manufacturers to back Kroger's pledge of $3 million to relevant nonprofits within its operational footprint. Many of the brands — including PepsiCo's Stacy's, SC Johnson's Ziploc and the flagships of Energizer Holdings, Kraft Foods Group and Dannon Co. — provided the program's standard customized packaging and displays depicting Kroger employees who are breast cancer survivors. Survivors were also showcased on packages of private-label Private Selection bread and store-brand bottled water and saltines. Pharmacy prescription bottles also took on a pink tone for the effort. Stanchion signs and standees depicting survivors touted the $3 million pledge.Participating brands were identified at-shelf via special price signs. Circular features during the weeks of Sept. 23 and Sept. 30 touted the $3 million pledge and instructed consumers to look for the signs.Online, the survivor photos and personal stories were once again presented on the campaign's dedicated website, sharingcourage.com. The site also contains information about breast cancer that consumers were encouraged to share via Pinterest, and a "Wall of Hope" that collected Instagram and Twitter updates send under a #sharingcourage hashtag. A separate Wall of Hope on Facebook let fans post their own stories. Updates linked to the website.Elsewhere in stores, national cause-themed displays from Conair Corp., Living Essentials, Jones Soda Co., Patty Reed Designs and La Tortilla Factory added to the atmosphere.For the fourth year, Kroger adorned its Cincinnati, OH, headquarters with pink spotlights and a 150-foot banner to encourage participation and promote Yoplait's donation. Additional marketing support included radio spots and run-of-press newspaper ads.Kroger has donated roughly $24 million to breast cancer causes since launching the program in 2006. The effort earned a "Gold Halo Award" for "Best Health Campaign" from The Cause Marketing Forum in 2012.

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