A Case Study Presented by Hallmark and FleishmanHillard

A Case Study Presented by Hallmark and Fleishman-Hillard October 24, 2004

The Business Problem Slow growth of greeting card sales § Almost 90 percent of U. S. households already use them § Consumer understands their value, she just forgets § Minimal voice in the marketplace for the category § The marketing solution: card-based advertising campaign

The Public Relations Problem § PR could help § But cards are not “news” § Typical card news (e. g. , holidays) offers some exposure opportunities, but is season-based, not ongoing § For this challenge, needed a different, creative idea!

The Public Relations Solution Hallmark Writers on Tour § A public relations program to help grow the greeting card category § An opportunity to express to consumers directly and through news stories the emotional benefit of greeting cards § One of the most comprehensive, multifaceted, and rewarding PR programs any of us have completed

Public Relations Objectives § Remind consumers, directly and through news media, of the emotional benefit of greeting cards § Reinforce to consumers and internal audiences that Hallmark best delivers these benefits § Use the assets developed through the program to feed other publicity efforts

PR Strategy § Elicit consumer testimonials to express the emotional benefit of greeting cards with activities that: – – Personalize Hallmark Engage consumers directly Generate news in themselves Feed stories that can generate more news

Tactical Plan § Take writers on the road § Solicit consumer memories through events, media relations § Add ongoing touchpoints (Hallmark Visitors Center, Hallmark. com) § Leverage consumer stories for additional news § Bring consumers’ experiences back to Hallmark to inspire employees

Making It Happen: The Markets § Markets were selected by: – Media receptivity – Propensity of local consumers to buy lots of Hallmark cards – Connection between the writers and the market – Location of Fleishman-Hillard offices or community organizers

How did we generate attendance? § § § Invitations to Hallmark Gold Crown members Advance media relations Fliers in Hallmark Gold Crown stores Fliers at event venues Affinity group outreach

Where Did We Go? § Pilot events – Lawrence, Kan. – Leavenworth, Kan. – Leawood, Kan. – Topeka, Kan. – Kansas City, Mo. § Official tour stops – Kansas City – San Diego – South Florida – Cincinnati – Des Moines – Philadelphia – Omaha – Phoenix – St. Louis – Nashville – Minneapolis/St. Paul – Baltimore/Washington, D. C. – Salt Lake City – Las Vegas

Making It Happen: The Venues § Sought smaller, casual venues with engaged proprietors § Not Hallmark stores — to be seen as less commercial § Allowed audience to feel comfortable enough to tell very touching personal stories in public – – – – Coffeehouses Tea shops Day spas Libraries Bookstores Community centers Cafés

The Schedule § § Three days, two nights in market Media interviews, especially during drive time Four-five event appearances Retailer interaction and store visits

Event Format § Host + two writers § Introductory video § Writer presentations – Background – Sources of inspiration § Question/answer session § Story sharing § Informational packets – Card samples, story forms, bookmarks, gift cards

§ Introductory video here

Event Format § Host + two writers § Introductory video § Writer presentations – Background – Sources of inspiration § Question/answer session § Story sharing § Informational packets – Card samples, story forms, bookmarks, gift cards

The External Picture § We made 77 appearances in 15 markets over 19 months § We were interviewed for radio, TV, print, and online stories § We laughed, we cried, and sometimes we scratched our heads … but mostly we marveled at the way greeting cards touch people in strange and wonderful ways § We traveled by plane, taxi, shuttle bus, van, and town car § We got up early and stayed up late, drinking lots of coffee along the way § We were “Introverts on Parade”

Engaging Employees

Employee Communication Tools § Writer profiles, consumer stories in employee newsletter § Solicited employee stories (including the CEO’s!) § Intranet site, closed-circuit TV § Weekly e-mail to writing staff and internal partners to play back stories, maintain enthusiasm, and subtly market results to senior management § Presentation to writers and editors to celebrate success and recruit additional writers, hosts § All-employee meeting recapping the program and its success

Internal Partners § Required cross-functional participation and support § Greetings marketing group § Creative division, writing managers § Writers themselves! § Hallmark. com § CRM group § Hallmark Visitors Center § Internal communications group

Results § Writers talked face-to-face with more than 2, 500 employees and members of the public § Collected approximately 500 written consumer stories from events, Visitors Center, Web site, by mail § Hallmark. com/meaningfulmoments had more than 24, 000 visitors since its launch

Results § Media helped tell the story § More than 131 million media impressions – Major print and online clips included The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, Philadelphia Inquirer, The Kansas City Star, Cincinnati Inquirer, to name a few; articles in Salt Lake City and Nashville were syndicated – 21 radio interviews reaching 5. 5 million • Radio media tour hit 10 stations and networks nationwide – 17 television interviews reaching 8 million § Writers on Tour messages fed other campaigns yielding an additional 143 million impressions

§ Val Day VNR here

Results § Best of all, 90 percent of the media stories carried our key message: This tour is not only about sharing how we work at Hallmark, but also about listening to real people talk about how cards have made a difference in their lives.

Results § Consumer stories, media-trained writers have fed other initiatives — Valentine’s Day, Shoebox § Sixty-second interstitials derived from shared stories airing on the Hallmark Channel, reaching additional audiences, generating more consumer stories § Major groups (AARP, IAAP) heard about it and invited us to bring the program to them!

§ Interstitital video here

Results § Consumer stories, media-trained writers have fed other initiatives — Valentine’s Day, Shoebox § Sixty-second interstitials derived from shared stories airing on the Hallmark Channel, reaching additional audiences, generating more consumer stories § Major groups (AARP, IAAP) heard about it and invited us to bring the program to them!

Results § Attendees loved it and learned! § Of those surveyed after the events – 83. 5 percent strongly agreed the presentation helped them realize how important cards are to people – 95 percent strongly agreed they have increased respect for what goes into the creation of a greeting card – 88 percent now think about Hallmark or greeting cards differently than they did before the event – 50 percent purchased or used more greeting cards than normal in the week following the event

Why Was It Successful? § The campaign was built around our DNA – Did not portray us as something other than what we are – As a result, audiences had no problem embracing the concept – Reinforced our brand promise § Every campaign element focused on delivering our primary message – Media outreach and coverage – Invitations, other attendance-generating activities – Events themselves § Timing

Why Was It Successful? § Internal audiences embraced the campaign; it became a part of corporate culture – Card-planning teams ask for relevant consumer stories when assigning new projects to writers – Chairman referred to the program in his annual Thanksgiving letter to employees – Writers and hosts volunteered for year two

Why Was It Successful? § Corporate culture embraced the campaign – Stories were shared throughout Hallmark, reinforcing the importance of each job and improving morale – WOT was highlighted at a retail creative summit – WOT videos shared at board of director meetings – Members of Hall family’s fourth generation were briefed on the campaign’s success

Why Was It Successful? § Strong first year, and successful “selling” of results led to second-year funding – Momentum continued into year two and led to even greater media placements in national outlets and media inquiries – Stories filtered to the advertising agency who shared stories with larger audiences via Hallmark Channel § Integrated into other Hallmark campaigns – Writers on Tour became the underpinning of other Hallmark campaigns – Media training writers was an asset to all future PR efforts – Valentine’s Day outreach focused on a shared story – Shoebox campaign focused on humor writers

§ Don Hall video here

A Case Study Presented by Hallmark and Fleishman-Hillard