Giving Back This Fall: How PR Supports Community Engagement
As the season of giving approaches, clients start looking for ways to meaningfully contribute to their communities. As PR professionals, we know that the success of a give-back campaign often hinges on how well it’s communicated and aligned with both the business’ and charity’s goals. This is where we step in, not just as communicators, but as strategists who ensure the campaign’s success is amplified and beneficial for everyone involved.
Let’s take a look at some previous PR-powered ‘Giving Tuesday’ initiatives. Celebrated on the Tuesday following Thanksgiving, Giving Tuesday serves as a reminder to focus on generosity, following the consumer frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
P.J. Salvage: P.J. Salvage partnered with Love Leo Rescue, a Los Angeles-based non-profit dog rescue, to offer the P.J. Salvage x Love Leo Rescue collection, which included pajamas, dog clothes and more. On Giving Tuesday, 15% of all proceeds from this collection were donated to the nonprofit.
Instacart: In collaboration with Dr. Pepper, Dole Packaged Foods and Olipop, this grocery delivery giant donated 1 million servings of fruits and vegetables to Partnership for a Healthier America, a non-profit dedicated to providing equal access to healthy food.
Bloomingdales: In celebration of 50 years of Bloomingdale’s “Big Brown Bag”, Bloomingdales released a limited-edition “Little Brown Bear”, and for every purchase through December, Bloomingdale’s donated $5 to the Child Mind Institute, supporting children and families with mental health and learning disorders
Michael Kors: Michael Kors donated 100% of the profits from its “Watch Hunger Stop” canvas tote bag and t-shirt to the United Nations World Food Programme.
Hanes: Hanes donated a pair of socks for every purchase on their website, through the beginning of December, to homeless shelters across the U.S.
At KC Projects, we've been fortunate to assist a number of clients in driving impactful campaigns year-round. Explore a couple of examples below:
Full Moon BBQ’s Annual Backpack Blessings: Our team has proudly supported the Backpack Blessings initiative since its inception five years ago, consistently driving better results each year by implementing a targeted PR strategy that leverages our media relationships to secure coverage across Alabama and Mississippi. Through news interviews, press features and social media campaigns, this year we helped Full Moon BBQ achieve $37,800 in press value and reach an additional 161.9K people via social media. These efforts amplified the initiative’s impact, making a meaningful difference for children in need.
Kelley & Mullis Wealth Management’s Christmas Contributions: Our team assists in selecting charities that align with Kelley & Mullis’ values and mission. Additionally, we manage the design, refinement and distribution of an accompanying written letter from the Managing Partner, Michael Mullis, which is sent to their valued clients to convey their commitment to giving back during the holiday season. This consistent effort each year allows clients to recognize the goodwill of their trusted financial partners and strengthens loyalty.
Each of the above initiatives highlight different causes that resonate with the respective brand’s identities and values. While aligning a campaign with the brand’s identity enhances its authenticity, a charity’s mission doesn’t have to perfectly match the brand for the effort to be impactful. Effective public relations can demonstrate that the intention behind the initiative is what creates a genuine connection, even if the causes differ slightly.
Building on this idea of alignment and impact, the most successful campaigns are often the ones that keep audiences engaged long-term. This is why many PR-driven initiatives are implemented in phases. For example, an initial teaser phase to build interest, a launch phase to unveil the initiative and a reporting phase to share outcomes and impacts. Below, we explore the various aspects of each phase that contribute to the overall effectiveness of the campaign.
Like many campaigns, the effectiveness begins with crafting a compelling narrative. PR specialists tie the people, the cause and the broader impact together. Announcing a donation is commendable, but to truly resonate, it’s essential to share the story (or stories) behind it all. This is especially true toward the end of a campaign. Sharing an anecdote about an individual or group whose lives were positively impacted by the effort can transform the campaign from a simple donation into an emotionally-driven initiative that inspires action. On the other hand, at the beginning of the campaign, the focus is more on telling the story of why this particular organization matters to the client.
These impactful moments and narratives springboard into increased visibility through strategic media outreach, engaging social media content, meaningful partnerships and well-executed events. Let’s take a look at each of those approaches:
Media: Whether PR professionals pitch to local news, national outlets or niche publications, securing earned media maximizes the reach and adds credibility to the campaign.
Social: Carefully crafted messaging and engaging visuals on social media can spark conversations around the give-back campaign, increasing community involvement and providing opportunities for people to contribute or spread the word.
Partnerships: Strategic partnerships are a great way to promote the initiative. However, “strategic” is the key word here. With any partnership, it’s essential to connect the dots for the audience. This helps them understand the collaboration as a genuine relationship rather than an opportunistic one.
Events: Events provide a platform for the client and organization to directly engage with the community. PR professionals not only handle the logistics, but also ensure the event is well-publicized. This publicity could be from a combination of the above efforts. A well-planned event with strong PR support can turn into a cornerstone of the overall give-back strategy.
Provided these efforts are executed seamlessly, PR professionals like the team at KC Projects will also communicate how the initiative performed and benefited the community and stakeholders involved. Whether through public-facing press releases or internal reports, this transparency builds long-term trust among clients, charitable organizations and the community, fostering continued engagement in future initiatives.
This trust is vital in today’s day and age, where audiences are more aware and discerning than ever. Having a skilled PR team on your side ensures that a give-back campaign is not perceived as merely performative, but as a sincere initiative driven by true intentions to create positive change. When done thoughtfully, these efforts resonate far beyond the initial act of giving, forming brand loyalty, as well as lasting relationships for the client and charity within their communities.
By: Izzy Mendez