By Pamela Brill

It may still feel like winter, but when it comes to promoting outdoor play, things are starting to heat up in the toy business. Gone are the days when manufacturers relied on print and online-only ad campaigns to attract moms to their brand. Today, companies are expanding their reach by investing in new marketing methods to boost business and maintain their presence in a competitive marketplace.

Melissa & Doug, a veritable specialty toy favorite, hosts spring and early summer photo challenges, inviting its loyal customer base to share their experiences with other parents online. “We like to encourage our fan community to ‘spring into spring’ by doing fun, educational activities with kids outside, and our Sunny Patch line is big part of that,” says Public Relations/Social Media Specialist Anna Ritchie.

Last year, the company premiered its virtual Camp Sunny Patch campaign, inviting bloggers to share their ideas for outdoor play and providing weekly suggestions for activities involving Sunny Patch product. Participants were provided with downloadable badges for their young campers to wear, along with product for review.

One of the bloggers who participated in last year’s Camp Sunny Patch, Valerie of Inner Child Fun, commented on her experience with the program. “You could think of Camp Sunny Patch as a virtual go-to guide for creative summertime fun with the kids,” she says. “We provided the basic framework with imaginative play ideas, easy crafts and plenty of outdoor activities and then encouraged parents to connect with their kids, while exploring a different theme each week.”

“One Cup at a Time”

Enticing kids to get outdoors, while supporting a charitable cause, is also visible at the retail level. This coming summer, Toys “R” Us will be resuming its partnership with Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to finding a cure for childhood cancer. Last year, shoppers were encouraged to make donations to “help fight childhood cancer, one cup at a time” or by signing up to host Alex’s Lemonade Stands. Crayola was among the brands that got involved. As a result, Toys “R” Us and families across the country helped to raise nearly $1.9 million benefitting the organization.

“The simple, yet powerful, act of hosting a lemonade stand, and the story behind ALSF, has definitely struck a chord,” said Sloane Lucas, Director, Corporate Philanthropy, Toys “R” Us, Inc., Toys “R” Us, in an official statement. “We understand the importance of helping kids in times of need and hope that each dollar raised will help Alex’s dream of finding a cure for childhood cancer become a reality.”

Pamela Brill is a professional magazine editor and writer whose work has appeared in such national publications as Parents, Woman’s Day and Girls’ Life. The former editor of Small World magazine, she is currently an editor at large for Gifts & Decorative Accessories/Playthings magazine and produces her own blog, The Talking Walnut, which highlights new kids’ products. As a member of the Norwood Avenue School PTA in Northport, N.Y., Pam recently began volunteering for the Parents As Reading Partners (PARP) program to encourage literacy for young readers.

Filed under: 360 Public Relations, 360PR - MomSquad, Blogger Relations, Charity, Trendletter by Admin - No Comments →

By Caitlin McNamara

In the wake of the 8.9 earthquake that hit Japan on March 11, 2011, and a following tsunami, many took out their phones to call their loved ones but soon found out that the lines were down. So what was next? Social media, of course.
 
Under one hour after the earthquake devastated Japan, Google launched their “Person Finder”  application on their homepage. The “Person Finder” was built by the Google Crisis Response team, which is made up of a philanthropic group under the Google umbrella. The “Person Finder” is an interactive database in English and Japanese that allows users to search for missing persons online or submit information about people who are injured or are missing. To date, there are approximately 7,200 records being tracked on “Person Finder.” Not only is this database being used for the Japanese earthquake/tsunami, but was also used for the Haiti earthquake and the Christchurch earthquake.
 
Twitter, with an estimated 10 million active users in Japan, spiked with Japanese related hashtags, such as #prayforJapan, #Fukushima and #Sundai. #TokyoDisneyland also soon shot up in the trending list as a TwitPic was released of Japanese tourists sitting in the middle of the earthquake at Disneyland. Many people have also used Twitter to state their grief for those in Japan as well as their concerns on other aspects of the disaster. 
 
While Facebook is one of the top social media outlets in the world, its popularity has not translated equally in Japan. Similar to Facebook is the social media outlet, Mixi, which is Japan’s largest social network. However, many Americans overseas in Japan have utilized Facebook to spread a mass note to their family and friends letting them know that they are alive and well.
 
Lastly, mobile networks such as AT&T have begun using text messaging to help raise funds. AT&T wireless customers can text “REDCROSS” to 90999 to give a $10 donation to help Red Cross with disaster relief support. No text message fees will apply. This offer lasts until March 31.  
 
As more and more reports are released on the aftermath of the horrific earthquake and tsunami in Japan, many will continue to use social media as a way to communicate not only their locations, but also as a way to vent their frustrations and grieve their losses. Social media has become a way to spread awareness throughout the world in a matter of seconds. We will continue to look to social media as an up to the minute resource on the Japanese disaster, and we will all continue to pray for #Japan.

Filed under: Charity, FaceBook, Social Media, Social Networking by Admin - 1 Comment →

The little black dress has always been a classic addition to any woman’s wardrobe, but could you wear one for a whole year? Sheena Matheiken did.

Sheena set out on a one-year journey, the “Uniform Project,” last May to exercise sustainable fashion and raise money for children in India. Every day she reinvented her outfit with recycled and donated accessories, which were photo-documented and posted on the Uniform Project blog daily.

Through a very savvy use of social media, Sheena and the Uniform Project were able to raise $94,958 and send 263 children to school. Take a look at the video below featuring all 365 outfits!

Uniform Project Picture Book from The Uniform Project on Vimeo.

What are some other examples of people using social media to raise money for charity?

Filed under: Cause-Related, Charity, Digital PR, FaceBook, Internet, Social Media, Social Networking by Admin - 2 Comments →