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Vector in Action Case Studies Wal-Mart / WB Channel 11
Vector in Action Case Studies Wal-Mart / WB Channel 11
In nine months Vector Communications has helped Wal-Mart accomplish more than we were able to do in 28 years working alone. Today local elected officials and influencers have started to notice the substantial contributions, both economic and philanthropic, that Wal-Mart makes in the St. Louis metro area. | |
-Carrie
McKnight | |
| Wal-Mart/WB 11 Back-to-School Shopping Spree Contest |
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Challenge To encourage shoppers to participate in the Missouri Sales Tax Free Holiday Weekend in August 2008, Wal-Mart officials wanted Vector to create an event. Missouri is one of 17 states that participates in the sales tax free holiday. During this holiday, consumers at participating retailers can purchase back-to-school items such as clothing, school supplies, computers and computer software without paying sales tax. Wal-Mart officials not only wanted an event that would drive consumers to their stores, but also to attract media attention. Action Vector attracted attention to the Missouri Sales Tax Free Holiday Weekend and to Wal-Mart by creating the “Back-to-School Shopping Spree Contest.” We were able to engage KPLR-TV/WB 11 as Wal-Mart’s media partner for the event. The contest was targeted to sixth-eighth graders in the St. Louis metropolitan region. These students had to write a 100-word or less essay on why they were looking forward to returning to school. They could submit their essay via online to WB 11’s web site where we created an online form or mail them to Vector. To attract attention to the contest, Vector created a television spot that ran on Channel 11 for three weeks. In addition, area schools were contacted via an email blast and telephone calls. The best 111 essays were selected. The contest winners received a $100 gift certificate and an hour-long shopping spree at the Wal-Mart Store in Maplewood, Missouri on Friday, August 1 at 9:00 a.m. – the start of the sales tax free holiday weekend. In order to obtain the gift certificate, the winners had to be at the store at the specific time and to spend it on site. This created a wonderful photo opportunity for the media – seeing 100 young people run off at the sound of a bell to shop for one hour! In addition, for every contest winner, a matching gift of $100 was given to KidSmart – Tools for Learning, a local non-profit that helps economically disadvantaged children succeed in school by providing free school supplies. Before the start of the shopping spree, Wal-Mart officials presented KidSmart representatives with an $11,100 check. Result More than 100 contest winners and their parents participated in the shopping spree. Afterwards, several sent thank you notes to Wal-Mart and Channel 11. The story was covered on: KMOV-TV/Channel 4; KTVI-TV/Channel 2; KPLR-TV/WB 11; and the St. Louis American newspaper. This was more than $25,000 in earned media coverage. |