Celebrities and cake for a good cause

Challenge

With the Eastbourne charity approaching its 65th anniversary, PRG recommended organising a week of charity events to celebrate this important milestone, starting with a huge birthday party at the day centre and inviting local residents – and a few special guests – to join in the celebrations.

Solution

PRG promoted the charity’s birthday events to local residents through PR, generating pre-event editorial in local newspapers and on the radio. We also designed supporting marketing collateral, including posters and adverts, and co-ordinated a direct mail campaign, sending leaflets to targeted neighbourhoods in the local area.

We negotiated with a local baker, who agreed to donate a 100-tall cupcake birthday cake, and secured a swing band at a minimum fee for the day’s entertainment. We recommended the charity personally invite a celebrity to the party, and helped secure EastEnders and Gavin and Stacey star, Larry Lamb, and his son, television presenter George Lamb. We also invited Eastbourne’s MP and Deputy Mayor.

Age Concern Eastbourne’s Chairman, Greg Szanto, opened the birthday with a welcome speech and invited Larry and his son to cut the cake. Guests enjoyed complimentary refreshments and birthday cake, while listening to swing music and posing for photographs with the Lambs.

To follow the party,  we organised a sequence of events targeted at the charity’s core market of over 65’s, including  an arts and crafts day, movie screening of ‘ 50s and ’60s films and a gardening presentation.

Result

We sold sponsorship to local businesses for each event, which not only contributed towards event costs, but also introduced new and valuable business partners to the charity. As a result of inviting local journalists to the birthday events, we achieved coverage in local newspapers, on the local radio station, on regional television news and in regional lifestyle magazines.