Started in 1998 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Precious Moments Collection by Enesco, the Precious Moments Care-A-Van is a 53-foot long traveling museum that celebrates the Precious Moments history and “Loving, Caring, Sharing” brand message.  This year, the Care-A-Van traveled coast to coast to 90 markets to honor people whose lives have been affected by breast cancer.  In conjunction with the Care-A-Van, a Pink Ribbon Quilt Drive was created where quilt squares honoring or commemorating individuals touched by breast cancer were collected at Care-A-Van stops and sewn into special king-sized Pink Ribbon Quilts.  The finished quilts are being donated to the National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations (NABCO).

Challenge/opportunity:

Because this was the Care-A-Van’s fourth year touring the country, often to the same markets as in the previous years, the media was losing interest in Enesco’s 53-foot media vehicle.  The challenge faced was to make an old topic new and to generate increased awareness of the Precious Moments collection among an expanded area of influence to reach both existing collectors and new consumers with increased media coverage.

Planning/Objectives:

· Re-energize the Precious Moments brand among core consumers and the retail trade
· Generate a broader consumer awareness of the brand at the local level
· Reinforce message of Precious Moments figurines as the embodiment of “Loving, Caring and Sharing”
· Increase media coverage of Precious Moments and the Care-A-Van
· Impact sales of Precious Moments figurines

Strategies:

Partner with the National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations (NABCO) to reach a broader audience and reinforce the brand message while providing critical health information to the target audience, women 25-54. 

Create a cause-related “call for action” initiative that directly involves the Precious Moments collectors as well as the broader target audience

Provide retailers with a meaningful program to impact local consumers

Execution:

The Precious Moments Pink Ribbon Quilt Drive was developed with a goal of collecting 2,002 quilt squares by January 1, 2002.  The squares would honor those affected by breast cancer. 

Handmade quilt squares to be sewn into quilts and donated to breast cancer organizations

Publicize stops through calendar listings, feature stories and radio and television interviews.

The program was a yearlong effort with the Care-A-Van beginning its tour in April and ending in December 2001.  Our publicity efforts consisted of national pitching (to promote the Care-A-Van tour, breast cancer awareness and the Pink Ribbon Quilt Collection) in addition to local market media relations supporting the Care-A-Van stops.

National Publicity Efforts:
· Kick-off announcement on PR Newswire
· Early introductions to national television morning shows, radio and wire services
· Women’s Magazines – press kit mailing featuring special figurine, pictures of figurine with quilt squares and press materials
· Press kit to daily newspapers in top 10 markets
· Heavy pitching during Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October) emphasizing the Pink Ribbon Quilt Collection

Local Market Media Relations:
· Publicity efforts targeting local newspapers, radio and television in 20 markets.  Includes teaser postcard, press mailings and phone pitching
· Press kit updates and material on NABCO relationship, quilt program
· Facilitate interviews between company spokespeople and local media

Summary of Results:

The program exceeded the objectives, collecting more than 4,500 quilt squares – and still counting – as well as producing over 37 million consumer media impressions and enthusiastic sales at retail.  A placement in Family Circle was instrumental in generating a mountain of quilt squares from non-Precious Moments collectors, introducing the Precious Moments brand to a much-desired new audience. 
More than 134,000 visitors toured the Care-A-Van and more than 4,900 new Collector’s Club members enlisted.  Due to publicity efforts, retailers experienced a 50 to 100 percent increase in single day sales at Care-A-Van stops.