U.S. apparel and accessories label Michael Kors is furthering its "WatchHungerStop" campaign through a month-long initiative that includes giving away T-shirts at five stores on World Hunger Day Oct. 16, stepping up social media efforts and encouraging consumers to make small donations when purchasing products.
T-shirt recipients can get their pictures taken in the Phhhoto Stations at participating locations, which will then be live-streamed on Times Square billboards and on the WatchHungerStop microsite. Continually injecting new energy into the campaign increases the chances that it will have an enduring impact on the fight against hunger.
"The WatchHungerStop social good campaign from Michael Kors is a smart cross-channel initiative," said Kelly Cooper, marketing manager for ShopIgniter, Portland, OR.
"The Kors team adeptly utilized channel-specific elements of outdoor display, retail, the Web, social and mobile to engage with consumers in a highly integrated fashion," she said. "What I like most about this is that there are no silos.
"Both traditional and digital marketers can learn from this meld of traditional plus digital. The execution is pretty exciting."
Ms. Cooper is not affiliated with Michael Kors, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.
Michael Kors was unable to comment directly.
Wearing your passion
Also on World Hunger Day, former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will be presented with the first Michael Kors Award for outstanding community service at the annual God’s Love We Deliver Golden Heart Awards Dinner in New York. Designer Michael Kors and Vogue editor in chief and Condé Nast artistic director Anna Wintour will present the award.
Last year, Mr. Kors donated $5 million to the charity God's Love We Deliver to assist with a major renovation of its Manhattan headquarters.
The WatchHungerStop microsite can be found at http://www.destinationkors.com/watch-hunger-stop. On the microsite, visitors can learn about the campaign's progress, read uplifting stories, watch videos and donate to the cause.
WatchHungerStop 5 million meal goal
Also, Twitter users that employ the #WatchHungerStop hashtag are featured on the microsite.
"Real people supporting a real cause personalizes the brand and makes it more relatable to new and potential customers," Ms. Cooper said.
#WatchHungerStop tweets
The roots of change
For the campaign to be successful, Michael Kors understands that a resolved and patient game plan is necessary.
For instance, the brand had pushed its partnership with the United Nations World Food Programme and encouraged donations through a PSA that was released on its social media channels and its Destination Kors’ Web site. The PSA includes messages from notable celebrities who support the cause including Bette Midler, Seth Myers, Olivia Munn, Patti Hansen and Karolína Kurková (see story).
The World Food Programme has delivered more than 1.5 million meals to hungry children thanks to sales of the 100 Series watch. A hundred meals are delivered to children for every 100 Series watch that is sold.
Additionally, the U.S. label increased its support of the United Nations World Food Programme by partnering with actress Halle Berry to raise awareness and design a watch line to benefit the organization.
The label kicked off its long-term partnership with the United Nations’ World Food Programme earlier this year with cross-channel efforts and will do the same in partnership with Ms. Berry. When designers front philanthropic programs, it can bring their personal values to light while showing consumers that their brand is not only in the business of selling products (see story).
"Reach is hugely important for this type of initiative and social media is the medium for quickly spreading messages among highly engaged audiences," Ms. Cooper said.
"The hashtag unifies the campaign across social channels and begs participation in each," she said. "This engagement helps to build momentum, expanding reach and exposing more and more people to the campaign and to the brand."
"The in-store photos make great user-generated content. The sharing of these photos to participants via mobile is a strategic move to get people to introduce the message to their own social networks, spreading the breadth of the campaign even further with the addition of social proof."
Final take
Joe McCarthy, editorial assistant on Luxury Daily, New York