Building an Emotional Connection: Sunkist Takes a Stand
MSLGROUP has helped Sunkist Growers raise $2.8 million for charity over the past five years with the Take a Stand program.
Sunkist Smiles
Brand preference is typically not top-of-mind for consumers at the point of purchase for a commodity product like lemons. So Sunkist Growers needed to inspire an emotional connection with consumers and retailers to drive loyalty and sales.
To do this, MSLGROUP and Sunkist created an innovative cause program that empowers kids (to moms’ delight) to think about social issues and give back to their communities. With this initiative, kids age 7-12 pledge online at www.sunkist.com to literally “take a stand” for a charity close to their heart by raising money through a lemonade stand sale. 20,000 specially designed lemonade stands were released on the 2008 Take a Stand Day (June 21) which coincides with the official first day of summer. Key retailers run in-store promotions and make volume commitments in return for being integrated into grassroots publicity
Now in its 5th year, Take a Stand has raised an estimated $2.8 million dollars for charity one glass of Sunkist lemonade at a time. Media coverage for the 2007 program exceeded 136 million impressions, retailer participation grows each year as key accounts consistently report increased sales activity during promotional window, and the program won PRWeek’s “Best Cause-Related Marketing Campaign of the Year” award for 2007.