United Way for Greater Austin (UWATX) today kicked off a 3-month media campaign to inspire increased philanthropic giving in the local community.
The campaign, which was created by local agency Creative Suitcase, will run September into early December and be seen in online and print advertising as well as on three CapMetro buses. One of the buses is a full-wrap making a dramatic and impactful impression on Austin’s roads. Bus routes of the wrapped buses are alternated over the three months to increase visibility across the city. Additionally, radio advertising will also be a part of the campaign.
This campaign is possible due to in-kind contributions from media outlets, companies and organizations. 3M donated the materials, production and installation for the bus wraps; Creative Suitcase donated design hours; and Austin American-Statesman, KUT, Texas Tribune, The Austin Chronicle, CapMetro and Google have all contributed in-kind media space. All told the in-kind contributions making this campaign possible total more than $150,000.
Russell Bridges, Government and Community Affairs Manager at 3M commented: “3M is pleased to be the market leader in many innovative materials, one being the product that makes these creative and impactful bus wraps possible. And we are particularly pleased to be able to offer our product and support the production and installation for a campaign here locally with United Way for Greater Austin.” He continued, “3M has a long history of philanthropic support worldwide for the communities in which it does business and we are proud to support United Way in Central Texas and encourage other businesses to do the same.”
“We are so appreciative for everything these wonderful companies and organizations are doing to help us support this great community, and to make sure that everyone has the opportunity to be a philanthropist,” said UWATX President Debbie Bresette, “And further the early results of giving to our employee campaigns are very exciting and heartwarming – the community is hearing our call-to-action and it’s answering us in the best way possible.”
Bridges and Bobby Jenkins, President of ABC Home & Commercial Services and UWATX campaign co-chair both agreed on how proud they were that their employees participate in giving back to the community through UWATX employee campaigns. Like 3M, the majority of UWATX employee giving campaigns occur in the fall, which syncs with the timing of this media campaign. UWATX runs a few ‘pacesetter’ campaigns in the late summer; one being UWATX’s own internal campaign and another ABC Home & Commercial. In exciting news that paves the way for a promising campaign season, UWATX reported exceeding last year’s results of raising $16,000.00 from its own employee donations to more than $23,000.00 raised this year – a 44% increase. ABC Home & Commercial, which just wrapped up its first-ever UWATX employee giving campaign, exceeded its goal of $10,000.00 by an astonishing 160% raising over $26,000.00.
“As a business owner, a campaign co-chair and a long-time advocate for nonprofits in the Austin community, I’m impressed with the support United Way has received from these local outlets,” said Bobby Jenkins, President of ABC Home & Commercial Services. “It inspires me to see businesses and individuals coming together to support the most vulnerable in our community. The act of giving brings us all together to ensure that Austin continues to thrive.”
Read more from YNN on the launch.
