Behind the Scenes with Avril Lavigne

Campaign: Behind the Scenes with Avril Lavigne
Company: Safeway
Nonprofit Partner: Easter Seals, Special Olympics, Rebuilding Together
Launch Date: April 3, 2012

Campaign Description:  

Each year Safeway dedicates April to raising funds and bringing awareness to helping people with disabilities in a cause marketing effort.  This month when customers enter Safeway, Vons, Pavilions, Tom Thumb, Randalls, Dominick’s or Carrs store they’ll be greeted by a “Behind the Scenes with Avril Lavigne” sign.  When they grab a tear-card from the sign and bring it to the register to make a $5 donation at checkout, they will receive a coupon and code to view exclusive videos of Avril Lavigne.  On the employee engagement front, the company will also partner with Rebuilding Together to plan and execute home or community center rehabilitation projects that serve people with disabilities.

Our Take:  

Safeway is a register-ask cause marketing stalwart so we’re interested to see this variation on a traditional consumer donation campaign that places a tear-card at the store entrance and links celebrity bonus material as an incentive.  As always, we’re curious to know whether Safeway will make its own donation on top of what consumers raise.  Safeway takes this cause seriously – to date, the retailer has donated and raised over $130 million to organizations that assist people with special needs.