Give Breast Cancer the Boot - JCPenney and National Breast Cancer Foundation
The changing of seasons from summer to fall often brings a change in women’s footwear. In October of 2013, this season also created an opportunity for retailer JCPenney and the National Breast Cancer Foundation to capitalize on women’s natural shopping habits to benefit a cause.
“Give Breast Cancer the Boot” was designed to underscore JCPenney’s commitment to serving their local communities. Using their 1,100 stores and online assets as a vehicle to highlight the importance of early detection in the fight against breast cancer during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, JCPenney donated $2 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation for every pair of boots sold during a two-week promotion, up to $250,000.
With both logos turned a vibrant pink, a microsite included two prominent calls to action: shopping for boots at jcp.com and signing up for NBCF’s Early Detection Plan. The campaign was promoted through print, radio and digital ads including SMS text messaging as well as dedicated emails and social media. In-store signage in the shoe department as well as flyers and stickers to boot customers and employees reinforced the early detection message. Employees were also encouraged to wear pink apparel and boots during the campaign and were educated about the campaign and the cause through a video featuring an employee survivor.
During the two-week period of the campaign, the company saw positive ROI with a 25-30% increase in boot sales versus the same fiscal period during the prior year and an increase versus the preceding two-week period. In addition to the $250,000 donation, the campaign contributed to the creation of 4,931 new early detection plans and the Early Detection App ranked #1 in the Google Play store for free medical apps during the campaign.