PCGCampbell Red Cross Hero Awards

In Southeast Michigan, the American Red Cross Hero Awards program recognizes unsung heroes of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. Every year, individuals and organizations that embody the humanitarian principles and ideals of the Red Cross are selected to celebrate their good deeds. Awards are presented at a special reception with family, friends, co-workers, nominators and event sponsors. To make its award program succeed, the Southeast Michigan Chapter of the American Red Cross consulted with PCGCampbell to enhance, promote and execute its 2006 Hero Awards program.

The Red Cross wanted to improve external communication and increase awareness of the awards program through attendance, nominations and media coverage. Part of this strategy involved launching an aggressive media relations campaign and leveraging media sponsors.

Additionally, the American Red Cross-Southeastern Michigan Chapter needed help evaluating sponsorship packages and exploring new opportunities for supporters.

PCGCampbell started by assessing the overall event setup, name, award categories and nominating process. We then recommended and organized key changes in the nomination and voting processes and assisted with contacting local celebrities and media outlets.

We helped coordinate and manage the judging panel as well as manage awareness efforts to boost individual ticket sales, sponsorship sales and attendance.

PCGCampbell encouraged the Red Cross to send media packages to an additional 17 of Metro Detroit’s influential people who had never before supported this event. The event's first-ever official radio sponsor, WWJ, assisted with event promotion and produced public service announcements featuring radio host Sonny Eliot and event honorees. PCGCampbell also helped create a user-friendly web-based nomination and voting processes that garnered more than 500 online votes. At the end of the day, the number of program attendees increased by at least 15 percent over the previous year. Total gross income was $102,325, an increase of over $25,000 compared with the previous year.