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A good song for GoodwillBy James Edward Mills
"The Give Song" is getting airplay on WMMM-FM (105.5), along with paid 60-second ad spots. The tune is also incorporated into other media venues that include a television ad, a Web site, a behind-the-scenes video and MP3 downloads of the song. You'll find details at www.giveyourgoodwill.org. Madison ad agency Knupp & Watson built the campaign to raise awareness and money for Goodwill's primary mission. Ad representative Andy Wallman said there's more to Goodwill than stores where you can drop off your old clothes and maybe get yourself a used waffle iron. "Not everyone knows that the money from those stores goes to help developmentally disabled people get into independent housing and jobs," Wallman said. "They wanted an ad campaign to get direct donations." With the goal of rolling out the new campaign in the fourth quarter of 2006, the height of the charitable giving season, Wallman said Knupp & Watson's media buy for Goodwill had to be exceptional. "We had a lot of ideas. But this one kept coming up because it was a different way in -- telling the story with a song," he said. "Songs are memorable. If people can keep that song in their heads, the client's ad dollar is going to go a lot farther." So Wallman called up his friend and fellow musician, Willy Porter, to write a song that would do the trick. A Madison favorite, Porter said he was pleased to lend his talents to support a nonprofit that does so much for the community. "People might hear about Goodwill and it might just pique their interest," Porter said. "They're moving into a new frontier of trying to expand what they do and also expand what people know that they do. As a musician it was really delightful to be involved." Local Goodwill president and chief executive Barbara Leslie said lack of awareness has severely limited her organization's ability to raise money. "We're competing with a lot of other groups and people will say, 'Well, I gave my sweater to Goodwill. So I'll give my money to a different charity,' " Leslie said. "They don't understand that Goodwill really needs to raise funds because this is how we subsidize our employment and housing programs." Leslie said she's thrilled with the song and expects the campaign will produce the desired effect. "More and more nonprofits are doing advertising," she said. "It's a good investment and you can get a return on that investment by getting the support of the people." James Edward Mills is a State Journal reporter. jmills@madison.com madison.com ©2009 Capital Newspapers. All rights reserved. |
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