'Email a Duck, Raise a Buck' by Munchkin for Susan G. Komen

Web 2.0 Cause-Related Marketing

Back in February I wrote about Project Pink a cause-related marketing campaign benefiting Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation from Munchkin, Inc.

Now they’ve added a Web 2.0 twist.

“Munchkin Inc.,” I wrote makes innovative products for parents, children and pets.” They started their support of Komen because “Serena Gillespie, the wife of the company’s vice president of marketing, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 at tender age of 31. She had two children under age four at the time.”

“The privately-held company rallied around Serena and her husband Doug
Gillespie. But they went a step further and developed a cause-related marketing
campaign with two goals. One goal was to raise money for the cause. But the
larger goal was to encourage young mothers to get screened for breast cancer.”

Before now, Munchkin’s campaign “made use of pink bath ducks which were available in stores and online for $2.99. They chose ducks for their double-meaning, a reminder not to ‘Duck a Breast Exam.’”

“Moreover, since 1999 Munchkin has sold a product called the Safety Bath
Ducky, which has a built-in device meant to warn parents if the bathwater is too
hot. So the company and its customers have a history together with ducks.”

“Of the purchase price, $.20 or 100 percent of net proceeds (whichever is
greater) from the sale of each pink duck goes to Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer
Foundation, with a minimum donation of $10,000.”

“Munchkin supported the campaign in their ads, with press releases and with a micro website...”

“They also induced celebrities including Reese Witherspoon, Matthew McConaughey, Janet Jackson, Patti LaBelle, and others, to decorate pink ducks before auctioning them off for Komen.”

This year the featured celebrity is CBS Evening News Anchor Katie Couric.

Like I wrote at the time, it’s nicely thought out and well executed campaign.

Here’s the Web 2.0 twist. You can now create a virtual duck, decorate it and then email it to friends. Mine is on the left. When you do, and your friend opens it Munchkin will donate $.05 to Komen up to $10,000. The deadline is October 31, 2007. You can track the ‘movement’ of the duck via their website.

In the main this is cause-related marketing to support Munchkin’s brand, which is a fun objective. So it’s too bad they didn’t get it exactly right. The effort is headlined: “Email a Duck, Raise a Buck.” But of course that’s not accurate. Your duck email has to be opened 20 times before a dollar is raised.

Still, I like this Web 2.0 cause-related marketing campaign a lot.

Finally, a tip of the hat Morgan Draper for bringing this newest Munchkin wrinkle to my attention.