When you break down any business, it’s really all about people.
What people need, what connects us, how we show our appreciation and support to each other. Even in the digital age, franchised organizations remember they are all about the people they serve and show it with their commitments to social responsibility causes.
For example, last month was Breast Cancer Awareness month, and Caribou Coffee is doing their part to raise money and awareness by offering Amy’s Blend, a coffee blend created by Amy Erickson, a beloved Caribou Coffee employee, before she died of breast cancer in 1995. To date, they have raised 1.6 million dollars for foundations supporting breast cancer survivors. Similarly, Hungry Howie’s Pizza contributes to breast cancer awareness with a focus on early detection through it’s pink ”Love, Hope & Pizza” initiative. T-shirts and pizza boxes are imprinted with the catch phrase and for every pizza sold and story shared through social media, Hungry Howie’s makes a contribution to the National Breast Cancer Foundation in the month of October.
Jersey Mike’s is currently wrapping up a six-month fundraising effort for Susan G, Komen for the Cure and will soon pay it forward with Wreaths Across America, a national program that begins with raising funds in the summer for an effort that lays wreaths at the graves of thousands of veterans during the Christmas season.
Honoring our nation’s veterans is a terrific use of a national franchise’s reach and resources. Sport Clips Haircuts is no stranger to this fact. From October 12 to November 11, Sport Clips locations across the country are raising funds through its Help A Hero campaign, which provides scholarships to active-duty service members and veterans through the VFW. Help A Hero scholarships give our nation’s heroes financial assistance as they work toward their higher educational goals. Eligible applicants should hold a rank of E-5 or below and can be retired, honorably discharged or active duty and demonstrate a need for financial assistance at a VA approved school/program. Full disclosure: BrandPOP is proud to have produced all of the in-store marketing materials and POP kits for this worthy, yearly program, implemented across more than 1400 SportClips locations!
Sport Clips and the VFW have awarded almost $1.2 million in Help A Hero scholarships to our nation’s heroes who are going to school to further their civilian careers.
Sport Clips founder and CEO Gordon Logan
Logan is a U.S. Air Force veteran and lifetime member of the VFW. “Their time in the service was a sacrifice we can never really repay, but our gratitude and support through these scholarships is one way we can say ‘thank you.’ We appreciate the Sport Clips team members across the country who work hard every year to honor our military. And, we are grateful to our clients who make donations during their haircut service.”
These are just a few of the many efforts out there that demonstrate just how powerful a franchise’s involvement can be in bringing attention to important causes. Call BrandPOP anytime for ideas about the best use of point of purchase materials as you plan your charitable giving, in-store effort.
Sources:
QSR, October 2015
JerseyMikes.com
SportClips.com