Division A - Public Relations Programs
Category 7 - Promotional/Marketing
BUILDING BABY’S BRAIN POWER
Doreen Overstreet, Summer Walker, Cindy Marfori
Award of Distinction
Judges' Award
Research/Situation Analysis:
Orlando-based BETA Center, which provides resources and services to
at-risk teen mothers, was looking for an alternative way to help raise
money – and awareness – for their organization. BETA found the answer
in Building Baby’s Brain Power, a calendar-style book written by two
qualified staff members. Brain Power offers hundreds of fun and easy
one-minute brain stimulating activities for baby’s first years. Each
activity involves one or more of the five senses. For example,
exercises range from dancing with baby to smelling vanilla extract to
watching the rain. The book was originally written for moms taking
classes at BETA to help them bond with their babies. However, the
non-profit wanted to promote the book to caregivers nationwide – with
all profits benefiting BETA. In March 2004, BETA asked Costa DeVault
(CD) to redesign the original version of Brain Power to make it
marketable and to publicize it. The problem? Although the book had
excellent content, it was bulky, more than 500 pages, designed in
calendar format and printed in black & white. The book would have
been difficult and costly to reproduce – and not commercially
appealing. BETA enlisted Rollins College students to conduct focus
groups and research, which highlighted the book’s potential buyers,
competition, strengths and weaknesses. CD was charged with taking the
research and developing a new Brain Power book, and taking it to
market. CD also researched targeted media, baby trends and how to
enlist national booksellers. PR was integral to generating awareness
because BETA had no advertising budget. CD agreed to help BETA take its
unique marketing tool to the next level … at no charge.
Objectives: To: 1) redesign Brain Power’s to make
it commercially marketable in order to enlist a national bookseller to
carry it; 2) produce a cost effective book that would generate at least
$50,000 in revenue for the nonprofit over a two-year period; 3)
publicize Brain Power to help fuel book sales by securing 15 media
placements and at least one national placement.
Implementation: Focus group members stated that
Brain Power needed more color and was too long. Although the book
wasn’t date specific, CD found that it shouldn’t be in calendar format
because it would limit its bookstore shelf-life. To reduce printing
costs, CD edited the book from 365 exercises to 200 exercises, and
resized it from 8” x 7” to a friendlier 5” x 5.” CD redesigned Brain
Power, using soft pastel colors. National bookstores required a soft
spine, so the spiral binding was removed. CD wrote press releases and
fact sheets about the book, created a “baby bag” press kit (complete
with a diaper bag and sample items like a rattle for activities),
designed book flyers, and sent pitch letters to media, government
agencies and pediatrician offices. CD also publicized the book to both
local and national media, focusing specifically on parenting-based
publications. CD sent packets about the book to national bookstores to
request they consider carrying it, and corresponded with book agents.
During the first year and a half, Brain Power was originally sold
through BETA’s Web site and Amazon.com for $14.95.
Evaluation: Cost-effective and commercially
appealing, Brain Power met all objectives and proved to be an
outstanding marketing tool. CD secured a five-minute feature on CNN
about the book and placement in ePregnancy magazine. This publicity
directly helped obtain two print sponsors and improved book sales. The
book was reprinted in 2006 in a larger quantity and CD continued
publicity efforts, landing coverage in the Orlando Sentinel,
Sun-Sentinel, American Baby and the Daily Buzz – a national morning
show – as well as spots on two local TV station affiliates and radio
interviews. CD surpassed its publicity goal with more than 20 media
placements, three of which were national. According to BETA President
Hope Kramer, “We had great feedback and made sales in every single
state.” The printing costs for the new book were $2.99 each, compared
to $8.95 in the original printing. The repackaging saved BET $30,000,
and generated over $70,000 in revenue for BETA, which exceeded the
$50,000 objective for revenue. Publicity – which gathered momentum in
2006 – also fueled sales (and print sponsors) and was equivalent to
more than $379,000 in advertising dollars. The coup de grâce of the
marketing efforts paid off in 2006 when Barnes & Noble agreed to
carry the book nationwide and Babies R Us expressed interest in
carrying it … and CD helped BETA secure a book distributor! Brain Power
is poised to generate even more money – and awareness – for BETA. It is
being translated into Spanish.
Budget: BETA did not incur any expenses. Rollins
College students donated research. All redesign, editing, PR and
marketing costs were donated by CD, totaling more than 800 hours. As a
result of publicity, Nemours Children’s Clinic and Arnold Palmer
Hospital generously donated the costs for printing. Warehouse storage
for the book was also donated. Had BETA paid for all these services, it
would have cost more than $85,000. Instead, BETA wound up in the black
– generating $70,000 to support its programs. The total value to the
organization (including in-kind contributions): more than $150,000.