GIVE Water
During the summer of 2008 I interned with GIVE Water, a small, independent beverage startup company based in Pittsburgh, PA. GIVE Water is a socially conscious company that donates ten cents from each bottle sold to one of five charities; GIVE Life, GIVE Love, GIVE Hope, GIVE Strength, and GIVE Energy.
GIVE was in its infancy when I joined the company as a marketing and sales intern. In fact, I was the company's entire marketing department and my working budget for the summer was $0.00. My sole responsibility was to increase brand awareness and further GIVE's distribution throughout major east coast cities such as NYC, Washington D.C., and Boston.
I immediately identified and executed three successful marketing initiatives all while staying within my zero dollar budget.
My first marketing initiative revolved around networking and organizing several crosspromotional events with other charities and organizations that matched GIVE's charitable mission. I began by researching smaller, local events taking place throughout the summer. I donated GIVE water to several well-attended events hosted by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Maniac Magazine, and various art galleries. Part of my cross-promotional agreement with these organizations stated that GIVE Water would be the only water served at the event.
Additionally, I emailed representatives from the Susan G. Kloman Race for the Cure in NYC. I was able to successfully form a partnership between GIVE and Race for the Cure and donated 10,000 cases of water to the race. My superiors noted that the brand exposure from my cross promotion with Race for the Cure in NYC was equal to over a million dollars spent on advertising, as I ensured that GIVE's logo was printed on all Race for the Cure handouts, t-shirts, and websites. The Race for the Cure in NYC draws 30,000 runners each year.
Second, I contacted Whole Foods Markets in Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and NYC to set up a series of free taste testing events to further increase brand recognition in these cities.
Third, I utilized various social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Ning to develop a brand ambassador program with high school and college students in Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., and NYC. I wrote GIVE's brand ambassador program's mission statement, organized the program's initiatives, and interviewed and hired students to commence the program.
These three marketing initiatives proved to be very successful. GIVE water is now the exclusive water sponsor for the Susan G. Kloman Race for the Cure in NYC; a partnership worth millions of dollars in brand exposure. GIVE Water is now carried in Whole Foods Markets and Giant Eagle Market Districts in major east coast cities. GIVE's brand ambassador program has grown from ten students during the summer I initiated the program to over 100 high school and college students throughout the northeast. Thus, proving that a zero dollar budget can be stretched a long way through cross-promotions, free taste tests, and utilizing social networking media.
Three GIVE Brand Ambassadors at a Whole Foods Sampling.
A GIVE Water station at the Race for the Cure in NYC