Eat. Clay. Love. & Eat. Clay. Love. Once Again!
CEO/Chief Creative Officer Christopher T. Spiro is on the marketing committee for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southwest Florida, and his agency, Spiro & Associates, conducts Ronald McDonald House’s marketing on a pro bono basis. The agency was tasked with creating a one-of-a-kind event to mark the 20th anniversary of the Ronald McDonald House and further expose the organization by making it a cause that the entire community could rally behind. After an internal brainstorming session, agency staff came up with Eat.Clay.Love. – a play on the title of a popular movie. In short, 20 people who were popular enough to attract communitywide attention would paint a clay platter in any way that made them feel the most inspired. From there, these local celebrities would call upon their professional and personal network right here in Southwest Florida to join them at the Ronald McDonald House for a night of eating and bidding on their platter, while raising money for the charity and taking a tour of the house while they happen to be on campus. The result was 125 guests who raised $30,000 in less than 45 minutes. This success prompted the nonprofit organization to ask Spiro & Associates to replicate this event. Eat.Clay.Love…Again! included the same premise with the same marketing collateral, but developed in a way that showed the event’s evolution, such as with an evolved event program, logo, save the date and formal invite all created by Spiro. Part of the evolution would also include 21 local celebrities to mark the charity’s 21st year. When it came to selecting celebrities, Spiro & Associates first requested the participation of sponsors, including itself, as a way of having sponsorship representation. Then, the agency called upon Ronald McDonald House participation, so that the mission itself could be represented. Finally, the agency conducted an informal audit of some of the largest industries in Southwest Florida, with the idea being that those within these industries would have the largest community networks that they can ask to support the event. Staff came up with medical, law, nonprofit, food/beverage, development, journalism and politics.
Objectives:
1) Raise $35,000 in record-setting time during the Eat.Clay.Love…Again! event.
2) Drive 150 guests to Eat.Clay.Love…Again!
The event raised $36,500 after expenses and exceeded our clients wildest dreams.
There’s more where that came from…