A Case Study Presented by Hallmark and Fleishman-Hillard October 24, 2004

1. A Case Study Presented by Hallmark and Fleishman-Hillard October 24, 2004

2. The Business Problem Slow growth of greeting card sales • Almost 90 percent of U.S. households already use them • Consumer understands their value, she just forgets • Minimal voice in the marketplace for the category • The marketing solution: card-based advertising campaign

3. The Public Relations Problem • PR could help • But cards are not “news” • Typical card news (e.g., holidays) offers some exposure opportunities, but is season-based, not ongoing • For this challenge, needed a different, creative idea!

4. The Public Relations Solution Hallmark Writers on Tour • A public relations program to help grow the greeting card category • An opportunity to express to consumers directly and through news stories the emotional benefit of greeting cards • One of the most comprehensive, multifaceted, and rewarding PR programs any of us have completed

5. Public Relations Objectives • Remind consumers, directly and through news media, of the emotional benefit of greeting cards • Reinforce to consumers and internal audiences that Hallmark best delivers these benefits • Use the assets developed through the program to feed other publicity efforts

6. PR Strategy • Elicit consumer testimonials to express the emotional benefit of greeting cards with activities that: • Personalize Hallmark • Engage consumers directly • Generate news in themselves • Feed stories that can generate more news

7. Tactical Plan • Take writers on the road • Solicit consumer memories through events, media relations • Add ongoing touchpoints (Hallmark Visitors Center, Hallmark.com) • Leverage consumer stories for additional news • Bring consumers’ experiences back to Hallmark to inspire employees

8. Making It Happen: The Markets • Markets were selected by: • Media receptivity • Propensity of local consumers to buy lots of Hallmark cards • Connection between the writers and the market • Location of Fleishman-Hillard offices or community organizers

9. How did we generate attendance? • Invitations to Hallmark Gold Crown members • Advance media relations • Fliers in Hallmark Gold Crown stores • Fliers at event venues • Affinity group outreach

10. Pilot events Lawrence, Kan. Leavenworth, Kan. Leawood, Kan. Topeka, Kan. Kansas City, Mo. Official tour stops Kansas City San Diego South Florida Cincinnati Des Moines Philadelphia Omaha Phoenix St. Louis Nashville Minneapolis/St. Paul Baltimore/Washington, D.C. Salt Lake City Las Vegas Where Did We Go?

11. Making It Happen: The Venues • Sought smaller, casual venues with engaged proprietors • Not Hallmark stores — to be seen as less commercial • Allowed audience to feel comfortable enough to tell very touching personal stories in public • Coffeehouses • Tea shops • Day spas • Libraries • Bookstores • Community centers • Cafés

12. The Schedule • Three days, two nights in market • Media interviews, especially during drive time • Four-five event appearances • Retailer interaction and store visits

13. Event Format • Host + two writers • Introductory video • Writer presentations • Background • Sources of inspiration • Question/answer session • Story sharing • Informational packets • Card samples, story forms, bookmarks, gift cards

14. Introductory video here

15. Event Format • Host + two writers • Introductory video • Writer presentations • Background • Sources of inspiration • Question/answer session • Story sharing • Informational packets • Card samples, story forms, bookmarks, gift cards

20. The External Picture • We made 77 appearances in 15 markets over 19 months • We were interviewed for radio, TV, print, and online stories • We laughed, we cried, and sometimes we scratched our heads … but mostly we marveled at the way greeting cards touch people in strange and wonderful ways • We traveled by plane, taxi, shuttle bus, van, and town car • We got up early and stayed up late, drinking lots of coffee along the way • We were “Introverts on Parade”

21. Engaging Employees

22. Employee Communication Tools • Writer profiles, consumer stories in employee newsletter • Solicited employee stories (including the CEO’s!) • Intranet site, closed-circuit TV • Weekly e-mail to writing staff and internal partners to play back stories, maintain enthusiasm, and subtly market results to senior management • Presentation to writers and editors to celebrate success and recruit additional writers, hosts • All-employee meeting recapping the program and its success

23. Internal Partners • Required cross-functional participation and support • Greetings marketing group • Creative division, writing managers • Writers themselves! • Hallmark.com • CRM group • Hallmark Visitors Center • Internal communications group

24. Results • Writers talked face-to-face with more than 2,500 employees and members of the public • Collected approximately 500 written consumer stories from events, Visitors Center, Web site, by mail • Hallmark.com/meaningfulmoments had more than 24,000 visitors since its launch

25. Results • Media helped tell the story • More than 131 million media impressions • Major print and online clips included The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, Philadelphia Inquirer, The Kansas City Star, Cincinnati Inquirer, to name a few; articles in Salt Lake City and Nashville were syndicated • 21 radio interviews reaching 5.5 million • Radio media tour hit 10 stations and networks nationwide • 17 television interviews reaching 8 million • Writers on Tour messages fed other campaigns yielding an additional 143 million impressions

26. Val Day VNR here

27. Results • Best of all, 90 percent of the media stories carried our key message: This tour is not only about sharing how we work at Hallmark, but also about listening to real people talk about how cards have made a difference in their lives.

28. Results • Consumer stories, media-trained writers have fed other initiatives — Valentine’s Day, Shoebox • Sixty-second interstitials derived from shared stories airing on the Hallmark Channel, reaching additional audiences, generating more consumer stories • Major groups (AARP, IAAP) heard about it and invited us to bring the program to them!

29. Interstitital video here

30. Results • Consumer stories, media-trained writers have fed other initiatives — Valentine’s Day, Shoebox • Sixty-second interstitials derived from shared stories airing on the Hallmark Channel, reaching additional audiences, generating more consumer stories • Major groups (AARP, IAAP) heard about it and invited us to bring the program to them!

31. Results • Attendees loved it and learned! • Of those surveyed after the events • 83.5 percent strongly agreed the presentation helped them realize how important cards are to people • 95 percent strongly agreed they have increased respect for what goes into the creation of a greeting card • 88 percent now think about Hallmark or greeting cards differently than they did before the event • 50 percent purchased or used more greeting cards than normal in the week following the event

32. Why Was It Successful? • The campaign was built around our DNA • Did not portray us as something other than what we are • As a result, audiences had no problem embracing the concept • Reinforced our brand promise • Every campaign element focused on delivering our primary message • Media outreach and coverage • Invitations, other attendance-generating activities • Events themselves • Timing

33. Why Was It Successful? • Internal audiences embraced the campaign; it became a part of corporate culture • Card-planning teams ask for relevant consumer stories when assigning new projects to writers • Chairman referred to the program in his annual Thanksgiving letter to employees • Writers and hosts volunteered for year two

34. Why Was It Successful? • Corporate culture embraced the campaign • Stories were shared throughout Hallmark, reinforcing the importance of each job and improving morale • WOT was highlighted at a retail creative summit • WOT videos shared at board of director meetings • Members of Hall family’s fourth generation were briefed on the campaign’s success

35. Why Was It Successful? • Strong first year, and successful “selling” of results led to second-year funding • Momentum continued into year two and led to even greater media placements in national outlets and media inquiries • Stories filtered to the advertising agency who shared stories with larger audiences via Hallmark Channel • Integrated into other Hallmark campaigns • Writers on Tour became the underpinning of other Hallmark campaigns • Media training writers was an asset to all future PR efforts • Valentine’s Day outreach focused on a shared story • Shoebox campaign focused on humor writers

36. Don Hall video here

37. A Case Study Presented by Hallmark and Fleishman-Hillard