Swain & Associates Turns Heads With Pink Chick Parade

Unconventional ideas and show-stopping visuals enable Talk to generate buzz, traffic and funds during October's Breast Cancer Awareness month promotion at The Forum Shops.

Swain & Associates, developer of The Forum Shops, donated $10,000 to the Pink Ribbon Project and asked Talk to expand support of Breast Cancer Awareness month throughout the retail center. The client wanted to create a promotion that would both raise funds and generate traffic into The Forum Shops. Talk developed the Pink Chick Parade - life-size pink cutouts of women available through any Forum retailer for $125 each, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Pink Ribbon Project. The cutouts were placed along Military Cutoff in front of The Forum Shops, effectively creating a "parade" of Pink Chicks throughout October. The campaign slogan was "Buy a Chick, Save a Life," because $125 is what it costs the Pink Ribbon Project to administer a mammogram to an uninsured or underinsured woman. Flash animation of pink chicks parading was added to The Forum Shops' website for the month of October. Banners and posters were set up throughout The Forum Shops to raise awareness and stimulate sales Talk planned a press conference to officially launch the "parade" on October 8. Local celebrities and elected officials, including Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo, attended the event to unveil the first 15 Pink Chicks sold. An e-blast was distributed to Talk's database of clients, vendors and friends Talk worked with the Pink Ribbon Project staff to promote the Pink Chick Parade at its other events and fundraisers throughout October. 5' tall Pink Chick cutouts attended the Pink Ribbon Project luncheon and dinner on October 8th. Talk positioned the Pink Chick Parade as an annual event and continues to work with the Pink Ribbon Project to ensure next year's event is bigger and better. The promotion raised more than $3,000 and garnered widespread media coverage: Live coverage on WECT in evening newscasts as well as replays on late night and the following morning Morning radio show host brought breakfast and interviewed Swain & Associates the following day A story and photos were featured in the Star News retail column