With a $15 donation to the Food Bank, you got your very own Hunger Bear. Awwww.
And yes, the little money pillow could be removed. Awwww.
FOOD BANK OF CNY
I've been working with our local Food Bank for well over a decade. It's a cause I believe in, helmed by clients who trust me and my team to figure out new ways to tell their story through powerful ideas.
In 2008, with everyone feeling the effects of the recession, we knew we had to do something different to convince people to think beyond their own situation and make an effort to help the hungry.
Our solution was the whimsical, memorable Hunger Bear character. He instantly communicated the many different ways that people could fill the hole left by hunger -- simply by donating food, money, or their time.
In printed materials, Hunger Bear was a cute illustration. In television, he was the soft, huggable friend of a little girl. The spot showed her scouring the Central New York community, looking for the many different ways to fill the hole left by hunger. The signature song that accompanied her quest -- at once both sweet and sad -- was written by me and recorded for use in television and radio spots.
The Hunger Bear campaign struck a chord in the community. One local woman even wrote a letter to The Food Bank saying the TV spot moved her so much, she felt compelled to donate something -- even though she barely had anything to give. The envelope contained two one-dollar bills.
That is the power of an idea.