National Solid Waste Management Authority of Jamaica

The National Solid Waste Management Authority

(NSWMA) is showing Jamaica it “is cool to be clean.”

By Katylee Strange

picture from NSWMA website

In April 2010 Jamaica’s National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) launched their campaign to increase revenue-generating initiatives to help decrease Jamaica’s overall solid waste. The campaign used local event to help promote its ideas of its “cool to be clean” by participating in the Bacchanal Jamaica road march on April 11, and the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission's Independence Float Parade.

After The campaign included promoting aspects of the National Solid Waste Management Act that was passed in 2001. With the help of the act the country is working to safeguard the public health and ensure that the waste is collected, transported, recycled, reused or disposed of in a way that is environmentally sound. The act created an Authority that would help regulate the waste management in Jamaica. The Authority would help convert dumps into landfills, design and designate new landfills, provide collectors of solid waste, and create other guidelines relating to solid waste management. Those are just a few of the many things the Authority does to regulate solid waste in Jamaica.

The Sustainable Development and Regional Planning Division Planning Institute of Jamaica conducted research in 2007 to determine the effectiveness of their current solid waste disposal plan. The country realized something needed to be done about their solid waste management efforts. The article “Management of Hazardous & Solid Waste in Jamaica” shows the connection between economic activity and volume of waste produced. NSWMA decided to launch the campaign in order to reduce the hazards of solid waste. The National Solid Waste Management Authority’s mission statement is to “efficient and effective collection, disposal and management of solid waste while promoting change through public education.”

The NSWMA website allows people to learn about what the mission statement and goals of NSWMA as well as the work that has been done in the past that transformed dumps into usable and environmentally friendly landfills. The website also contains a collection schedule that people in Jamaica can look up when solid waste collection will occur in their region. There are also fun ways for children to get involved on the website in the “Fun for Kids” section.

Overall the campaign is a way a new way to promote an environmentally safe way of disposing solid waste in a country that has not known for sanitation and waste management in the past, Jamaica. Jamaica is a small country that cannot afford to overlook sanitation disposal of the 2,825,928 people’s solid waste that live on the 10,991 sq km island.

For more information about National Solid Waste Management Authority and their efforts to make Jamaica a more sanitary country visit http://www.nswma.gov.jm/.

"Think Outside Your Bubble" Shows Impact Public Relations Can Have in Government

photo courtesy of Ogilvy PR

By Kylie Schneider

In 2006, Ogilvy Public Relations was hired by Planned Parenthood California to help create a campaign against Proposition 85 in California. Prop. 85 would have forced physicians to report any abortions performed on minors to a parent or guardian. Prop. 85 barred abortion for minors until 48 hours after a Doctor notifies a parent or legal guardian, except in a medical emergency or with a waiver from a judge or parent. Married or emancipated minors were to be exempt. The main argument against Prop. 85 and the reason Planned Parenthood wanted to develop a campaign against it is because it was believed that it would force a young girl to tell an abusive parent or guardian that she was pregnant which could cause her harm. The campaigns key message was that not every girl lives in a home where she can go to her parent for help.

Prop. 85 had previously been defeated as Prop. 73 in 2005. As a result, Ogilvy needed to make certain that every dollar had maximum impact on voters. Ogilvy began by researching people’s stances on certain issues. Data showed there was a shift from 2005 to 2006 in which supporters of the proposition had gained favor by exploiting the danger of child predators on the Internet. From polling and focus groups, research showed that focusing on domestic violence and less fortunate girls had the potential to change women’s’ votes from “yes” to “no” on Prop. 85. Ogilvy chose to focus on teens who could not speak openly with their parents for fear of violent repercussions by.

A test TV spot called “Think Outside Your Bubble” was created to measure the effectiveness of its message delivery to voters. The commercial shows a large bubble floating through a yard as a voice over featured a woman speaking about how she knows her daughter would feel free to come to her for help if she was pregnant. At the end the bubble travels to a home where the viewer can hear yelling and the bubble pops as the narrator realizes not every girl is as lucky as her daughter. The ad’s main goal was to remind people that, although they may have positive and trustful relationships with their daughters, not all young girls live in safe environments where she can communicate with her mother or guardian.

Test results showed that the ad successfully moved women and had a very strong emotional effect on men as well. Satisfied with the results, Planned Parenthood and Ogilvy launched the “Think Outside Your Bubble” ad campaign.

Upon evaluation, “Think Outside Your Bubble” was a clear success. The campaign helped raise support against Prop. 85 among major Democratic officeholders and the public. All major California newspapers published pieces against the proposition and the campaign also changed the stance of two newspapers which had supported Prop. 73 in 2005. Additionally, eight California counties, which had voted “yes” on Prop. 73 voted “no” on Prop. 85. In the end, with the help of “Think Outside Your Bubble”, Prop. 85 was defeated by a 9.5 percent margin which was a 4.5 percent increase from the defeat in 2005.

To accomplish their goals, Ogilvy appealed to people’s emotions on the serious issue of child abuse to garner support against a proposition that could have potentially put young girls in danger. Women voters were especially targeted because of their likelihood to relate what they saw to their relationships with their own daughters and feel sorry for girls who cannot depend on their parent or guardian for support. Through research of attitudes and political stances, as well as testing the emotional responses of an ad before airing it, Planned Parenthood and Ogilvy were able to prevent an unfair law from being made a reality. This campaign shows what a powerful role Public Relations can play in the political spectrum.

Huggies "Every Little Bottom" Campaign

Improving the Well Being of Mothers and Babies

By: Morgan McMahan

Photo: Huggies' website

Huggies created its “Every Little Bottom” campaign to fight the diaper need for new mothers to improve the well being for both mother and children. Huggies will donate 20 million diapers in the United States over the next eight months. The campaign kicked off with a generous of two million diapers to the ten local diaper banks across the country.

In a case study about new mothers, it was found that 1 in every 3 mothers is forced to sacrifice basic everyday needs like food and childcare because of the need for diapers.

According to the website, on average, babies use from 6-10 diapers a day adding up to about $75 per month. When the child is 2 ½ years old, one child will have already used around 7,000 diapers. Some mothers struggle to provide their babies new diapers, and in desperate situations some mothers are forced to clean already used diapers to reuse them on their children.

The goal for the Huggies campaign is to collect 22.5 million diapers worldwide through donations. Currently, the campaign has generated 2.5 million. Huggies supports diaper banks, which collects, stores, and distributes clean diapers to families who are financially unstable. Diapers are collected through donations, diaper drives, and through diaper banks.

Huggies partnered with the March of Dimes organization when the company realized the crucial and widespread need of diapers. Together, the two organizations will be committed to restoring and maintaining the health of mothers and babies in need.

The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

The March of Dimes is responsible for raising awareness for the diaper need across the country by encouraging friends and family to donate diapers to diaper banks through channels like Facebook and Twitter.

To make this campaign successful, Huggies is creating a new branding mechanism called “Diaper Your Baby, and a Baby in Need,” which includes a specially-marked pack of Huggies diapers or wipes that, if purchased, will help diaper a baby in need to add to the 20 million diapers donated by Huggies in the campaign. Also, Huggies has a virtual diaper drive on its website to identify nearby diaper banks in an area. To add, Huggies will be hosting over 1500 local events to address the diaper need to community organizations.

In addition to raising awareness, Ellen Pompeo, star of ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” has accepted the position of “Every Little Bottom’s’’ ambassador. She is using her celebrity to spread the word of the “Every Little Bottom” campaign by appearing on talk shows like ‘The Ellen Show’ to promote the cause and bring awareness to the issue.

For More Information on the 'Every Little Bottom' Campaign,

Visit: www.everylittlebottom.com

TOMS SHOES: ONE FOR ONE

TOMS SHOES: ONE FOR ONE

By: Molly Luton

TOMS Shoes has virtually taken the shoe industry by storm due to their worthwhile cause and unique public relations effort. The company's seemingly constant PR campaign entitled "One for One," has caused them to gain worldwide attention. The campaign states that, "With every pair you purchase TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need." TOMS Shoes was founded by Blake Mycoskie who created the company after he visited Argentina and found that many of the children there do not have shoes to protect their feet. Within one year of creating the TOMS Shoes company he was able to go back to Argentina bearing 10,000 shoes to give away as a result of people purchasing TOMS and contributing to the greater good.

As of now, TOMS Shoes has given over 10 million pairs of shoes to children in need. TOMS Shoes has created a company that is thriving due to the fact that people genuinely want to help other people, especially children, and TOMS has created a genius way for them to translate this passion by tapping into people's emotions. They utilize creative advertising that emphasizes how purchasing a single pair of shoes can make a huge difference to a child in need. They highlight the reasons why children need shoes, beyond the obvious, in the majority of their efforts. These reasons are that without shoes children can contract diseases through stepping on soil, they can get wounds and cuts that can turn into serious infections and lastly that without proper footwear children are often not allowed to attend school and thus never receive an education.

TOMS' campaign is catching on with other companies as well. Companies like Ralph Lauren created a Polo TOMS shoe and promised to match every pair purchased with the gift of a pair to a child without shoes.

As a part of their ongoing PR campaign that ingeniously benefits their company, as well as children in need of shoes, TOMS successfully created the first annual "One Day Without Shoes." This day challenged people around the globe to not wear shoes and thereby feel what a child without shoes experiences on a daily basis. The day centered around the profound influence that having shoes can make on a child's life. 250,000 people participated in the event in April 2010, and TOMS is once again challenging people to participate in the second annual, "One Day Without Shoes," on April 5, 2011.

As a result of these efforts TOMS is managing to become incredibly successful during a time when many companies around the country are struggling to survive. The combination of their cause and the quality of their shoes will surely allow TOMS to further their mission for many years to come.

Photo taken from the TOMS SHOES Blog.

A Crucial Catch: Annual Screening Saves Lives

A Crucial Catch: Annual Screening Saves Lives
By: Amber Rogers
Photo: NFL Web site

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States. The National Football League (NFL) has launched a campaign in support of the fight against breast cancer. "A Crucial Catch: Annual Screening Saves Lives" is the name of the campaign and it focuses on the importance of annual screening for women especially over the age of 40. Since the month of October is nationally recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness month, NFL players, coaches and referees will be wearing pink, the color associated with breast cancer, apparel to help raise awareness for the cause. They are going to auction of the apparel at the NFL Auction and the proceeds will go to the American Cancer Society and team charities.

This is the second year the NFL has run this campaign. The campaign was originated by DeAngelo Williams who is the Carolina Panthers' running back. He wanted to start this campaign because it hit close to home. His mother is a breast cancer survivor, but he has three aunts who have died from the disease. Williams is not the only person in the NFL who has dealt with the disease. Many people's lives in the NFL has been affected by breast cancer.

Williams heard of some players wearing pink gloves and suggested that players wear other appareal to support the cause such as cleats. They are even using pink coins in the coin tosses in the beginning of the games. Players wear a pink ribbon sticker on the back of their helmets and some also wear pink shoes, tape, or gloves to show their support.

Several retails stores, such as Dicks and Lids, along with NFL merchandise stores are involved in the fight against breast cancer and plan to donate a portion of their proceeds to breast cancer charities.

People who are not in the NFL can participate in the cause as well by joining a local American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk as part of an NFL fan team. So far the walk has raised $12, 687.50. All proceeds from the campaign will be donated to a breast cancer organization or charity.

To learn more about or get involved in the campaign, visit the NFL Web site.

Oprah's No Phone Zone

Take the No Phone Zone Pledge Today!
By: Katie Graham
Photo: By Harpo Studios

Sixteen people will die today…and tomorrow…and the next due to texting and driving. Real statistics like these have made the “No Phone Zone” a growing campaign. Six thousand deaths can be prevented with this campaign, as well as 500,000 collisions per year. Oprah Winfrey is a successful public relation’s campaigner, and with her help and popularity, this campaign has become a pledge in saving lives. Twenty four states and D.C. have banned all cell phones while 8 states have prohibited all drivers from using handheld phones. This campaign provides information such as personal stories from real people who have experienced a fatal tragedy concerning the use of cell phones, while allowing viewers to sign a petition that states they will not text and drive. More and more people have signed this petition and it has become a special feature on the Oprah Winfrey show. Stars such as Justin Bieber and Julia Roberts have signed the petition, using the use of celebrities to popularize and help make this campaign succeed in awareness. Oprah will not stop until everyone knows the dangers of texting and driving.

VIDEO: "A Mother's Message About Driving and Cell Phones"

When you check out the Web site, you have access to partnering with the no phone zone, making an official commitment to never text and drive and watching personal stories with videos from families who have lost a loved one from the distractions of cell phones. In the end, you have the choice of taking the no Phone Zone Pledge:

“I pledge to make my car a No Phone Zone. Beginning right now, I will do my part to help put an end to distracted driving by committing to drive as responsibly as I can.” (http://www.oprah.com/questionaire/ipledge.html)

With this, you can choose one:

“I will not text while I am driving.”

“I will not text while driving and will use only handsfree calling if I need to speak on the phone while I am driving.”

“I will not text or use my phone while I am driving. If I need to use my phone, I will pull over to a secure location.”

Right now, there are 403,237 pledged to keep our roads safe. Overall, this campaign provides a personal touch to the saying “don’t text and drive.” By exposing people to the real life dangers of the pain this has on the families and drivers, more people are thinking twice before picking up their cell phone.

$24K Event 2010

$24K Event brought back due to popular demand

By: Christy French

Photo: David House "The DFW House Guy"

Due to the poor economy and homes not be able to be sold at their full value, Coldwell Banker is bringing back their $24K Event. This program allows their clients the chance to gain extra publicity for their home. In order to have their home listed in the Event, all they have to do is speak to their Coldwell Banker sales associate. The Event features hundreds of homes, varying in price and type of home buyer.

The event was first implemented in 2009 and was such a great success that Coldwell Banker wanted to launch it again for 2010. The company's goal for the event is to have the homes listed to as many potential buyers as possible through the use of different media outlets. In addition to the selling aspect of the event, the twist for this year's event is the sales associate who closes a transaction with a potential buyer will be eligible for the $24K grand prize. Sue Meyer, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, says other real estate companies are also eligible to participate.

For the event, Coldwell Banker is planning to launch e-mail campaigns on cbdfw.com, newspaper advertising and editorials, and even partake in online marketing. Additionally, the home seller has the option to place a yard sign in their yard to distinguish the home as a $24K Event listing.

More information can be obtained about the $24K Event and Coldwell Banker by visiting www.cbdfw.com, or contacting the manager of Coldwell Banker's 19 offices in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Save Lids to Save Lives

Save Lids to Save Lives

By Laura Hill

Yoplait's "Save Lids to Save Lives" is a campaign developed to donate money to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which is an organization dedicated to raising awareness and fighting breast cancer. The lids are pink, which is the color associated with breast care awareness.

For every pink lid from a Yoplait product sent to the company before December 31, 10 cents will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Yoplait guarantees a $500,000 donation, and the amount can reach $1.6 million.

To participate, one must purchase a participating Yoplait product. The product will feature a pink lid with the "Save Lids to Save Lives" logo. The lids must be saved, rinsed and sent to Yoplait. The instructions and mailing address can be found here.

This year, Yoplait is also working with Fondo Yoplait Para La Mujer Hispana to reach the Hispanic community.

This is Yoplait's 12th Annual Drive of "Save Lids to Save Lives". Throughout these years, Yoplait has donated $25 million.

Anyone interested in learning more information can visit their Web site. Under "Breast Cancer Initiative" one can find many useful tips in donating his or her pink Yoplait lids. Anyone with a Facebook can also like "Save Lids to Save Lives'" Facebook group page to keep updated with the campaign.

Photo: Powerpact.com

OFF THE MAT, INTO THE WORLD

Photo provided by the Engage Network.

By: Cassie Little

In 2007 the Engage Network, which includes programs like “What’s Your Tree” and “Green for All,” partnered with some of yoga’s biggest names to create “Off the Mat, Into the World.” “Off the mat” is an organization that strives to bring social awareness to yoga practitioners and create grassroots movements within communities and abroad. Because the meaning of the word yoga is “union,” yoga classes are a great place to integrate a message for union between human beings and social change in society.

Currently, “Off the Mat” is engaged in the “Global Seva Challenge,” this is a project that encourages the yoga community around the world to make donations and give time to communities in crisis. Through grassroots fundraising and community service, "Off the Mat" raised $524,000 for community work in Cambodia in 2008, $577,000 for work in Uganda in 2009, and is currently working to raise money for communities in South Africa.

Not only is "Off the Mat" doing great things abroad, it is an organization that strives to encourage people to do what they can wherever they are, in their own communities. By becoming more socially aware and conscious, yoga practitioners around the world are making a difference through fundraising and volunteerism. Seane Corn, one of the founding members of “Off the Mat,” expressed that she believes service is one of the most incredible things a person can do because just as much as service helps others in need, it brings purpose and self awareness to the volunteer.

For more information, visit www.offthematintotheworld.org.

"Wear Yellow Live Strong"

Wear Yellow Live Strong

By Callie Gillock

Every year millions of people around the world are affected by cancer. On October 2, 1996, Lance Armstrong – one of the world’s best cyclists – was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Armstrong, like many others, ignored the warning signs of cancer. By the time Armstrong received the diagnosis, his cancer had already spread to his lungs, brain and abdomen. Unaware of what the future would hold, Lance Armstrong created the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

The Lance Armstrong Foundation, which is now known as LIVESTRONG, is a foundation that donates 81 cents of every dollar raised to services for cancer survivors as well as support for LIVESTRONG programs. In May 2004, the foundation teamed up with Nike and created the LIVESTRONG bracelet. The yellow bracelet is a part of the educational program “Wear Yellow Live Strong”. The program was created in an effort to raise awareness and money for cancer research. To date, there have been over 70 million bracelets sold worldwide. Since the foundation began in 1997, it has raised more than $325 million.

Marking the anniversary of Armstrong’s cancer diagnosis, every October 2 LIVESTRONG day has been dedicated to a global day of action. The worldwide event is to bring people together and wear yellow to honor people affected by cancer. People all over the world are invited to create their own LIVESTRONG event throughout the month of October. Nearly 1,142 events in 832 cities spanning over 65 countries have already been created.

The LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Campaign brings together millions of people nation wide working together to raise money and awareness for cancer research.

Picture Source: Nashmaximus

Live United.

Photo provide by United Way of Norman

Live United. 

By Sabrina DuFran

        The United Way is an organization that improves lives by the caring power of communities to advance in the common good around the world. Norman's campaign "Live United" is tied with the Unitied Way national campaign, which raises money for non-profit organizations in the community.

     The public of the United Way of Norman campaign is the community individuals of Norman. Donations to the Norman United Way go directly to the Norman people with 85 cents of every dollar helping the community. Funded are 33 programs at 24 agencies in the Norman Area. These programs are divided among four Impact Areas:

• Basic Needs
• Successful Children and Youth
• Strong and Safe Individuals
• Families, Seniors and Persons with Disabilities

     This year's campaign funding goal is to raise $1.95 million. As of September 18, 2010, the Pacesetter campaign, which is a prelude to the community campaign, had already raised $991,372, half of the total goal. The Pacesetter group is composed of local social service agencies, businesses and community organizations, and has proven to be a good indicator of how the year's campaign will develop. This  first accomplishment was announced at the annual kick-off of the main event, Day of Caring.

       Norman's main activity, Day Of Caring, matches volunteer workers with community agencies and organizations for the day, giving the agencies an opportunity to complete projects that require more manpower than they normally would have. More than 100 volunteers gave of their time this year for Norman's United Way kick-off event.
       Other planned events included a ticketed "Celebrity Sing" for community leaders which provided dinner, dancing and a live auction at the Riverwind Casino. Donations raised assisted with the start of the campaign.
       The Stuff The Bus event collected a bus load of school supplies for Norman students in need. The two high school Rotary Interact Clubs along with the United Way Teen Advisors gathered to promote this drive for those public school students who were unable to begin the year with their needed school supplies.

       Since the community of Norman lies in the greater metro area of Oklahoma City, many Norman residents work outside of Norman. A strategy exists even for such a difficult situation as this. Giving to the United Way through payroll deduction at an individual's place of employment many times creates a loss of interaction with their community. With "Designate 7100" these Norman residents are able to select Norman as the designated community to receive their donations while still enabling them to partcipate in their employee's United Way drive.


United Way Funded Programs:

• Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency
• Health For Friends
• Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma
• NAIC- Norman Addicion Information and Counseling
• Transition House
• Bethesda
• Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Oklahoma
• Bridges
• Cleveland County CASA
• Center for Children and Families, Inc.
• Community After School Program, CASP, Inc.
• Mary Abbott Children's House
• Parents Helping Parents
• Kaleidoscope
• Meals on Wheels of Norman
• ABLE- Council for Developmental Disabilities
• Among Friends
• Full Circle
• Thunderbird Clubhouse
• Aging Services Inc.