My last post introduced the concept of corporate & nonprofit anniversaries as a marketing tool. Here are some actual examples of how organizations have celebrated their anniversaries, shared by “Corporate Memory Marketing” expert Phyllis Barr.
- To celebrate its 150th anniversary, a popular magazine co-sponsored a special exhibit with one of its long-time advertisers. The exhibit opened in the city where the magazine was headquartered (also one of the advertiser’s locations) and then toured the country. The magazine also compiled a brief history handout for distribution.
- A specialty toy company organized its archives and included oral history interviews with its executives and key staff. They also shared historical notes on their phone system’s on-hold message.
- In honor of its 285th anniversary, a church created its own museum with special exhibits tied-in with the history of the surrounding community; created a special lecture series; sponsored a historic pageant as part of its celebration; conducted historical walking tours; and published a book of its history (dating back to the American Revolution!). Not only did these efforts result in increased awareness & media attention for the church, but its historic research was also used in the church’s building restoration.
Besides garnering great press and public exposure, all these organizations used their anniversaries to recognize staff contributions to their longevity & success … a great way to stimulate and reinforce employee pride.
Stay tuned for my next post which will feature tips from Phyllis on how to leverage your corporate or nonprofit anniversary celebration.