Project Analysis: Please provide a brief background on the project and your company efforts to demonstrate good corporate citizenship in the areas of community involvement, environmental, or socially responsible practices.
As the COVID-19 pandemic escalated and nurses across the country were working tirelessly to care for patients, the Agency proposed that CheapCaribbean, the leader in creating mind-blowing, unforgettable vacation packages to the Caribbean, Mexico and Central America, launch a campaign to give back to frontline workers. Nurses have long been identified as a key target audience for the brand, and with the launch of their “ER&R Club,” a complimentary nurses membership program, CheapCaribbean wanted to show their appreciation during this unprecedented time with tangible action.
Strategically timed around both National Nurses Week and International Nurses Day, the Agency launched a campaign called “Beach Shift,” with the intention of gifting beach vacations to 50 nurses -- one from each state -- as a “thank you” for their tireless work throughout COVID-19. The giveaway was nomination-based, in order to reach not only a key demographic of nurses, but also their friends and family. To spark interest and drive nominations, we launched an aggressive media relations campaign. We drafted pitches using on-brand messaging and conducted outreach promoting the campaign to our database of 1,300+ top-tier national travel, lifestyle and broadcast media contacts, highlighting a clear call to action to nominate nurses.
Objectives and Goals: What did organization set out to achieve in undertaking this project in CSR? What were the goals you set to measure your success?
First and foremost, CheapCarribean’s objective was to give back to frontline workers with a much deserved vacation and to communicate gratitude for their work. The brand also took this opportunity to target one of their long-time customer segments, healthcare workers and most specifically nurses, to increase brand awareness on a national scale with the goal that this group would help drive bookings when travel resumed. The Agency also aimed to grow its “ER&R Club” membership to cultivate brand loyalty among healthcare workers in the long-term.
Results: How did you measure the effectiveness of your efforts and what direct and tangible results did you achieve? Please be as specific as possible and share the full impact of your efforts in CSR.
The campaign resulted in a total of 41 media placements, including four broadcast segments, garnering 2.3 billion media impressions and an estimated ad value of over $15.1 million. The initiative was covered by top-tier national outlets including Travel + Leisure, New York Post, People and Thrillist.
The campaign led to 15,000+ nominations for nurses and a 318% increase in “ER&R Club” sign-ups during the launch week. CheapCaribbean was able to make direct contact with a key, niche target audience and secured useful consumer information, including email addresses from entrants and nominees for future outreach and promotions.
Leadership: Please list the individual in a leadership role responsible for the project and how would you characterize their commitment to promoting corporate social responsibility in the travel and tourism industry?
In addition to “Beach Shift,” under leadership from President of CheapCaribbean, Michael Lowery, CheapCaribbean has launched several other initiatives that give back to those who dedicate their lives to helping their communities. CheapCaribbean prides itself on being a company focused on providing rest and reprieve for some of America’s hardest workers, including nurses and teachers. In the last two years alone, CheapCaribbean has gifted a total of 200 beach stays to teachers, nurses, and other healthcare workers.
Entry Title
A “Beach Shift” for Frontline Workers as a Special Thanks
Division
Corporate Social Responsibility - Corporate Social Responsibility
Category
Corporate Social Responsibility