Peter Mac's Corporate Coup - Profile

When the Foundation arm of the internationally renowned cancer hospital, Peter McCallum Cancer Institute wanted to do some ‘brand building’ to support its fundraising initiatives it found a willing and able corporate partner in Clemenger Harvie Edge.

This innovative corporate community partnership has resulted in a media campaign in Sydney and Melbourne being launched this month by the Victorian Premier Steve Bracks and a television, radio and newspaper blitz that is all pro bono!

Such partnerships don’t come without hard work and dedication and a shared vision from both the Not for Profit and the Corporate. Here’s a look at how it was done.

Sharon McHale is the executive officer of the Peter McCallum Cancer Foundation who worked closely with Clemenger Harvie Edge over six months to bring about the media campaign.

McHale says Foundation board member, Robert Kirby who heads up Village Roadshow introduced Peter Mac to the advertising heavyweight whose representatives toured the Melbourne facility and liked what they saw.

McHale says the key to any successful partnership is in both parties expressing their expectations up front so that there are no compromises down the track or any ‘devaluing’ of the project because of the pro bono nature of the work.

She says Clemengers was fantastic from the very beginning treating Peter Mac like ‘real’ clients.

The brief to Clemengers was a brand campaign that focused on the positive side of treatment rather than sickness and loss, which many campaigns in the past had used.

After much discussion from the boardroom to focus groups and patient input, the Getting On With Life campaign was born with the aim of appealing to a range of ages and cancer types.

It was decided the style of the television campaign would incorporate home video taken by patients and their families highlighting special moments in their lives due to the work of Peter Mac.

An added bonus was obtaining the rights to use music from a Bee Gees classic ‘To Love Somebody’.

Clemenger Harvie Edge threw all its creative ‘arms ‘ into the partnership. The pre-campaign market research was done by its Quantum Research group, which will also follow through with post campaign research.

Another division called PR Edge worked towards maximising media exposure for the launch resulting in all the networks covering the ‘launch’.

The results of the partnership can be seen and heard with the current campaign getting enormous free airplay and TV time in both Sydney and Melbourne. Converting the campaign into much-needed dollars will be the reward for this innovative partnership.

If you would like to tell us about an inspiring partnership being forged by your business please send the details to us at corpnews@probonoaustralia.com.au.