PROVIDING
ACCESS TO YOUR PRODUCTS
When a blind person or
visually impaired person opens a kitchen cabinet, there is an immediate
question about the brand and contents of what they are reaching for. Is
it a can of tomato or vegetable soup, or in fact, is it soup at all? It could be pet food,
vegetables, or canned pasta. Is a particular can a soft drink, a juice,
or a mixer? Is a bottle of wine red or white? In the laundry room, or
bathroom, the identity of brands and products becomes even more important.
The identification of brands and products becomes an everyday issue for
11 million visually impaired consumers with every package throughout their
homes. Every person - blind, visually impaired, or sighted - deserves
equal access to consumer product identity; for convenience, for safety,
and for the option of brand selection.
There is now an innovative Braille labeling system, created using a revolutionary
new printing technology, that will allow all persons - blind, visually
impaired, and sighted - to have equal access to your brand and products.
It's called Labels for Literacy.
The Labels for Literacy
program will produce pages of self-stick labels that identify your brands
and your products in large print and in Braille. These labels will then
be distributed to blind and visually impaired consumers nationwide.
These labels will be sent free of charge not only to blind and visually
impaired consumers, but also to retail outlets and national and regional
organizations. Consumers will then apply the labels to your products at
the store where they shop, or in their homes, to create a whole new independence
for themselves in identifying your packaged goods.
This is a truly valuable service that's currently not offered anywhere!
A SERVICE
TO YOUR CONSUMERS, LOYALTY TO YOUR BRANDS
Labels
for Literacy marks a truly different service to consumers and a unique
opportunity for your company to communicate your brand identity to the
blind community. Your participation in Labels for
Literacy, and the public relations efforts of the Labels
for Literacy program, will help to forge a strong and well deserved loyalty to
your brands not only among 11 million visually impaired and 1 and 1/2
million blind Americans, but also family, friends of, and all those Americans
who care for or about this consumer group.
The Labels For Literacy program has researched and proven the need, and has
recognized the demand for this service. The project has been introduced nationally
and has received overwhelming positive responses. The visually impaired community,
and sighted participants as well, are excited
about the equality of opportunity this incredible new convenience will
bring to so many people. Labels for Literacy is just one small step we
can all take to help many of our neighbors gain an increased security
and independence. But it's a step you can take right now, and that's pretty
big news.
When you say "yes" to the program, Labels for Literacy, you
give children and adults both the power of reading and the power of information.
It just may be the most important gift you ever give.
CONSUMERS
SUPPORT COMPANIES WHEN COMPANIES SUPPORT CAUSES
Labels for Literacy's primary
function is to provide equal access to the identity of consumer packaged goods to visually
impaired and blind consumers. Secondly, the goal is to place more Braille
and large print on mainstream products so that consumers - blind; visually
impaired; and sighted - can increase their use and understanding of Braille.
This heightened awareness will, in turn, promote Braille literacy among
children. In fact, Labels for Literacy will become a vital awareness tool
to promote Braille literacy among everyone including non-Braille users.
Through the marketing efforts, the Public Relations program, the in-store
promotional material and the general advertising campaign, it is very
likely that ALL consumers
will come to recognize Labels for Literacy as the standard for Braille
and large print labeling on packaged goods products.
The latest trend reports show the typical consumer visiting the supermarket
2.2 times a week. Using a conservative estimate of 100 million "regular
weekly" shoppers, a branded company that signs on to the Program will gain over 200 million chances to communicate
their participation with consumers
every week. That's millions of shoppers who will see your brand
promoted through the P.R., the in-store marketing and advertising tactics
- all for the cost of participating in the Program. Compare this cost to
a national in-store campaign that you would have to execute yourself.
Additionally consider theses statistics concerning "cause-related"
marketing.
• Acceptability of cause-related marketing programs as
a business practice has increased by 8% since 1993.
• Eight
in ten Americans have a more positive image of companies who support a
cause they care about. (84% 1993, 83% 1998)
• Nearly
two-thirds of Americans, approximately 130 million consumers, report they
would be likely to switch brands (66%) or retailers (62%) to one associated
with a good cause.
• Providing a better future for America's children remains
the public's top priority.
• Eighty-seven percent of employees at companies with
cause-related programs feel a strong sense of loyalty to their employer,
versus 67% of those who do not have such a program.
The Program's branded partners will be looked upon as - "ground breakers" in equal access to information and Braille labeling. When the rest of the business world - financial institutions, entertainment companies, service sectors, etc. - begin to take advantage of this powerful medium, the original consumer packaged goods partners will benefit from their early Braille-literacy support. They will gain increased consumer acceptance and good will for their pioneering efforts and advancement of this important cause.
The national awareness that Labels for Literacy will generate concerning equal access, Braille usage, and child literacy, has the ability to help all the partners - manufacturers and retailers - forge new, long-lasting bonds with their consumers and their employees.
REACHING MORE
PEOPLE...
The Labels for Literacy marketing
program is nearly unparalleled in its ability to reach an extraordinary
breadth of people. In comparison with the other national-campaign options,
Labels for Literacy's reach is unprecedented.
THE RIGHT PLAN...
The Labels for Literacy go-to-market strategy is extremely thorough. With
the combined efforts of Labels for Literacy
and retailers across the nation, extensive
public relations, and promotion by companies like yours, the program will provide exposure
to consumers that could otherwise easily cost millions of dollars.
Highlights of our efforts:
• National
PR - Multi media repetition
• Retail
Support - extensive in-store exposure, advertising, and potential display
activity.
• Extensive exposure will be gained with libraries, doctors,
state and federal government groups
• Consumer
Package Goods companies will be provided the tools to self-promote their
own participation.
In the Labels for Literacy program, you are not considered advertisers.
You are considered participants on the team. You become an essential part
of the project and mission. You receive media relations as part of the
package because we are dedicated to our message and we are committed to
the promotion of this project. We would be honored and thrilled to have
a company like yours on board.
ACCOMPLISHES MORE!
Participation in Labels for Literacy is a unique opportunity to achieve multiple
things for your company:
• Press
exposure through ongoing mention in multiple medias without having to
place or create one ad internally.
• Association with a great
cause.
• Consumer
awareness of your product through the press exposure, and the name of
your products on labels inside consumer's homes.
• The
cost comparison between placing regular advertisements in newspapers and
participating in Labels for Literacy demonstrates how this is a no-lose
situation - one or two ads a month in any major publication will cost
significantly more than Labels for Literacy participation.
IN - STORE
With 70% of all in-store buying
decisions influenced by Point-Of-Purchase displays and signs, your brands
will benefit greatly from the increased exposure they will gain being
featured in Labels for Literacy's national POP sign program. Individual
shelf talkers will point right to your products and identify your brand
as a Labels for Literacy supporter. Aisle signs will communicate our cause
to all consumers.
DISPLAY
Many POP studies on consumer buying tendencies rate special displays as
one of the most aggressive merchandising strategies in the store - consistently
increasing sales numbers 150% - 300% compared to non-display sales. It's
also been shown that cause-related marketing programs foster a more positive
image of your company and your brands with the consumer. We will urge
retailers to support Labels for Literacy with periodic displays throughout
the year.
PROMOTION
To complement and strengthen
our in-store messages, the Labels For Literacy advertising plan calls
for 2 full page ads each year to be completely devoted to Labels for Literacy
branded partners' products. In addition, special "call-out"
Labels for Literacy logo icons will be provided to the retailer to flag
your brand's participation in the program.
INTERNET
The World-Wide-Web presents an outstanding opportunity to provide inquiring
consumers with specific program information and generate additional awareness
among the online community. The Labels for Literacy website contains:
• Educational information about
the program.
• An up-to-date participating company list.
• A complete list of retailers and locations who support
the Labels for Literacy program.
• Ability for consumers to provide feedback or ask question.
• An online-customer service location to order labels.
PRESS RELEASES
Labels for Literacy has an ambitious
and powerful method for achieving press exposure. Each time a consumer
goods company signs up with Labels for Literacy, a press release is sent
out to all the major national press - to print media, news broadcast,
and radio contacts - describing the Labels for Literacy program, and the
role that the specific new participant plays in the program. The press
exposure does not stop there. Your company will be mentioned in press
releases that are sent out when a new participant joins the program;
therefore the earlier you sign up, the more press exposure you will receive.
• Press release dedicated to your
company upon signing up.
• Mention of your company in press releases to follow,
upon others joining program.
• Inclusion of your logo and company name on the Labels
for Literacy website, links page, press kit, and promotional materials.
Labels for Literacy has extensive contacts within the press community,
and will send press release to all of the major national press: print
media, news and radio. Labels for Literacy will also specifically target
certain local and regional media, sending stories of particular local
interest with a more human touch out when appropriate. For example, if
your company has a large company presence in a specific city or area,
we will target the press of that region to achieve for your company and
your employees specific coverage.
• Targeting of all major national publications: New York
Times, Chicago Tribune, LA Times, The Herald, Washington Post, USA Today,
Boston Globe, CNN, ABC, NPR, PBS, NBC, AP, Reuters, American New Syndicate,
Etc.
• Each release is sent out to over 800 specific media
contacts.
• Targeting of reporters and editor in the appropriate
new department.
• Targeting of more local/regional publications for more
in-depth and human-touch articles.
Labels for
Literacy is a project providing invaluable services to
consumers in promoting and distributing "equal access" information
labels.
Thousands of packets of labels will be distributed to blind and visually impaired individuals
every month throughout the United States. Labels will be distributed to
organizations and entities who come into regular contact with blind and
visually impaired individuals because of the nature of the work they do or
their service mission. Labels will also be provided on request to those
who learn about the program through the Labels for Literacy web sites and
to those who respond to media announcements on radio, TV, and in print
publications. A list of individuals who request to receive labels on a
regular, monthly basis will be developed.
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