The Red Cross needed to raise money for its main causes this Christmas. We came up with an idea that could change the way people donate. Two factors played a great role in this: it is during the Christmas Season that people buy more and feel more compassionate. And a Store that sells Hope was born. Nothing you can touch, see, wear or hear. But feel.

We built an actual retail store in one of the most popular malls in Lisbon. A Store like any other, with hangers, windows, fitting rooms, salespeople, bags-- but with one difference: people left with their hands empty but with their hearts full. This idea was communicated across several channels, from radio to features on the Internet and print. Some of the best known celebrities were sponsors and a massive public relations campaign was developed during the course of the Store. First we generated interest and later on TV, newscasts, radio interviews, magazine features, and newspaper articles-- to sustain the momentum.

The Store exceeded all expectations, reaching the Mall’s top 10 in sales in the first day. And there are now solid plans to open new ones wherever there’s a Red Cross – All selling Hope.

After the tone of the campaign was decided during the planning stage we set out to chart each medium and target according to the schedule of the Store, and the same with the Celebrity involvement in the campaign.

The schedule can be divided in three parts: the informative and teaser stage, the opening stage during the firs two weeks and the final stage that lasted up until the last day of the Store. This was carried out with specific channels suited for each stage. The Internet, radio features, interviews from celebrity sponsors were used to spread the idea of a Store that sells Hope. The best part of it all is that the message did spread faster than our wildest expectations. With all channels working to keep Hope a best seller during Christmas, the PR campaign showed to be a success indeed.

The campaign brought other companies to partner with the Red Cross in its effort to raise money. And certainly the most promising result is that there are currently plans to open new Stores just like it in other cities to keep raising the organisation’s profile. All of them selling Hope. Lots of it.The results also clearly indicate that the Store proved to be the right idea for the current world we live in. Reaching the mall’s Top 10 in sales in the first day, increasing the number of volunteers who apply to the Red Cross and increasing the number of people who had never donated before.