In a year that turned people’s shopping habits and retailers’ businesses upside down, gift cards were among the most functional and resilient consumer products of 2020. While merchants shuttered, essential businesses—like grocery and convenience stores—and ecommerce shined. In a year of heightened charitable need for many Americans, Blackhawk Network, the pioneer in gift card commerce, paid it forward with the most giftable gift of 2020: Giving Good Cards, a line of gift cards benefiting five of America’s top charitable organizations. Just in time for the holidays, Giving Good cards provided a meaningful and personalized gifting experience while giving back to charitable causes. Each Giving Good Card bundles a combination of popular retail and restaurant brands allowing the recipient to choose where they want to redeem their gift. For each Giving Good Card purchase, Blackhawk makes a donation equal to 3% of the card’s loaded value to the charitable partner on the card.

Without budget for paid media or marketing tactics, Blackhawk turned to The Fletcher Group to independently drive awareness and trial of the Giving Good Cards through media relations in time for the holidays.

• The awareness and visibility of Giving Good Cards drove more than $5 million in Giving Good gift card sales, quadrupling the original sales goals, and Blackhawk donated more than $200,000 to its charity partners.
• By Christmas, Giving Good launched with more than 2,800 stories via earned and paid communications tactics, reaching an audience 300 million+.
• Blackhawk’s consumer products and platforms, including Giving Good, dominated the conversation with 93% SOV over holiday and SEO scores were considered “STRONG”
•  Won a PRSA Silver Anvil Award of Excellence in the Integrated Communications category, and an Award of Commendation in Media Relations for the PRSA Bronze Anvils