Gannett launches breast cancer awareness campaign for NBCF

Gannett Co., Inc.Oct 6 2009

Gannett (NYSE:GCI) announced today the launch of a major company-wide, cross-divisional campaign for the National Breast Cancer Foundation. The National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., a charitable non-profit organization based in Frisco, Texas, launched the campaign on the first day of National Breast Cancer Awareness month in an effort to promote its Early Detection Program. NBCF’s mission is to save lives by increasing awareness of breast cancer through education and by providing mammograms for those in need.

The initiative includes advertising throughout Gannett’s vast network of media – from local newspapers, broadcast stations and web sites to national brands like USA TODAY, USA WEEKEND, Captivate, MomsLikeMe.com and Nursing Spectrum – for maximum exposure. This is the first such network-wide marketing solution created for a single advertising client by Gannett and is part of a corporate initiative to help clients better reach their audiences through “one stop shopping” for advertising and television production.

“One of our goals is to save lives by driving women to www.nbcf.org to create an early detection plan. We were impressed with the creative ideas that came out of the Gannett team and with the expansive print, television and digital reach of Gannett,” said Janelle Hail, founder & CEO of the National Breast Cancer Foundation.

“When the National Breast Cancer Foundation wanted to find new ways to get the word out about the importance of early detection, we worked with them to give this initiative the broadest reach possible,” said Gracia Martore, Gannett’s executive vice president and chief financial officer. “By leveraging the full scope of Gannett’s vast array of properties, we are able to help NBCF reach women through online social communities, on TV, in local and national newspapers, even in elevators on their way to work. Gannett could not be more pleased than to help NBCF accomplish this most important of missions.”

The NBCF Early Detection campaign includes efforts across all divisions of Gannett, running throughout the month of October. Specific campaign elements include:

• An early morning newscast single-sponsor NBCF “takeover” on 20 Gannett-owned television stations reaching approximately 18% of the country and 21 million households. The newscast contains limited commercial interruptions from NBCF complete with public service announcements on behalf of NBCF from prominent television personalities including Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray, Mary Hart, and others;
• Sixty 30-second video vignettes, produced by Gannett Video Enterprises, featuring stories of breast cancer survivors across the country airing three times a day in various Gannett newscasts;
• NBCF on-air promotional spots, also produced by Gannett Video Enterprises;
• Front page spadia advertisement in Cincinnati Enquirer;
• Home delivery pink plastic bag wrap with NBCF’s message;
• Advertising in community papers;
• Advertising in Nursing Spectrum magazine and www.nurse.com;
• Four-color, full-page ads in USA TODAY and USA WEEKEND;
• NBCF advertising and pink-shaded elevator screens in 763 hotels and office buildings through the Captivate Elevator Network, providing elevator news and information screens in 25 North American markets;
• MomsLikeMe.com home page header sponsorship and national discussion group and guest blog with Janelle Hail, a breast cancer survivor and CEO of NBCF.org;
• Mobile page on USATODAY.com to register for an Early Detection Plan;
• Home page and subfront ads on USATODAY.com, the top five Gannett Broadcast sites and the top five U.S. Community Publishing sites.

Gannett topped the initial campaign by donating an additional 20 percent in advertising and production.