Pasado Productions

Objective: To encourage school children to become patriotic, responsible citizens, and, in doing so, to reinforce an automobile agency's "Buy American" program.
Strategy & execution: A slide presentation emphasizing good behavior, citizenship and rights and responsibilities as Americans was shown to elementary school children in a five-parish area surrounding New Orleans. Following the presentation and discussion, children were given a litterbag containing bumper strips, rulers, flags, first-aid slide charts and clothing stick-ons. The red-white-and blue items imprinted with the dealer name and the flag, and the collateral stressed the theme, "I am proud to be an American." For their cooperation, teachers received a coffee mug (copy: Teachers Build America.")

Results: The dealer president reported receiving 5,000 letters including one from President Reagan commending the dealer for the American pride and patriotism program. The public relations efforts didn't exactly hurt the company's marketing either, as it rose from 21st to 7th place in sales among Ford dealers nationwide.