Company: PlayWise Partners, Los Angeles, CA
Company Description: PlayWise Partners is an integrated communications agency. We partner with awesome people to build great brands and inspire playful lifestyles for all ages.
Nomination Category: Communications & Marketing Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Communications or PR Campaign of the Year - Events & Observances
 Nomination Title: PlayWise Partners + FAO Schwarz
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the nominated campaign or program - its genesis,development, planning, commission, and performance to date - OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions, provide them in the appropriate spaces below:
- Specify the date on which this campaign or program was launched:
October 2022
- Describe the development of the campaign or program: the planning process, the goal setting, the creative and media development, the scheduling, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 82 words used.
The goal was to leverage the 160th Anniversary to build awareness of the brand, drive traffic to the store and reinforce the one-of-a-kind experiences that the store provides. The primary objective was measured against store traffic and sales.
The PR strategy was two-pronged.
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Create a memorable experiential activation to give consumers a reason to visit the store and experience the theatrics that only FAO Schwarz delivers.
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Secure media coverage and social content to elevate awareness and reinforce the legacy of FAO Schwarz.
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
- Describe the genesis of the nominated campaign or program: the reasons it was initiated, the challenges it was created to address, the problems it was developed to solve, etc. (up to 250 words):
Total 101 words used.
With the milestone 160th Anniversary of the most iconic toy store in the US, FAO Schwarz, the marketing and PR teams leveraged the anniversary to launch a strategic campaign to elevate awareness, reinforce the brand legacy and ensure success for the next decade.
The campaign was focused on a celebratory experiential activation at the FAO Schwarz store at Rockefeller Center, supported with strategic partnerships, earned media relations and influencer engagement. Together, PlayWise Partners and FAO Schwarz generated over 222 Million impressions worth the ad value of $3.7+ Million to reach the ultimate goal of driving awareness, sales and store visits.
- Outline the activities and concrete results of this campaign or program since the beginning of July 2021. Even if your initiative started before July 2021, limit your response to activities and results since the beginning of July 2021 only (up to 250 words):
Total 250 words used.
The campaign was executed successfully, with a focus on these campaign pillars:
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Media Relations - The PlayWise team blanketed media outlets from the Tri-State area. FOUR affiliates (ABC, NBC, CBS and PIX-11) showed up to capture event footage and broadcast event coverage. We also worked closely with the TODAY Show producer to secure a feature segment that aired after the event
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Influencer Activation - We contracted 5 local family influencers to share pre- and post-event content. We also invited earned influencers to attend the event and share live content.
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Community Partnerships - The team fostered strategic partnerships with community organizations and local leadership, including Broadway Cares and American Ballet Theatre, to provide live entertainment. In addition, the PlayWise team secured an official Proclamation from the New York City Mayor’s Office, proclaiming October 8th as FAO Schwarz Day.
We generated over 222 Million impressions worth the ad value of $3.7 Million. Coverage highlights included multiple local broadcast segments, as well as national broadcast coverage on TODAY Show, timed perfectly heading into the holiday shopping season and an official Proclamation from the New York City Mayor’s Office, proclaiming October 8th as FAO Schwarz Day.
Most importantly, this campaign resulted in strong business outcomes, including:
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The event was attended by over 11,000 people.
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We had lines of people around the building from 8am to 8pm, waiting to enter the store.
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Store sales exceeded expectations, +50% vs 2019 same day sales (we measured against pre-Covid same day sales for more accurate measurement).
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