Inspiring Generosity

First at the historic Paramount Theatre, then as a virtual series during the pandemic, Eat, Drink & Be Generous events were created by United Way of King County as a means to attract and engage people in philanthropy in a fun, new way.

The year before the pandemic, United Way embarked on the task of enticing people to a never-done-before event, leveraging a multi-stage, multi-channel campaign that included transit, radio, print, and digital expressions pitching a unique mix of entertainment and giving back to the community. The night of the event, there were twin challenges of establishing a recognizable and branded experience while also inspiring guests to give. Environmental signage that complemented the Paramount’s iconic architectural flourishes, visionary use of available spaces, and consistent branding and messaging across touchpoints created an immersive experience. While successful across many measures, the most important one was that the highly attended event far exceeded fundraising goals.

With the arrival of the pandemic, it became critical for United Way to succeed in raising funds to support those in need in the community. A quick pivot repositioned Eat, Drink & Be Generous as a series of virtual events while a refresh of the branding allowed it be flexible yet recognizable over the course of an indefinite campaign. A robust digital and print marketing strategy supported the goal of reaching and inspiring more new people to attend the virtual events. Soon, those virtual events started selling out and more and more new people donated to support COVID-19 relief efforts, underscoring the twin successes of attracting more new people and inspiring generosity in them.

Design: GE, RA; Social: VS; Web: AA; Photo: BVH, NW, VS; CD, words: Me.

In-person event (winter ‘19)

Virtual Series (during COVID-19)