How Purple Duck Marketing Helped Save Kirkland's Fourth of July: Social Media Marketing in Action!

The Celebrate Kirkland team had a daunting task: to raise at least $30,000 in just a few months. Without donations, Kirkland, Washington, wouldn't put on its annual Fourth of July celebration.

When Kirkland resident Susan Burnash, President of Purple Duck Marketing, heard that there might not be a Kirkland Fourth, she immediately offered to help. Knowing she needed to produce an accelerated response in a short amount of time, Susan turned to Social Media marketing, developing an integrated fundraising campaign.

Susan and the Purple Duck Marketing team, along with their intern, Anna, utilized traditional marketing (e-newsletters, flyers, networking, and media support) in combination with the Social Media platforms Facebook, Twitter, and Blogger. Facebook photo albums, Twitter updates, Blogger news, and a Firstgiving online donation page helped quickly generate awareness.

With over 500 Facebook friends and fans, over 150 Twitter followers, and exposure in the blogosphere, Save Kirkland's Fourth's Social Media marketing stance gave us the power to reach our donation goal in the very short amount of time we had.

As Purple Duck Marketing's greater-Seattle area media relationships produced responses, donations from individuals and businesses began flowing in.

The Save Kirkland's Fourth campaign raised $35,000 dollars, enough to sponsor the annual fireworks and parade. But other cities weren't so fortunate in this difficult economy: Millville, New Jersey; Lawrenceville, Georgia; Yonkers, New York; Newton, Iowa; and Gainesville, Florida have all canceled their Fourth of July fireworks. If it were up to us, all Fourth of July celebrations would be saved this year. But we know it takes hard work, commitment, and the Social Media marketing model advantage. We hope other nonprofits are inspired by our story and apply the Social Media marketing model to their cause!

Thank you, Purple Duck Marketing!

(And Happy Fourth of July!)

Join the Parade!

Here's what it's like to be in the middle of the kids' parade on the Fourth of July! Let's just say it's popular!

"Like a Birthday Party with No Cake": Why We're Saving this Year's 4th of July!

This is the story of why we're working to Save Kirkland's Fourth.

With today’s challenging economy, families and communities are struggling. Uncertainty has become a way of life. Jobs are in jeopardy. Homes are facing foreclosure. Businesses are closing while those remaining are working harder than ever just to survive. The idea of celebrating anything to many seems unfathomable. Yet, it is during times like these that the annual celebration of the 4th of July is now more important than ever.

In Kirkland, like in cities across the country, the 4th of July represents many things. For adults, it is a time of family, friends and celebration with the annual parade, picnics, barbecues, a day out on the lake and of course the fireworks! For the children, it is a time of pure joy that includes the excitement of decorating their bicycles, dogs and themselves to be a part of the annual Kids’ Parade. And for Kirkland businesses, the 4th of July is a time of community involvement that includes donating of time, resources, financial support, and participating in the parade itself.

But what if this year, in 2009 when a 4thof July celebration is needed most, there is not enough financial support, volunteers or parade participants to actually make it happen? What if the economy has not only negatively impacted our personal and business lives but our community lives as well? Do we just wake up the morning of July 4th and tell our children, family and friends that today is just another day with no parade, no fireworks and no celebration? The answer most certainly must be NO!

Sadly, without a community effort to “make the difference,” Kirkland’s 4th of July is in jeopardy. With dwindling sponsorships, grants, volunteers and participants, it is quite possible that in 2009, the most Celebrate Kirkland (www.celebratekirkland.org), the nonprofit foundation that funds and supports the Kirkland Fourth of July celebrations, can produce is the parade. Without an additional $15,000 raised for the fireworks show, the odds are good it will be canceled.

“It’s hard to imagine a 4th of July without fireworks,” says Penny Sweet, longtime Kirkland resident and founder of Celebrate Kirkland. “It’s like showing up for a birthday party and finding out there is no birthday cake.”

Hearing about the possibility of a 4th of July without fireworks, Kirkland resident and Chamber of Commerce member Susan Burnash, of Purple Duck Marketing, stepped up to create an integrated fundraising campaign to push out a call to action to the community of Kirkland.

“Each year, we do two major pro bono campaigns,” says Susan Burnash, President of Purple Duck Marketing. “This time it was an easy yes to Save Kirkland’s 4th of July. I’ve lived here for four years now and I love Kirkland. Each year, I walk down to the parade to watch the kids, the floats and all the businesses, marching bands and veterans who have become a staple of that day. I spend the rest of the day downtown, shopping, hanging out with friends, and finally end up at Marina Park to watch the fireworks. There is no way I could accept a 4th without fireworks without a good fight.”

The fight, as Burnash puts it, is a community fight and a community effort. Utilizing a variety of ways to reach Kirkland residents including Facebook, Twitter, online giving, e-newsletters, flyers, networking and media support, “Save Kirkland’s 4th of July” is gaining momentum. Residents and businesses are stepping up and doing what they can to ensure that the day will be not only be as good as it is each year, but that this year, in the face of so much diversity, it will be better and even more meaningful.

And funds, resources and volunteers are starting to trickle in as the community is starting to see it takes a group effort to save the day. Mini fundraising events are underway, including last week’s “Build a Fushia Planter for Spring or Mother’s Day.”

“We raised more than $600 dollars from that one,” says Sweet, who held the event at her retail wine store, The Grape Choice. “It may not seem like a lot but this stuff adds up. Even the smallest donation can make a huge difference.”

With more than 40,000 homes in the City of Kirkland, and a diverse group of businesses, Sweet is hopeful that with everyone’s help recruiting the funds, volunteers and parade entries will be possible.

Getting to know you....!

I just put up pics of the Celebrate Kirkland Organiztion Team and I want you to learn more about one of its great members, Tim! A Kirkland resident for 6 years, Tim explains why he’s involved in the Kirkland Fourth of July celebration,

“As a retired Naval officer and a Viet Nam vet, I’ve always been pretty patriotic. After attending the first 8 years of parades, I decided that it was time to give back to this Celebration event so I volunteered to help last year. It was a great experience, and I had the opportunity to work with a lot of giving people. This year I joined the planning committee for Celebrate Kirkland to help wherever needed to make the 10th annual celebration a success!”

Tim’s favorite part of the Fourth? Hint: it’s one of the most popular! The children’s parade resonates with him the most. “It takes me back to memories of my early Fourth of July’s, and those watching my children participate in similar parades when they were young. Those are memories that last forever with kids and parents.”

Have you been a fan instead of a volunteer these past few years? If you’re ready to meet some amazing people and have a lot of fun like Tim, volunteer for the 2009 Kirkland Fourth!

Ivar's?

We’re not talking about where to grab dinner. Ivar’s Seafood Restaurants has been hosting “4th of Jul-Ivar’s” for 44 years—since 1965. But Ivar’s has decided there won’t be a 2009 fireworks show, or one after that. The reason is simple: with so many economic problems hurting Washington, they’ve decided to support Northwest Harvest in lieu of putting together a fancy fireworks show. See the West Seattle Herald’s full story here.
While we’re working to raise funds for Kirkland’s Fourth of July, Ivar’s decision hits close to home. We don’t want our Fourth of July to burn out. Of course we love our community and want to support our neighbors. Don’t you think we can make a sustainable, supportive community worth celebrating? I do!