Together for a cure to childhood cancer.

Challenge

Rather than taking an on-hands approach, often health systems rely on being the beneficiary of their partners’ fundraising programs. Bendigo was tasked to take the lead in transforming the New York Giants Touchdown Fund program benefiting Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health into a comprehensive, consumer-facing cause-marketing program.

Approach

Alongside the Hackensack Meridian Health Foundation, New York Giants, and talented creative agencies, the goal was to develop a brand, marketing and philanthropic program that could live on for years to come. 

By uniting world class athletes and celebrities, corporate partners, community organizations, grassroots and individuals, we would ensure Hackensack Meridian Health Children’s Health Cancer Institute has the resources needed to provide the highest quality pediatric oncology care in New Jersey, while advancing world-wide efforts to research new cures and promising treatments for pediatric cancer.

The tenets of the programs strategy were and continue today to be organic and authentic storytelling told through traditional and earned media, crowdfunding through digital platforms to rally for a cause, and partnerships with athletes, celebrities, sports teams and businesses.

Results

In 2015, Tackle Kids Cancer was launched with Eli Manning as its fearless leader and narrator, introducing the stories of patients, doctors and nurses at the Children’s Cancer Institute, not as a Giants QB, but as a dad. The organic storytelling combined with Eli’s sincerity told through traditional and earned media worked to inspire community engagement. 

The buzz was pronounced and New York Red Bulls, Knicks, MSG, The Northern Trust PGA Tour, Modell’s Sporting Goods and PepsiCo along with NBC and other media partners aligned with TKC platform to deploy robust marketing assets that have helped deliver over $10,000,000 since its inception. 

Corporate partnerships leverage TKC as a beneficiary of partner initiatives, crowdfunding and in-kind contributions. In 2021, Eli Manning’s endorsement of Frank’s Red Hot led to a Twitter campaign with a contribution of $100k. Each year, the New York Knicks activate the “Block Out Cancer“ initiative with $50 donated for every block throughout the season, and a crowdfunding component to encourage individuals to raise money for the cause. Programs with the Giants, Red Bulls, Counter-Logic Gaming and others work similarly. Bendigo has activated fundraising efforts on digital auction and raffle platforms to raise money with experiences from golfing with Eli Manning at Liberty National Golf Course to an exclusive basketball game on the MSG court coached by Knicks legends.

Additionally, Bendigo renegotiated Hackensack Meridian Health’s beverage agreement with PepsiCo to include a $325k annual gift to TKC, and retail activations in ShopRite’s throughout New Jersey with opportunities for additional point of sale contributions.

Today, even in retirement Eli remains the quarterback of TKC, contributing significantly with fundraising, while continuing to tell the success stories of the patients, and research and technology TKC has afforded the Children’s Cancer Institute.