August 19, 2013
On Aug. 20, Auntie Anne's will kick off its nationwide, in-store campaign to fight childhood cancer, in partnership with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation.
From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Aug. 20 through Sept. 26, guests can visit any of the company's 1,012 domestic store locations each Tuesday and Thursday, purchase a $1-lemon icon featuring a kid-friendly joke and a 21-ounce. soda or lemonade, and receive a free pretzel.
One hundred percent of proceeds will be donated to Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation. Plus, for every $1 donation, Auntie Anne's will provide a coupon for $1 off the next purchase of any pretzel product and drink.
The campaign will also include a social media component in which guests are encouraged to share their own lemon joke using the hashtag #LemonHappy. The overall fundraiser will wrap-up on Oct. 15.
Auntie Anne's set a systemwide goal of raising $500,000 during the eight-week time period. Each Auntie Anne's location set a goal of selling 650 lemon jokes. To date, Auntie Anne's has raised more than $400,000 for childhood cancer research and has been named a top 100 contributor to the foundation in 2011 and 2012.
"We are committed to fighting childhood cancer with Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation, specifically because this is a cause that is important to guests who frequent our stores," said Heather Neary, Auntie Anne's chief marketing officer. "One in every 330 Americans develops cancer before the age of 20. By highlighting our national charitable partnership, guests recognize that they can visit Auntie Anne's for a one-of-a-kind taste and support an organization committed to making the world a better place for children."
The fundraising campaign starts Aug. 20 on National Lemonade Day, and will continue through September, National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.
Read more about cause marketing.