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Northern Colorado AIDS Project (NCAP)

The Challenge:

For Northern Colorado AIDS Project, a community-based nonprofit providing medical case management, testing and prevention education to an eight-county region, its flagship annual fundraising event - Sweet Indulgence - had gone stale amidst stagnating attendance and fundraising proceeds. Previously held for several consecutive years without any refinements to the event plan, the gala dessert event also lacked the all-important alignment with NCAP's mission.

Having hired A-Train only a few months before to facilitate a comprehensive rebranding campaign that included core message, logo & tagline, website, and publicity strategy, and with the 2009 event less than two months away, NCAP had limited options available for reshaping the event's format.

Carrying strong momentum from the highly successful brand re-launch, NCAP once again came to A-Train for strategic support, this time asking the question, "How can we get the public and our mission back into this important annual fundraising event?"

The Solution:

  • Strategic development of a dessert competition event concept represented by pastry chefs, integrating original culinary displays representative of NCAP's new tagline "growing stronger every day"
  • Creative design of a dynamic promotional package to ignite sponsor, contestant and attendee interest; design concept of event promotional materials included event-branded candy bar labels and metal baking pans resembling gift baskets
  • Event design and decor to transform the hotel ballroom into a chic, urban club feel with private lounge areas for sponsors and design elements from print materials incorporated for integrated marketing effect
  • Individualized follow-up with high-profile, regionally recognized pastry chefs to promote the event concept and secure their involvement as volunteer participants
  • Publicity messaging and development of customized media pitches designed to capitalize on NCAP's current media momentum and generate non-paid publicity for Sweet Indulgence
  • Website integration and online ticket purchasing functionality

The Results:

  • Successfully recruited ten regionally recognized pastry chefs as participants in the dessert competition. Some of the participants are employed by Babette's Feast, CafŽ Columbine, two chefs from the Brown Palace, King Soopers, Chimney Park Restaurant, and more.
  • Enlisted local celebrity critics to judge the competition, including Denver Post food writer and former food editor Kristen Browning-Blas, Edible Front Range Publisher and Editor Lynne Eppel, and Brown Palace Executive Pastry Chef James Gallo.
  • Fifteen pieces of art from well-known local artists were received to be auctioned off for fundraising.
  • Created an integrated brand for the current and future events, applied throughout marketing, publicity and site design of the event.
  • Successfully attracted new audiences included targeted potential donors who had not engaged with NCAP before.

Reference: Jeffrey Basinger, Executive Director / 970-484-4469