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SCHOOL UNIFORM PROGRAM GAINS GROUND AT RIVERCENTER

After wrapping up a successful school uniform giveaway in July, officials at Rivercenter Mall, San Antonio, think they have hit on a marketing program that strengthens its rapport with the local community.

Rivercenter staged its third annual “Recycle Your School Uniform” event. Mall officials and volunteers distributed new and used school uniforms to more than 1,000 schoolchildren from low-income families over two days in late July. Rivercenter Mall receives about 70% of its business from tourists. The uniform donation, through a partnership with the Family Service Association of San Antonio, is part of its strategy to better connect with local shoppers, said Mark Bachus, assistant general manager of Rivercenter Mall, who oversees marketing and public relations there. The media coverage provided increased awareness and had a paid advertising value of $150,000, said Bachus.

“Recycle Your School Uniform” started off small three years ago, with a few used uniforms distributed to needy students. In year two, all of the San Antonio media covered the event but for a different reason. Another school supply distribution event there broke out in a riot, and media professionals expected the same at Rivercenter Mall.

This year’s event was special because organizers received unsolicited participation from the community to help run the program. Large corporations and the San Antonio Archdiocese donated cash. A local dry cleaner offered its services to clean used uniforms, while teen-age volunteers helped coordinate the needs of individual families and distribute the uniforms.

The program added another twist — appointments. Bachus said mall officials scheduled sessions with 10 people every 22 minutes over two days. At that rate, the uniform donation program served more than 1,440 people.

MACERICH CENTERS COMPLETE SHOE DRIVE FOR ORPHANS

The Macerich Co. finished its third shoe drive this year to benefit orphans around the world, with the program expanded to include 26 participating malls.

“Shoes for Orphan Souls” is an annual program that seeks donations of new shoes, shoelaces and socks. The donated goods will be distributed to disadvantaged orphans mostly in countries dealing with crises. This year’s proceeds will be distributed to children in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America.

Macerich first started the shoe drive in 1999 at the Valley View Center in Dallas. In 2000, 10 malls were on board for the program. In a prepared statement, Susan Valentine, SCMD, senior vice president of marketing for Macerich, said “It’s been exciting to see the program grow to include 26 cities across the country.”

Santa Monica, Calif.-based Macerich conducted the drive during the month of August. It coordinated the program to coincide with sales tax breaks on apparel that some states were running during the back-to-school shopping season, plus sales promotions being operated by some of its store tenants. Macerich then encouraged its shoppers to buy extra pairs of shoes for needy children.

“We’re looking at it coinciding with back-to-school shopping in all the markets,” said a company spokeswoman. Macerich partnered with Dallas-based Buckner Orphan Care International, a humanitarian organization, for this year and the two previous years’ shoe drives. Buckner aimed to collect 100,000 pairs of shoes this year, but as of press time, the mall developer’s donation had not been completely tallied.

EASTFIELD MALL TRIES A COMEBACK

Officials at Eastfield Mall, Springfield, Mass., say the center is making a comeback after declining shopper traffic and occupancy resulted in a change of ownership and the implementation of a new marketing approach.

A series of entertainment and charity events, plus merchandise promotions, have put the 673,800-square-foot regional mall on its way to achieving an occupancy rate of about 98% by 2002, officials say. Compared with 1998, in-line store sales increased 82% by the end of 2000. Also in 2000, gift certificate sales were at $359,000, up 208% a year before. And the Filene’s at Eastfield Mall had its first ever $500,000 in sales for one day in December 2000.

Eastfield Mall had faced stiff competition after Holyoke Mall at Ingleside, in Holyoke, Mass., opened for business in the late 1980s. In 1998, The Rouse Co., Columbia, Md., sold the mall to Mountain Development Corp. of West Paterson, N.J. The new owner decided to aggressively promote the center and win back the crowds, hiring Incremental Marketing of Allendale, N.J.

Arlene Putnam, general manager of Eastfield Mall, said the new owners “put a big investment in the mall itself as well as enticing other large stores. They made people start to talk about our property.”

With a marketing budget of nearly $900,000, management used a coupon redemption program to entice people to the mall, according to Lee Sheinbaum, spokesman for Eastfield Mall. Many of the takers completed a comprehensive survey after receiving the gift, which helped officials develop a focused marketing plan.

 

 

 

 

 

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