JC Penney Utilizes Social Media for Charitable Giving This Holiday Season
Thanksgiving is right around the corner which means that Black Friday is right behind it, along with a gaggle of deals, offerings and crazy store hours. But this year, retailer JC Penny has decided to shift the focus from the crazy low prices and Christmas shopping to something that falls more in line with the giving nature of the season. They have utilized their social media strategy for making charitable donations. Not only will they be encouraging shoppers to give back to their communities, but they also have some really innovative ways of doing so.

One of their biggest initiatives, “QR Santa Tags” will encourage users to leave personalized messages to gift recipients using QR Codes, making the donation process far more personalized and exciting for those participating. This is a fantastic example of creating a social initiative that is rewarding, engaging and can carry with consumers through the holiday season. Another innovative initiative that JC Penny has taken is in their usage of Foursquare. Each time a user checks in to the store on Black Friday through Foursquare, a $25 donation is made.

These simple, effective and creative social strategies should prove to be successful in encouraging users to interact with JC Penny in the social realm, while doing a good thing during the holiday season. Have you guys heard of any other awesome social Black Friday initiatives?

Other Must-Read Headlines this week:
Partnerships: Skype, Facebook Expand Video Chatting Capabilities
Skype and Facebook are expanding their partnership by allowing users to create Facebook-to-Facebook calls within Skype.

Tools and Technology: Virgin Atlantic Launches Flight Status Bot on Twitter
Next time you fly Virgin Atlantic, be sure to check out this awesome new feature.

Measurement: The Four Principles of Social ROI Measurement
One of our very own Marketing Science Directors, Scot Wheeler, breaks down some of the core principles of social ROI measurement.

Influencers: Facebook tries to make Salman Rushdie change his name to Ahmed
Facebook came under fire this week when they tried to make Salman Rushdie change his name as it appeared on the site.

Fun Stuff: She’s Back: Target’s Christmas Champ on Twitter
Everyone’s favorite crazy holiday lady is back, and this time, she has a Twitter account.

blog comments powered by Disqus