Challenge: After a number of incidents at Valley SUBWAY restaurants, including the shooting of a pregnant woman during a robbery, the franchisees determined that they needed to elevate their community-minded image. Each restaurant owner had been participating individually in their respective communities by donating everything from sandwiches to cash to local nonprofit groups.

Strategy: Create a community relations program that would be embraced by the varying interests of almost 50 different franchisee owners. And, provide a platform for the owners to garner positive media attention about their community involvement.

Tactics: SUBWAY Kids & Sports. We created this program after surveying Valley nonprofits about items that were needed within their respective organizations. There was common thread in the requests received – kids really needed sporting equipment, uniforms and registrations fees.

• We developed SUBWAY Kids & Sports’ graphic identity and mission statement: To provide sports equipment, uniforms, registration fees and access to major sporting events for kids that might not otherwise be able to participate in youth sports activities.
• We helped create a funding system for the program through sales of 44-oz fountain drinks.
• We helped create a 501c3 foundation to accept and disperse donations.
• We identified nonprofit organizations that needed specific items then created publicity opportunities around the donations.

Results: SUBWAY Kids & Sports was dramatically successful:

• Over 4,000 soccer jerseys, featuring the SUBWAY Kids & Sports logo, were donated to Valley YMCAs. We coordinated a free soccer clinic for YMCA kids with the Arizona Thunder professional soccer league. Channels 12, 5 and 15 covered the donation and the YMCA included a story in its circular distributed in over 100,000 Tribune Newspapers. The SUBWAY franchisees were happy.
• Sports equipment was donated to the Foundation for Burns & Trauma’s Burn Camp. We worked with the Valley Firefighters to create a media event when the kids left for camp. Channel 10, the Mesa Tribune and KTAR radio covered the event.
• Basketball uniforms, featuring the SUBWAY Kids & Sports logo, were donated to the Salvation Army’s South Phoenix Youth Center -- the first time the team ever had uniforms. We coordinated with the Salvation Army to create a special event with former Sun’s players Danny Ainge and Mark West prior to the first game of the season. Channel 10 and the Arizona Republic covered the event and the Salvation Army placed a story about the donation in its regional newsletter.
• The most rewarding result of this program was gaining consensus from the diverse franchisee members. Franchisees embraced the program and were so committed to continuing its momentum that they volunteered their time to host a golf tournament that raised more than $25,000 for SUBWAY Kids & Sports.