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Case
History: Saint Clare’s Hospital throws
the “World’s Largest
Baby Shower”
R&J Public Relations organizes
a baby shower for 600 expectant mothers – and their 900
family members
In May of 2005, Saint Clare’s
Health System was set to open an $11 million,
state-of-the-art Maternal/Child Care Center at its Denville,
NJ facility. The Center was to be the latest in a line of
new service offerings designed to enhance the range of
healthcare services available to the community and help
continue the System’s re-emergence as one of the premiere
healthcare facilities in Northwest New Jersey. Like any
expectant parent, Saint Clare’s was eager to share the new
of this new arrival with the physicians, expectant parents
and community members to whom it would be so important.
In order to properly mark the
Center’s opening, Saint Clare’s and R&J conceived of a
two-phased grand opening event. The first phase took place
in March with an upscale, exclusive preview of the
state-of-the-art facility for physicians in the service
area. Phase II took place on Mother’s Day weekend in the
form of the “World’s Largest Baby Shower”, an event designed
to generate interest in the facility and encourage community
members – especially women, expectant families and OB/GYNs –
to visit, tour and interact with the Katena Center and the
Saint Clare’s Brand.
Every expectant parent in
attendance received generously stuffed diaper bags with
onesies, bibs, baby bottles and other products emblazoned
with the Katena Center logo. In addition, R&J partnered
with Babies ‘R Us to provide fantastic “shower gifts” like
Pack & Plays, bouncy seats and infant swings for every
expectant parent on hand. Fathers and families (and those
eating for two) dined on hors d’oeuvres and “the world’s
largest” baby shower cake
The “baby shower” show – emceed
by a hired New York City based performer – included speeches
from Saint Clare’s executives and local dignitaries, a
formal Center dedication ceremony and on-stage shower games
such as “guess the baby food” and an “expectant dads
blindfolded diaper race”. A full nursery set – valued at
$2,000 and donated by Babies ‘R Us – was raffled off at the
event.
Of course, the official
ceremony was followed by tours of the 48,000 square foot
facility for everyone in attendance.
The event lived up to its
name. Approximately 1500 people – including 600 pregnant
women – attended. Nearly 90% of the attendees toured the
facility that day; many others scheduled individual touring
appointments.
Both the Sunday Star-Ledger
and the Daily Record ran front-page section features
on Mother’s Day. News Channel 4 (NBC New York) featured
footage from the shower on the Saturday evening news
broadcast as well as on “Sunday Today in New York.” Saint
Clare’s executives have participated in numerous maternity
features and television appearances since the event, and the
event has significantly increased volume at the hospital’s
maternity center. |
