Australian apparel brand Banjo and Matilda hosted its annual clothing drive Sweater Exchange with a giveaway.

Since 2009, Banjo and Matilda partners with Mission Australia and Audi Centre Sydney to acquire used sweaters from its followers to give to women and children in need. In return, the brand offers a $50 gift card as a reward for participating.

“For social media campaigns, the key is to make it easier,” said Danielle McCormick, senior director of marketing at Skava, San Francisco.

Ms. McCormick is not affiliated with Banjo and Matilda, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

Banjo and Matilda did not respond by press deadline.

Sweater sharing
In addition to Instagram, Banjo and Matilda, known for its cashmere sweaters, promoted this charity event on Facebook and Twitter.

The advertisement also provides four ways to donate: by postal carrier, dropping off, booking a courier or scheduling an Audi pickup for multiple donations.

Maintaining a high presence on social media, Banjo and Matilda made this campaign friendly to smartphone users, as participants can access delivery methods directly from their smartphones.

Alongside social promotions, Banjo and Matilda provided a few statistics regarding poverty in Australia to engage viewers. For example, more than 45,000 Australian females are homeless and domestic violence is the largest cause of homelessness among women and children.

Participants can register online with their name, email and state of residence, and the link to register can be accessed on the promotional Instagram post. Only Australian residents are eligible.

The sweater drive will last June 23 through Aug. 1 and can be identified with the hashtag #TheSweaterExchange2014.

Charitable promotions
Brands have leveraged social media and direct rewards to encourage participation with a charity event in the past.

For example, U.S. fashion label Calvin Klein celebrated the 25th anniversary of its Eternity fragrance with a global philanthropic initiative titled the #EternityProject.

The #EternityProject, a global philanthropic initiative in support of the Every Mother Counts organization, was launched to build awareness for maternal health. Proceeds made from the campaign’s anniversary boutique go toward the organization, which asks the public to “take two minutes” to make a difference by donating and sharing (see story).

Likewise, Toyota Corp.’s Lexus teamed up with volunteer-driven charity St. Baldrick’s Foundation to raise awareness of children’s cancer leading up to St. Patrick’s Day with a contest that promoted solidarity.

Fans were invited to shave their heads on their own or at a local St. Baldrick’s event and create a 15-second Instagram video stating what bold action they would take if they won the $2,500 prize. Not only did the contest leverage the time-tested solidarity move of shaving one’s head, but also furthered the IS promotion through the bold component, thus increasing the scope of people that could potentially get involved (see story).

Charitable promotions serve the dual purpose of supporting both the non-profit and the participating brand.

“The purpose of social media is to drive brand awareness, not necessarily sales, so the key is to get as many users engaged as possible,” Ms. McCormick said.

Final Take
Caitlyn Bohannon, editorial assistant for Mobile Commerce Daily, New York