You know the saying, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going”? As communicators obsessed with language, we have adapted this adage to read “when the going gets tough, the tough get creative.” That spirit echos what’s happening with many Houston brands, nonprofits, and businesses as they shift their products, services and messaging to be sensitive to the temporary realities imposed by COVID-19.
if there was ever a time when both our resilience and creativity are tested at once, it is now.
Discovery Green
Photo courtesy of Discovery Green, a “village” green in downtown Houston offering a robust schedule of events, fitness classes, educational workshops, and family programming, has found a way to bring the park experience to the people.
For more than a decade, the downtown Houston village green has been a popular destination for all kinds of events and attractions, including concerts, family-friendly workshops, fitness offerings like yoga, and educational presentations for children. When thinking about how its mission of becoming a “source of health and happiness for our citizens, and a window into the incredible diversity of arts and traditions that enrich life in Houston” could be met without hosting families physically, Discovery Green got creative. If people cannot come to the park, then the other option is to bring the park experience to the people.
The conservancy leveraged its robust social media presence to engage the community by live streaming events such as a Flamenco dance workshop led by Houston Flamenco Collective, a yoga flow session with YouniverSoul and Tai Chi practice with Four Dragons Institute. For students, Discovery Green partnered with Writers in the Schools (WITS) to provide a free online writing workshop. As part of the park’s acoustic concert series titled Unplug, Houston musicians Nick Gaitan and Roberto Rodriguez broadcasted their sets. Discovery Green also collaborated with media outlet 365 Things To Do in Houston to extend the viewership of their efforts.
DACAMERA
DACAMERA’s “Home Delivery” features performances by audience favorites, including pianist Jeremy Denk, to align with the season theme.
Classical music and jazz presenter DACAMERA prides itself on intimate performances that connect audiences and musicians. With concert hall presentations no longer being an option and the rest of the 2019-20 season canceled — including a concert dedicated to the exploration of Beethoven’s piano sonatas — the nonprofit decided to create exclusive content for its subscribers.
DACAMERA Artistic Director Sarah Rothenberg, also an accomplished pianist, took matters into her own hands by recording videos at home, playing her living room piano and syndicating the content via email. The strategy, titled Home Delivery, has been keeping subscribers connected to not only the music but also how the organization curates programs to learn and experience something new.
McDonald’s Houston
McDonald’s Houston owner/operators donated food to Kids Meals Inc., an organization that fights food insecurity.
The owner/operators of the Houston area co-op have a strong corporate social responsibility program that also includes participating in community events with food donations and experiential marketing for families. With dining rooms temporarily closed and community events on pause, McDonald’s turned to local organizations trying to support families struggling to feed their children.
McDonald’s found a meaningful partner in Kids Meals Inc, which strives to end childhood hunger by delivering free healthy meals to the doorsteps of Houston’s hungriest preschool-aged children. With Kids Meals’ supply of certain food items like bread being compromised, McDonald’s stepped in and provided bridging support to ensure these services could continue.
Pura Vide Tequila donated bottles to partnering restaurants, allowing them to keep the profits from cocktails sales.
Pura Vida Tequila
The small-batch company with a strong presence in Houston saw an opportunity to support the hospitality industry that saw restaurants, bars, and lounges only being able to offer delivery, takeout and drive-thru service. Pura Vida Tequila provided restaurants with free bottles of tequila, creating an opportunity for these hard-hit local businesses to keep the revenue from sales of mixed drinks to keep as many people employed as possible.
Fashion designer David Peck turns his atelier into a mask-making operation.
David Peck, Chloe Dao and Houston Grand Opera
Houston-based fashion designers David Peck and Chloe Dao have earned a national reputation for wearables that understand how to create patterns that complement the lifestyle of the modern woman, in addition to both brands being active community contributors through their philanthropic efforts. So they turned their ateliers into mask-making operations. Chloe is accepting donations to prioritize free masks for the medical community. David is has a buy-a-mask, give-a-mask campaign. Adding to those efforts is Houston Grand Opera’s costume shop, which is making and donating fabric face masks to healthcare workers at St. Joseph’s Medical Center.
Do you have a favorite brand that’s doing something great right now? We’d love to hear from you! Email us at info@theckpgroup.com and tell us what businesses are making you smile.
Joel Luks
Joel Luks is CKP’s Director of Brand Marketing and with expertise in content marketing and social media strategy. He works with a wide range of clients—from global brands to mid-size enterprises to solo entrepreneurs—to create integrated marketing strategies that connect entities with target markets.
