Capstrat Shares Secrets with Keep America Beautiful

Contact: Karen Albritton
919 882 1958

New Developments in Social Marketing Subject of Presentation to National Conference

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Keep America Beautiful, one of the country's most recognized and respected non-profits, has invited strategic communications firm Capstrat to present its take on social marketing to the organization's national mid-year conference.

"Viral campaigns, consumer interactivity, adver-gaming - they're just a sample of the new opportunities and challenges for social marketers," said Capstrat's Billy Warden, who will make the presentation on Aug. 3 at the Asheville Renaissance Hotel. "But for all the new twists, marketing is still about who you're talking to, where they are and what you say to them when you find them. Keep America Beautiful has been doing its job well for decades, and part of its success has to do with getting the marketing message and mix right."

Warden led the Capstrat teams that launched teen tobacco prevention and obesity prevention campaigns with the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund as well as initiatives for the N.C. Treasurer and Alcohol Law Enforcement. Other social marketing clients in the Capstrat (www.capstrat.com) stable have included the Conservation Trust for North Carolina campaign and High Five, a high school reform initiative.

"Keep America Beautiful reached out to Capstrat because of its reputation for solid strategic thinking and real world results," said April Buther, the organization's director of affiliate services. "The success of our programs, education and outreach depends on effective social marketing - educating consumers of all ages about responsible behaviors like recycling and the virtues of volunteering. By staying on top of the latest trends, techniques and research, our affiliates will be able to put this knowledge to work in their communities nationwide."

Warden nicked the title of Capstrat's presentation from a quote attributed to Napoleon: "If It's Impossible, It Must Be Done." "The title captures the attitude you need going into a social marketing campaign," he explained. "In a world full of fast highs and easy answers, it's kind of crazy to try to persuade people to invest time and effort in doing the right thing. But, for everyone's sake, it must be done - and it can be done."

ABOUT CAPSTRAT
Capstrat is a strategic communications firm with offices in Raleigh and Washington, DC. The company's services include marketing communications, public relations, public affairs and Interactive communications. For more information about Capstrat, visit www.capstrat.com.

ABOUT KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL, INC.
Keep America Beautiful, Inc., established in 1953, is the nation's largest volunteer-based community action and education organization with a national network of nearly 1,000 affiliate and participating organizations. Keep America Beautiful forms public-private partnerships and programs that engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community's environment through litter prevention, waste reduction and beautification. For additional information, visit www.kab.org.