Goulden Touch Foundation "Kickoff for a Cause" Gala

Chicago Bears Kicker Robbie Gould worked with HC to establish The Goulden Touch Foundation, a Foundation meant to generate awareness and raise funds for a neurological condition called essential tremor (ET). A close family friend of Robbie’s was stricken with this condition which led his efforts to raise awareness surrounding ET. HC worked with Robbie to plan a launch event for the Foundation, called “Kickoff for a Cause.” The objective was to  leverage the well-known Gould and his fellow Bears teammates to generate visibility around the event, which in turn would lead to heightened media attention and increased ticket sales.
 
HC solicited and secured support from multiple corporate sponsors (who purchased tables for the event despite the rough economic times) and forged a strategic partnership with NBC 5 Chicago to promote the event through a series of public service announcements (PSAs) with donated air time on NBC 5 Chicago. In addition, HC leveraged the client relationship with Hard Rock Hotel Chicago to secure event space and food and beverage service and booked VIP performances from chart topping country artist James Otto and the up and coming hip alternative band from the U.K., Your Vegas, as the evening’s entertainment.
 
HC’s media relations efforts for the event garnered more than 2.9 million media impressions. Coverage was seen on WMAQ-TV (NBC), WFLD-TV (FOX) and Comcast SportsNet Chicago as well as in the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times. NBC 5 Chicago produced a PSA promoting the event that ran 61 times in September and October (a donation valued at $55,000) and reached more than  9.2 million people. The event was attended by more than 200 supporters and special friends.
 
“Kickoff for a Cause” raised more than $115,000 through sponsorships, ticket sales and silent and live auctions, which covered the costs of the event and allowed The Goulden Touch Foundation to make an initial donation of $61,000 to the International Essential Tremor Foundation to fund research and family support initiatives.