Maxwell PR’s campaign honoring elders hits a heartwarming home run

To quote Abraham Lincoln: “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”

Bob Moore, the beloved 90-year-old president and founder of natural foods brand Bob’s Red Mill, embodies the spirit of a life well lived. To honor his health and wellness legacy, Maxwell PR launched a “Portraits of Longevity” campaign on behalf of Bob’s Red Mill. The digital campaign invited fans to nominate an elder in their lives who has defied the odds of aging to make a lasting impact.

Maxwell PR set a goal of driving 10,000 website visits to Bob’s Red Mill and to collect more than 100 personal stories celebrating elders whose lives have inspired those around them to be healthier, happier and live with purpose. Both objectives were far exceeded.

To get the campaign rolling, the team:

• Designed a landing page to house a contest entry form as well as Bob’s personal tips for longevity.
• Drove awareness, and ultimately entries, via a targeted paid social media campaign.
• Partnered with 11 social media influencers to share their stories of exceptional elders, while encouraging followers to participate.

Increased contest participation with a chance to win $1,000 gift card and a $10,000 donation to Meals on Wheels America given in the name of the winning nominee. The campaign also shed light on the issue of hunger among American elders.

The month-long promotion netted a total of 720 entries—more than seven times the original goal. The 11 social media influencers used for the initiative created 40 posts, reaching 6.5 million followers, and the campaign generated more than 32,000 website visits for Bob’s Red Mill.

This became much more than a PR initiative. The submissions received were deeply personal and thoughtful. The submissions were so good, in fact, the team decided to award 20 prizes (instead of the originally planned 10) to those who exemplified the theme of longevity.