Electrolux Canada and Ovarian Cancer Canada are planting seeds of hope to help raise awareness of ovarian cancer among Canadian women. A bed of sunflowers—a symbol synonymous with the OCC—were placed in the ground outside the company’s Mississauga, Ont. office, as part of the “Garden of Hope” initiative.
The garden is a way of physically demonstrating Electrolux’s support and commitment to raising awareness for this cause, said David Riabov, partner of Toronto-based Scratch, the agency behind the program.
“We thought it [the garden] would be a great concept,” said Riabov. “It’s an ongoing initiative to really build momentum over the summer.”
The flowers will be used to line the route of the Walk of Hope in Toronto this September. The event, which is hosted in cities across Canada, raises money for ovarian cancer research.
Members of the public can plant a virtual flower at GardenOfHope.ca. Electrolux will donate $1 to Ovarian Cancer Canada for every flower planted. As of press time, 3,934 flowers had been planted.
The site features a video message in support of the OCC from American talk show host Kelly Ripa, who became the Electrolux brand ambassador last April.
Electrolux is driving consumers to the website through PR initiatives, events and through the company’s retail partners. In addition, Electrolux is tagging its current advertising, which includes print, with the Garden of Hope message.
Ovarian cancer is considered the most serious gynecological cancer and is not easily detected. In 2009, an estimated 2,500 women will be diagnosed and 1,700 will die from the disease in Canada.
