Lincoln Motor Company recently awarded $25,000 to Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity as part of Divine Nine Driven to Give, a philanthropic campaign that began this past August. BlackEnterprise.com chatted with Shawn Thompson, manager of Lincoln multicultural marketing, for more information about this program.
BlackEnterprise.com: What is the goal of Divine Nine Driven to Give?
Shawn Thompson: The ultimate goal of the program was to support Lincoln’s efforts to give back to the community while also providing opportunities for consumers to be exposed to some of Lincoln’s newest products, like the all-new 2015 Lincoln MKC. The Divine Nine Driven to Give program was developed as an extension of a Lincoln program that already exists called Driven To Give. The original program was created as a way for Lincoln dealerships to work with schools and charities to conduct one-day test drive events that benefit local communities. This was a multicultural twist on the original program in that we joined forces with the National Pan-Hellenic Council.
BlackEnterprise.com: What does the program hope to achieve in five years?
Thompson: This was the first year that we launched this unique program within the market. As with all of our newly developed initiatives, we will be evaluating and determining the best course of action moving forward.
BlackEnterprise.com: What made Alpha Phi Alpha stand out from the rest?
Thompson: All of the participating organizations did a phenomenal job in raising awareness around their respective efforts and the program as a whole. Alpha Phi Alpha secured the highest level of engagement, including test drives and social media engagement which put them in first place, based on the criteria that were established prior to the program’s launch.
BlackEnterprise.com: Why is giving back so important?
Thompson: Lincoln is a company that has always been and continues to be passionate about supporting various community-based initiatives. We understand the importance of being where our consumers are and taking part in activities that matter most to them. This program was another way that we were able to continue in our efforts.
Read the article Lincoln Motor Company Lends Support to Black Greek Organizations for more information.