Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF)
Client: Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF)

Industry: Hospitality & Entertainment (Non-Profit)

Challenge: First launched in the summer of 2006, the Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF) has grown into an entertaining and educational year-round entity inTampaBay. GIFF wanted to increase awareness within the Tampa Bay Community and make the event more accessible to locals.

Solution: Well-known for its annual film festival, GIFF is operated by the 501(c) 3 non-profitTampa Film Institute and continually upholds its mission to provide year-long support for film screening, production, and education throughoutTampaBay and the region.

With hundreds of volunteers, including over 30 working board members, the festival recently completed its fifth year, breaking all previous records. Hitting the five year mark is quite an accomplishment for film festivals.

HCP has provided pro bono work for the past four years.  During 2010-2011, HCP assisted GIFF in increasing brand awareness with consumers through a balanced regional media campaign with a very limited budget, using its connections and established points of contact with various media affiliates. HCP donated all creative and media planning/negotiations for regional digital billboards, transit advertising (bus wraps), TV/Cable/Radio, newspaper advertising and created and hosted the festival’s new website (www.giff2011).

HCP also donated time to work with film industry agents to retain incoming stars M. Emmet Walsh and Tom Berenger to receive career achievement awards from the festival.

Leveraging connections with ad agency giant Ogilvy One (NYC), HCP was able to have them donate three HD broadcast commercials used to attract new members to the 2011 festival.  Commercials may be viewed at www.giff2011.com/watchvideos.php

HCP donated and saved the festival well over the $100,000 and continues to support the mission of the festival free of charge.