If you’re in the market for a children’s book that benefits a good cause, Tampa-based ad agency PPK has you covered.
The agency announced this month that it wrote, designed and illustrated Clarence’s Greatest Gift, a children’s book that is being sold to benefit longtime charitable partner National Pediatric Cancer Foundation (NPCF).
The book details the story of Clarence, a rain cloud cast out after ruining a party, and conveys the importance of being inclusive and accepting of others. The book’s message of self-worth, kindness and support is intended to align with both the agency’s values and the charity’s mission.
Conceived last year, Clarence’s Greatest Gift was written by Nick McMurdy, PPK’s creative director, while PPK’s art director Alan Schneller illustrated.
The book went on pre-sale a few weeks ago and will go on sale in September to coincide with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. All sales from the book and its accompanying merchandise through the end of the year will benefit NPCF.
Pediatric cancer remains the number one cause of death by disease among children and it was estimated that more than 15,000 kids were diagnosed with cancer last year.
PPK President Garrett Garcia told MM+M that the initial goal is to raise $10,000 for the healthcare organization. When September rolls around, he added that the agency will host book readings at children’s hospitals around the Tampa area.
Garcia said the book is an example of how agencies can embark on projects that have both creative and charitable benefits. He said that agencies or brands interested in doing something similar with their creative capabilities should lean into the joy and freedom of the project in order to produce the best result.
“This is about making sure that the gloves and the guardrails are off,” he said. “You truly give an agency partner full creative expression — at least out the gate — to let them get some momentum and wind underneath their sails.”
For PPK, which has done merchandise drops in the past as part of collaboration for COVID-19 vaccine awareness, Pride Month and local breweries, this type of initiative is a familiar, effective way to give back through marketing work.
Garcia said the agency hasn’t finalized what merch it’s looking to create for this project but is batting around the idea of plush toys based on the book’s characters and even custom slime, which is typically a hit among young kids.
Additionally, Garcia praised the book’s narrative and focus on self esteem, noting it has a relevant hook for pediatric cancer patients who are in the hospital, receiving treatment and may be struggling with their self worth amid that arduous process.
He even met with NPCF CEO David Frazier to discuss the partnership and walk him through one of the final drafts of the book, which he was enthused about.
There will be a larger PR rollout later in the summer ahead of the book’s release, but for the time being, Garcia encouraged people to pre-order it online and embrace its universal themes for a young audience.
“Those values of being a good person and a good friend — while also understanding your value as a human and this idea of self esteem — those are beautiful things that we try to teach our own kids,” he said. “It was important for us to infuse that into the story, which I think we did successfully. That’s probably the greatest source of pride for me as I reflect back on the book — it’s all about the message.”
