In an effort to pull a struggling club out of financial duress in a market hit especially hard by the recession, the Sam's Club Gives Back Campaign encouraged new member sign-ups through the idea of giving back to struggling schools in the area. Tactics included community newspapers and PTA outreach. The message was focused on real savings instead of the usual “save in bulk” approach. As a result, the club saw the highest lift in membership of the brand’s roster of declining stores.

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