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SWPR was chosen as the Project Leader to head up the events and media relations
for the inaugural Marshall Field’s Jingle Elves promotion. In this joint
effort, Jingle Elves were conceived by the sales promotion company Frankel and
brought to life by SWPR.
The assignment was to produce a festive one-of-a-kind public event for Marshall
Field’s to introduce a new holiday tradition. The Marshall Field’s Jingle Elves
would spill out of an oversized gift box and commit “random acts of kindness”
to the people of Chicago for the two weeks leading up to Christmas.
 With less than three
months to the unveiling, SWPR brought in Chicago Scenic to create a 24’ x 24’
gift-wrapped box. SWPR hired 500 people to play Jingle Elves, conducted an Elf
Workshop and helped customize the costumes. Additionally, 24 Tuba Santas were
hired to perform holiday melodies from a platform at the base of the gift.
On event day, crowds gathered and news crews filled the press stands for the
gift unveiling. Actress Phylicia Rashad was the mistress of ceremonies and was
joined by the president of Field’s, along with the wives of the mayor and
governor who both presented city and state proclamations declaring it “Marshall
Field’s Day.” As the ribbon was cut, 3,000 red and green balloons were released
along with a special effects pyro show. Simultaneously, 500 elves streamed out
of the oversized gift box and performed their first random act of
kindness—distributing complimentary Frango Mints to the crowd.
For the second phase, SWPR organized and supervised 30 events throughout a
two-week period. The Jingle Elves delivered food to soup kitchens, distributed
teddy bears at hospital pediatric units and DCFS Holiday Party, read stories to
children at the library and performed a ‘Skate with Santa’ program for
underprivileged kids. The Jingle Elves hit the streets to give away
complimentary gas at service stations, holiday postage stamps, hot chocolate at
bus stops, tokens at train stations and newspapers to morning commuters. On the
final evening of the promotion, singers from the Lyric Opera dressed as Jingle
Elves and sang Christmas carols during a horse drawn carriage procession down
Michigan Ave.
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