1. “More Than Cookies”
Public Relations Campaign for Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways
Irene Huang, Minji Hwang, Charlotte Stockdale, Yidi Zhang
Syracuse University
S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications
215 University Place, Syracuse, NY 13244
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Executive Summary
CMY International’s campaign for the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways was created to attract
more parents to sign up their daughters for Girl Scouts programs, for parents to participate more actively
in Girl Scouts activities, and most importantly, to persuade parents to encourage their daughters in Girl
Scouts to utilize the camp facilities.
A SWOT analysis was conducted to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats that Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways faced from both a business and communications
viewpoint to help plan an effective strategy.
The goals of the campaign are to: (1) transform the image of Girl Scout camping programs for
the parents of Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways, (2) foster a lasting relationship between Girl Scouts of
NYPENN Pathways and the parents of Girl Scouts, and (3) encourage camp program participation of
parents and Girl Scouts.
Some objectives include: (1) to increase parents’ confidence in the safety of camp properties, (2)
to increase the number of camp activities that directly involve parents and (3) to increase the camp
utilization during big family weekends.
To carry out this campaign, we have outlined our tactics, estimated a budget, and created a
timeline. We have also included samples of what the campaign would look like if it was implemented.
CMY International’s campaign’s objectives and tactics can be edited and adapted according to
Girl Scouts’ preferences.
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Background Research
Girl Scouts of USA is a non-profit organization for American girls, having opportunities
domestically and abroad. Its mission is to shape girls into becoming courageous and confident, and to
encourage them to make the world a better place. Girl Scouts provides various activities in science and
technology; business and economic literacy; and environmental awareness to name a few for the
purpose of developing their leadership skills and boosting their self-esteem.
Recent public relations issues include the decrease in Girl Scout membership and councils
across the country and criticism of the Journeys programs. According to an article published in The New
York Times, membership has fallen over the past decade, and councils have gone down from 312 to
112. Girl Scouts of USA CEO Anna Maria Chavez attributed the membership drop to societal financial
difficulties in the U.S., saying: “Parents and families are less financially stable, frequently working two
jobs or more, leaving little time to volunteer or take their children to extracurricular activities” (Associated
Press, 2014).
Girl Scouts has also faced criticism on its Journeys programs, which were implemented in 2011,
replacing the old badge system with “21st
-century ideas revolving around social issues, professional
opportunities for women, and science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the so-called STEM
curriculum” (Dobner, 2014). More than 2,000 Girl Scout members and supporters used a Facebook page
called “GSUSA, Are You Listening?” to voice their concerns. The page displayed comments from a
survey created by a group of Girl Scout members in 2013 to find out how the recent organizational
changes, such as council realignments, Journeys, Pathways and more, have impacted Girl Scouts. One
respondent, who identified herself as a troop leader with over 10 years of experience, said: “I find the
Journeys too difficult to run with my troops. The girls are resistant and despite the leader materials, I am
not a trained teacher and find the programs hard to administer” (Facebook, 2015).
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Situational Analysis
(a) Problem Statement
The Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways aims to encourage parents to support girls between the ages of 7
and 15 in New York and Pennsylvania to actively participate in outdoor camp activities. However, our
client states that the organization has been facing significant difficulty in maintaining its current camps in
recent years due to both financial and public relations pressures. To improve its financial situation, the
chapter plans to sell five of its nine camp properties to improve the efficiency of its facilities and to
dedicate its resources to the four camps left in Comstock, Trefoil, Hoover and Amahami. Similarly,
parents’ concern against potential safety issues combined with their limited understanding of the
program’s advantages are also primary obstacles that the organization needs to overcome.
(b) SWOT Analysis
Strengths:
● Each camp has its own beauty in nature
● Girl Scouts’ heritage and prestige
● Diverse programs for girls’ diverse interests
● Adult volunteers (7,000)
● Girl Scout alumnae
● Low commitment attracts new members
● Revenue-generating cookie sales
● Positive public perception
Weaknesses:
● Girl Scouts’ financial situation
● Camps are a liability and financial burden when not occupied
● Adult volunteers are unpaid
● Only 70 staff members are paid
● Girl Scout alumnae database (nonexistent as of now)
● Low turnover rate (40 percent)
● No enforcement to consistently show up at Girl Scout meetings can limit cohesivity among
members
● Majority of funding reliance on cookie sales
● Funding from men-run businesses: more advantageous for Boy Scouts
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Opportunities:
● Big family weekends like Mother’s Day, Memorial Weekend, etc.
● Girls nowadays have a diverse interest, not just in outdoor camping
● Possible new members in local communities near the camps
Threats:
● Moms aren’t looking to spend time away from their sons or other family members
● Families don’t want to spend big family weekends involved with an organization
● Parents feel uncomfortable sending their kids away
● The economy isn’t at its best, so the money tight for a lot of families
● Many parents don’t have the time to take kids to places
● Girl Scouts aren’t perceived to be as highly honored as Boy Scouts
● Societal prejudice against girls and women--many don’t see themselves as leaders
(c) Statement of the Harm
Without an efficient public relations campaign, parents of Girl Scouts may continue to overlook the value
of the camp programs for their girls’ improvements and remain concerned about safety conditions at the
camps. Parents may also consider Girl Scouts camps to be a less attractive option compared to other
activities available, and arrange other family events for their daughters as a result. Therefore, the Girl
Scouts of NYPENN Pathways will gradually lose the parents’ support for the camp programs. Prolonged
low participation rate of the camping programs will cause great financial pressures to the organization,
and the camp programs may need to be terminated, which would have harmful effects on the
organization as a whole.
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(d) Linkages
National Board of Directors: 30 diverse men and women in fields ranging from financial services to
publishing.
Board Officers: Includes the President, Vice Presidents, Secretary and Treasurer. They are all
from different areas, from California to Florida.
Board Members-At-Large: Diverse mix of media consultants, school Deans, etc. From all areas,
from Texas to South Carolina, to DC.
Alumnae: There is a network/association to connect and stay informed about what’s going on with the
Girl Scouts today.
Federal Government: Girl Scouts Public Policy and Advocacy Office work with Congress and the
Executive Branch to educate/raise awareness of the issues concerning young women.
Corporations/Foundations: AT&T, Kappa Delta, Dell, Dove, Google, etc. who provide grants,
partnerships, and mentor programs to support Girl Scouts.
Volunteers: Network of nearly one million adults who lead members in participating in activities ranging
from camping to science & technology projects.
Employees: 225 employees at the national office in New York City and a network of 112 councils
nationwide with 9,500 employees. Includes positions across all fields ranging from event planning to
finance to multicultural initiatives.
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Schools: Girl Scouts works with high schools and colleges to provide grants and scholarships to
deserving members.
Communities: The center of recruitment for young girls.
Frontier Girls: A scout-like youth program for girls offered as an alternative to Girl Scouts centered
around patriotism, traditional values, and community service.
American Heritage Girls: Scouting organization that describes itself as a Christ-centered character
development program dedicated to the mission of building women of integrity through service to God.
Campfire USA: A secular, inclusive Scout-like organization. Camp Fire was the first nonsectarian,
multicultural organization for girls in America and became co-ed.
Baden-Powell Service Association: Formed in the U.S. and sees Scouting as one of the best programs
for developing character, improving resourcefulness, and learning responsibility and skills in public
service.
Media: Reach out to the media to keep them informed on stories, happenings, etc.
Minority groups: Diversity is a core value of Girl Scouts since its founding in 1912. All girls, African-
American, American Indian, Hispanic, rich, middle class and poor, US citizens and immigrants, can all
join.
Members: Keep current members, from all ages, happy and engaged.
Non-members: Attract as many school-aged girls as possible
Parents: Keep parents in-the-know and proud of what their girls are doing.
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Target Publics
(a) Demographics
While there are many publics that concern Girl Scouts of the USA, the target audience of our
campaign is the parents of girls between the ages of 7 and 15 in the New York and Pennsylvania Girl
Scout district. We aim to increase the participation rate of Girl Scout camps by encouraging parents to
take their girls to the camps. Understanding the demographics, psychographics, influentials and media
habits of the parents will help us achieve this goal.
The age range of the parents is 33 to 41, and they identify as Generation X. A 2011 survey of
nearly 3,000 college-educated women describes how 57 percent of college-educated, white-collar Gen
X women decided to be mothers, despite long workdays and economic challenges.
The Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways council has a membership of over 17,000 girls and 6,000
adult members (Girl Scouts of the USA, 2015). The annual national Girl Scouts of the USA report in 2013
suggests that about 70 percent of the girl membership falls in the white/Caucasian group, 13 percent
Hispanic, and 11 percent African American. The other 6 percent consists of girls identified as American
Indians, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, as well as members from multiple races (Girl Scouts of the
USA, 2013). Notably, the Hispanic/Latino representation has been growing most significantly within the
organization in recent years. Since the distribution of demographics in girl membership resembles the
ethnic background of their parents, this helps identify the racial and ethnic background of the Girl Scout
parents.
From above findings, we can assume that a little over half of Girl Scout mothers are white,
college-educated and hardworking Generation Xers with financial challenges. These Gen X mothers
would most likely take advantage of cost-efficient programs that do not interfere with their work while
allowing them to spend time with their girls.
(b) Psychographics
Parents of Girl Scouts don’t seem very interested in the camp programs for the following
reasons: (1) because of long working hours during weekdays, parents are more likely to spend
weekends with their whole family, including husbands and sons. (2) Both girls and parents have a wide
array of activities to choose from, including workshops or art events. (3) The average age of participants
for the camp program is younger than before, so parents are highly concerned about their young
daughters’ safety on the camp properties.
Parents of Girl Scouts are most likely motivated by all of these needs when considering
programs for their girls. They would like to make sure that the girls are fed, protected and loved. They
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would also like the girls to achieve a level of prestige and self-actualization by doing their best and being
recognized for their efforts. Girl Scout camping programs can help girls and their parents meet all of
these needs. Troop leaders would ensure that the girls eat healthy, stay safe within the campsite and
develop friendships with other girls. They will also recognize the girls’ achievements at Girl Scouts
through badges and awards, and this will help the girls achieve their full potential as future leaders.
Parents may be very much influenced by other groups and factors in their lives, such as religious
groups, neighborhood groups or parent-teacher associations (PTA). For example, parents who attend
Catholic churches might be more inclined to Also, parents seem to have a much lower level of
awareness about the camp programs compared to the cookie program because of the differences in
marketing and media outreach. While the cookie programs are often talked about in the media,
especially with the release of the new online sales program, the camp programs are not usually covered
in newspapers and other media outlets. Additionally, the cookie program is closely connected with
communities as a whole, while the camp program is exclusive for girls and located in suburbs, far away
from the communities.
Moreover, parents do not seem to fully understand the advantages of Girl Scout camps,
including improving confidence, building leadership skills and connecting with other excellent girls.
Parents also seem to have unnecessary concerns about the safety of their girls because they are not
carefully reviewing and evaluating the properties’ conditions and camp policies.
(c) Influentials
As previously stated, parents of Girl Scouts would most likely identify as Generation Xers. Gen
Xers are said to be better educated than any previous generation, with 43% of them graduating from
college (Fottrell, 2015). However, they are also quoted as “the generation under the most financial
stress,” with 45 percent losing their wealth during the recession from 2007 to 2010 (Woodruff, 2013).
Thusly, when choosing programs for their children, parents would make educated decisions that are
financially feasible.
Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs, developed in 1943, divides people’s motivations to achieve
certain needs into five stages. Hierarchically arranged in a pyramid, these needs are: physiological,
safety, love and belonging, esteem and self-actualization. Physiological needs include air, food and
shelter; safety needs include security, protection and freedom from fear; love and belonging needs
include friendship and love; esteem needs include status and prestige; and self-actualization needs
include realizing one’s full potential.
participate in the various family programs provided by the church instead of missing Mass and
spending time away from their friends at church.
(d) Media Habits
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Generation X could be said to have “the last of the truly low-tech childhoods” and to be “among
the first of the truly high-tech parents” (Tate, 2014). Many Gen X parents seem to be turning towards
media that their children are using. Parents of young girls also seem to prefer broadcast or social media
over print, although print media is typically perceived as being more credible. This is likely due to the fact
that broadcast or social media are the faster and easier media to receive information. Busy Gen X
parents could possibly choose convenience over credibility. A majority of the parents would watch the
morning news before dropping their kids off at school and heading off to work or watch nighttime news
after putting the kids to bed and before they themselves go to sleep. Parents of children and teens are
also active Facebook users, and they will share and read articles among their friend circles. These
articles could vary among credible national publications, such as The Washington Post, to trendy,
cultural publications such as New York Magazine, to less credible, more fun outlets such as Buzzfeed.
They may share articles that are interesting to men and women in their age groups or articles that
concern their children or other aspects of their personal lives.
Opinion leaders for parents include powerful decision-makers, such as Michelle Obama and
Chuck Schumer who pass legislation that affects them. They may also follow respectable celebrities
whom they admire, preferably parents, such as Angelina Jolie and Shakira.
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Recommendations
(a) Goals and Objectives (All dates are in 2016)
Goal 1. Transform the image of Girl Scout camping programs for the parents of Girl Scouts of NYPENN
Pathways
Objective 1. To increase parents’ trust in overnight camping volunteers by 50 percent by Aug 8
Objective 2. To increase parents’ confidence in the safety of camp properties by 50 percent by
Aug 8
Objective 3. To increase parents’ general interest in overnight camping by 30 percent by Aug 8
Goal 2. Foster a lasting relationship between Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways and the parents of Girl
Scouts
Objective 1. To increase the number of meetings required to attend from 0 to 5 by Aug 8
Objective 2. To increase the number of camp activities that directly involve parents to
participate from 5 to 10 by Aug 8
Goal 3. Encourage camp program participation of parents and Girl Scouts
Objective 1. To increase the percentage of parent participants in the camp programs by
30 percent by Aug 8
Objective 2. To increase the camp utilization during big family weekends (e.g. Memorial
weekend, Mother’s Day weekend) by 50 percent by Aug 8
(b) Strategies
Our first strategy involves audience participation from members of Girl Scouts and their mothers.
We think this strategy is going to work because this program will increase the number of camp activities
that require mother and daughter participation. This will also help increase camp utilization during big
family weekends, e.g. Memorial weekend and Mother’s Day weekend.
Our second strategy involves special events. We think this strategy is going to work because
this event will increase parents’ confidence in the safety of camp properties as well as their trust in
overnight camping volunteers. This will also help increase parents’ interests in Girl Scouts camping
programs.
(c) Messages
Campaign Theme: Recipe Book For Your Daughter’s Success / “More Than Cookies”
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Target Public: Parents
● Message A: Train your daughter to become a stronger leader
○ As a Girl Scout, your daughter will learn to work in a team setting
○ In turn, she will learn to work with her peers, and will step up and take charge
○ Girl Scout camp will teach your daughter that leadership is more than achieving ranks
and titles -- it is about discovering her own strengths that make her contributions
valuable
○ This is why you should sign your daughter up to take part in Girl Scout activities
● Message B: Teach your daughter about equality and acceptance
○ Girl Scout troops pride themselves on diversity
○ Members have mixed incomes, races, religions and disabilities
○ Girl Scout camp fosters an atmosphere of equality and acceptance that will teach your
daughter to embrace diversity
○ Therefore, your daughter will learn that everyone is equal
○ Enrolling your daughter in Girl Scouts is an important step for her to learn about diversity
and acceptance in a welcoming and friendly group setting
● Message C: Build your daughter’s courage
○ Girl Scout camps are centered around trying new things and sharing new experiences
with friends
○ At camp, your daughter will try ropes courses, kayaking, and other activities that will
make her brave and adventurous
○ She will step out of her comfort zone, and have fun along the way
○ These experiences will inspire her potential and show her that she is unstoppable
○ Sign your daughter up for Girl Scout camp, and your daughter will become more
courageous
(d) Tactics
We will tap into the campaign from three perspectives, including a new re-branding campaign,
the launch of “Cookie Camp,” and a parent engagement campaign focused on building a relationship
between the Girl Scouts and the parents.
The campaign as a whole will start in the spring of 2016. From January to mid-February, we will
prepare for re-branding PR campaign, and parent engagement campaign. We will start to carry out a
strategic and tailored re-branding PR campaign via traditional and online platforms in late February. Our
official website, social media handles and newsletter feeds will be our main online forces for the “More
Than Cookies” campaign. Posters and other offline resources will be utilized for traditional promotional
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purposes. We will tell the stories about members of Girl Scouts in their camp programs and
communicate the core values of the program by linking each attribute accordingly to each cookie flavor.
To create constant beats during the campaign, we will circulate the stories and messages through news
and social media channels.
We will also prepare for the open house events at all campsites on March 26, 2016 during the
Easter Weekend. We will seek to engage our parents by providing opportunities for the parents to learn
about our properties more visually and meet with our troop leaders. We will also seek to build a
community around the parents of Girl Scouts during and after the open house day. This is when we will
distribute an initial survey to parents to learn more about what they liked and disliked from their open
house experience.
As the re-branding campaign and the parent engagement campaign come to an end, we will
announce the launch of “Cookie Camp” on the second open house day event on Mother’s Day
Weekend. The “Cookie Camp” features the eight Girl Scouts values that campers will learn over five-day
camp period, prior to the three big family weekends and one regular weekend in August. After the five-
day camp experience, parents will be invited for the following weekend for the girls to showcase their
values through fun activities and bonding games involving troop leaders, parents and daughters.
(b) First drafts of written material
Please see Appendix I-III.
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Schedule
January 25, 2016 - February 19, 2016: Prepare all promotional materials for re-branding PR campaign,
and parent engagement campaign, including press releases, posters, and promotional videos. Collect
real stories of members from Girl Scouts and prepare the stories ready to release.
February 22, 2016 - March 25, 2016: Begin re-branding PR campaign and the parent engagement
campaign. Carry out the social media campaign—update blogs, YouTube channel and other social
media channels, featuring girls’ stories and the environment of properties. Encourage engagement of
parents and Girl Scouts on Facebook and Twitter.
March 26, 2016 (Easter Weekend): Host open house at all four campsites. Distribute in-person and
online surveys after the open house event.
March 28, 2016 - April 21, 2016: Prepare and finalize promotional materials for “Cookie Camp”; keep
running re-branding PR campaign and parent engagement campaign.
April 22, 2016: Announce the beginning of “Cookie Camp.” Send out the press release to the targeted
list of local media, launch “Cookie Camp” microsite, and kick-off social media campaign.
May 8, 2016 (Mother’s Day Weekend): Host open house events at all campsites and introduce Cookie
Camp to parents and Girl Scouts.
May 23, 2016 - May 28, 2016 (Memorial Weekend): Cookie Camp at all campsites.
June 13, 2016 - June 18, 2016 (Father’s Day Weekend): Cookie Camp at all campsites.
June 27, 2016 - July 2, 2016 ( Independence Day Weekend): Cookie Camp at all campsites.
August 1, 2016 - August 6, 2016: Cookie Camp at all campsites.
August 8, 2016: Send out surveys to evaluate the effectiveness of the entire campaign.
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Budget and Priorities
(a) Budget
● Print one copy of the “Cookie Camp” poster for every elementary, middle and high schools
within a 15-mile radius of the Girl Scout camps. Approximate budget:
○ 26 counties in the NYPENN region * estimated 15 schools per county * $24 per poster =
$9,360
■ Poster price approximated using FedEx Kinkos rates
● Promote the first #MoreThanCookies tweet and target 6000 impressions
$.50 – $2.50 per engagement
estimated $ .5* 6000 = $3000
● Produce the virtual trip video for the launch of “Cookie Camp”
Rentals, videotaping and editing = $500
● Refreshments and supplies for camp open house day for all camps
Total Invitees: 20,000 members
Total expected attendance: 1000 (5%)
estimated $10 per attendee * 1000 = $10000
(b) Priority
Entry Cost Priority Level Narrative
Copies of Posters $9,360 High Funded: Raises program awareness and
encourages camping participation among
proximate communities
Not funded: Lack of connectivity with the
local community
Promoted Tweet $3000 Medium Funded: Reaches a larger number of
potential audiences
Not funded: May lose potential attendees
of our camping programs
Virtual Trip Video $500 Low Funded: Allows a more interactive and
visual communications approach
Not funded: Lack of efficiency in
communicating the properties of our
camps
Open House Day Supplies $10,000 High Funded: Engages parents and girls;
showcases the camping properties;
builds members’ confidence in our
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management and volunteer teams
Not funded: Uncertainty about the safety
of the properties and the qualifications of
the volunteers; may miss the opportunity
to build a community around the parents
Cookie Camps Regular
budget
Total $ 22,860
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Evaluation Plan
By using data insights and analytics, we will track and evaluate the conversations being held on
social media by parents throughout the course of the campaign. We will also conduct in-person and
online surveys during the weeks of March 26, 2016 (before the campaign begins) and August 8, 2016
(after the campaign ends), and we will listen to what parents thought about “Cookie Camp.” Specifically,
we will ask questions about their trust in overnight camping volunteers, confidence in the safety of camp
properties and general interest in overnight camping. We will also seek to measure the number of
meetings and camp activities attended by the parents of Girl Scouts during the on-going months of our
campaign. Additionally, we will review the percentage of parent participants in the camp programs and
camp utilization during big family weekends. For recommendations, we could have made a Facebook
page and/or discussion board on the microsite specifically for parents to ask questions, leave comments
and engage in conversations to better understand their wants and needs for their daughters over the
summer season. We also could have better negotiated the budget with the client to maximize their
efforts.
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Consultant Background
Charlotte is studying public relations, with a minor in marketing, at
the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse
University. She is currently the PR Director for Baked magazine,
Syracuse University's student-run food publication. Charlotte’s
educational and industry experiences have provided her with a
strong background in digital marketing strategy, journalism, media
relations, and event planning. This past summer, Charlotte was the
"Creative Newsroom" intern with the digital team at Edelman, the
world's largest public relations firm.
During the summer of 2013, Charlotte was an intern publicist at Nike
Communications, where she won the "Summer Intern Competition,"
for developing the best marketing strategy.
Previously, Charlotte has written for The Daily Orange, Syracuse
University's independent, student-run newspaper, blogged for The
NewsHouse, and served as an editor for both Student Voice and Jerk
magazines. Charlotte also has served as the Newhouse Assembly
Representative and PR Correspondent for Syracuse University's
student government, Student Association, during the 58th session.
Yidi is a senior majoring in public relations at the S.I. Newhouse
School of Public Communications and minoring in marketing.
She has gained PR experience from multiple fields. Since junior
year, she has interned at CNY Arts, the regional art council in
Central New York, as a communication intern. Last year, she
joined Guangzhou Hackathon Committee as the director of
public relations, taking charge of government relations and
sponsor relations. She also co-founded Cantonese Students in
the U.S. Association in 2011 and is now serving as the president.
As the head of Social Department in last three years, she
directed three 200-participant annual cocktail parties and
managed all media channels.
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Irene is currently studying public relations at the S.I. Newhouse
School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, with a
dual major in economics and a minor in mathematics. Over the past
three summers, Irene has gained valuable work experiences at top
public relations firms and in other media areas. Most recently, she
interned at DeVries Global in New York City, an international PR
agency with a concentration in beauty. In 2013, she interned in
Shanghai, China, on the consumer accounts at Edelman. Besides
her experience in PR, she has also worked as interpreter and press
secretary for Shanghai International Film Festival, and scriptwriter
for Tangwang River filing crew.
Minji is currently studying public relations in S.I. School of
Public Communications at Syracuse University, with minors
in marketing and Spanish. She is an account supervisor at
Hill Communications, a student-run public relations firm at
Newhouse School. Minji’s career interests range from
healthcare, technology to consumer. In fall 2014, she
interned at TogoRun, an award-winning healthcare public
relations agency in New York City, where she further
developed her communications skills. Her strengths include
adaptability to new environments, diligence in research and
writing and multicultural perspective across the Americas,
Europe and Asia. In her spare time, Minji enjoys traveling and
learning about different cultures and languages.
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Appendices
Appendix I
Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways
8170 Thompson Road, Cicero, NY 13039
315-698-9400 * www.gsnypenn.org
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Minji Hwang, account executive
818-428-5337
mhwang@cmyi.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
GIRL SCOUTS OF NYPENN PATHWAYS TO ANNOUNCE COOKIE CAMP
SYRACUSE, N.Y., March 23, 2015 – Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways will be launching “Cookie
Camp” as part of its re-branding campaign to showcase the value of Girl Scout programs beyond cookie
sales. The program will kick off on May 9, 2015 at one of the four campsites, Camp Comstock. Parents
and Girl Scouts will explore the camp property, participate in various activities together and learn about
the core values of Girl Scouts.
An important goal of the program is to demonstrate to the parents of Girl Scouts that the organization
has much more to offer beyond its popular cookie sale program. To achieve this, each cookie flavor will
be paired with a Girl Scout value, e.g. courage, and an activity that will teach Girl Scouts to develop the
value.
“We are happy to finally show the parents of Girl Scouts that we are more than just cookie sales,” says
Pamela Hyland, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways. “Through the different
activities at Cookie Camp, parents will learn about our values that help young Girl Scouts grow into
future leaders.”
For more information about Cookie Camp, visit www.gsnypenn.org/cookiecamp and follow the online
conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #MoreThanCookies.
Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways aims to help Girls develop their leadership potential through activities
that enable them to discover their values, skills, and the world around them; connect with others in a
multicultural environment; and take action to make a difference in the world.
###
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Appendix II
Examples of social media content:
Twitter (from @GSNYPENN account)
“Got plans for #MothersDay weekend yet? Join us at Camp Comstock for fun family activities and
leadership workshops! #MoreThanCookies”
“Thin Mints, Samosas & Tagalongs aren’t just cookie flavors. They’re recipes to future leaders.
#MoreThanCookies” (attach the Cookie Camp poster)
“Don’t miss out on the chance to learn about Camp Comstock during #MothersDay weekend! We can
show you we’re #MoreThanCookies.”
Facebook (from GSNYPENN account)
“Come join us for fun activities and leadership workshops at Camp Comstock on Mother’s Day
weekend! Parents and Girl Scouts can learn about our values that will help develop young girls into
future leaders while exploring the wonderful nature of the campsite.” (attach a photo of the camp)
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References
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http://www.ahgonline.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=19406
Associated Press. (2014). Why are fewer girls joining the Girl Scouts? CBS News. Retrieved from
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/girl-scouts-membership-drops-sharply/
Baby Center. (2010). Surprising facts about birth in the United States. Retrieved from
http://www.babycenter.com/0_surprising-facts-about-birth-in-the-united-
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2013). Births and natality. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/births.htm
Dobner, J. (2014). Girl Scouts debate their place in a changing world. The New York Times. Retrieved
from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/20/us/girl-scouts-debate-their-place-in-a-changing-
world.html?ref=us
Facebook. (2015). GSUSA, Are You Listening? Retrieved from
https://www.facebook.com/pages/GSUSA-Are-You-Listening/335108643294594
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