United Way is interested establishing mutually benefical co-branding partnerships with companies and organizations throughout San Diego County. United Way’s new partnership with AT&T is an excellent example of that type of mutually beneficial relationship. The article below  describes the United Way-AT&T partnership. For more information on co-branding opportunities with United Way, please contact:

Angela Titus
Director, Marketing and Brand Strategy
(858) 636-4172
Email Angela

United Way of San Diego County and AT&T have joined forces in a new co-branding partnership that is boosting awareness of United Way’s efforts in the community while raising more money for the United Way/CHAD Campaign.

AT&T, a longtime United Way supporter and one of the biggest contributors to the campaign, created two new promotions around its products and services to generate more campaign donations while increasing United Way’s visibility among AT&T customers and employees.

“We know this partnership will bring in new revenue, and that’s great, but our most important goal is letting people know throughout the county that there is new United Way that has adopted a community impact approach to solving problems, not just managing them,” said Mark Leslie, AT&T Vice President and Chair of the 2007-2008 United Way/CHAD Campaign.

“We’re advancing a powerful communications message that lets people know that giving to United Way is the way they can change the community by helping solve the three critical issues United Way is now focusing its efforts on—Stopping Child Abuse and Neglect, Promoting Financial Stability and Independence and Homeless Outreach and Prevention,” Leslie added.

United Way President and CEO Doug Sawyer said the new partnership is an example of the type of strategic co-branding partnerships United Way is eagerly pursuing throughout the San Diego business community. 

“We’re excited that a gold-standard company like AT&T has chosen to become even more involved with United Way,” Sawyer said. “It’s a partnership that will help United Way expand its services so that we can improve even more lives. The partnership will also serve as an outstanding model for other companies that are looking for opportunities to expand their community involvement.”

The first of the AT&T promotions, Donate Your AT&T Rebate to United Way, began in September and will run through October, according to Carmelita Pili, Associate Director, Consumer Marketing, AT&T. The program encourages new AT&T customers to donate to United Way some or all of their rebates they receive for products and  services they purchased AT&T retail stores, over the phone, through door-to-door sales or at event promotion.

Among the eligible rebates are those for AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet, AT&T/DISH Network Satellite TV or AT&T wireless services. The level of potential rebates customers have the opportunity to donate range from $50 to as much as $200 for customers who sign up for multiple services.

Leslie has announced that AT&T will match dollar for dollar all donations coming to United Way through the rebate program, up to a total of $35,000. That means if the program raises $35,000 in donations, United Way would receive a total of $70,000 thanks to the match.

The other promotion, the AT&T Business Affiliate Network, is an online marketing program that provides United Way with a donation for every qualified purchase of an AT&T business class product or service purchased through United Way’s website.

United Way will highlight the promotion with a banner ad or other type of advertising on its website. When people click on the ad, they will be linked to AT&T’s website. For every person who uses that link and signs up for AT&T Yahoo! High Speed Internet service or Local Phone Service, United Way will receive a donation from AT&T of $50 and $25, respectively. The program will kick off with the launch of United Way’s new website in October and run indefinitely after that.