Berkner Lends Tunes To Charity Cd

Rising children's artist Laurie Berkner is joining forces with children's shoe manufacturer Elefanten and the nonprofit Americans for the Arts in a retail charity promotion called Steps to Art that is designed to benefit early-childhood arts education programs.

The promotion launches in August, traditionally the beginning of retail's back-to-school focus. It involves a special $10 compilation CD, Bumblebees & Googleheads: Fun Songs by Laurie Berkner, sold exclusively at participating Elefanten retailers, including all 84 Nordstrom locations. (Berkner will also perform a short concert tour.) All proceeds from the CD's sales are earmarked for preschool arts education, via Washington, D.C.-based Americans for the Arts.

New York-based Berkner, a former preschool music teacher, says she was first approached about the project by Madison, Wis.-based Shine Advertising, Elefanten's ad agency. Initially, the plan was to give away a Berkner audio product as a gift with the purchase of Elefanten shoes. Instead, the nine-song Bumblebees & Googleheads was compiled from Berkner's three albums (on her own label Two Tomatoes Records) and will be sold via point-of-sale countertop displays.

Elefanten sent Berkner to retail meetings in Chicago, Seattle, and Milwaukee to introduce her to "the people who sell Elefanten shoes and who'd have my CD on their countertops," she says.

According to Elefanten president Mark Kohlenberg, Berkner was a hit: "In Seattle, the conference room was full of Nordstrom buyers looking at next season's shoes. [As Berkner performed], there they were, getting jiggy with Laurie, clapping and singing along—it was great."

Kohlenberg says hundreds of Elefanten retailers nationwide are taking part in Steps to Art. Retailers pay for the CDs upfront, and the proceeds go straight to charity. "We were leery at first about selling something other than footwear," he acknowledges. But he says the $10 price point is a positive factor, pointing out that his company's customers tend to be well-heeled to start with. "Elefanten-buying parents spend $40-$50 on baby shoes. [Plus,] the CD doesn't compete with our other products."

Elefanten is providing its retailers with "a turnkey retail merchandising kit, so they don't have to worry about [selling unfamiliar product.] It contains the counter display, a training program with background on the cause and Laurie, a sales contest, etc." Elefanten is placing ads this fall in parent-targeted publications like Parent, Child, Martha Stewart Living, and Rosie and providing retailers with "as seen in" ad slicks for in-store display.

Though Berkner won't receive any of the proceeds from Bumblebees & Googleheads sales, she says that Steps to Art is affording her valuable exposure. David Gotskind, owner of upscale independent retailer Gotskind's Shoes in the Chicago suburb of Naperville, says Elefanten has already sent out a sample of Berkner's music, which has been playing in the store. "This is the first time [we've sold] kids' audio, so this is unusual," he says. He notes that he expects a favorable response.

For its part, Nordstrom says it hopes consumers appreciate "being able to purchase both Elefanten footwear and the CD in one place, while benefiting a good cause to boot."