Business Proposal

Rebecca Ralph
COM/520
Instructor: Michael Minaudo
September 16, 2014

Introduction
It is the month of September and it is time for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
As many of you all know, the TJX company always supports JDRF and we will continue
supporting this wonderful organization that strives to end type 1 Diabetes (T1D) in youth as well
as in adults.
Every year in September we have our stores throughout the United States as well as our stores in
Canada and the United Kingdom, raise money by asking our customers if they would like to
donate to the JDRF. When a customer donates, we have them sign a JDRF shoe to let everyone
know that they made a contribution to this special cause.

Last year, our company raised a lot of money to help fund this special organization. One of our
stores in California raised $1700 in one day just by asking if customers would like to donate. If
this store in California raise this much in one day can you imagine how money we can raise in all
of the stores within our big company. That could raise at least if not pretty close to a billion
dollars because we have a lot of stores worldwide. Lets get working on this charity event.
Those suffering from this disease are counting on use to help find a cure.
Background to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF)
This is a global organization that has a mission to fund type 1diabetes (T1D). The organizations
goal is to progressively remove the impact of T1D from peoples lives until they achieve a world
without T1D. People who suffer from this disease deserve to live a life without diabetes. What a
change that would be to so many lives if there was a cure for T1D!
The organization is currently sponsoring $568 million in scientific research in 17 countries. In
2012 alone, JDRF provided more than $110 million to T1D research. Wow! This is amazing!
And our company is a part of this research. This is the only organization that is working towards
curing T1D. (www.jdrf.org)
Goals for the JDRF organization
There a number of goals that JDRF is striving to achieve. The first one is developing better
treatments. The treatments that are out today are doing a good job, but it could do better. By
donating money this cause JDRF can work towards finding better treatments for those suffering
from T1D.

The second goal is to seek prevention for future generations from getting T1D. No one wants to
have to be told that he or she or even his or her son or daughter is diagnosed with T1D. This is
scary news to receive. JDRFs goal is to research prevention from this disease.
Currently, JDRF is funding more than 50 human clinical trials. This organization is striving to
open up more human clinics that would help prevent this disease and even find a cure.
What can the TJX Company do for JDRF?
Ways to fund this charitable organization is up to each of our stores. Some stores have their store
manager dress up like a super hero to help raise money. This provides a humor approach to
communication to help raise money. Humor is a healthy approach to communication. It grabs
the attention of the audience and will help raise money for this important organization. Humor,
when boiled down to its essence, is simply an attempt to communicate with others and have the
message interpreted as being funny (McIlherin 267). This super hero approach will tell our
customers that he or she is going to help find a cure for T1D and going about it in a very
humorous way!
First before our company decides to adopt this approach, we must consider the audience. We do
not want to stereotype people and/or put a negative image to our company. After all, we are still
running a company. This superhero outfit should not be offensive to anyone.
To avoid any stereotypes and/or negative feedback, our company must:
1. Know ones audience
2. One must know when the use of humor is appropriate
3. The delivery of the humorous message needs to be correct
4. Humor must have originality
Keeping this in mind will help protect the companys reputation as well as our business with our
customers.
The second idea that can help raise funds for this research can be found in our Knoxville, TN
Marshall Store (#0247). This store adopted the notion of having all the associates wear rubber
bands on their wrist. An associate announces that it is time for the JDRF snap time and all the
associates must snap their rubber bands. This informs the associate how it feels like whenever a
child has to prick themselves to check their blood sugar. It hurts! Not only it informs the
associate, but customers will begin asking what the announcement means. This also gives the
associate the chance to engage the customer in donating money to the JDRF. In one day this
store raised $193 which is nothing compared to the store out in California, but it is better than
nothing!

We Can Do This!!!!

Our company can raise millions of dollars for the JDRF! We need to keep in the mind the many
lives that we can save for this research. Lets work together to provide a bright future for those
who suffer from type 1 Diabetes.

Resources
McIlherin, John, (2006),"The use of humor in corporate communication", Corporate
Communications: An International Journal, Vol. 11 Iss 3 pp. 267 274.
Ramasubramanian, Srividya, Media-Based Strategies to Reduce Racial Stereotypes Activated
by News Stories, Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly; Summer 2007; 84, 2;
ProQuest Central pg. 249.
Image: http://clubuldeparenting.ro/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/happy_kids.jpg
Image: http://westernpa.jdrf.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/64/2013/02/JDRF-Sneakers-Logocolor.jpg