“It only takes a little…to BE BIG!” The motto for Scholastic Media’s new Clifford The Big Red Dog BE BIG! campaign delivers the message at the heart of this initiative: small actions based on Clifford’s Big Ideas—among them sharing, helping others, being responsible, playing fair and working together—can make the world a better place.

The campaign’s Big Ideas philosophy is rooted in the curriculum developed for PBS KIDS’ Clifford The Big Red Dog TV series, currently in its ninth season. “The BE BIG! campaign is a natural extension of Clifford brand,” says Daisy Kline, director of marketing and brand management for Scholastic Media. “Our goal was to leverage the Big Ideas more effectively. Reframing them within the context of a call-to-action campaign was the perfect platform to emphasize the importance of character education, underscore what good citizenship is all about and reinforce how small, simple actions can make a big difference.” Scholastic Media will be working with PBS KIDS to raise awareness of the campaign.


Actress Debi Mazar joined Clifford for the BE BIG! campaign launch at FAO Schwarz on Wednesday.

The BE BIG! initiative includes the creation of the BE BIG Fund to support local community action. Scholastic Media is working with HandsOn Network, a national volunteer management organization that is a business unit of Points of Light Institute, to activate the campaign through this fund.

A partnership with FAO Schwarz will help Scholastic Media spread word of this multi-year, case-based initiative. The toy retailer’s flagship stores and its boutiques in Macy’s stores nationwide are currently carrying “BE BIG!” tagged Clifford plush, displayed alongside books and DVDs featuring Norman Bridwell’s iconic canine character. Through February 28, Scholastic will donate 10% of the net proceeds from FAO Schwarz sales of designated Clifford BE BIG! plush product to the BE BIG! Fund at HandsOn Network. A kickoff party for the campaign took place yesterday afternoon at FAO Schwarz’s Fifth Avenue store in Manhattan.


Spreading the word about the BE BIG! campaign,
on the streets of New York.

Scholastic Media is supporting the BE BIG! launch with national print and online promotion. A dedicated Web site provides information for parents and teachers as well as activities, games and stories for youngsters. In the spirit of the season, visitors to the site can now create and send a virtual Valentine’s Day card to Clifford. For every card delivered through the end of this month, Scholastic will donate one dollar (up to $20,000) to the BE BIG Fund.

“We wanted to get kids involved from the start,” says Kline of the card-sending program. “It is important that they become aware of what being big embodies. Everybody—no matter how big or small, can participate in the spirit of this campaign.”

Helping to spread that spirit in New York City throughout this month are BE BIG!-themed graphics on telephone kiosks and a Gray Line sightseeing bus. The art, of course, features one very big red dog, with some correspondingly big ideas to share.