New York State businesses are invited to make a contribution to a worthy cause and, in the process, accept an outstanding promotional opportunity for the business.
Companies can receive substantial, positive television exposure before an educated and attentive audience by giving cash and/or their products or services to public television stations conducting their annual fund-raising "auctions."
Once a year, New York's public television stations take a break of 10 days or so from their normal programming. During this period, they offer viewers the chance to bid by telephone on various goods and services.
For gifts of cash, companies are designated sponsors of different nights or segments of the auction, which at a typical public television station lasts about a week and a half. Companies may also give their products or services, which are described with a brief promotional announcement read aloud and then auctioned to television viewers.
In return for their donations, businesses get a tax deduction, considerable promotional exposure, and the satisfaction of supporting this critical part of New York's cultural infrastructure. Each year, thousands of donors participate, and hundreds of thousands of viewers see their products and the associated promotional messages.