Marketing Trendz Volume 19 October Edition 2015 | Page 20

community relations

MALL-BASED CAPTAIN MCFINN & FRIENDS
ANTI-BULLYING PROGRAM GETS DIGITAL UPGRADE
Some 264 malls across the U.S. are acting as bullyfree zones this National Bullying Prevention Month.
They’re doing it with the help of Captain McFinn &
Friends, a child-focused multi-platform brand that
Phyllis Cafaro of the Cafaro Company launched in
2012 and which centers on a bully shark that learns
the error of his ways in an imaginary underworld.
Several development companies are supporting
the cause and hosting “Malls and Retailers Unite
Against Bullying” events at their properties
again, inviting families to sign a pledge and join
activities like story time, arts and crafts, concerts,
and friendship marches, all to encourage children
ages three through five to actively seek positive
ways to interact with others and resolve conflicts.
The rise in participation—there were 160 malls
involved last October—might have something to
do with the program managers’ knack for engaging
tech-savvy kids.
The Captain McFinn & Friends Swim & Play
mobile app now immerses kids in Riff Raff Reef,
a new environment where they can practice
anti-bullying behavior and get feedback from
live facilitators in real time. Called Explorers,
these facilitators address the kids directly by their
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chosen avatar name, and both educate and entertain
them through guided play. Riff Raff Reef acts as
a virtual extension of the in-mall experience and
complements the Captain McFinn S.H.A.R.K.
(Students Help Achieve Respect and Kindness)
Patrol, a parallel school program that gives pre-K
to grade 2 teachers access to themed material,
including an interactive app, eBook, 120-page
guide, books, plush toys, stationary, and music.
For more information, click on the window below
to visit the program website.