Cause Marketing - Promoting Social Responsibility

In 1983, American Express donated a penny for every card swiped and contributed millions of dollars to the Statue of Liberty restoration.  American Express revolutionized the idea that 'doing good' and creating a positive ROI can happen simultaneously.

The torch has been lit and interest has sparked ever since.     

PR professionals and consumers can attest to an abundance of cause marketing efforts.  Many companies are turning away from conventional approaches.  They seek an emotional connection between a cause and their brand.

Emotional Connection - Key to Brand Survival

Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble (P&G) provides excellent examples.  In the late 1980's, with the Exxon Valdez spill, P&G donated cases of Dawn to clean birds doused with oil.  Through the 2010 Crest Health Smiles program, P&G is providing dental care for urban youth. 

P&G is not alone.  The Cause Marketing Forum recognizes businesses for their leadership in this field.  McDonald's and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital both won the 2008 Cause Marketing Golden Halo Award.  McDonald's has been consistently committed to disaster relief, employment opportunities and environmental efforts.  St. Jude Children's Research Hospital has raised tens of millions of dollars for the treatment of catastrophic diseases in children.

PR Pros - This is Tricky Stuff

Forging partnerships with non-profits can be tricky.  When considering a cause marketing initiative, it is extremely important to support a cause that reinforces your corporate culture, values and brand attributes.  Also, it should be something you really care about.  

Pampers (P&G) and Salma Hayek have teamed up with UNICEF in the "One Pack = One Vaccine" program.  For each package purchased, Pampers will provide a tetanus vaccine to moms and babies in developing countries.  Television advertising (on left) behind this effort has provided the strongest copy-test scores for an "equity" campaign in the brand's history. See for yourself.

Authenticity - The Key to Success

If your campaign is not authentic, your efforts will feel self-serving to consumers and become counterproductive.  When done effectively, however, companies and causes can "win".

This edition of March Forth provides links (on left) to some excellent blog discussions regarding examples and tips for cause marketing campaigns.  Below, we also share some interesting and recent online and offline discussions about this important topic.

Please visit our Web site to learn more about Vehr Communications.  Contact us if we can help enhance your company's reputation by strategically linking your brand to a non-profit.

Good Reads about Cause Marketing

Advertising Age: Yes, there is an ROI for doing Good

Microsoft Small Business Center: 'Cause Marketing' tips: Boost business by giving back

PR Web: The Most Respected Companies in the United States - Reputation Institute Releases Results of its Global Pulse U.S. 2008 Study

Amazon.com:
1.  "Cause Marketing" by Joe Marconi
2. "Cause for Concern: Results-Oriented Cause Marketing" by Stephen Adler
3.  "The Art of Cause Marketing: How to Use Advertising to Change Personal Behavior and Public Policy" by Richard Earle

PR News, PR Insights

Connect (on the left) to a number Cause Marketing resources, blogs and discussions.  These are some of the ones we particularly favor.

As practitioners, we use communications to manage reputations, build relationships and deliver results.  The Internet is changing how we do it, but how we have always done it is just as important.

We hope the connections we provide here, and the various news outlets and blogs we connect to on the Vehr Communications' Web site, help you to understand this rapidly changing industry as much as they help us.