The Vrity research we report on in this issue’s “Just Cause” article didn’t surprise us. The value of cause marketing campaigns has been apparent for some time, the numbers just continue to climb. A recent survey shows 97% of marketing executives believe cause marketing is a valid business strategy. That’s nearly unanimous. When more than three quarters of consumers say they are willing to pay more if a particular brand supports causes they believe in, that can’t be ignored. So, if at all possible, your business should be supporting a cause and making your support known. But which cause? How do you choose? What are the pitfalls? We thought you might ask.
Goals
We always start off with the most frightening thing known to man. A blank piece of paper. It’s actually not that scary. Begin at the beginning. Put down the goals you want the campaign to address. What do you want your cause campaign to do? Do you want to build awareness of your company’s brand? Do you want the campaign to generate social media engagement? Sales? Answers to those questions will fill in a lot of blanks. Let’s say you answered, “Yes,” to all of them. From an advertising/marketing standpoint, anything you do builds awareness of your brand. What many businesses miss is the post-campaign publicity. Don’t forget to publicize results. If you want to increase social media engagement, then you know you’ll want Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other platforms to be part of your campaign. You want to increase sales, right? Well, you find a way to connect a purchase to a donation. For every sale you make, you donate an amount.
Get Permission from the Cause You Pick
It’s always a good idea to contact the nonprofit you want to work with and ask permission. You’ll want them to provide their logo for use. Get them involved and they might put you on their own social media.
Don’t Make This Mistake
Whatever your cause, it must fit your company. KFC once partnered with Susan G. Komen, a foundation for breast cancer research. The campaign was “Buckets for the Cure.” KFC would donate 50 cents per bucket. It may sound benign at first, but just about fried anything is unhealthy and increases the risk of cancer. It’s not the best fit to promote a health-related cause when your product contributes to bad health.
It Never Hurts to Ask
One way to determine who to donate to is by conducting an informal survey of customers to find out if there’s a specific charity or organization that is particularly well liked in the neighborhood. Just keep in mind that if one of the goals is to increase awareness and sales, you might want to expand your footprint rather than stick close to home. The bigger the cause, the broader the appeal.
Final Thoughts
We’ve done cause marketing campaigns for several clients. They’ve involved food banks, Make-a-Wish, blood drives, children’s hospitals, and so on. The same general marketing rules apply. Make any collateral material you design look good! Explain things. Make the connection between you and the cause. If you need help, that’s what we’re here for!