Successful Cause Marketing Demands Alignment
| Posted in Marketing on Jan 19, 2012 by |
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Although the idea that the best cause marketing campaigns are those where the nonprofit organization is aligned with the brand is not a new idea, let's take a closer look at how that plays out. There are the good, the not-so-good, and the downright backwards.
A recent article in AdAge highlights some data from the Cone Cause-Evolution Study:
- 83% of Americans say they wish brands would support causes
- 41% have bought a product because it was associated with a cause (that figure has doubled since 1993)
- More than 90% think companies should consider giving in the communities in which they do business
- They further want the causes to be consistent with the brand messaging and support causes that the consumers themselves find important
The Association for Fundraising Professionals also mentions the importance of alignment, but there are varying degrees to which cause partnerships heed this advice. Selfish Giving highlights an incredibly blatant example of counterproductive messages. Kentucky Fried Chicken is giving $1 to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation every time you complete your meal with a Mega Jug of soda. Arguably, neither the brand nor the organization should've allowed this one to go out.
Sometimes they are not as strikingly discordant, as is the case with Tupperware. Their campaign, hosted on a separate Facebook page called “Chain of Confidence”, is to “honor women around the world and the profound, life altering impact that they can have on one another. The campaign celebrates the powerful bonds of friendship that connect women together.” But the campaign itself is disjointed. The “Confidence Counselors” tab showcases dolled up women telling their stories, including Kelly Clarkson providing some after-school-special-type explanations of what confidence means to her. The tab ends with a link to find out more about boosting your confidence; it leads directly to their direct sales enrollment page. Seriously? It feels a little sleazy to not provide resources to but instead recruit people who just said, "Yes I need help with my confidence."
The other tabs include Kelly Clarkson’s video again, with an announcement that they’ll donate $1 for every person that “likes” this page to the Boys and Girls Club of America. Yes, that’s a great organization which builds confidence, but in youth and in both genders, seemingly not aligned with Tupperware’s mission to “honor women around the world.” Then there is a Merchandise tab, but only when you click on an item, does it explain that the net, not gross, proceeds from the sales go to the Boys & Girls Club of Central Florida. Again, worldwide women are involved how?
Just as interesting are some of the really well-executed campaigns that ARE aligned well with their partners. Footwear and apparel maker Puma ran a promotion on the day of the Boston Marathon where they had a treadmill in one of their store windows. For every mile that was logged on the treadmill, they gave $100 and a pair of shoes to Soles4Souls, a nonprofit that provides shoes to poor people around the globe. This. makes. sense. Anyone can participate, the activity that they are doing is aligned with Puma's brand, and the cause is aligned with both the activity and the brand.
Haagen-Dazs has a microsite called Help The Honey Bees, dedicated to educating the public about the honey bee crisis, their efforts to mitigate it, how you can help, and even media related to the campaign. This is so aligned with their product they even get a chance to promote their all-natural products as they explain that bee pollination is essential for ingredients in nearly 50% of their flavors. Smart, fun, and directly ensuring the continued success of their company.
Next time a company approaches you, or you design a campaign aligned with a brand, make sure that it reflects positively on both your organization and their brand. The more closely they are tied, the more natural the fit, the more likely you are to avoid being made fun of in a blog post about cause marketing. Also, it will arguably have a higher success rate. Get to it!
Emma Klues is a Project Manager and Account Executive at Elasticity, specializing in helping brands launch effective cause marketing campaigns and nonprofits execute cost-effective marketing efforts. Emma brings a unique blend of five years of nonprofit sector experience and marketing expertise to her work at Elasticity. Find out more at www.goelastic.com.
Tags:
Cause Marketing Campaign Nonprofit Marketing Alignment Brand Messaging Elasticity
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