Citizen Brand

Cause marketing for Venus & Mars

Late last year, the annual Barkley cause survey made a big discovery - men do have a heart. We talked to male consumers all over the USA and found out that men are impacted by cause marketing in nearly the same numbers as women. We also found out that only 3 out of 10 chief marketing officers were contemplating targeting men with a cause program. Sounds like some fertile ground for the right brand and nonprofit doesn't it?

At the Cause Marketing Forum in Chicago last week, I had the opportunity to meet with two small groups of fellow cause marketers to discuss cause and men. We had a great mix of people from agencies, companies and nonprofits. The discussion was spirited and we arrived at some interesting insights. The most significant one came when we talked about what motivates men in general and then discussed what that means when developing cause programs.

We all can agree that emotion plays a huge role in cause marketing. But while that is a primary motivator for women, is it the same for men? Our group in Chicago decided that it probably is not the primary motivator for men. Emotion will always be a factor in cause programs, but for men we decided that other dynamics may matter more - competition and accomplishment.

Men like to compete and men like to be able to see the results of the work they do. If you agree these are two big motivators for men, then the cause programs we develop to target men may look different than most cause programs today.

A cause program for men might have a component where the consumer is asked to take specific action or do some work as opposed to just writing a check or swiping a credit card to make a donation. A cause program for men might involve a competitive component where consumers who raise the most money for the cause or solicit the most participants for a cause are rewarded. The reward doesn't have to be a personal reward for the consumer. Instead it could be a brand increasing the amount it donates to its cause recognizing the milestones achieved by the male consumers it is targeting. Thus, the consumer can point with pride to what he has "accomplished." Starts to makes sense doesn't it.

We only had a couple of hours in Chicago but we all believe we identified some insights into how brands and nonprofits should look at programs that would get men involved. I look forward to hearing what others in the cause community think. Let the collaboration begin!

The Death of Cause Marketing - Act Two

One can't help but take notice when the person who is considered the originator of cause marketing says it is dead as we know it. Of course I agree with Carol Cone, founder of Cone and now representing Edelman. In June, AdAge ran a column I penned and headlined it "The Day Cause Marketing Died." We are essentially saying the same thing. But in the rush to get headlines, maybe our real point was missed by some.

Cause is not dying. It is evolving. But there are those who have come late to the party and believe they are doing cause when in fact they are not. For some in corporate leadership today, cause is a box they are checking off on a list so they can say they are doing it. For those companies who are interested in doing more than checking off a box, cause is a wide open arena of possibility to demonstrate to customers, employees and all key stakeholders that they actually do want to make a difference over the long term.

For so long now, there has been a belief among brands that cause programs were successful if they made people feel good about their brands. What we now know is that the best cause programs make people feel good about themselves. When that happens, brands will be rewarded in a way that nothing else they do can achieve.

And if those same companies are paying attention, they now know that men are attracted to brands doing cause right almost as much as women. Our just released Barkley/PRWeek Cause Survey also says that even though men will buy, refer and support brands that support causes in a real way, two out of three corporate CMO's are not planning on targeting men with cause programs. Another evolutionary turn for cause is teed up for brands that care.

Cause is maturing and these kinds of discussions are healthy for all of us to have. We all have a responsibility to make sure that cause does not die, but rather continues to evolve. When done right, it is the most powerful form of purposeful engagement a brand can have with its customers.

 

 

The Death of Cause Marketing

AdAge has asked me to provide an occasional point of view on cause marketing and this is my latest effort. I am the last person on the planet who wants cause marketing/branding to die because I do believe in it when it is done right. I will let my column take it from here:

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The Day Cause Marketing Died

How to Keep Consumers From Getting Fed Up With Corporate Efforts

Posted by Mike Swenson on 06.01.10 @ 12:16 PM

         

Mike Swenson

It was a cool and calm morning the day cause marketing died. Its demise went largely unnoticed by all the online news aggregators. The only remaining television news network, ACNBCNN, ran a feature reminding us that it had broken the news the previous year that cause marketing was doomed.

It seemed to happen so quickly. One day the marketplace was full of companies and nonprofits working together for the common good. And then it was over. The blame game is in full swing. Various theories are being debated as to what happened. But looking back, it seems clear why cause marketing died.

It wasn't a natural death. It was murder. The very people who created and nurtured cause marketing through the end of the 20th century and into this century lost control of it at some point. Cause marketing was turned over to the promotions departments of agencies and companies and morphed into something unrecognizable. Cause was no longer about unique engagements with consumers. It had become just another homogenized marketing program fighting to grab its share of the consumer dollar.

From the moment consumers awoke each day until they fell asleep at night, they were inundated with opportunities to give back every time they made a purchase. In between, regardless of what store they were in, point-of-purchase shelf talkers virtually screamed at consumers every 10 feet to buy this or that product and help this or that cause. Consumers were under siege at every checkout lane of every store they shopped to give a dollar for this or a dollar for that. With online shopping continuing to overtake old-fashioned retail, cause banner ad after cause banner ad intruded on that shopping experience as well.

How do we keep this scenario from happening? Those of us engaged in cause branding in 2010 can't conceive of its demise. But as true believers, we also must avoid being naive about practices that can erode its effectiveness as a brand builder and a vehicle for societal change. A recent unscientific poll conducted here on AdAge.com asked for our collective opinions about whether or not cause marketing was doomed because of overexposure to the consumer. A wide margin of those who responded said consumer fatigue was going to happen. Are they right, or were they just the usual vocal minority of people who find it easy to criticize without offering suggestions?

What I do believe consumers will grow tired of are product promotions that masquerade as cause marketing programs. Product promotions are designed to do one thing: Sell products. Simply adding a donation from the sales proceeds doesn't qualify as real cause branding anymore. Cause has to be about engaging the consumer beyond the sale of one product. Companies need to demonstrate that they care about the cause every day, not just the day of the transaction.

Likewise, nonprofits need to be mindful of the types of corporate partnerships they pursue. While the money from a purely transactional cause-marketing program may be tempting, nonprofits should make sure the partnership makes sense. Is there a natural tie between the corporation and the nonprofit, or is it forced? Will the consumer remember anything about the cause once the promotion ends? And what will the money being donated specifically fund?

When cause marketing is done well, no explanation is needed. The partnership instantly makes sense. The consumer is engaged repeatedly throughout the year. And everyone knows where the money is going and what it will accomplish. The true power and reach of cause marketing is missed if companies are simply slapping a nonprofit logo on a consumer product and thinking the consumer will remember them after the transaction is over.

The fictitious dispatch from the future at the beginning of this column should remain just that: fictitious. There are enough companies and nonprofits today that are doing it right. But with increased scrutiny from both corporate and nonprofit watchdogs, we have to make sure we are all doing it the right way all the time.

As always, the consumer will be the ultimate watchdog. The cause formula for success with consumers is very simple: Engage, don't just sell. Educate, don't just market. Find a nonprofit partner that makes sense. And if consumer donations are involved, be open and specific about what they are accomplishing.

In the end, you might just sell some more product, too.

Cause Oscars

 

Thanks to David Hessekiel of the Cause Marketing Forum for honoring Lee National Denim Day as one of his Top Ten all time cause marketing programs.

It has been an honor for all of us at Barkley to be a part of this historic program.

Link here to see David's article in AdAge listing all ten of the best cause programs ever.

Cause keeps on ticking

The 2009 edition of the PRWeek/Barkley Cause Survey released this week sends a clear message that cause branding programs work even in tough economic times.

That's good news for all of us who believe that cause programs are one of the single best ways for a brand to create permanent connections with their customers. And good for non-profits who are hit hard by the economy and need new, effective ways to gain dollars and volunteers for their missions.

You can download a copy of the 2009 survey at the Barkley website. We would love to hear your comments on the findings and the accompanying article featuring some of the most successful cause marketers today.

Moms love causes

The 2008 edition of the PRWeek/Barkley Cause Survey is published and any company who is not involved in cause branding today should take notice.  Why?  Because moms, who are responsible for more than $2.1 trillion in consumer spending this year like to spend with companies that support good causes.

The survey revealed that moms demand companies use their power for good, with 85.6 percent saying it’s important for companies to support a cause. With regard to their purchasing decisions, 58 percent say they would pay more for a brand that supports a cause, 69.2 percent say they would try a brand because it supports a cause, and 76.8 percent say they would recommend a brand that supports a cause. Overall, 66 percent of moms say they have purchased a brand because it supports a cause.

You can download a pdf of the survey and article along with a transcript of our 2008 Cause Roundtable by going to this link at the Barkley website.

And here is a link to a column on cause written by PRWeek's Erica Iacono who we work with each year to develop the survey.

In this economy, the companies that have established cause programs will benefit from the special relationship they are developing with their customers.  And those companies that don't have them, now is a fine time to consider starting one.  It could prove to be the point of differentiation that separates a company from its competitors.  And when the economy does improve, the difference will be even greater.

Cause takes Windy City by storm

The Cause Marketing Forum circa 2008 is in full swing in Chicago.  Barkley hosted the opening reception last night.  Our theme was a 'Cause Art Gallery' and in addition to a few highlighted causes, Kansas City artist Mike Savage came along with us and produced a stunning cityscape of the Chicago skyline which has been donated to the Chicago Children's Museum for them to auction off and raise money for their worthy cause.

There were many great presentations today.  One that stood out in my mind was the peek behind the curtain of the great campaign being rolled out by St. Jude Children's Hospital.  Behind the networking and celebrity power of Marlo Thomas, St. Jude utilizes all aspects of marketing communications to raise awareness and money for their cause.  An important dynamic of their campaign is the utilization of other celebrities that could be the precursor for transitioning from one face and voice to many faces and voices.

McDonald's was given the Golden Halo Award this year.  It's interesting to note that the Ronald McDonald Charities are a separate organization from McDonald's and in fact, the company supplies only ten percent of the funding for the Charities.  But the power of a brand name makes up for actual cash in a case like this.

I had to leave for a flight to the west coast before the final presentation of the day about Dove's Real Beauty campaign.  Stacie Bright of Unilever, who was part of our Barkley/PRWeek Cause Roundtable last fall, is speaking far and wide about this groundbreaking cause campaign.  It's a great example of how cause is changing from the days of transactional cause fund raising to a deeper program driving social change.

It was great to catch up with people who I have come to know over the years in the cause arena.  It's always good to see Carol Cone who paved the way for all of us in cause.  I also finally met Joe Waters, a fellow cause blogger over at Selfish Giving.  We have commented on each other's ideas, pointed to each other's posts over the past couple of years but had never met.  Joe presented a breakout today on the great Halloween Town program he and his team run at Boston Medical Center.  Joe is a great cause ambassador and a guy who practices what he preaches every day.

This was a special CMF because we used it at Barkley PR as our annual retreat.  We had almost all our partners from the PR firm with us in Chicago.  It was a great opportunity for all our pros to interact with other cause marketers and also see that the work they do each day at Barkley is part of something bigger than just our programs.

Cause Marketing Forum - 2008

I am in Chicago at the 2008 Cause Marketing Forum and I'm not on my own.  In fact, the entire Barkley PR team is in Chicago for the Forum.  We take a retreat each year and this year we achieved a dream I have always had of putting everyone on a plane for a retreat.  This is the year.

It is fitting that the planes we stepped on have brought us to the Cause Marketing Forum.  Cause branding is an integral part of who we are at Barkley.  We have been a part of the Cause Marketing Forum since its inception earlier this decade.  For the first time, the Forum's annual conference will be held outside of New York City, another sign that cause is now mainstream.

Barkley is hosting the opening reception tonight and our team has created a compelling theme for the attendees to enjoy.  Think of what a cause art gallery might look like and you will begin to see the picture.  Art is subjective.  What might look like a pair of jeans to one person may look like a way to fight breast cancer to another.  A simple tube of lipstick?  The means to fight ovarian cancer.  A red dress?  You get the picture.  And stay tuned here on Citizen Brand because we will be reporting the goings on in Chicago and we will have some art to go with it.

Cause is here to stay.  If you have yet to board the train, it is time.