Chapter 3

Cause promotion:
Cause promotion includes a wide range of moral and social activities. Typically, it refers to a
situation in which a company allocates company's assets, such as cash or contributions, to make
people more aware about a specific cause or boost fundraising. This initiative's main focus is
communication, with the goal of raising awareness among the public about a social issue in order
to convince sponsors and volunteers to give back to the community or participate in activities to
support the cause. Nowadays, it's not unusual to see a company engage in such initiatives.
Hanes is an excellent example. “HanesforGood” is a campaign to combat homelessness and make
people aware about it. They distributed millions of pairs of socks to the people in need. Even
though few people felt donating socks would be of no help, Hanes put funds and effort into the
initiative. They were able to prove how a fresh pair of socks can mean a lot to a homeless person,
and how it can be the foundation of a fresh start.

Cause promotion differs from other corporate social initiatives.

 Unlike cause-related marketing, contributions and support are not linked to specific
product sales by the company.
 It is distinct from social marketing as it does not aim to affect individual behavior.
 It differs from philanthropy as it requires more than just a check from the company.
 While employee volunteerism may be part of a cause promotion, it also includes
participation in the creation and execution of promotional stuff.
 It differs from socially responsible business activities. It focuses mostly on external
communications rather than internal operations.

Typical Cause Promotions:

 Presenting relevant evidence and data to raise awareness and attention about a problem.
For instance, by presenting real facts about people or groups who are actually in need or
have benefited from the cause, or by sharing educational resources like a leaflet
highlighting the signs of depression and suicide.
 Giving a specific dedicated website link or leaflet to the people so that they can know
more in details about the cause. For reference, a website of primary education around
the country, seeking advice on how to hold a charity event to earn money for local
charitable organizations.
 Trying to convince people to invest their time in CSR activities. For example, employees
in a food business giving foods to the homeless people.
  Trying to convince people to pay money to a charity such as, having a part of a company's
website where users can contribute to a organization which works to protect the
environment.
 It is not required for people to offer solely their financial resources. They can also donate
non-monetary items such as old cell phones and worn clothing, such as used sweaters for
people who are homeless during the cold season.
 Trying to convince people to show up in events such as a fundraising walk, or signing a
petition to stop testing on animals.

Potential Concerns:
Several possible business risks should be considered during the decision-making and planning
stage, as with most promotional campaigns and initiatives.

 The company's visibility can be lost: While launching a CSR activity, managers need to
make sure so that the company's visibility does not get lost and ensure their company's
presence on promotional materials. Aleve's logo on the Arthritis Walk materials is an
excellent example. This co-branding tactic portrays the company as a supporter of the
cause.
 The majority of promotional materials aren't sustainable: Leaflets, flyers, public service
announcements, news articles, and event t-shirts etc. are not sustainable. They're only
here for today and will be gone tomorrow. They gain a lot of attention on the day of the
event, but they aren't used much after that. Managers should think about a long-term
approach for the campaign. The new flavor of ice cream made by Ben & Jerry's is a
wonderful example of this. This was both sustainable and promoted global warming
awareness.
 It is extremely tough to keep track of overall investments and promotional investment
returns. It's difficult to track and analyze the return on investment for CSR activities, to
see if they delivered the desired results, and to see how much of a difference they made.
Nonmonetary contributions, such as staff time, retail store space etc. are extremely
difficult to monitor. The goal of a cause promotion is typically only to raise awareness and
concern about a situation, with no call to action. This is harder to measure. Changes in
awareness and level of interest often demand more quantitative study, which raises the
expenses. For example, a company launched a campaign to raise awareness about the
negative consequences of using plastic bags. However, tracking the campaign's success
will be difficult for the company.
 Can be swamped with demands for donations from other groups involved in the
same cause. Other groups that work for the same cause as the corporation may exist.
They can seek assistance and help. Because they are under pressure to reply to the
 request, the company cannot always ignore them. Responding to requests adds even
more effort and time.
 This approach takes more time and effort than just writing a check. When a company
engages in a CSR project, it takes additional time and effort. A company must examine
whether it is possible to commit that much time and energy, what benefits the company
will receive, and whether the effort and time would be justified.
 Promotions are frequently easy to copy, reducing any competitive advantage. Rival
companies might sometimes work on the same cause. Until CSR activity is unique, a
company has a competitive edge. When a competitor begins to work for the same cause,
it loses its competitive advantage. As a result, a corporation must establish approaches
that will aid in gaining advantages while also being difficult to imitate. If the cause is easily
copied, the company will not be able to enjoy the benefits for long. When multiple
companies operate for the same cause, consumers also find it difficult to distinguish
between them. As a result, the goal of achieving a positive outcome will not be achieved.

KEYS TO SUCCESS
In terms of successful cause promotion initiatives, it should be a cause that management can
commit to for the long term, is important to customers and target markets, motivates employees,
and has the greatest chance of media exposure. When creating cause promotion plans, managers
need to make sure to build strong partnerships, incorporate and ensure brand visibility, and
figure out how to measure and track results. When uniting with a social issue and developing
effective campaign strategy, the following things should be kept in mind:

 Choose a topic that will grab the clients' interest, that was important to the target
audiences, one that was causing concern among industry leaders, as well as the
consumers and the public at large while also being relevant to the industry and products.
 Choose initiatives that are in line with the company's mission and goals, so they aren't
perceived as irrelevant by both internal and external audiences.
 Work on causes that will motivate the staff, knowing that they will appreciate the
opportunity to do more than just sell things and make a meaningful difference in the
world.
 Choose problems that have the best possibility of becoming popular, issues that are
"capable of winning" in the eyes of the community while also being controversial enough
to generate discussion.
 Once a cause is selected, a company should commit to it completely. They should avoid
short-term fixes and claims that they can't keep. They have to make sure that this isn't
just a promotional stunt.
  The company must acknowledge that their promises will be expected to be reflected in
the company's attitude, regulations, and procedures.
 The company must acknowledge that their promises will be expected to be reflected in
the company's attitude, regulations, and procedures.
 The company should design campaign goals with measurable outcomes that will benefit
both company and society and will also be sustainable in the long run.
 The company must ensure that their social initiatives are well-received by important
stakeholders. They should let the stakeholders know about the campaign's successes and
acknowledge their role in helping to bring about change.
Body shop

 The company should establish a multi-platform approach that incorporate consistent

messaging through broadcasting, printing, publicity, special events, publications, films,
and the website.
Johnson & Johnson’s (Page 86)

LensCrafters page 90

WHEN SHOULD A CORPORATE CAUSE PROMOTION INITIATIVE BE CONSIDERED?

When an organization chooses a cause to support, the following circumstances should
be considered to support the cause:

 When a company has the ability to easily penetrate in the target audiences, such as
British Airways for Change for Good, PETsMART for animal adoption etc.
 When a company's products can be used to promote and maintain a cause, such as The
Body Shop's labeling and Ben & Jerry's new flavor and packaging.
 When there is a potential to provide unused in-kind services, such as in-house printing or
corporate skills, as demonstrated by Johnson & Johnson's commitment of marketing skills
to the "Campaign for Nursing's Future."
 While employees become involved in a cause and get passionate about it, as they did at
Wal-Mart in support of Children's Miracle Network and LensCrafters in supplying
eyeglasses and eye care to those who need it.
 When a company wishes to focus its participation and commitment on raising awareness
and concern rather than the sometimes more difficult task of altering behaviors,
responding to and fulfilling calls to action, and establishing networks to support such
initiatives.
 While there is a co-branding option, such as Aleve's with the Arthritis Foundation,
promotional stuffs can be used to support the cause and the company with potential
customers.
DEVELOPING A CAUSE PROMOTION CAMPAIGN PLAN

 The target audience: This section provides a short overview of the target audience's
socioeconomic, geographic, and psychological variables, as well as an estimate of their
size.
 Communication objectives: Based on exposure to the communications, this is a statement
of what the company want their target audience to know (facts, information), believe
(feel), and possibly do (contribute or volunteer for a cause).
 What benefits to promise: This is the process of identifying essential variables that will
inspire target audiences to volunteer or donate—in other words, the advantages they will
receive as a result of taking these actions.
 Openings: Openings are "the times, places, and situations when the audience will be most
attentive to, and able to act on, the message," according to Michael Siegel and Lynne
Doner. This data will be crucial in deciding media sources.
 Positioning and requirements: This section outlines the campaign's overall tone and also
specific criteria such as the use of company logos.
 Campaign goals: This is a crucial part to take into consideration when choosing media
platforms because it explains the campaign's quantitative goals. Process goals or actual
outcome goals are examples.

Chapter 4
Potential benefit
The majority of the marketing benefits that a cause-related marketing campaign brings to a
company are marketing-related. Successful projects can aid in attracting new customers,
reaching specialized markets, increasing product sales, and establishing a favorable brand
identity. Furthermore, such projects may be one of the most effective ways to raise big donations
for a cause.
1. Attracting New Customers 99
2. Raising Funds for a Cause 102
3. Reaching Niche Markets 104
4. Increasing Product Sales 106
5. Building Valuable Partnerships that Support the Effort 108
6. Building Positive Brand Identity 110

Concern 113
Key to success 114