It’s no secret that our world faces enormous challenges. Governments and NGOs are doing their best to lift up communities who lack access to the basics in life, but more is needed to succeed.
The challenges are big and getting bigger, complex and getting increasingly complicated, and far too expensive. There is an overwhelming need for public and private to come together to help create lasting impact that betters our societies.
In the last two decades or so, ‘corporate social responsibility’ has become more than just a buzz word. Today consumers expect businesses to behave like responsible citizens and do their fair share of ‘giving back’ to communities.
To be specific, in PWC’s 2021 Consumer Intelligence Series survey on environment, social and governance, 83 percent of consumers were more likely to buy from companies that stand up for environmental causes; 76 percent of consumers felt the same about companies that supported social causes.
The results are clear – businesses need to get serious about cause marketing and do it right.
What is cause-marketing?
Enter cause-marketing – the alignment by a brand with a cause to produce both profits and societal benefits. Unlike philanthropic giving, cause-marketing is not a straightforward donation to charity, but a partnership between a private and non-for-profit for mutual benefit. The focus is to create long-term, purpose-driven programmes that allow brands to do well while doing good.
By adopting cause-marketing, and becoming associated with a good cause, consumers are much more likely to choose your business over the competition, as they feel their purchase will do some good in the world.
That said, it all depends on your cause-marketing being done right. Consumers are savvy, and if they see a brand paying mere lip-service to a cause, it can do more harm than good. If you are familiar with the terms ‘pink washing’, ‘green washing’ and other colours associated with different forms of ‘washing’, then you’ve heard and seen enough to know the criticism is real.
With that in mind, here are some top tips for brands on how to go about choosing a cause to support. Remember, cause-marketing need not cost an arm and leg, but if it is not an authentic and genuine effort, your campaign may well fall flat on its face.
Cause-marketing is not a straightforward donation to charity, but a partnership between a private and non-for-profit for mutual benefit
Top cause-marketing tips
1. Ensure alignment with your brand
Should your brand be doing something in support of charitable causes? Of course, it’s always nice to support charitable causes, but you needn’t support just for the sake of it, nor support each cause that pops up on the annual calendar.
Instead, adopt a strategic approach and select a single cause, charity, or at least theme to which to dedicate your efforts, that aligns with your brand. If you are a brand involved in fashion or beauty, you might explore supporting female empowerment issues. Perhaps you sell teas and coffees – so you might support free trade charities, farmers, or sustainability causes.
2. Do more than just throw money at it
The beauty of cause-marketing is that as a business or brand, you have resources and knowledge at your hands that not-for-profits may not. By leveraging a strong consumer following, effective ways of working, or simply considerable human resources, think about how you can uniquely support your cause of choice.
A one-off brunch or fancy dinner will more than likely be seen for what it is – lip-service to a cause. Instead, look at how you can find creative ways to inspire your staff and community to do something good.
From encouraging staff to participate in a marathon by matching money raised, or leveraging your social media channels to raise awareness, make sure it is well thought out and utilise your expertise as best as possible.
Adopt a strategic approach and select a single cause, charity, or at least theme to which to dedicate your efforts, that aligns with your brand
3. Integrate your cause year-round
If you want to be a brand associated with a cause, it may not be enough to dedicate yourself to it once a year. Returning to the importance of authenticity, you must be truly dedicated to your cause.
Think about how you might integrate messaging into your seasonal campaigns. If you are working to support cancer charities, think about not only raising money during awareness months like October but times like Christmas or Ramadan or Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, when people are thinking of loved ones.
If you have a strong social media following, why not use it as a platform all year round to give people a voice who are actively involved in campaigning day-to-day? Or, why not offer products that contribute a certain amount to your charity of choice all year round. Your efforts needn’t only be visible one day per year.
4. Be clear about your intentions
If you are selling a product to consumers to raise money for charity, be clear on who the funds will be supporting and how much you will donate. Consumers may be very dubious on your fiscal intentions if this information is not available.
Bear consumer impressions when it comes to cost vs. donation. A significant cost with a small percentage going to charity may very well make your consumers doubt your good intentions.
If you follow these tips, they should put you in good stead to develop an authentic and engaging cause-marketing campaign that resonates well with your consumers while achieving some truly positive benefits for communities and the planet as a whole.
Monica Malhotra, CEO and founder of TheGaggler.com
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