JSH&A recently attended a seminar hosted by the Promotion Marketing Association called Brand Karma: Cause-Related Marketing (CRM). Marketing execs from Pepsi, Flirty Girl Fitness, McDonald’s, Barilla and City of Hope downloaded on the benefits of implementing CRM campaigns, which have been shown to increase product sales by more than 70 percent, and the best practices for brands looking to support a cause.
Consumers have come to expect that their favorite products be aligned with a charity – CRM is no longer seen as going above and beyond, and here we explore what it can do for our clients. Here we break down tactics that can help brands get the most of cause-related efforts.
Build deeper connections with target consumers. Customers tend to be brand-loyal to products and companies they feel an emotional connection to. Celebrate this connection by starting a conversation with the customers who support your brand – get to know them, and you’ll be able to better serve them.
Expose your brand to new markets. Partnering with a charity or cause can help you connect with those customers who have a vested interest in the charity you’re supporting, but may not have been a key marketing target for your brand before the partnership. Use CRM to expand your consumer base by sharing your brand’s story with a new group of consumers.
Change the consumer conversation from ‘Value’ to ‘Values.’ Create brand advocates by moving the focus of your campaign from the value of your product to the values behind your brand, and how those align with the values of your key consumers. Offer your customers a way to voice their stories and what’s most important to them. Make your customers’ values a priority, and they’ll keep coming back.
Drive company morale. Not only does launching a CRM campaign benefit a charity or cause, but doing so can also boost internal morale by helping employees feel good about doing good. Never a bad thing!
Maintain a level of authenticity. Consumers can sense authenticity, so partnerships have to make sense. If your company has to create a whole new set of brand values to support a cause, it may not be the right fit. Evaluate the genuine principles your company holds, and seek out charities that align.
Make an impact without breaking budget. Your company doesn’t have to be huge to make a difference. And your budget certainly doesn’t have to be massive to carry out a highly successful campaign. Sometimes all it takes is a little due diligence and resourcefulness to get the job done – think passing out fliers, utilizing social media outlets, asking for charity email databases. Having a fundraising and awareness event? Reach out to brands that also support the charity and ask for product support.
Don’t get lost in the logo soup. Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to selecting a charity to partner with. It can be smart to connect with a cause that doesn’t have 25 other brand sponsors, so your advertising dollars and media outreach doesn’t get lost in the clutter of other brands who are lending the same support.
Be prepared to donate at least 80 percent of your raised funds. It’s crucial that your brand be transparent with the amount of money it’s raised for a charity and be prepared to give away the majority of what’s earned. According to Steve Martin, Associate VP of Marketing for City of Hope, 80 percent is a great majority standard to set.
Is your brand interested in partnering with a charity or supporting a cause? We’d love to hear from you! Send me a note at coryd@jsha.com.
Condé Nast Publications and Vogue are revamping pages of the word-of-mouth marketing playbook by creating a network of 1,000 influential fashion and beauty ‘experts’ who will serve Vogue’s advertisers by offering insight on consumer preferences and online activity. The Vogue Insiders will act as a focus group of sorts, sharing thoughts on new collections, special events and product samples with their own audiences and networks of other like-minded consumers.
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