en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/943642 Comments by MeganStrand http://www.selfishgiving.com/location-based-cause-marketing/foursquare-loyalty-programs-have-untapped-potential-for-causes#IDComment121115525 This is such a great example of adding value to your partners! No, perhaps you offering some LBM "consulting" for free didn't result in direct dollars for your cause marketing programs, but you can bet they'll be that much more willing to integrate LBM into your next joint partnership. Plus, let's remember...partnerships are supposed to be "win-win". If one of the things you bring to the table is social media expertise, by all means, share the wealth! @meganstrand Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:10:16 +0000 http://www.selfishgiving.com/location-based-cause-marketing/foursquare-loyalty-programs-have-untapped-potential-for-causes#IDComment121115525 http://selfishgiving.com/cause-practices/who-should-pay-for-cause-marketing-expenses#IDComment112689293 Great post, Joe - you raise some interesting points. While I agree that in the case of a huge event, consumers know a portion of their money is going to cover basic expenses (with the assumption that the cause has done their darndest to get as much donated as possible), I don't think most consumers expect there to be much overhead or expense associated with point of sale programs like coin collection efforts or pinups. It reminds me of the Panera lawsuit (that I believe I heard about through you) where they tried to claim "expenses" against a coin collection campaign and the judge ruled against them in favor of the charity. But I agree wholeheartedly with you, companies shouldn't be expected to soak up printing or other hard costs - the nonprofit should calculate those costs into their overall cause marketing budget. @meganstrand Mon, 29 Nov 2010 16:59:13 +0000 http://selfishgiving.com/cause-practices/who-should-pay-for-cause-marketing-expenses#IDComment112689293 http://selfishgiving.com/cause-marketing-in-action/cause-marketing-boston-common#IDComment100545996 These are all great options, Joe. In my mind, the Common just screams out for some sort of collaborative corporate partnership among local businesses. Why not collect stories of and about the Common and join them together in a collaborative book project to be sold by a huge handful of local retail outlets (or purchased by corporations to gift to employees) where the proceeds from the book go to Common restoration (if you're interested in doing this, do let me know...I've got some insider tips that may help). Or even a video montage of stories or video submission contest - the history is so rich! Or, what about a commemorative ornament or partnership with the "Make Way for the Ducklings" story rights/licensing effort again to be promoted by local retailers? Speaking of licensing, what about just establishing licensing rights to some sort of historical seal or emblem representing the Common that can be used on ANY locally produced product for a fee? Or what if all the members of the Boston Chamber and other Main Streets retailers banded together and agreed to donate 5% of their gross receipts for the week of X to be donated to the Common restoration? And, c'mon...really? Could you ask for a better name than "The Boston Common"? All sorts of plays on the word "Common" you could harness: Common Good, Common Ground, etc. I love this opportunity and that you're thinking about it from a cause angle. Long live the Boston Common! @meganstrand Thu, 23 Sep 2010 16:02:38 +0000 http://selfishgiving.com/cause-marketing-in-action/cause-marketing-boston-common#IDComment100545996 http://www.selfishgiving.com/cause-marketing-news/cone-study-local-nonprofits-now-time-for-cause-marketing#IDComment99939840 Great post and overview of the Cone study, Joe, thanks! I love the separate NPO and business implications. A few things I would add, primarily for the companies considering cause marketing (but NPOs should be aware as well): -Causes should be part of a company's everyday business operations, not just a once-a-year affiliation. 61% of respondents reported that it was important that the company makes a long-term commitment to a specific cause that it supports over time. -Communication is key. 80% of consumers want companies to give them the opportunity to learn about a social or environmental cause. So the education piece is just as important as the donation piece. In addition, 61% of consumers don't think companies are giving them enough details about their efforts, including amounts donated and length of promotion. I'm curious to know from you, Joe, as the point-of-sale king - how you balance this need for consumer education with the need to craft a simple and compelling ask at the register since time is of the essence. Supporting information available online or posted somewhere within the store? Mon, 20 Sep 2010 16:19:17 +0000 http://www.selfishgiving.com/cause-marketing-news/cone-study-local-nonprofits-now-time-for-cause-marketing#IDComment99939840 http://www.prweekus.com/consumers-still-have-appetite-for-cause-marketing/article/179041/#IDComment99372587 I highly recommend that, if you're interested in cause marketing, you read this study in its entirety as well as some of the research from Edelman, like their Good Purpose Study and annual Trust Barometer. While it's certainly true that consumers expect companies to be affiliated with good causes, implementing an effective and authentic campaign takes some thoughtful planning and research. An isolated or one-off cause campaign, event or partnership can be a good way to experiment with customer and employee receptivity, but consumers today expect cause to be involved with your business on a daily basis. The best cause campaigns I've seen have figured out how to link cause meaningfully into the very fabric of their brand (e.g. Keen Footwear, Levi's, etc.) @meganstrand Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:26:40 +0000 http://www.prweekus.com/consumers-still-have-appetite-for-cause-marketing/article/179041/#IDComment99372587 http://www.selfishgiving.com/cause-practices/causeon-groupon-for-cause-marketing#IDComment95962707 As a Portlander, I too will be watching the success of CauseOn closely. While I'm pulling for them, I do agree that "copycat" services like these don't have the best of track records. I love your idea of co-branded deals like the Macy's/MFA example you provided. Leveraging companies that are already well-immersed in charitable giving activities makes good business sense. If CauseOn can become a broker of such cause partnerships, all the better. Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:47:16 +0000 http://www.selfishgiving.com/cause-practices/causeon-groupon-for-cause-marketing#IDComment95962707 http://selfishgiving.com/six-figure-cause-marketing/six-figure-cause-marketing-webinar-returns-september#IDComment90651036 I'm one of the fortunate participants from Joe's most recent 6-Figure Cause Marketing Course and I have to say, it was an amazingly comprehensive "how to" for cause marketing point-of-sale campaigns. One of the best things about Joe and his capable colleague Joanna (who co-hosts these webinars) is the level of creativity and experience they bring. I was beyond impressed with the materials and strategies they shared from more than a handful of their campaigns. They truly shared their lessons learned so that your cause marketing campaign can benefit from their experiences. And, best of all, they are both incredibly generous with their expertise and willing to take time to answer questions and give specific ideas and advice on individual campaigns - golden! The value of having a live webinar was evident as I was frantically scribbling ideas from other participants, as well. This course has given me credible evidence to present to the non-profit leadership I'm working with as I propose a more strategic, partnership-oriented fundraising strategy for the organization. Highly recommended! Tue, 3 Aug 2010 19:35:24 +0000 http://selfishgiving.com/six-figure-cause-marketing/six-figure-cause-marketing-webinar-returns-september#IDComment90651036 http://selfishgiving.com/cause-practices/btob-cause-marketing#IDComment86317063 I love this post for several reasons, Joe. First, TisBest is a fabulous organization, I did a post on them around the holiday season - they're ranked the best charity gift card out there and really keep their standards high so kudos to Conifer for choosing the best. Second, I love how you address Cause Marketing use in a B-2-B setting. I really appreciate examples of B-2-B application because a cause-related initiative can be an extremely powerful way to communication your mission to your employees, your customers and your partners. I think when we discuss B-2-B, we're probably in "Cause Branding" territory. But, at the end of the day, a company is made up of people and people make the decisions about which companies to work for, which vendors to choose, which strategic partners to align with, etc. By using a cause branding strategy, you're better able to communicate the mission of your organization in an understated way. Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:29:12 +0000 http://selfishgiving.com/cause-practices/btob-cause-marketing#IDComment86317063 http://selfishgiving.com/causerants/why-arent-cause-marketing-gifts-real-gifts#IDComment83491270 Thought-provoking post, Joe. A few comments: -In this age of "slactivism", where consumers are asked to "vote" for a cause every time they turn around using the path-of-least-possible-resistance, I think point-of-sale cause marketing programs raise the bar a bit and ask consumers to participate with their dollars (not just their clicks) for a cause. No, it might not be a cause to which they would've thought to donate originally, but assuming they have a decent trust relationship with the retailer, it may open their eyes to that cause. A gift is still a gift. We've entered the age where we must vote with our dollars in support of practices and principles with which we agree. Is there any clearer way to send a message? -While giving $1 at the register may not be the end-all-be-all gift, it also hopefully raises awareness. Maybe it's $1 at the register one day, but the corporate partnership lends enough credibility to the cause that their awareness of that particular cause increases and the next time they see the cause elsewhere, they're more inclined to give. It's about baby steps in awareness and in action. Cause marketing is a great way to make this happen. -I couldn't agree more with your point, Joe, that consumerism happens anyway and that we might as well take advantage of it. Back to the point about voting with our dollars, the more we send clear messages to companies about which products and practices are important to us, the more we as a society move to higher ground. Thanks for a great post, Joe! Wed, 30 Jun 2010 16:38:37 +0000 http://selfishgiving.com/causerants/why-arent-cause-marketing-gifts-real-gifts#IDComment83491270 http://www.selfishgiving.com/capplause/review-cause-marketing-forum-conference#IDComment78962183 Great review, Joe! I truly enjoyed the CMF conference this year and I honestly wish it was two full separate days, there were so many fantastic presenters that I was almost overwhelmed by my choices. Love the suggestion that speakers are limited to 18 minutes and also heard someone say the entire conference should be focused on "lessons learned". It's fully awesome to hear about the programs folks are running, but it would be even more useful to hear what they learned and what they'd do differently next time. I'd also like the opportunity to hear from more people like Chris Noble w/ Cause Media Group, who have been putting campaigns together for years and years across different sectors and different brands. While it's great to hear from brands themselves, they're much more singularly-focused and it strikes me that having that birds eye view might be useful as well (so more presentations like the one from Mike Lawrence from Cone). And yeah, I do have to admit that the sunshine was calling my name during the HALO awards - that was the only time during the entire conferenced I stepped out because it ran a bit long. Let's just say I wasn't alone outside. :) Great write up - great meeting you and look forward to more great CMF conferences in the future. Thanks to David for a job well done. Mon, 7 Jun 2010 15:37:07 +0000 http://www.selfishgiving.com/capplause/review-cause-marketing-forum-conference#IDComment78962183 http://selfishgiving.com/cause-marketing-news/striking-right-balance-of-philanthropy-marketing-business#IDComment76931257 Agreed and well-put, Joe. There are several "slippery slopes" of cause marketing and cause branding and they all have everything to do with balance. Put too many marketing dollars toward a cause campaign and it starts to feel inauthentic and people ask why you're spending resources on marketing that could be directed to the cause itself. Do good in a vacuum and no one knows what you're about as a company or how to get on board. I love the example from Keen from the 2004 tsunami. They had a $1Million advertising budget at that time and they decided to donate it all to tsunami relief efforts instead of their marketing campaign for the year. They ran a small ad that explained why consumers wouldn't be hearing from Keen for the year. It was a risk, but they did the right thing from a place of integrity and it paid off hugely for them in earned media. Companies and non-profit organizations would be well advised to consider this balancing act very, very carefully before chasing dollars or entering into cause marketing partnerships that may not be the right fit. Mon, 24 May 2010 18:45:59 +0000 http://selfishgiving.com/cause-marketing-news/striking-right-balance-of-philanthropy-marketing-business#IDComment76931257 http://selfishgiving.com/cause-practices/your-nonprofit-ready-for-end-of-corporate-philanthropy#IDComment75841191 There must be some weird cosmic cause marketing juju in the universe right now because, as you now know, I've also be thinking about the difference between cause marketing and philanthropy. So, I guess the bottom line is this: companies are starting to "get it" that consumers have started to expect trust, authenticity and social responsibility from the businesses with whom they associate. No, not all the time. No, not to the exclusion of a quality product. But to a place where, as you mention above, companies can "be purposeful and profitable at the same time.” Edelman has done some great studies on this through their Goodpurpose report and their Trust Barometer. And you are exactly right. Non-profit organizations that inherently "get this" and can be creative, innovative and strategic in their partnerships will come out on top. And guess what? I'd wager that not only will these types of non-profits win "strategic social investment dollars", they will also win those good old philanthropic dollars as well. As you point out, there will always be a place for this. The two things I would add to your list above for non-profits are: -Be Strategic. Recognize that this is a trend and plan for it. Don't expect it to happen overnight. Some of the most impressive non-profit partnerships I've seen to date come from Executive and Development Directors that get this big time. They're creative in approaching companies and they're patient. They see any level of engagement as a win and come at it from the perspective of the business (as you point out). -Own It. If you haven't read the Edelman Trust Barometer Study yet, please do. In it, you'll see that consumers trust non-governmental organizations far more than they trust corporate communications. Now, more than ever, you have some serious leverage. Own your gifts and don't settle for partnerships that aren't truly win-win. Be selective in who you reach out to and protect that trust that you have gained no matter what. Fabulous post, Joe. As always, you challenge my own understanding of cause branding and cause marketing. Home run! Mon, 17 May 2010 16:12:40 +0000 http://selfishgiving.com/cause-practices/your-nonprofit-ready-for-end-of-corporate-philanthropy#IDComment75841191 http://selfishgiving.com/cause-marketing-news/white-castles-cause-marketing-better-than-kfcs#IDComment74958136 I agree with this whole-heartedly! What's the tie-in between autism and White Castle? If there is one, it's not evident. I'd call this "philanthropy" versus "cause marketing" because I don't see a business benefit. In my humble opinion, it's only a solid cause marketing campaign if it does the brand good as well as the cause. This campaign just makes me feel mildly nauseated (burger-scented candle) and wondering what the heck the point is. It's not blatantly harmful, like the KFC/Komen debacle, but just seems like a waste of precious space. Tue, 11 May 2010 21:25:06 +0000 http://selfishgiving.com/cause-marketing-news/white-castles-cause-marketing-better-than-kfcs#IDComment74958136 http://www.selfishgiving.com/cause-marketing-101/commandments-of-cause-marketing#IDComment70766548 OK, I've got another one but it's a bit of an undercurrent of several of the ones you already listed. #11 - Thou shalt know and be true to thine core purpose. Doing some work to uncover your core purpose, whether you're a business or a non-profit organization, is an essential precursor to any partnership or cause marketing effort. It serves as your "corporate litmus test" and helps you decide which partnerships and ventures are right for your particular organization and avoids association with the "golden chickens" of the world. I also have a teeny edit to suggest to #9 - I would add the word "strategically" so it reads, "...use social media strategically with cause marketing". Yes, use social media in your cause campaigns - it's a no-brainer complement to your efforts but know what you're trying to accomplish and how social media fits those goals. This is an awesome and hilarious list - great tool to be shared with everyone considering a cause marketing campaign - you've done it again, Joe! Tue, 27 Apr 2010 03:35:08 +0000 http://www.selfishgiving.com/cause-marketing-101/commandments-of-cause-marketing#IDComment70766548 http://www.selfishgiving.com/causerants/komens-cause-marketing-program-isnt-fingerlickin-good#IDComment69948234 You know, this is an interesting perspective and I suspect we could have an entirely new blog post/conversation about this. I agree with you (and as you pointed out, Cone supports your point) that consumers want to affiliate with a cause they care about but here's the missing link, from my perspective. Part of the reason that cause marketing works well (when it's done successfully) is that there is a values match between the company and the cause. If the company is clear on their core purpose, then it's easy to choose a cause that aligns well (Simon Sinek does great work on this - Google his TEDx talk) and will naturally draw consumers to them that SHARE the same values (e.g. "cause they care about"). If KFC's core purpose was "freedom to choose", then yes, I agree the "Buckets for a Cause" would be a fabulous campaign for them because it would support that purpose and their values. Consumers that aligned with that message would come out in droves and it would start a national movement. This is where "causewashing" comes into play. If you're a company aligning with a cause simply because you think it'll boost your impressions, you fail. In the case of "Buckets for a Cure", it seems that both KFC and Komen aren't clear on their core purpose or what they stand for and you get consumers railing against it because it's such an overt mismatch. But really, how many campaigns just simply fall flat because there's not a good values/core purpose match. Thanks for continuing the discussion! Fri, 23 Apr 2010 16:18:42 +0000 http://www.selfishgiving.com/causerants/komens-cause-marketing-program-isnt-fingerlickin-good#IDComment69948234 http://www.selfishgiving.com/causerants/komens-cause-marketing-program-isnt-fingerlickin-good#IDComment69056942 This is such a cool discussion - loving reading everyone's opinions and impressed with the commenters that decided to show up and join in. I just have to ask...where are Komen's stakeholders on this issue? I'd be super interested to hear from breast cancer survivors or family members of these women. I think there's a huge opportunity for the KFC's of the world to revision their menus (especially when engaging with a health-related cause) and put real time and effort into making sure nutritious options exist in the fast food realm. Why is it so difficult to combine "local", "convenience" and "healthy" all into one franchise? I've gotta believe there are some super smart people somewhere in the depths of these powerful chains that have the smarts and influence to champion these types of efforts. And yes, of course we all have a personal responsibility to eat well and select from the wide continuum of choices in moderation but I also believe corporations have a responsibility to educate consumers (not "market") on their area of expertise and at the end of the day...do the right thing. Thanks for a great post, Joe! Tue, 20 Apr 2010 19:59:47 +0000 http://www.selfishgiving.com/causerants/komens-cause-marketing-program-isnt-fingerlickin-good#IDComment69056942