Recent Thoughts on Cause Marketing

March 5, 2010
4 Comments
tags: , , , , , ,
by Scott Henderson

With the launch of WeCanEndThis.com coinciding with serving on the cause branding panel at the Harvard Social Enterprise Conference, I haven’t had the mental space to package and share all the thoughts and ideas from both.

However, I need to start somewhere, so here are five thoughts for you to ponder and discuss with me:

1. We need to shift how we view brands to match how customers view them. Brands were about image and control. Now they are about experience and impact. Ongoing dialogues, not time-specific campaigns. This is true about companies and charities.

2. While organizations have previously divided the two into different silos, this poses a great risk. Because of this shift, we’re seeing a blend of CSR and CM because of the shift in how we communicate, interact, and consume. It is vital that the CSR and CM efforts come from the inside-out, derived from an earnest commitment, not an opportunist mindset.

3. Companies are rushing into the CM space, because customers are rewarding them. However, these successes shouldn’t be blindly interpreted that every company will benefit. Superficial, brand-centered initiatives might create short-term revenue, but inflict long-term damage to the brand. With their scale and reach, companies need to be mindful of how they engage in CSR and CM. This is not to say incremental. In this real-time world, experimentation and baby steps are better than stasis.

4. Cause marketing is still marketing. The purpose of marketing is to sell more products and services. Period. Cause marketing accomplishes this goal by associating the company with a social issue or cause or charity. CM does not solve the cause. But it can help by raising its profile and offer individuals a way to help thru their purchases.

5. People can feel empowered, but the disconnection and detachment between purchase and impact is a huge void. We can view this as a failure or an opportunity. Charities face the same situation. If they cannot demonstrate impact from the donations and volunteer hours they receive, they will lag behind. In the long run, if people take action and cannot see the impact they individually and collectively made, they will shift their perception of the company and charity involved.

What do you think?

from → Strategies and Trends

The Big Picture of WeCanEndThis.com

March 2, 2010
2 Comments
tags: , , , ,
by Scott Henderson

This post was originally published on causeshift.com:

In two days, we are launching a yearlong initiative to spark innovation and a broader engagement in the movement to end hunger in America.

We have enough food to feed all 49 million Americans in need. Unfortunately, there are barriers that prevent us from becoming a hunger-free nation.

So what’s it going to take? First and foremost, we need more people to care enough to take action. Then, we need them to keep caring and taking action until we reach our goal. It’s really that simple.

Simple doesn’t mean easy. Nor does it mean just a click and poof it’s gone. But, it does mean it’s doable.

That’s why we’ve brought together Share Our Strength, Feeding America, Capital Area Food Bank of Texas, Mashable, PepsiCo, ConAgra Food Foundation, and Tyson Foods. Together, we will spend the rest of the year to grow our movement thru four phases of action: read more…

from → News and Updates

Game Systems and Causes: Can We Create Change thru Role Playing Games?

February 25, 2010
Leave a comment
tags: , , , , , , , ,
by Scott Henderson

#1 Thing You Need to Learn from This Post:
Game systems are moving from fantasy scenarios to real-life integration.  This can change the game for cause leaders.

A More Detailed Exploration:
Seeing the forest from the trees is one thing leaders and innovators need to do. Watch this 28 minute video (divided into three parts) of a presentation made at the DICE 2010 conference by Carnegie Mellon University Professor, Jesse Schell.

He helps bring the geometric curve of change together in a presentation that explains how current game systems (think Farmville, Foursquare, and Nintendo Wii) and emerging technologies (Project Natal) have the potential for creating social change:

To paraphrase his closing statement:
The technology is there to influence people’s behavior in ways never before possible. Why can’t we use it to help improve people’s lives and better humanity? Who in this space will lead us to get there?

from → Strategies and Trends

We Can End Hunger in America – with your help

February 17, 2010
Leave a comment
tags: , ,
by Scott Henderson

This post was originally published on CauseShift.com:

#1 Thing You Need to Learn from this Post:
We can end hunger in America.

A More Detailed Exploration:
Launching March 4, WeCanEndThis.com is a yearlong initiative to spark innovation and broader engagement in the cause of ending hunger in America. Our goal is to end hunger in America — and nothing short will be considered a success.

We are working with three charity partners — Share Our Strength, Feeding America, and Capital Area Food Bank of Texas — and a number of corporate partners, including Mashable, Tyson Foods, ConAgra Foods Foundation, and PepsiCo.

March is an important month for us and we need your help.

Virtual Can Drive (March 4-18)
Over the course of 15 days, we’re challenging people in all fifty states and the District of Columbia to donate a virtual can of food. Starting March 4, you can donate your virtual can of food to the state of your choice by visiting WeCanEndThis.com and promising to take action.

At 5pm ET on March 18, the ten states with the most virtual cans will be awarded their own semi-truckload of real food courtesy of Tyson Foods.  Altogether, we will deliver 1.5 million meals.

Certainly in 15 days, we can find at least 15,000 people to help.

15,000 people. 15 days. 1.5 million meals.

Much More to Come
The Virtual Can Drive is just the beginning. In the coming months, we will also follow the trucks to the ten winning states and highlight hunger champions in each community.

On March 15, we will launch The Cause Lab, a unique in-person and online experience, that will bring together some of the brightest minds in the media, technology, business, and cause sectors to create innovative solutions for the main challenges facing the hunger movement.

Of course, we have more announcements and surprises planned, but we’ll save those for a later date. Until then, let’s keep focused on the Virtual Can Drive.

What Can You Do Now?
You can be the difference for your state.  Help rally your community and get head start on the March 4 launch. Learn more on the WeCanEndThis Facebook fan page. Also, be sure to followWeCanEndThis on Twitter so you can start informed of our progress.

Do You Have Questions?
We will be hosting two 30 minute conference calls on Thursday, February 25. Details will be shared early next week. Feel free to email your RSVP or send your questions in the meantime.

from → News and Updates

How to Create a Movement

February 11, 2010
Leave a comment
tags: , , ,
by Scott Henderson

#1 Thing to Learn from this Post:
“The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader” – Derek Sivers

A More Detailed Exploration:
A few months ago, this video of a shirtless dancing guy was passed along online. Yesterday, Derek Sivers used it at the TED conference to illustrate a lesson on leadership. Fortunately for us all, he posted a narrated version and transcript to his blog.

When I saw the original video, I had similar thoughts as Derek in regards to group dynamics.  But, he took his shirt off and started dancing first.  So, let me be a bold first follower and share it with you:

Are you the lone nut? The first follower? The second follower? Or the crowd?

from → Strategies and Trends

« Older Entries