Comments on: Recent Thoughts on Cause Marketing

By: Scott Henderson

Scott Henderson — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:54:42 +0000

Joe – yes, familiarity eases sensitivities, but we need to make sure it doesn’t lead to numbness.

Doug – I believe people act in their own perceived self-interest: whether that be a sense of justice, assuage guilt, social prestige, etc. The long-term sustainability of cause marketing will depend upon fill the impact story void.

Howie – Glad you found me. Unfortunately, your situation is indicative of the large scale approach. Institution-sized organizations have long been accustomed to the detachment brought on by projecting your images and programs out via broadcast. They probably didn’t consider nor have the staffing to handle a “special request” outside of the batch processing program. That’s not to say they didn’t care – they were likely not prepared to handle it. That’ll have to be addressed moving further forward in this interconnected age.

By: Howie

Howie — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 19:49:03 +0000

Thank Bob @thebeancast for me finding your site Scott. I wrote about a Cause in my own blog I wish to say late summer. Perfect timing because I need to write a new post on this. It was about the General Mills Yoplait mail the pink lids back and they will donate money program. We just threw out 17 lids we were saving because the ’cause’ has ended. I wrote GM about this and said if they really wanted to help the Susan B Komen Foundation why not donate X$ per Yoplait Unit sold. Vs having us mail using up paper and the stamps and fuel for all this. Never mind they have to pay someone to process the returned lids.

I felt it was a huge cop out on their part. Not productive and wasteful. Like they were hoping to not have to donate the Max and then claim it was the consumers fault, but thank you for buying Yoplait. Think of the $$’s spend on people administering the program, when that money could go to the charity. And I don’t think it increased their sales. I sure didn’t buy the product because of the program. So your comments on #5 and #3 fit this program.

Cheers

By: Doug

Doug — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:26:19 +0000

I agree with Joe, this was a concise ‘state of the union’ for cause marketing. Your last point – “People can feel empowered, but the disconnection and detachment between purchase and impact is a huge void” – is something I have been wrestling with. The cynic in me says that people don’t really care deep enough and/or think far enough in to whether or not their money actually ‘hits the streets’.

Cause Marketing affords the consumer a very convenient ‘altruistic booster shot’ (again speaking as a cynic) and that is good enough. I wonder if there is a significant segmentation of consumers who limitedly respond or do not respond to CM partnerships because of the lack of financial immediacy/tracking – is that an opportunity for me/us?

By: Joe Waters

Joe Waters — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 19:36:17 +0000

Nice, concise post, Scotty. You’re right. Cause marketing is about marketing and consumers need to understand the role CM plays in helping businesses grow and support causes (in that order). Fortunately, I think this will happen naturally as consumers see and participate in more cause marketing programs. Understanding, acceptance, and connection–although perhaps with reservations–will come with experience.