CAUSE MARKETING

These days a company cannot seem to sell an ice-cream or a shoe without promises to
clean the oceans or save the tigers. The eighth P of the marketing mix- purpose, is slowly
transforming from being a niche area to something that falls into the salient features of
every organisation now.
Cause marketing is a form of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which basically creates a
promotional campaign with the dual purpose of increasing profitability while bettering the
society. 80% of all consumers believe businesses must play a role in addressing societal
issues. In this “Age of Customers” where brands are competing on more fronts that just
price, cause marketing can oftentimes be the differentiating factor on the basis of which
people decide which company to purchase from. 91% consumers are more likely to switch
to brands which support a good cause.
This form of marketing can benefit non-profit and for profit organisation alike. In case of
non-profits, they promote their cause amongst the general public. They also use online
methods which would increase loyalty and allow consumers to claimed unredeemed
rewards. There are however a number of ways in which this could go wrong.
i. Insufficient Research
ii. Key messages aren’t right
iii. Not working as an integrated team
iv. Regulatory and internal challenges
v. Timings
Sometimes these companies do get certain things right. Here are a few examples of how
cause marketing has worked in the past:
1. Metro Rails Melbourne - Dumb ways to die

This is for the safety campaign for the Melbourne Metro Rail. This shows a Youtube
video of people dying in amusing ways. Metro didn’t have a safety campaign in place
so this was devised as a means to make people aware and careful.
2. Maker’s Mark & One Warm Coat- Give Cozy, Get Cosy

The truck covered 2100 miles across 7 states and sold 5000 cups of hot chocolate,
3500 gingerbread cookies and gave away over 20,000 coats. The objective was to
give away worn coats. The campaign gained significant traction on social media as
well.

3. Warby Parker & VisionSpring - Buy a pair, give a pair

For every pair of glasses sold, a pair would be donated.

4. Jet Blue and First Book - Soar with Reading

Jet Blue along with First Book launched soar with reading to give books to kids who
need it the most. Since their inception they have donated over $2.75 million worth
of books. Recently Jetblue has devised vending machines to dispense brand-new free
books for kids aged 0-14.

5. Walmart and Children’s Miracle Network – Miracle Balloon

The miracle balloon campaign allows consumers to donate for a good cause and have
their names displayed on balloons across their retail stores.
Cause marketing is an inevitable transition that companies need to go through to make
any mark on their consumers now especially their millennial customer base. The
campaigns need to be catchy and also profitable enough to cover the costs. One of the
most famous and widespread campaigns will continue to be Product RED with Apple,
Motorola and GAP to raise awareness about HIV AIDS. The ultimate objective would be
to turn your audiences into participants and in return the companies get the sweet gift
of goodwill with neat little bow of loyalty on top.