NOVEMBER 15 – NOVEMBER 29, 2012 EDITION
A compilation of current cause marketing resources, information and expertise sourced on Twitter to keep you inspired and “in the know.”
CAUSES & CONSUMERS: BREAKING THROUGH THE BRAND PHILANTHROPY CLUTTER
This link will take you to a videoed interview with Mark Addicks, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at General Mills, discussing his views on Cause Marketing and Brand Philanthropy. He discusses how GM keeps their programs fresh by allowing them to be consumer led and what this means. Also touched on are his thoughts on the importance of cause in reaching the millennial consumer. GM has utilized cause marketing for more than 10 years with its Box Tops for Education campaign and Addicks insights are very, well, insightful. Throughout the interview drops valuable nuggets like “brands must have a purpose to be relevant”. Absolutely worth 4 minutes of your time!
FIVE WAYS YOUR COMPANY CAN AVOID A CRISIS LIKE IKEA’S
According to this blog’s author it is “virtually inevitable that every large corporation will experience a reputational crisis related to irresponsible or unethical business practices” and that “every large global corporation teeters at the edge of a reputational cliff.” And I thought the “Fiscal Cliff” sounded scary! Jokes aside there is a lot to be said for preparedness (not in the zombie apocalypse kind of way) especially now that consumer expectations of corporations have, and continue to, increased. This is especially applicable to cause marketing strategies and this blog cites several good proactive suggestions worthy of consideration.
2012 CONE COMMUNICATIONS HOLIDAY TREND TRACKER
As Cause Marketing professionals we all need our stats, case studies & research and CONE once again delivers. Their “Holiday Trend Tracker” reveals that “just 16 percent of consumers plan to purchase, or have already purchased, cause-related gifts (a decrease from 49% in 2010)” and that “a substantial 41 percent are still undecided if they’ll participate in holiday cause marketing – signaling a significant opportunity for companies to appeal to the hearts and wallets of consumers.” – which I guess is a glass-half full way to look at it. As with many research findings – often the meaning lies within the way it is analyzed and pitched to an audience, client, prospect, etc. So as you re-do your “Trends in Cause Marketing” slide within your Presentation Deck, tell us here at For Momentum – what’s YOUR take?
ENDURANCE SPORTS SPONSORSHIP TO REACH $102 MILLION
So am I the only one who doesn’t want to receive electric shocks while running up a 3 mile high hill of ice and jumping off into a lake of mud? Apparently! Sponsorship of “endurance sports” (which to me is a nice way to say “Activities for Crazy People”) is predicted to reach $102 MM! That’s just sponsorship – think about what the revenue numbers are. This trend is worth, and already is receiving, significant attention from the Cause Marketing landscape. Participants in these activities are described as “loyal and passionate” which are just the type of folks Cause Marketing appeals to.
ADAM FRIEDMAN ASSOCIATES REVEALS NEW FINDINGS ON CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
And a few more research findings to make your day complete! While this survey focuses on CSR it is important to Cause Marketers as good corporate citizenship (overall) becomes more and more embedded into all areas of corporations. There is lots of meaty information referenced including which issues are most important to top decision makers and several other findings that may prove to be worth ‘repurposing’. Don’t forget to cite your source!
