In the meantime, here's the quick takeaway from the breakthrough behavioral inquiry:
In a controlled experiment by Duke University researchers, participants were exposed to a magazine containing either cause-related or generic advertisements for four brands. Afterwards they entered a mock convenience store and were given money to purchase product in each of the four categories.
In the toothpaste and shampoo categories, actual purchases were substantially higher among consumers who'd been exposed to cause-related ads; the chips and light bulb had modest increases. The higher performing categories benefited from a better fit between the issue, the nonprofit and the product, according to qualitative consumer feedback.
To further validate the shampoo and toothpaste results, the study was replicated online among a nationally projectable sample. The findings: Consumers spent much more time with the cause-related ads, the toothpaste had a large increase and the shampoo had a modest increase.
Why is this important? After years of depending largely on anecdotal evidence and attitude surveys, the canon of cause-related marketing research now contains a solid piece of evidence to support the field's core premise:
A well-conceived and well-executed cause-related program can more than hold its own in the marketplace.
David Hessekiel
President
Cause Marketing Forum, Inc.
