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Cause Marketing Today
Greetings!
Although I knew it would happen someday, it was still a bit of a shock to learn that CM pioneer Carol Cone will step down on March 31 from her position as chairman of Cone LLC, the agency she founded nearly 30 years ago.
Nowadays CM is a mainstream strategy, but it took decades to attain that status. Much of the credit for legitimizing "doing well by doing good" must go to Carol and her team for investing in the field's most quoted research and for shaping many groundbreaking programs.
Along with the benefits, there's a price to pay for being "the mother of cause marketing." Students, job seekers, industry newcomers, entrepreneurs and -- yes -- conference organizers constantly reach out to you for advice.
Although she's a highly competitive businessperson, I am one of the thousands of witnesses to Carol's generosity when it comes to sharing her time and knowledge.
Not only does she share -- she does it with panache. When I started CMF, I vowed not to allow any conference speaker to appear two years in a row. Bowing to popular demand, I had to create a Carol Cone exception to that rule.
So many of us have benefitted from Carol's help and mentoring that I've created a tribute blog for her:
I encourage you to take a minute to add your throughts on this milestone or to enjoy the stories that are sure to emerge about the career of the original Conehead.
Then keep an eye out for what Carol does in her next act. It's bound to be exciting and enlightening.
David Hessekiel
President
Cause Marketing Forum
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| Changing with the Times: eBay and American Express
Even the best campaigns can get stale with age so smart marketers morph and enhance their programs to keep them fresh. Two recent examples include:
Now in addition to helping select charities to receive AMEX donations, consumers can find volunteer opportunities and earn/donate Membership Rewards points.
2) eBay Giving Works has been revamped many times since eBay launched it in partnership with MissionFish in 2003. To date it has raised more than $154 million by enabling sellers to donate a part or all of the proceeds of their sales.
Last year, eBay Giving Works raised a record $50 million through improvements such as giving consumers the ability to make a donation at checkout and increased promotional support in the form of online "Spotlight on a Cause" campaigns.
In both cases, we applaud the companies' longer-term approaches to integrating cause initiatives into their brands. |
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Research: Alliances Benefit Causes
In its latest trend tracker study, Cone researched the impact corporate alliances have on nonprofit partners.
The findings were extremely positive:
- 78% of Americans believe a partnership between a nonprofit and a company they trust makes a cause stand out
- 50% are more likely to donate to the nonprofit when it partners with a company
"While we have seen many companies reap the benefits of cause-related partnerships, these results reveal the same benefits hold true for the nonprofit brand," said Cone Cause Branding EVP Alison DaSilva "Strategic corporate partnerships can help nonprofits stand out and create new, loyal ambassadors." Click here to learn more. |
| April 13 Teleconference:
Clorox's Green Works & Sierra Club
Clorox's Green Works brand is the #1 natural cleaning brand in the U.S. Its launch in January 2008 was particularly high-profile because of its unexpected partnership with the Sierra Club. The Sierra Club does not endorse the line of cleaners, but its logo appears on Green Works products and they receive a financial contribution based on product sales.
Sierra Club leaders viewed this as an opportunity to influence a substantial number of consumers to use more natural products. Millions of consumers appreciated the tie-in (as evidenced by the product line's rapid growth), but the relationship led to some vocal criticism as well.
Join us as Clorox's Director of Corporate Communications Aileen Zerrudo and Sierra Club's Director of Licensing and Cause-Related Marketing Johanna O'Kelley describe the story behind this partnership and lessons learned.
Learn more and register today $99 or FREE to CMF Members | |
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Today (3/15) is Your Last Chance to Register at Early Bird Rates
Hear top execs from Feeding America, General Mills, Macy's, Nike, Target, The Biggest Loser, UNICEF and many more.
NEW! -- Powerful Discussions: Answers to your questions in small groups led by Biz & NP experts
NEW! -- Film Festival Dinner included in conference registration
PLUS inspiring keynotes, great workshops, Halo Awards & more
DON'T MISS
4/13: Clorox & The Sierra Club on Green Works
$99 or FREE to CMF members
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