Six months after she joined Edelman PR to lead its prosocial practice, Carol opened a press conference on the firm's 2010
goodpurpose global study by dropping a verbal bombshell:
"Cause-related marketing, as we know it, is dead."
That generated numerous
blog posts and calls to my office that started with "Did you hear.."
What we must not lose sight of is that Carol's real message lay just beyond her attention-grabbing opening. Namely:
Consumers around the world "are seeking deeper involvement in social issues and expect brands and companies to provide various means of engagement."
That's an important message, but not shocking news. It's what CM thought leaders have been saying for some time. World class cause-related initiatives are "authentic, long-term and participatory," as Carol put it.
Instead of declaring CM dead, I'd say we've reached CM 3.0. In the 1.0 days, a company-cause linkage was novel enough that it could have impact without being particularly profound. In the 2.0 stage, businesses and cause partners worked together with greater sophistication to create more integrated programs. When you layer on the geometric growth of digital media -- which intensify scrutiny of corporate activity and provide new tools to engage consumers -- and up the strategic content, you've entered the 3.0 era.
Creating 3.0 level programs is the exciting challenge that faces our field in the years ahead. Rather than resembling a funeral, our 2011 conference will be more like a bar mitzvah, a celebration of cause marketing's coming of age!
