2015 was a year full of efforts by companies and causes to build a better world and the bottom line. To provide you with a bit of end of year inspiration, here are three outstanding examples.

Be sure to read all the way to the bottom of today's newsletter for a special, sneak peak announcement only for our newsletter subscribers!

 #1: Shock the Drought: Beer, Water Conservation and Crowdfunding
This summer, California headlines were filled with the severity of the water crisis. Amidst this backdrop, Anheuser-Busch's Shock Top Brewing Co. launched a unique partnership with the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo, that "topped off" the fundraising required to bring a water-saving business concept to life. In keeping with Shock Top's irreverent brand, the first project funded was Drop-A-Brick 2.0, an upgrade of the classic tactic of placing a brick in a toilet's tank to save water (amazingly 30,000 bricks in toilets will save the amount of drinking water used by half a million people over the course of a year). The campaign helped the brewing company engage with its millennial customers by starting a meaningful conversation around an issue they cared about: preserving natural resources. 

#2: Find Your Park: Influencer + Content Marketing
Faced with an aging consumer base with limited diversity, Columbia Sportswear turned to a cause marketing initiative to start a meaningful relationship with millennials of color. In 2013, Columbia teamed up with retailer partner REI and the National Park Foundation and immersed Latino bloggers in a week-long excursion to national parks. The bloggers' personal stories helped introduce national parks and the outdoor brands to this new, critical audience in an authentic way to the tune of over 60 million impressions. Fast forward to 2015, and the partnership has grown to include Subaru, Aramark and Southwest Airlines and the excursion is now the grand prize of a popular contest for diverse millennial influencers including not only bloggers, but YouTube phenoms, business owners and TV personalities.

#3: Cheeky: The New Cause Darling
Move over TOMS Shoes, there's a new cause brand in town. Cheeky's paper plates and plastic flatware (sold only at Target) stand out from the competition for their bright, bold designs and their cause promise.  For each item purchased, Cheeky underwrites a meal for someone in need through its partnership with Feeding America. Working under the banner "Eat. Drink. Think." this year the company donated over 4 million meals - and is on a mission to disrupt other categories.

Now on to our special announcement:

Want to know the story behind the story of these campaigns? We're excited to share that these are just some of the initiatives we intend to feature at the 2016 Cause Marketing Forum Conference. We're still putting the finishing touches on the program, but pre-registration is now open!

If you've got some unspent funds in your 2015 budget, why not sign up now to guarantee you'll get a heaping helping of practical ideas and inspiration on June 1 & 2? Here's the link to pre-register.

On behalf of the small but mighty CMF team - happy holidays! We're so glad you are a part of our community.

Sincerely,