Cause Marketing

Cause Marketing or cause-related marketing refers to a type of marketing involving the cooperative efforts of a for-profit business and a non-profit organization for mutual benefit. The term is sometimes used more broadly and generally to refer to any type of marketing effort for social and other charitable causes, including in-house marketing efforts by non-profit organizations. EXIN Media brings for you the basic information that you needed to know about Cause Marketing.

Cause marketing differs from corporate giving (philanthropy) as the latter generally involves a specific donation that is tax-deductible while cause marketing is a marketing relationship not necessarily based on a donation.

Numerous studies have shown that cause-related marketing has helped to increase a company’s profits. The possible benefits of cause marketing for non-profit organizations include an increased ability to promote the non-profit organization’s cause via the greater financial resources of a business, and an increased ability to reach possible supporters through a company’s customer base. The possible benefits also includes positive Public Relations (PR), improved customer relations, additional marketing opportunities, and making more money.

Although originally a marketing strategy that occurred offline, cause marketing has been conducted more and more through online channels in the last decade. This is due in part to the increasing percentage of households with internet connections. As with other types of marketing campaigns, companies can leverage online marketing channels along with other offline channels such as print and media.

Cause marketing can take on many forms, including:

ü  Transactional Campaigns: A corporate donation triggered by a consumer action (e.g. sharing a message social media, making a purchase, etc.)

ü  Point of Sale Campaigns: A donation solicited by a company at the point of sale but made by the consumer (e.g. consumers are asked to round up their purchase or donate a dollar when they check out online or in-stores)

ü  Message-Focused Campaigns: Business resources are used to share a cause-focused message. For example a campaign that encourages behavior change (e.g. don’t text and drive), drives awareness about an important cause (e.g. talking with elderly parents about driving) or encourages consumer action (e.g. signing a petition to save whales from captivity).

In recent years, online auctions have been used in cause marketing strategies using a number of different online auction platforms. Companies have created programs to help sellers and corporations donate a percentage of their sales to a non-profit organization through the use of auctions. Businesses and non-profit organizations can also use the program for Cause Marketing and non-profit fundraising programs.