Cause Marketing: A Win-Win for Businesses and Society

Cause marketing is a strategic marketing approach that aligns a for-profit business with a social cause or nonprofit organization. It is a mutually beneficial relationship where both the business and the cause benefit from the partnership.

For businesses, cause marketing can help to:

• Increase brand awareness and reputation: Consumers are increasingly drawn to brands that support causes they care about. Cause marketing can help businesses to build a strong reputation as a socially responsible company.
• Attract and retain customers: Cause marketing can help businesses to attract and retain customers who share their values. According to a recent study by Cone Communications, 87% of consumers have a more positive perception of a brand that supports a cause they care about.
• Increase sales and profits: Cause marketing campaigns can lead to increased sales and profits for businesses. For example, a study by Nielsen found that 66% of consumers are willing to pay more for a product from a company that supports a cause they care about.

For nonprofits, cause marketing can help to:

• Increase awareness and support for their cause: Cause marketing campaigns can help nonprofits to raise awareness of their cause and attract new supporters.
• Generate donations: Cause marketing campaigns can generate donations for nonprofits, either directly from businesses or from consumers.
• Build relationships with businesses: Cause marketing partnerships can help nonprofits to build relationships with businesses that share their values. These relationships can lead to other opportunities for collaboration and support.

Examples of cause marketing:

• TOMS: TOMS Shoes donates a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair of shoes purchased.
• Product (RED): Product (RED) is a global campaign that partners with companies to create and sell products that support the fight against HIV/AIDS.
• Yoplait Saves Lives: Yoplait Saves Lives donates a portion of sales from its yogurt products to support breast cancer research and awareness.

How to start a cause marketing campaign:

1. Choose a cause that is aligned with your business’s values and mission.
2. Identify a nonprofit organization that is working to address the cause you care about.
3. Reach out to the nonprofit organization to discuss a potential partnership.
4. Develop a cause marketing campaign that is mutually beneficial for both your business and the nonprofit organization.
5. Promote your cause marketing campaign to your customers and employees.

Cause marketing is a powerful way for businesses to make a positive impact on society and boost their bottom line at the same time. By partnering with a nonprofit organization, businesses can support important causes while also achieving their own marketing goals.

…We’ve seen several successful examples of this, and one of the most impressive is the way some firearm companies, including AR-10 manufacturers, support causes through strategic giving…