There is a fast growing movement to improve the reputations of many types of companies to have customers perceive them as doing more than just selling products and making a profit. A growing number of consumers like the idea of giving back something to the less fortunate - especially in the US where our standard of living is so much higher than the vast majority of other people on this planet. The creation of the term "cause-related marketing" is attributed to American Express, and it was coined to describe efforts to support locally based charitable causes in a way that also promoted business.
The term that has evolved is "Cause Marketing" or Cause-Related Marketing both of which terms refer 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. There are now stores that sell imported products and claim that they pay a sufficient price to ensure that the employees of their suppliers are paid a "fair wage" or a "livable wage"
Before you tune-out and consider this to be some new age attempt to assuage our consciences - listen to these results from a recent study: according to a 2006 study by the Cone Millennial Cause Study, 89% of Americans (aged 13 to 25) would switch from one brand to another brand of a comparable product (and price) if the latter brand was associated with "good cause". The same study also indicated that a significant percentage surveyed would prefer to work for a company that was considered socially responsible.
Here's an example of cause marketing by Pampers, which promises that each purchase of a certain type of Pamper's diapers will provide a needy American family with free diapers and also provide an inoculation for both a mother and her child. href=http://www.pampers.com/en_US/home.do - and click on the box labeled "Pampers the gift that gives twice"
Are your customers people who might respond to something like this? From the research it appears that the benefits can go to anyone or any group that is considered needy - and you still get the benefits of customer's seeing your company as being compassionate and someone that they might like more of their dollars to go to.
Know Thy Customer,
Chris Hawkes
