Rethinking your cause marketing strategy
The best starting point for a discussion around cause marketing is to clearly define what it is, what it isn’t, and how we can separate it from the often-mistaken corporate social responsibility (CSR) exercise. As a concept, ‘cause marketing’ is far more tangible and closely aligned to the business goals of a brand and the organisation than CSR –in its very name, rooted firmly in marketing. It’s the perfect bridge between cause and commerce, where the program is designed to contribute to a brand and business objective, across both short and long term, orientated towards driving behavioural change.
To be able to create and drive such cause marketing that is meaningful in behavior change and creates impact for businesses, here are four tough questions most brands will need to ask & answer.
1. How do we decide what cause we work with as a brand?
The only way to answer this is to evaluate causes based on brand fit and the closeness of the cause to the brand belief. Getting involved with a cause synonymous with the brand would help in being able to own that cause completely and the campaign from it thereof, i.e. be genuine.
A stand-out example would be the work by Lifebuoy in emerging markets like India and Africa, as part of their Lifebuoy Help A Child Reach 5 campaign. The message is simple and clear –’hand washing saves lives’. It’s in absolute alignment with what the brand stands for, and leaves no questions unanswered about why it’s a cause Lifebuoy can own and champion. At the same time, there is no ambiguity in how this behavioral change can bring upsides to the brand in the long term.
2. What is the objective of going down this path and what do we want to accomplish?
The definition of what ‘impact’ means is critical to establish, when taking on any cause related marketing initiative.
What action do we want to drive? How much of this will actually lead to behavioural change, now and in years to come? And how much behavioural change equates to success if it’s considered as an accurate measure?
A cause marketing effort that made the news in 2014 was Idea Cellular’s ‘No Ullu Banawing campaign’ (No making a fool of someone). Founded on the theme of not getting duped by false promises, the campaign was a year-long initiative that launched before the 2014 General Elections in India.
Idea’s goal was to educate consumers that mobile internet was easy, accessible, and had the power to change lives. Carrying this through seamlessly to election agendas and campaigning by parties, the brand finally activated consumers during election by pushing people to register to vote, via a mobile device. The final activation allows the effort to culminate in something meaningful, while keeping the brand and its service of Internet on mobile phones at the heart of the activation, the campaign worked out well for Idea.
3. What mechanism do we use to initiate consumer action; in many cases an immediate action to make a difference?
Some brands make the process of participation so complex, deterring consumers from taking an action So, whether it is about monetary contribution or volunteering, brands need to ask themselves– how can the barriers to participation be completely removed?
A powerful example is a recent cause marketing initiative conducted in India – India Ke Hunger Ki Bajao (Drive Hunger Away) drive by Ching’s, in partnership with Akshaya Patra. The remarkably robust initiative hit the mark on a different levels. First, they connected the celebrity’s personality to the tonality of the campaign; leveraging his childlike fun persona to drive interactions with kids, who then helped drive the message home. Secondly, a clear call-to-action reduced the number of hoops the consumer had to jump through. By clearly defining contributions and simplifying the payment mechanic, they made it simple and actionable for consumers.
4. Do we have the appetite to sustain this over years, till we create desired impact?
This is possibly the toughest question any brand needs to ask itself before embarking on a cause marketing initiative. Behavioural changes take time, in most cases, many years.
A commendable example of sustained effort to a cause is Tata Tea’s Jaago Re initiative. While the initiative has seen various waves and taken a few different forms, the core of the mission (which started in 2007) was to increase the number of voters in every subsequent general election. Starting from the raising awareness phase to tying up with Jaanagraha, an NGO and committing to the mission of ‘One Billion Votes’), Tata Tea has been consistent and relentless in the pursuit and championing of this cause.
While cause marketing can be incredibly influential and beneficial, the fundamental approach is similar to any other forms of marketing – creating sustainable value through original, innovative and relevant content.But to truly find the sweet spot between profit and purpose, great brands ask themselves the tough questions, and find the answers to them.
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