With today's consumers more likely than ever to be involved with some aspect of environmental, health and humanitarian issues, cause marketing has become a win-win for retailers. Getting behind a worthy cause (e.g., donating to relief efforts after Japan's tsunami, supporting cancer awareness or raising money for animal shelters) can help retailers raise a substantial amount of money for charity while at the same time improve their own brand reputation and, ultimately, grow sales.
Connecting oneself to a cause is a popular way for brands to stand out from the crowd. It signals that they're willing to go above and beyond the competition for their customers. Cause marketing can positively affect a company's reputation and attract consumers who may not have known about or been interested in a brand if it weren't for the cause.
Participating in cause marketing campaigns gives consumers a sense of self-worth. It makes them feel good to know that they're helping those in need, even if it's as simple as clicking a "Like" button on Facebook or following someone on Twitter. Here are some examples of retailers who have leveraged cause marketing campaigns to not only help those in need, but also improve their brand metrics.
Like, Follow, Check In for Charity
Big Apple Pet Supply, a pet supply retailer based in Hauppauge, N.Y., realized the cause marketing power of Twitter and Facebook during its "Follow Me Animal Shelter Fund" campaign, launched this summer. The Twitter campaign, which ran from mid-June to mid-August, saw company CEO Steven Spitz, also known as @VeganPetMan on Twitter, donate $1 for every new follower he acquired on Twitter in a quest to raise $6,000 for animal shelters.
Meanwhile on Facebook, fans of Big Apple Pet Supply voted for their favorite animal shelter on the company's Facebook page. The three shelters with the highest number of votes split the pot raised on Twitter.
"Right now [Facebook and Twitter] are the two predominant channels for social media," says Spitz. "Undoubtedly, there are other social media websites, but according to the latest statistics, 92 percent of all social network users are on Facebook and 13 percent are on Twitter. While Twitter has a much smaller user group, it has a heavily engaged demographic."
Big Apple Pet Supply's Facebook page saw its likes increase from 8,100 at the start of the voting (July 2) to nearly 10,200 a little more than a week before voting closed (Aug. 19).
Since the launch of his "Follow Me" campaign, Spitz's
@VeganPetMan Twitter account has grown to 1,800 followers (as of press time). Spitz's Vegan PetMan Facebook account grew from zero likes to over 1,000 likes in the five weeks the cause marketing campaign was held. Big Apple Pet Supply's website traffic also increased. In fact, it's now ranked in the top 25,000 of all U.S. websites by web information company Alexa.
While an increase in sales can't be directly attributed to Big Apple Pet Supply's social media growth, Spitz has noticed a spike in sales of cat and dog products. Spitz attributes the majority of his company's success to cause marketing.
"This simply comes down to the fact that people like companies that give back to their community," he says. "In fact, one of the things we look for in the companies we choose to work with is if they have a charitable component as well. You only need to look to our Facebook page and note all the comments thanking us for taking the time, effort and money to help save animals in need. Customers really do care about a company's core values."
Spitz isn't stopping his cause marketing efforts any time soon. In the fall Big Apple Pet Supply will run a similar campaign with a minimum of $5,000 in funding slated to go to more animal shelters. "We'll continue to work with shelters and rescues year-round," Spitz says. "It's just who we are."
The Beauty of Doing Good
Another brand that realizes the power of social media to aid the reach of its cause marketing campaigns is Clarisonic, a Bellevue, Wash.-based beauty brand manufacturer. The brand's "Look Good … Feel Better" self-help beauty workshop is designed to improve the self-esteem and quality of life for people battling cancer.
Similar to Big Apple Pet Supply's strategy, Clarisonic donated $1 for every like on its Facebook page during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). It also bought ad space for the campaign on the social network, as well as promoting it via email blasts, YouTube, its blog and Twitter. A tab on Clarisonic's Facebook page encouraged social sharing to enhance the NBCAM campaign's word-of-mouth marketing.
Aside from raising $30,000 during the campaign, which ran in October 2010, and donating more than $1 million in total to NBCAM last year, Clarisonic grew its Facebook page views by 433 percent to more than 2,000 views per day. It also increased its Facebook fan base during the campaign by 82 percent to nearly 70,000.
Cause marketing via social media doesn't end with Facebook and Twitter, however. Englewood, Colo.-based Sports Authority followed Clarasonic's lead earlier this year with a campaign that supported the fight against breast cancer. But instead of using Facebook to spread its message, the cross-channel retailer raised money via foursquare. Specifcially, it donated $1 to Boarding for Breast Cancer, a nonprofit, youth-focused education, awareness and fundraising foundation, for every person that checked in on foursquare from the Winter X Games between Jan. 27 - Jan. 30. Sports Authority helped raise up to $1,000 per day over a three-day span.
Traditional Marketing
Tactics
Holding charity events is nothing new for jewelry retailer Michael C. Fina. Since 2009, the company has sponsored an event called the "Diamond Dash" to raise money for the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), where participants go on a scavenger hunt around New York City searching for the grand prize — a handcrafted Tacori engagement ring.
The jewelry retailer also enjoyed success with its Valentine's Day LLS event, where it partnered with Gilt City, an online lifestyle destination site featuring local offers and experiences in the New York City area, to host an exclusive private sale celebrating its rarified wedding bands, engagement rings, tableware and home décor pieces. Michael C. Fina closed its doors to the public and opened them to Gilt City members, who were invited to peruse the fine pieces and try on stunning diamond jewelry.
"We decided to partner with Gilt City because of the strong potential customer base they were able to connect us with," says Teegan Conti, public relations and special events coordinator for Michael C. Fina. "The majority of the Gilt NYC [New York City] subscribers were in our target age demographic, have a high household income and an affinity for luxury products."
The 200-person event sold out in just a few hours, helping raise $750 for LLS. On top of donating money to a worthy cause, Michael C. Fina increased its Facebook fan base and 50 new people opted into its email program shortly after the event ended.
"Our strategies to turn these event attendees into customers are mainly email- and social media-based, keeping them informed of the latest product launches, special offers and future events that may interest them," Conti notes.
Helping the less fortunate may not even need a campaign to spread good will. Summer Classics, an outdoor furniture retailer, partnered with the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association to support victims of the deadly tornadoes in Alabama this spring. After the Red Cross communicated a need for charcoal grills in the area, many organizations donated supplies to Summer Classics, whose employees delivered those supplies — over 350 grills and 5,000 bags of charcoal — to victims. The gesture didn't generate the buzz a campaign to raise money would have, but a small, local approach sometimes works best.
There are many tools (e.g., social media) available to retailers as they look to execute their cause
marketing campaigns. Remember, not only can these charitable efforts greatly improve the quality of life for others, but they can also increase your brand awareness as well.
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Cause Marketing: Doing Well by Doing Good
With today's consumers more likely than ever to be involved with some aspect of environmental, health and humanitarian issues, cause marketing has become a win-win for retailers. Getting behind a worthy cause (e.g., donating to relief efforts after Japan's tsunami, supporting cancer awareness or raising money for animal shelters) can help retailers raise a substantial amount of money for charity while at the same time improve their own brand reputation and, ultimately, grow sales.
Connecting oneself to a cause is a popular way for brands to stand out from the crowd. It signals that they're willing to go above and beyond the competition for their customers. Cause marketing can positively affect a company's reputation and attract consumers who may not have known about or been interested in a brand if it weren't for the cause.
Participating in cause marketing campaigns gives consumers a sense of self-worth. It makes them feel good to know that they're helping those in need, even if it's as simple as clicking a "Like" button on Facebook or following someone on Twitter. Here are some examples of retailers who have leveraged cause marketing campaigns to not only help those in need, but also improve their brand metrics.
Like, Follow, Check In for Charity
Big Apple Pet Supply, a pet supply retailer based in Hauppauge, N.Y., realized the cause marketing power of Twitter and Facebook during its "Follow Me Animal Shelter Fund" campaign, launched this summer. The Twitter campaign, which ran from mid-June to mid-August, saw company CEO Steven Spitz, also known as @VeganPetMan on Twitter, donate $1 for every new follower he acquired on Twitter in a quest to raise $6,000 for animal shelters.
Meanwhile on Facebook, fans of Big Apple Pet Supply voted for their favorite animal shelter on the company's Facebook page. The three shelters with the highest number of votes split the pot raised on Twitter.
"Right now [Facebook and Twitter] are the two predominant channels for social media," says Spitz. "Undoubtedly, there are other social media websites, but according to the latest statistics, 92 percent of all social network users are on Facebook and 13 percent are on Twitter. While Twitter has a much smaller user group, it has a heavily engaged demographic."
Big Apple Pet Supply's Facebook page saw its likes increase from 8,100 at the start of the voting (July 2) to nearly 10,200 a little more than a week before voting closed (Aug. 19).
Since the launch of his "Follow Me" campaign, Spitz's @VeganPetMan Twitter account has grown to 1,800 followers (as of press time). Spitz's Vegan PetMan Facebook account grew from zero likes to over 1,000 likes in the five weeks the cause marketing campaign was held. Big Apple Pet Supply's website traffic also increased. In fact, it's now ranked in the top 25,000 of all U.S. websites by web information company Alexa.
While an increase in sales can't be directly attributed to Big Apple Pet Supply's social media growth, Spitz has noticed a spike in sales of cat and dog products. Spitz attributes the majority of his company's success to cause marketing.
"This simply comes down to the fact that people like companies that give back to their community," he says. "In fact, one of the things we look for in the companies we choose to work with is if they have a charitable component as well. You only need to look to our Facebook page and note all the comments thanking us for taking the time, effort and money to help save animals in need. Customers really do care about a company's core values."
Spitz isn't stopping his cause marketing efforts any time soon. In the fall Big Apple Pet Supply will run a similar campaign with a minimum of $5,000 in funding slated to go to more animal shelters. "We'll continue to work with shelters and rescues year-round," Spitz says. "It's just who we are."
The Beauty of Doing Good
Another brand that realizes the power of social media to aid the reach of its cause marketing campaigns is Clarisonic, a Bellevue, Wash.-based beauty brand manufacturer. The brand's "Look Good … Feel Better" self-help beauty workshop is designed to improve the self-esteem and quality of life for people battling cancer.
Similar to Big Apple Pet Supply's strategy, Clarisonic donated $1 for every like on its Facebook page during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM). It also bought ad space for the campaign on the social network, as well as promoting it via email blasts, YouTube, its blog and Twitter. A tab on Clarisonic's Facebook page encouraged social sharing to enhance the NBCAM campaign's word-of-mouth marketing.
Aside from raising $30,000 during the campaign, which ran in October 2010, and donating more than $1 million in total to NBCAM last year, Clarisonic grew its Facebook page views by 433 percent to more than 2,000 views per day. It also increased its Facebook fan base during the campaign by 82 percent to nearly 70,000.
Cause marketing via social media doesn't end with Facebook and Twitter, however. Englewood, Colo.-based Sports Authority followed Clarasonic's lead earlier this year with a campaign that supported the fight against breast cancer. But instead of using Facebook to spread its message, the cross-channel retailer raised money via foursquare. Specifcially, it donated $1 to Boarding for Breast Cancer, a nonprofit, youth-focused education, awareness and fundraising foundation, for every person that checked in on foursquare from the Winter X Games between Jan. 27 - Jan. 30. Sports Authority helped raise up to $1,000 per day over a three-day span.
Traditional Marketing Tactics
Holding charity events is nothing new for jewelry retailer Michael C. Fina. Since 2009, the company has sponsored an event called the "Diamond Dash" to raise money for the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS), where participants go on a scavenger hunt around New York City searching for the grand prize — a handcrafted Tacori engagement ring.
The jewelry retailer also enjoyed success with its Valentine's Day LLS event, where it partnered with Gilt City, an online lifestyle destination site featuring local offers and experiences in the New York City area, to host an exclusive private sale celebrating its rarified wedding bands, engagement rings, tableware and home décor pieces. Michael C. Fina closed its doors to the public and opened them to Gilt City members, who were invited to peruse the fine pieces and try on stunning diamond jewelry.
"We decided to partner with Gilt City because of the strong potential customer base they were able to connect us with," says Teegan Conti, public relations and special events coordinator for Michael C. Fina. "The majority of the Gilt NYC [New York City] subscribers were in our target age demographic, have a high household income and an affinity for luxury products."
The 200-person event sold out in just a few hours, helping raise $750 for LLS. On top of donating money to a worthy cause, Michael C. Fina increased its Facebook fan base and 50 new people opted into its email program shortly after the event ended.
"Our strategies to turn these event attendees into customers are mainly email- and social media-based, keeping them informed of the latest product launches, special offers and future events that may interest them," Conti notes.
Helping the less fortunate may not even need a campaign to spread good will. Summer Classics, an outdoor furniture retailer, partnered with the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association to support victims of the deadly tornadoes in Alabama this spring. After the Red Cross communicated a need for charcoal grills in the area, many organizations donated supplies to Summer Classics, whose employees delivered those supplies — over 350 grills and 5,000 bags of charcoal — to victims. The gesture didn't generate the buzz a campaign to raise money would have, but a small, local approach sometimes works best.
There are many tools (e.g., social media) available to retailers as they look to execute their cause marketing campaigns. Remember, not only can these charitable efforts greatly improve the quality of life for others, but they can also increase your brand awareness as well.