10/14: Shrewd Marketing: Cause-Related Marketing Takes Off
Category: Shrewd Marketing
Posted by: ZodQueen
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but many companies need no reason to use the ubiquitous pink ribbon in their advertising and on their packaging. U.S. companies will spend $1.34 billion cause-related marketing this year, up from $1.17 billion last year, according to IEG, a Chicago-based marketing firm specializing in sponsorship.
On the one hand, it's a great marketing ploy for companies to put a pretty pink ribbon on something, since some people feel good about buying items that support finding a cure for breast cancer. But, on the other hand, look closely before you buy something just because of the pink ribbon.
The label may say "a portion of the proceeds benefit breast cancer research," or something to that effect, but that portion might be quite miniscule. Also, the donation might be dependent on the buyer doing something, such as sending in container lids for a 25-cent contribution by the company, as is the case with Yoplait yogurt. I wonder how many people actually will collect and clean a bunch of lids, then pay the postage to send them to Yoplait. Anyone that dedicated to the cause would be far more likely to just write a check. Some products only make you visit a Web site and enter a special code to trigger the donation. In addition, some companies don't make any donation at all - they say they are just promoting "breast cancer awareness." This could mean they are donating a small (or very small) amount to an organization that provides women with information on breast cancer. They might also just be slapping a pink ribbon on their product to help promote it, with little or no intended contribution to the actual cause.
A woman's chances of dying of heart disease are much higher than her risk of dying from breast cancer, but the red dress logo promoting female heart disease awareness pops up far less frequently than the pink ribbon.
Corporations large and small have myriad choices when looking to loop their harnesses around a charitable cause or other event. Each month and week has numerous awareness campaigns to it. October, for example, not only promotes breast cancer awareness, but also has National School Lunch Week (Oct. 9-13), Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 8-14), National Depression Screening Day (Oct. 5th), Children's Health Month, Eye Injury Prevention Month, National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Awareness Month, National Dental Hygiene Month, and National Celiac Awareness Month, among many, many other designations.
Hitching a ride on a good cause has its benefits for businesses. However, consumers should take note that the level of support varies widely. Also, there's the danger that when donor-dependent charities and for-profits meet, the giver's interests could influence the receiver. One blaring example: In 2003, the Coca-Cola Foundation donated $1 million to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. The organization's president then denied any scientific evidence linking soft drinks to childhood oral disease, in direct opposition to the group's previous take on the subject.
Consumers should also be wary of the abundance of pharmaceutical donations to health nonprofits, which can influence an organization to emphasize disease treatment rather than prevention.
Breast cancer and heart disease awareness are two of my favorite causes, by the way. Another of my pet causes is pet care and rescue, particularly spaying and neutering to help alleviate pet overpopulation, which results in millions of perfectly healthy, adoptable animals being put to death each year. The 13th annual Spay Day USA will be held on Tuesday, February 27, 2007. During Spay Day USA, concerned citizens — including veterinarians, animal welfare professionals and pet guardians — join forces to spay or neuter as many animals as possible, to educate the community about the importance of spay/neuter and to raise needed funds for spay/neuter programs. Now, that's a cause worth barking about.
On the one hand, it's a great marketing ploy for companies to put a pretty pink ribbon on something, since some people feel good about buying items that support finding a cure for breast cancer. But, on the other hand, look closely before you buy something just because of the pink ribbon.
The label may say "a portion of the proceeds benefit breast cancer research," or something to that effect, but that portion might be quite miniscule. Also, the donation might be dependent on the buyer doing something, such as sending in container lids for a 25-cent contribution by the company, as is the case with Yoplait yogurt. I wonder how many people actually will collect and clean a bunch of lids, then pay the postage to send them to Yoplait. Anyone that dedicated to the cause would be far more likely to just write a check. Some products only make you visit a Web site and enter a special code to trigger the donation. In addition, some companies don't make any donation at all - they say they are just promoting "breast cancer awareness." This could mean they are donating a small (or very small) amount to an organization that provides women with information on breast cancer. They might also just be slapping a pink ribbon on their product to help promote it, with little or no intended contribution to the actual cause.
A woman's chances of dying of heart disease are much higher than her risk of dying from breast cancer, but the red dress logo promoting female heart disease awareness pops up far less frequently than the pink ribbon.
Corporations large and small have myriad choices when looking to loop their harnesses around a charitable cause or other event. Each month and week has numerous awareness campaigns to it. October, for example, not only promotes breast cancer awareness, but also has National School Lunch Week (Oct. 9-13), Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 8-14), National Depression Screening Day (Oct. 5th), Children's Health Month, Eye Injury Prevention Month, National Down Syndrome Awareness Month, SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Awareness Month, National Dental Hygiene Month, and National Celiac Awareness Month, among many, many other designations.
Hitching a ride on a good cause has its benefits for businesses. However, consumers should take note that the level of support varies widely. Also, there's the danger that when donor-dependent charities and for-profits meet, the giver's interests could influence the receiver. One blaring example: In 2003, the Coca-Cola Foundation donated $1 million to the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry. The organization's president then denied any scientific evidence linking soft drinks to childhood oral disease, in direct opposition to the group's previous take on the subject.
Consumers should also be wary of the abundance of pharmaceutical donations to health nonprofits, which can influence an organization to emphasize disease treatment rather than prevention.
Breast cancer and heart disease awareness are two of my favorite causes, by the way. Another of my pet causes is pet care and rescue, particularly spaying and neutering to help alleviate pet overpopulation, which results in millions of perfectly healthy, adoptable animals being put to death each year. The 13th annual Spay Day USA will be held on Tuesday, February 27, 2007. During Spay Day USA, concerned citizens — including veterinarians, animal welfare professionals and pet guardians — join forces to spay or neuter as many animals as possible, to educate the community about the importance of spay/neuter and to raise needed funds for spay/neuter programs. Now, that's a cause worth barking about.
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