This poem reminded me of cause marketing in that our actions and lives speak for themselves. Brands and consumers doing the right thing, and living up to convictions.
William Stafford, “Ask Me” Some time when the river is ice ask me mistakes I have made. Ask me whether what I have done is my life. Others have come in their slow way into my thought, and some have tried to help or to hurt: ask me what difference their strongest love or hate has made.
I will listen to what you say. You and I can turn and look at the silent river and wait. We know the current is there, hidden; and there are comings and goings from miles away that hold the stillness exactly before us. What the river says, that is what I say.
You may have noticed a common thread lately about shifting models and approaches as cause marketing continues to evolve. I wrote a related piece last week “Shift: Business Good to Good Business" then noticed my cause colleague Scott Henderson and friends had launched a likeminded blog called CauseShift. So with that kindred spirit I had the pleasure to guest post with a piece on applying a new cause related marketing approach to the devastating situation in Haiti.
“What if we could bridle the millennial passion for service and match with the burdensome need in Haiti? What if colleges, students, companies, and Haitian relief organizations partnered for a special “Haitian Helping Hand” service opportunity this summer?
How many times have you read an article, sat in a meeting, had a conversation, or watched a program and said, “Wow, what if...?" It’s the shift from passively receiving information and actively engaging with potential implications and applications. It’s adding value. And in that vein I’ve started hashtag #whatifwed and this and every Wednesday invite you to join me on twitter in ideating on the fly. Who knows, what if we generate a big idea that shifts everything?
My AdAge cause marketing article and twitterati that helped promote it.
I recently had the honor of writing an article for the advertising and marketing industries' leading publication, AdAge. In A Pause to Reflect on Cause Marketing I discuss the state of this relatively new marketing discipline and offer my opinions on some of its accomplishments and struggles as it continues to evolve. To be clear, I'm a huge advocate for cause marketing and am passionate about raising the awareness level of it as a tool plus increasing the sophistication level when it's applied.
If you haven't already, you can read the article on the AdAge website here.
What I'm particularly proud of is how the cause marketing twitterverse rallied together to help spread the word through re-tweets, blogs, and posting comments – from Joe Waters (@joewaters), Lee Fox (@koodooz), Gennefer Snowfield (@gennefer), Joey Leslie (@jleslie), Steve Drake (@causeaholic), Michael Hoffman (@michael_hoffman) , Holt Murray (@holtmurray), Sarah Kerkian (@sarahkerkian), Angie Eikenberry (@aeikenberry) David Hessekiel (@davecause), Paul Jones (@PaulRJones) and many more. Thanks guys for helping promote the power of cause among fellow marketers and others who may be unaware or skeptical of its strategic merits. And if you're someone interested or involved in any field of cause related marketing, non-profit marketing, social entrepreneurism or philanthropy you should be following them.
The article received the most comments ever (22 as of this posting) for the AdAge GoodWorks section, and from a range of marketers including those from non-profits, traditional agencies, cause-specific agencies, digital agencies, and for-profit brands including Bob Thacker, CMO OfficeMax, and Chris Mann from New Balance.
Best of all, we demonstrated that there's an engaged readership for cause marketing and I've been invited back to write another article. So with this platform available, if you have a specific topic or area to suggest I'd love to hear from you. And thanks again to all.
If you haven’t read or responded yet, check-out the great dialogue and debate at Joe Water’sSelfish Giving cause marketing blog around his post “Defending Cause Marketing.” Joe, the Director of Cause Marketing for non-profit Boston Medical Center and a noted cause marketer, takes on a provocative article from Professor Angela Eikenberry for the Stanford Social Innovation Review entitled The Hidden Costs of Cause Marketing and argues that cause marketing is merely “consumption philanthropy.”
I love three things about this debate: 1. that Professor Eikenberry wasn’t afraid to take a stand; 2. that there’s an ardent army of cause marketing supporters that were quick to disagree and debunk some of the opinions cited; 3. most of all that Eikenberry continued a dialogue with all of us.
You can view my contribution to the debate here but my main argument was around the insinuation that cause marketing cannibalizes philanthropy or charity. This goes against all we know about American human nature. Companies and individuals will either do both cause marketing and philanthropy/charity – or just cause marketing because there’s something in return (incremental sales, brand halo, product or service bought). But these are not competing for the same share of "giving wallet." Said another way, typically cause marketing is not chosen over philanthropy, it’s chosen as the only way people or brands want or can participate in social change. And isn't that better than nothing? Let us know what you think by commenting here or on Joe's blog.
There's been enough written and said about the Disney World experience and the Disney brand in general that I won't rehash here. Needless to say, the company may have it's ups and downs, but there are few rivals from a brand strength and emotional resonance standpoint. It's consistently ranked a top global brand and different from its top brands peer-set, has a much farther reaching brand-footprint across theme parks, film, TV, products and more. I've had the privilege of partnering with Disney on several movies in the 90s including "A Bug's Life." And can attest to their reputation of standing firm on brand guidelines and "dos and don't" with their intellectual property/characters. They don't mess around and will walk away from a deal. It's what enables them to be consistent across all they do. I've also had opportunity to attend Disney Institute, a consultancy and leadership practice that lets attendees "experience the business behind the magic of our [Disney's] core business strengths: Leadership Excellence, Quality Service, Brand Loyalty, Inspiring Creativity, and People Management. "
Bottom line, I'm a fan of Disney and when you hold respect for something great, you automatically look for ways to make it better. My family visited Disney World in Orlando recently and while I had my "Dad" Mickey Mouse ears cap on most of the time (no not literally), it was hard not to see through the lens of a brand and cause marketer as well.
If you've ever been to Disney World I think you'll agree: it truly is a magical place that provides pure joy to kids and fond memories to adults – all for a fair price. The experience has been created and meticulously cared for across every sight, sound, and even smell. But there were some key areas where I felt Disney missed an opportunity to enrich the experience with more meaning as they held an audience captive. Don't get me wrong, no one wants to come to Disney World and be beat over the head with social issues messaging. But there could be some things changed or added, gracefully. Things that people may not consciously notice but would help raise awareness and education in a non-intrusive way.
So I offer in no particular order:
1. Relocate Smoking areas
I was shocked to see these at a kid focused park in 2009. And right next to kids rides and sitting-areas for families. It's your right to smoke. But my right not to have it blown in my and my family's face. Disney should enclose these areas away from the 90% who don't choose to smoke (and 100% of their kids). If 70% of states in USA have some sort of smoking ban in public places then certainly Disney could follow suit. Nothing takes the magic of a child's laughter away than the cough of second-hand smoke.
2. Be more eco-friendly
Disney actually does quite a but behind the scenes and in operations to be a more sustainable brand. But much improvement is needed from a forward-facing/consumer participant viewpoint. Recycling cans were few and far between. Only disposable paper cups are sold at all concession vs. offering souvenir re-usable cups. Paper towels in bathrooms, not blowers. Only Animal Kingdom, the newest park, had considerably more environmentally sensitive amenities, consistent with it's earth/animal friendly message. Think of the impact Disney could make by reinforcing or introducing the millions of people that walk the park to the easy ways to have less impact on the environment.
3. Offer balanced food options
We're no health nuts. But offering fresh fruit in addition to candy and popsicles would have been nice. For us, and the kids in our group. Don't restrict people from indulging if they want, but enable those who would like choices to have them. Offer 100% juice in addition to soft drinks and water. Wasn't this place built for kids? Disney received much publicity when it pulled-out of it's lucrative deal with McDonald's and now licenses it's characters for more healthier fare in grocery stores. This is one instance where Disney's normally successful cross platform integration between business lines hasn't happened.
4. Execute non-intrusive cause marketing
Animal Kingdom was the one park that stood apart. As the world's largest wildlife park, there are reminders about the natural order and importance of Mother Earth everywhere. At concession stands cashiers politely ask if you'd like to donate $1 to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund and you receive a little pin for your backpack or lanyard. The new Disney movie Earth was promoted at the entrance and a few days after we left Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures announced a partnership with The Nature Conservancy to plant 2.7 million trees in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, one of the planet’s most endangered rainforests. Epcot's "Universe of Energy Pavilion" does explore use of alternative energy. But imagine reinforcing the importance of cultural diversity after riding "It's A Small World" at Magic Kingdom. Or using Tigger to promote the importance of physical activity (like bouncing!). It doesn't need to be transactional cause marketing. And whether it involves 3rd party non-profits such as Disney's many national partnerships like Make-A-Wish, or projects that are more about reinforcing what dear old Mom and Dad try to instill in their children back at home.
I'll say it again, I understand the brand promise of Disney is to "make magic moments." To provide escape from daily troubles. I'm not advocating in-your-face reminders of serious social issues. I'm talking about using the power of these characters and the aura of the place to naturally weave messages and actions that add just a touch more meaning to the magic.
As some have noticed, I haven't blogged much over the last 6 weeks. Instead I've been more active on twitter, the "microblogging" social media platform that limits posts or "tweets" to 140 characters. With my involvement in Livestrong, I first heard about it when Lance Armstrong started using it and quickly became a top 10 tweeter. While similar to a Facebook update, the difference for many is that rather than posting rather mundane items about the awesome burger you ate for lunch or that you're watching American Idol – twitter helps aggregate people with similar interests and passions to find or "follow" each other. So I've been using this great tool to further learn and share about cause marketing. And meet some enlightening and inspiring people and the Good Concepts they are spearheading. Like all social media tools, it provides an easy way to share links to stories, meet people thru other people, and express yourself.
Seems like twitter is talked about everywhere in mainstream media these days, and everyone uses it differently, but for a quick overview see this New York Times story. Or this one from Wall Street Journal.
You can register in 45 seconds and follow me (see what I say and follow conversations) here:
You don't have to cannonball into the water at first. Register, dip your toe-in, and just follow a few people that interest you. Tops in twitter based on followers range from celebs to news to (so called) social media experts. Here's a list. But many of your favorite brands and organizations are on their too. Simply search by their name once registered. Also wefollow categorizes users by topic (I'm registered under marketing, causemarketing, socialentrepreneurship). And twibes lets you create specific groups. I just started a cause marketing twibe.
Finally, twitter has been a great way to road-test some ideas and story items. So I'll be back soon to the Good Concepts blog – am working on a post after a recent family vacation to Disney World called "Disney World Magical But Could Be More Meaningful." Stay tuned.
Interesting dialogue about the difference between use of social media for charity fundraising vs. social media for deeper engagement and social change started by Beth Kanter on her blog "How Non-Profits Can Use Social Media" after her panel discussion at SXSW (South by Southwest) last week in Austin.
Here's my take that I posted in response:
Yes there probably is a distinction between fundraising and engagement that should be articulated whenever the term "social media for social good" is used. As for which one is better or more appropriate, I instead subscribe to the use of many tactics holistically woven together to tell an impactful story in a integrated marketing approach. However what I find most interesting in all this is the fervor of debate about this and similar topics within the cause marketing/non-profit marketing/social justice camps. If more NPOs, NGOs and other like minded organizations and individuals would start collaborating more instead of fighting over the same donors, corporate partners, and yes, terminology, we all could accomplish a lot more.
Sadly it seems at times we're more passionate about arguing abut the authenticity of a cause campaign, the legitimacy of a "new" proprietary methodology, the publishing of research, or the ownership of ideas – than actually using our gifts and talents to make a difference.
And to me that is the ultimate promise of social media in the social space. Enabling “bonds without borders” for impactful connections and sharing of ideals AND ideas.
Most of us have used the Internet to make a donation. And many have responded to a run/walk/ride type fundraiser invitation for support by a friend or family-member. Now Social Media applications such as Facebook and twitter for cause marketing have begun to take off. Though well intentioned, sometimes cause related websites can be heavy on the emotions and heavy on the content. Feeding you statistic after statistic and picture after picture but not providing a quick and easy way to take action. Or at least not a quick and easy way to take action other than donate money.
1 in 6 children in America are hungry. By simply visiting the site right now and pledging to either spread the news, volunteer, or give money, you help reach the goal of at least 1,000 pledges. Once the 1,000th pledge is made, Tyson will donate enough food to feed 140 children to a food bank in Austin, TX for EVERY pledge.
As I've written before in Slumdog The Latest in $100 Million Cause Campaigns Called Movies, the movie industry has a rich history of telling stories that inspire and incite change. Well there was a lesser-known film based on real-world events from India that won an Oscar besides Slumdog Millionaire. Taking home Best Documentary Short was Smile Pinki which tells the story of "Pinki, a girl in rural India whose cleft lip has made her a social outcast...but has a chance for a new life when she meets a dedicated social worker."
The non-profit organization behind this social work is SmileTrain, a charity solely focused on cleft lip and palette in developing countries. You've probably seen their ads in newspapers including The New York Times for which the paper calls "...one of the most productive charities -dollar for deed- in the world." For 10 years now they've provided simple 45-minute surgery that provides "a desperate child not just a new smile, but a second chance at life" – and a $250 donation covers all costs.
The org does a masterful job at marketing the cause. While there are certainly celebrity endorsers like most NPOs these days, the ads focus on the heart-wrenching "before" pictures of these precious children. It's one of the simplest and most effective ways to promote the need for change.
As a documentary, the filmmakers were certainly more able to address the related social issue head-on than say Slumdog. SmileTrain was even mentioned by name in the acceptance speech. And in return, the cause has smartly leveraged the Oscar win in it's newest ads. It remains a collaborative effort to use storytelling in all its forms, film and advertising, to advocate for change.
What responsibility is there to give back to the cause associated with the content?
It was the final victory party most expected Sunday night at The Oscars as Slumdog Millionaire walked away with wins for Best Picture, Director, and Adapted Screenplay.
There’s been much talk about the little movie that could, and what makes it click on so many levels to both the public and the press alike. It’s basic structure is the familiar rags to riches story arc of a young boy and his quest for a better life to get the girl. Yet it’s the setting of Mumbai India and the depiction of the determined 25% who live in slums many of us knew nothing about that makes the film different. And finally it’s the visionary director’s execution that makes it memorable.
There’s also been much talk on whether the two children plucked out of the slums, Azhar and Rubina, were adequately compensated to be in the movie and whether the all-to-real story of human suffering in Mumbai is being exploited for commercial reasons. To be clear, by most updated accounts the children’s education has been paid for and a trust fund established to cover basic living costs. As many watched Sunday the two were even flown into Hollywood to attend the Oscar ceremony. But after the red carpet was rolled up, they returned to their lives in the slums as they’ve always known. To that, some say more should be done by those involved with a project that’s made over $130 million with just a very relatively modest $15 million production budget.
Which raises the moral question of what responsibility do the filmmakers owe both to the specific actors and all the people in the slums profiled in the movie? According to CNN:
“Boyle said the film's financial backers have agreed that charitable groups that help children of the slums will also see "a slice of the profits."
‘We've all agreed that we will sit down and dedicate a slice of the profits of the film to be distributed amongst people like those who run the school and other organizations who make a big difference to children's lives there,’ he said.
‘We gained from the city, both from these two children and from the city, in general, and we'll make sure the film gives back some of the enormous success it's had,’ he said.”
Some argue that’s still not enough. But Slumdog is not a documentary, it’s mean to be entertainment first and foremost. In fact it’s the latest in a long line of multi-million dollar “cause entertainment” vehicles called movies that bring needed awareness to an important social issue by sharing people and their stories rather than issues and their statistics. This year alone saw fellow Academy Award nominees Milk bring attention to the Gay Rights issue and Wall*E give both a humorous and sobering take on conspicuous consumption, health/wellness and environment. Other recent Oscar nominated movies that speak to topics of the time include Hotel Rwanda, Brokeback Mountain, American History X, Cider House Rules, Schindler's List, and Philadelphia. All provided a glimpse into a struggle in a raw way never done before. In fact Hollywood has a rich history of using it’s talents to frame significant topics. Think Mississippi Burning, Chariots of Fire, Gandhi, Norma Rae, A Clockwork Orange, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, and The Wild One.
Bottom line: if there’s no one watching the movie then there’s no one talking about the issue. And if no one sees nor talks about it then there’s no money to share with those in need in the first place.
Which brings us back to Slumdog. I agree “slice of the profits” isn't exactly specific nor transparent. And sure a peak at the official film’s website reveals the soundtrack for sale on itunes, and a text-delivery of ringtones and widgets. There could easily have been a “click here to learn how you can help” banner with a brief video showing where the two actors return to and offering a way for consumers to donate directly to those charities referenced by Boyle. And in his own grassroots publicity campaign, especially once Oscar buzz started to build and the film became a media darling, the director could have plugged a “savetheslumdogs.org” type site. But it's a fine line. People watch movies to escape from their everyday world. Sometimes that escape is lighthearted sometimes frightening and sometimes jarring and thought provoking – and when done really well like Slumdog all the above. But people don’t want to be berated or lectured to. Especially as they are deciding where to spend their money. Entertain first. Inform second. Advocate third. That’s following the script for success in cause entertainment.
My look into the Zeitgeist or "spirit of the times" comes every Friday in the mail. Oh there's no shortage of ways to check what's in our collective head and heart. Music, book and film charts. TV ratings complete with analysis that would make Dr. Phil proud. Countless news surveys ("no wait ours IS different...) that promise a glimpse into people's minds. Even Google offers a set of tools updated in real-time called appropriately Zeitgeist that reveals this spirit by grouping and displaying what people search for – perhaps literally and figuratively.
But my wife's weekly edition of People magazine is a great and far more fun way for me to get a grasp on the cultural context. (Yes I read it cover to cover but you see for marketing research purposes only.) With stories that ranges from inspirational stories of courage to [insert celeb A here] breaks up with [insert celeb B here]. And from ubiquitous diet tips to last year's Heroes Among Us profile article series. And finally the ads. Yes the ads to me provide a most intriguing and telling view on our world and what approaches and messages resonate. As the longtime most read magazine you can be sure that if a brand has paid the top price to run in this magazine they've done their homework.
Since my passion for cause marketing began a couple of years ago I've been flipping the pages with great interest to see how many and what cause marketing ads or stories will appear. Many times there's a non-profit org's PSA ad. And at least several for-profit brands run cause marketing campaign ads. This past week's issue featured a cover story of Pilot Sully Sullenberger's account of safely landing 1549 and several notable cause related ads:
Subway Fresh Fit For Kids
Subway is a savvy veteran with it's "better for you" heads-on competitive positioning vs. greasy and fatty fast-food. It's latest installment goes right where many of us feel it most: our kids. An alignment with great halo effect from American Heart Association for their Fresh Fit for Kids combo meal.
Diet Coke With The Heart Truth
Next up is a multi-page ad from Diet Coke featuring Heidi Klum and others in little red dresses. Oh yeah and it's in partnership with The Heart Truth. Feels borderline cause-washing to me given the stretch of carbonated soft drinks and health but hey if cause marketing was only employed by perfect brands with perfect products there wouldn't be any, to the detriment of important social issues. It definitely got my attention though clearly I'm not the target. But I also left wondering who is Heart Truth and doesn't the little red dress icon belong to American Heart Association's Go Red for Women cause campaign that I've seen the last few years?
Burt's Bees All Natural Lip Balm
Then it's cult phenom Burt's Bees lip balm. A great garage start-up brand story that has achieved wild success with naturally made ingredients. Complete with certification/endorsement from Natural Products Association (never heard of it but sure sounds good) it highlights what's in their product vs. the leading competition. Given the brand's positioning around "well being" this fits my broader definition of cause marketing: any idea that makes a business and social impact. Of course as some know, the brand was sold to The Clorox Company and now does a careful dance as a "boutique brand" along with negative perceptions around sister company's Clorox's chemical-based home cleaning products (more on that later).
Capri Sun Terracycle Program
In my opinion the best cause marketing ad in the issue comes from Capri Sun who leverages the "guilty mom" mindset and tells her how she can really do it all - take care of her kid's basic needs plus raise money for their school and help environment by recycling the pouches into school gear. And all without a huge cost or time investment.
Greenworks New Biodegradable Wipes
The final ad is for a new product in the mega-hit Green Works line: biodegradable wipes. The parent company, just like Bert's Bees discussed above, is The Clorox Company who wisely and by most accounts credibly has created the Green Works brand extension and validated the all-natural cleaning products category pioneered by Seventh Generation and others. The most controversy coming from it's alignment with the Sierra Club - the first such endorsement ever given by the preeminent environmental non-profit. But it wasn't from the critics or even the public but from a vocal minority within The Sierra Club itself. (In full disclosure Green Works/Clorox is a client of the agency I work for and the agency was involved with this program. However they did not create this ad. And I personally have no involvement with this client nor their marketing).
I'm an integrated marketer with an entrepreneurial spirit.
I'm a husband and father.
I'm a testicular cancer survivor.
I'm an advocate of ideas with business and social impact.
I’m a believer in the power of cause marketing.
Cause marketing is often limited to only two models: short-term promotional partnership or long-term corporate citizenship. I believe what's best is to include both, and many more, in an integrated approach. Crafting stories that inspire people to take action.
So I use a broad definition for cause marketing: ideas with business and social impact.
