As a society, we are a tough crowd to please. Consumer awareness has led to a great deal of empowerment to the public but it has also led to a great deal of justifiable cynicism. This is particularly true when it comes to cause marketing. Basically, the term refers to a for-profit company partnering with a non-profit company in order to raise awareness of both organizations through a mutually beneficial campaign. Sounds like a win-win, right?
That all depends. As is the trouble with so many things, it’s all about perspective. So much of the information available on cause marketing seems to be about companies boosting their sales by promoting a non-profit. Sure, you can’t continually volunteer your time and money for projects until you file for bankruptcy; you wouldn’t be in business if you didn't maintain a healthy ROI. Where many companies have failed in cause-related campaigning is to assume that the ends justify the means.
HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY
It’s important to be honest when promoting a cause. It’s a no-brainer that you should be honest about how much money is going to whom and for what—if you lack transparency you will lose some serious credibility and may even find yourself being driven into the hills by an angry mob. However, it’s not always about the numbers; it’s also about being honest with your intentions. If you are going to start a cause campaign with the intention of simply marketing your own brand: STOP! Instead you should utilize the current awareness of your brand to increase the visibility of the cause and your mutual project.
An excellent example of this strategy is the Ovila Project by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. These guys are already highly-regarded as leaders in the craft beer industry; have a world famous American Pale Ale and, at 723,000 barrels a year, are the 6th largest brewery in the US. So why partner with a small and quiet group of gentlemen, the humble monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux, to stack up a bunch of old stones? Because it’s something they believe in.
The Cistercian monks of New Clairvaux have an overlapping tradition with Sierra Nevada in creating everyone’s favorite frothy beverage. There is a lot of talk about cause dissonance when it comes to cause campaigns, which basically means the messages of the two parties either do not mix or directly conflict. Sierra Nevada and the monks seem to be a “match made in heaven”, as suggested by Father Thomas X. Davis and their partnership is likely enhanced by it's foundation of mutual respect. The brewery is open about getting some profits from the sale of the special Ovila series, with a portion of the proceeds going to the restoration project, and the brothers of New Clairvaux are aware that their fundraising success is impacted by the success of the Ovila series. Working as a team, the two organizations are able to share their story and move their project forward successfully. The fact that we all get to benefit by the restoration of an historically significant piece of architecture and the privilege of drinking some amazing beer is just an added bonus.
SO LET’S CALL IT WHAT IT IS
Taking an example from Sierra Nevada and the many other companies that stand behind their intentions, we are making a modest proposal (and not the Jonathan Swift kind) that we stop calling it cause marketing, and start calling it what it is: Just being responsible. We have an obligation as business owners to give back to our local and global communities; we stand to gain from such actions whether the reward is material or intangible. Provided your intentions are honest, you believe whole-heartedly in your cause and your implementation provides a genuine benefit, you cannot go wrong in working with the right non-profit to share both your messages with the world.
