What Do You Stand For?

Cause Marketing: How Much is Enough?

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

$10,000, $100,000 or $1 million how much is enough for a company to invest in a cause?

It's a question Cause Marketing Forum president, David Hessekiel, broaches in his "Marketing:causes" column this week, among other cause marketing complexities. The answer, of course, is it depends. The moment marketers try to ascribe a cause marketing "formula" from one company, product or issue to the next may be the moment authenticity goes out the window. After all, it's all arbitrary unless considered in context of the full campaign.

Forget preconceived notions, and instead, strive for a sensible ratio between marketing spend and cause investment, thinking strategically about the appropriate figure. A few factors to consider:

Company Size: There is a level of expectation among consumers and other stakeholders that a company will have a material contribution to a cause in line with its size and revenue.
Consumer Expectations: Is the company a known social leader with a reputation to maintain, or a newcomer to the space who may be examined for authenticity? If perceptions are unclear, test.
Scope of Program: A brief promotion in a few markets does not have the same expectations as a multi-year, global commitment.
Impact: What is a meaningful contribution to the issue or program? Are you helping an issue broadly or just one program? Ensure the investment is realistic to achieve desired impact and will resonate with consumers (e.g., dollars vs. units).
"OPM": Is the program funded solely by corporate giving or will it be driven by "OPM" or other people's money? "OPM" draws on consumer donations at the register, product sales and employee matches to benefit the cause.
For the complete list of factors, see "How Much is Enough? 10 Factors that Influence Your Investment in a Cause."

Ultimately, there is no magic number companies should commit to cause marketing efforts. A combination of data and intuition determines this figure, but considering these factors will help organizations assess what is right for their unique efforts. Remember: it's not just about choosing the right number it's what you do with it that counts.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

Microsoft to Business Units: Reduce or Pay Up

Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

In less than two months, all direct operations divisions of Microsoft will be forced to reduce emissions or pay the price. But it's not a government organization or NGO who's enforcing the mandate it's the company itself.

Microsoft announced this week it is committed to going carbon neutral by July 1 and is extending this responsibility throughout its company. Through what Microsoft deems the "accountability model," each division within the company will be responsible for its own carbon emissions, which will not only raise internal awareness, but will also send a strong message to stakeholders and competitors. And the company is taking the program one step further. As part of its neutrality goal, Microsoft will be imposing a carbon tax on all direct operations in more than 100 countries, including data centers, software development labs, air travel and office buildings. Divisions that do not meet emissions goals through efficiency measures and increased use of renewable energy sources must pay a carbon fee that the company will use to purchase carbon offsets.

By creating its own internal carbon market, Microsoft hopes to discourage unsustainable actions and incentivize environmental progress. And to ensure its success, the company has put forth the most effective motivator of all money.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

Status Update: Facebook Promotes Organ Donation

Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 -0400

For years, the Department of Motor Vehicles has inquired whether we'd like to be an organ donor, but Facebook has posed a more direct question: Are you?

The world's leading social network announced Tuesday it will now allow users to include organ donor status among other biographical information on member profiles, marking perhaps the first time an individual's donor status has been shared in such a public way. Yet, the outcome is much more than a timeline milestone. The New York Times reports nearly 7,000 people die each year waiting for an organ transplant; Facebook reaches 161 million users in the U.S. alone. The potential impact is clear.

Dr. Andrew M. Cameron, the surgical director of liver transplantation at Johns Hopkins Hospital, explained, "This is going to be an historic day in transplant. The math will radically change, and we may well eliminate the problem." In fact, motor vehicle registries have already seen the effect of the announcement, with more than 6,000 individuals enrolling as donors through 22 state registries on Tuesday alone, a number which usually only hits around 400 per day.

Facebook may ultimately change the trajectory of organ donation, bringing an issue once relegated to a checkbox on a DMV form to the public forum something that can be discussed, shared and supported on a wide scale. And, Facebook is eager to show peer pressure isn't necessarily a bad thing when lives are at stake. With 114,000 people currently waiting for organ transplants, the company hopes a status update might help save a life.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

Burger Kings Big Commitment

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Burger King, the world's second largest fast food chain, signaled bold change this week when it announced it will source 100 percent of its eggs and pork from cage-free chickens and crate-free pigs by 2017. The company, which purchases hundreds of millions of eggs and millions of pounds of pork annually, currently sources just nine percent of eggs and 20 percent of pork from cage-free vendors. Burger King joins a number of other brands making cage-free egg purchasing decisions, but according to Matthew Prescott, a spokesperson for the Humane Society of the United States, this is the first time a major chain has made a commitment of this caliber.

This announcement signals an important shift for the industry and for consumers, even if they don't happen to dine at BK. USA Today reports that the cage-free issue has just recently hit the public radar in a big way, with Paul Shapiro, vice president for animal farm protection at the Humane Society, stating, "This is an issue that just four to five months ago was not on the food industry's radar. Now it's firmly cemented into the mainstream in a way that I think few people would have imagined." Bruce Kennedy of GreenBiz.com also noted that as such a large buyer, Burger King could actually force more of the industry to shift to cage-free, ultimately opening up a larger market and reducing the price for everyone due to economies of scale.

Big brands have the opportunity to set industry precedents and drive social and environmental progress in ways that make it hard for others to ignore. Just as Walmart helped forever change the laundry aisle by committing to sell only concentrated detergent, Burger King may in fact do the same for cage-free.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

Earth Day Roundup

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

As Earth Day supporters look to "Mobilize the Earth" on the National Mall on Sunday, companies are mobilizing consumers to take part in Earth Day promotions. Here's a sampling of programs you can expect to see as you do your part to reduce, reuse and recycle this weekend:

Target is celebrating "Earth Month" by offering special discounts on environmentally friendly products throughout the month of April, in addition to giving out 1.5 million reusable bags on Sunday. The retailer has also partnered with Recyclebank, a B Corp that doles out points and discounts at major retailers to members who make environmentally sound decisions.

JetBlue is partnering with CarbonFund.org to plant a tree for every person who flies on the airline this Sunday, which should equate to about 83,000 new trees. The trees will be planted in Haiti to help rebuild areas affected by the 2012 earthquake. JetBlue crew members and volunteers will also head to Long Island City to plant an additional 100 trees in support of the "Color NYC Green" program.

Eileen Fisher is helping consumers with spring cleaning this weekend by taking back used Eileen Fisher clothing at all retail, company stores and wholesale locations. The used clothing will be resold at the company's GREEN EILEEN stores, which have already raised more than $600,000 for a number of nonprofits supporting women and girls.

Macy's is launching a Brazilian-themed curated shop called "O Mercado, the Market at Macy's" to benefit The Nature Conservancy, which will open on Earth Day and run through July 15. Ten percent of each purchase at the shop will go to help the nonprofit in its effort to protect the Brazilian Amazon Rainforest.

Origins celebrates Earth Day every day by taking back all brands of used cosmetic and toiletry bottles that are traditionally unrecyclable through municipal systems. This Sunday, to encourage consumers to take advantage of the program, customers that bring in any empty cosmetic tube, bottle or jar will be rewarded with a free full-sized Origins sample.

Earth Day campaigns offer companies a unique opportunity to connect with consumers when environment is top-of-mind, and Americans are primed to participate. In fact, Cone's newest Green Gap Trend Tracker revealed that the environment is a consideration while shopping for many, but they rely on companies to provide them with the information to make environmentally informed shopping decisions. Earth Day provides an ideal window to grab consumers' attention, but remember the true measure of a responsible company is how it conducts business the other 364 days of the year as well.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

Sustainability: No Secret Sauce

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

It's no secret most companies prefer to keep their proprietary tools and processes under wraps for competitive reasons. Yet in the age of transparency, companies have become more willing to open their doors to inspection. One company has taken this a step further by allowing anyone even its competitors to view an essential aspect of its supplier assessment process, all in the name of sustainability.

Bart King recently reported for Sustainable Brands on P&G's newest innovation in sustainability, its Supplier Scorecard Analysis Tool. The scorecard measures supplier improvement year over year on a number of environmental sustainability criteria, from hazardous and non-hazardous waste disposal to greenhouse gas emissions. Although the scorecard itself is not new, P&G has made news by making its tool publicly available, giving all companies a launch pad to more sustainable supply chains. The Excel spreadsheet, with instructions and rating criteria, is now available for download directly from P&G's website. The company has even gone so far as to offer a public webinar to anyone who is interested in learning more, complete with a live demo and tips for reapplying the tool to other businesses. And many may benefit from learning about P&G's sustainability efforts, as the company has saved nearly $1 billion in operational costs over the past 10 years.

There are no secrets when it comes to P&G's supplier sustainability scorecard. The company has put everything on the table with the hope others will follow suit. With this step, P&G has sent a message that environmental sustainability is important, not from a competitive standpoint, but for business and society at large.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

Green Products Take the Stage

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0400

For years, environmentally friendly products have played second fiddle to traditional merchandise: cordoned off in a special section of the store, relegated to a certain part of the website and treated as an atypical purchase. Now, green products are finally ready for their big break.

As Amanda Hess from GOOD reports, a new company is ready to give green products their fair share of the Hollywood spotlight. Green Product Placement is the brainchild of Beth Bell and Lisa Dietrich, who are striving to place sustainable, charitable, organic and local products in major TV and movie productions. Bell explains, "As shoppers in the real world begin investing in healthier foods and greener cleaners, there's no reason their Hollywood counterparts shouldn't do the same."

By incorporating more responsible products into pop culture, Green Product Placement may also help break down green stigmas that still persist in the market. Cone's 2012 Green Gap Trend Tracker revealed consumers continue to perceive areas like price, quality and availability as barriers to buying environmental products. But as Bell told GOOD, "The exposure these green products get on film has a cumulative effect' that can ultimately help viewers recognize them as a normal brand, and not a fringe one.'" This exposure, in addition to a company's own storytelling about how its environmentally responsible products can compete on price and quality, may actually turn the tables for responsible products, breaking down barriers and making good, green TV to boot.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

Consumers May Not Be Buying Companies Environmental Claims

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

We're pleased to share our newest environmental research, the 2012 Cone Green Gap Trend Tracker, the third in a series of benchmark surveys examining American consumers' perceptions of environmental marketing. The good news: Americans continue to buy with the environment in mind. The bad news: consumers are not necessarily trusting companies' environmental claims.

The trend tracker revealed a majority of Americans (80%) don't believe companies are addressing all of their environmental impacts, and only 44 percent trust companies' green claims. This skepticism may even affect sales. In fact, as many as 77 percent would be willing to boycott if misled by an environmental claim.

Even as consumers express skepticism, they also voice their high expectations. They hold companies accountable for addressing the full environmental impact of a product's lifecycle, from the impacts associated with manufacturing the product (90%), to using it (88%), to disposing of it (89%). They are also asking companies to be thorough in their communications. Seventy-three percent of consumers want companies to provide more environmental information on the product packaging to help inform their shopping decisions, and the majority of consumers (71%) wish companies would do a better job helping them understand the environmental terms they use to talk about their products and services.

The implication is clear: the onus is on companies to bring consumers into the environmental conversation, and Americans are primed to do so if they feel they can trust what they're hearing.

For the complete findings from the 2012 Cone Green Gap Trend Tracker, including the types of environmental messages that resonate best with consumers and environmental purchase barriers and drivers, please visit our website.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

Top Three Entertainment Marketing Need-to-Knows

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Knowing the ropes of celebrity partnerships can be an integral part of any marketing campaign, whether your organization is for- or non-profit. Take heed of these three entertainment marketing need-to-knows and youre on your way to a successful and impactful celebrity partnership.

No. 1: Content is king

Carefully crafted celebrity partnerships help brands tell their stories from a credible third-party and highly influential perspective. More and more, a major part of this storytelling includes, and relies on, content and lots of it. Engaging, creative content helps corporate and nonprofit brands differentiate themselves in a competitive marketplace where people are increasingly looking for honest, transparent and human brands. To do this well, clients are tapping into relevant celebrities and entertainment partners to bring their stories to life.

When American Cancer Society celebrated its Choose You cause campaign in the spring of 2011, Cone Communications partnered the nonprofit with Academy Award-winning actress Hilary Swank to create the Choose You documentary, telling the powerful stories of three women on their journeys to put their personal health first. The full-length documentary was released nationally and promoted through social media channels.

No. 2: Celebrities and brands are social

Social media continues to be one of the most quickly evolving areas in public relations. Social platforms are no longer leveraged as add on tactics, but can be the foundation of some of the most successful campaigns. As social platforms continue to rise, so does the impact of celebrity voices.

During Fair Trade Awareness Month in October, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, a Cone client and the largest purchaser of fair trade coffee in 2010, sought to drive awareness of the impact of fair trade with an authentic and powerful campaign for its Green Mountain Coffee brand. Green Mountain Coffee harnessed the power of social media along with Michael Franti and Grace Potter two up-and-coming music artists who deeply care about fair trade to raise the volume on the issue. Both artists hosted exclusive live performances on Green Mountain Coffees Facebook page to educate consumers on how small choices like the coffee we drink can help drive big change.

No. 3: Celebrities can work to draw attention to important issues

Nonprofits have been using celebrities to generate awareness, support and funds for many years and the strategy still works, if done well. Whether a nonprofit is launching a new platform, trying to raise money for new research or continuing to keep an important issue top of mind among people nationally or globally, the power of celebrities and the many people they touch both on and offline is invaluable. However, choosing the right celebrity, and making sure the celebrity is doing it for the right reasons, is a must.

American Kidney Fund, a Cone client, recently launched Pair Up by partnering with spokesperson Laila Ali who has a family history of diabetes and high blood pressure, both which put her at risk for kidney disease. She signed on to be a spokesperson because she has a passion for the cause, and with her personal connection, she was able to deliver campaign messages authentically.

-Cone Communications' Entertainment Marketing Group

Inviting Consumers to Innovate

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Smart companies are embracing the notion that sometimes the best ideas come from unexpected sources, outside of their four walls. Crowdsourcing and cross-industry partnerships, modes of innovation involving consumers, competitors or other surprising partners, are becoming ingrained in business strategy, as companies move away from traditional problem-solving. Unilever is taking this concept one step further with the launch of its online platform "Open Innovation". In its quest to design a product that is both environmentally and user-friendly, the company has opened its doors to ideas from anyone and everyone, including those individuals who will ultimately buy and use its products.

The company, who launched the website as part of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan, isn't shy about listing the challenges Unilever is facing and what it needs the public to contribute to its process. Some of the projects currently listed on the website include: a more sustainable shower, an active ingredient that helps prevent viruses without relying on harsh chemicals and an alternative to sodium that would reduce salt intake. Businesses and individuals alike are directed to the Open Innovation Submission Portal to upload all types of solutions for review, with the hope that one might be the next big idea.

By seeking submissions from the public, including its own consumers, benefits for Unilever are two-fold: the company taps into previously untouched innovation from a new pool of creative minds, and, it has the opportunity to profit from the intimate knowledge that can only be gained from someone who interacts regularly with its products. By incorporating the end consumer in the innovation process, Unilever has learned to embrace a very integral and powerful stakeholder. A company can have the very best and brightest scientists and innovators at the table to solve important problems, but it runs the risk of ignoring a powerful proposition: a problem-solving product that's made for consumers, by consumers.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

How Do You Solve Water?

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

It seems like every month, week and day is associated with a cause October is synonymous with breast cancer, April 15-21 is National Volunteer Week, and yesterday was World Down Syndrome Day. The observance of every cause is important, but for me one stands out World Water Day.

For the past five years, I have had the pleasure of learning about and supporting water issues as part of my work on Xylem Inc.'s* corporate citizenship and social investment program, Xylem Watermark, and every year I learn something new. Today Im learning about solutions to the global water crisis as our team promotes two new infographics that demonstrate how Xylem Watermark solves water.

For each share of the infographics on Facebook, Xylem will donate $1 to partners Water For People and Mercy Corps (up to $10,000, March 19-30, 2012). Visit www.xylemwatermark.com/infographic to participate.

Solving Water through Community-based Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Education

Taken by a Xylem employee who traveled to West Bengal, India as part of Water For Peoples international volunteer program, this image demonstrates the power of water, sanitation and hygiene to change lives clean water nearby means children, especially girls, can go to school instead of fetching water.

Solving Water through Disaster Risk Reduction

Capturing the devastating effects of water-related disasters, this image taken in Jakarta, Indonesia after massive floods by Xylem Watermark nonprofit partner, Mercy Corps represents the untapped power of disaster risk reduction, a newer approach to solving the global water crisis by proactively securing water resources from natural disasters before they happen. According to estimates, every dollar spent on disaster preparedness can save four dollars in disaster relief!

At Cone Communications, we support water because we are motivated to make a difference in the world. Today, I encourage you to find your reason. Maybe its because you, too, believe Sarita should have the chance to go to school rather than fetch water. Maybe its because you, like Rahmad, know the chaos and stress that water-related disasters can breed, and you want to help prevent that feeling from overwhelming someone else.

Whatever your reason, this World Water Day I encourage you to join me and help solve water.

*Cone client

Jillian Wilson-Martin is a Senior Account Supervisor in Cone Communications Cause Branding group.

Can Low-Tech Cause Marketing Still be High Impact?

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Nary a day goes by when cause marketers don't talk about using Facebook Timeline, Pinterest, QR Codes or SMS for their campaigns, but that does not mean more traditional communications tactics are obsolete. Although no one can deny the power of a tech-savvy cause or nonprofit marketing campaign, it's still possible to have 2.0 results with 1.0 tactics.

Samusocial, a Romanian organization charged with providing care and medical aid to homeless people, has come up with a low-budget, low-tech but high-impact campaign. When the organization wanted to provide warm clothing to the homeless for the coming winter months, it looked no further than the local dry cleaner. A tag attached to each hanger asked customers to donate old clothing. They simply had to hang unwanted clothing on the hangers, return them to the cleaners with their next load of dry cleaning, and the nonprofit would take it from there. The highly effective campaign has already received 1 ton of clothing donations that will clothe nearly 5,000 homeless people with a total campaign cost of only 645 Euros.

One the other side of the world, Joe Waters, cause-marketing guru and Selfish Giving blogger, recently analyzed the inner workings of the highly successful "pin-up," a cause marketing standard found at cash registers across the nation where customers are asked to donate to a certain cause at the point-of-sale. Pin-ups have been around for decades, but they are still a popular cause marketing tactic. And that's because they work. Waters deems these campaigns a success because they feature an old-fashioned, face-to-face interaction between a customer and a cashier, and consumers undeniably tend to say "yes" when put on the spot. It also helps that producing each pin-up runs less than 18 cents but sells for between $1 and $5. As Joe notes in an earlier post, he's raised as much as $300,000 in just a few weeks with this 1.0 cause marketing method.

Cause marketers should certainly keep their eye on the digital future of marketing, but not while overlooking tried and true tactics. Whether it's a tag on a hanger at the dry cleaner or a paper icon at the register, success comes from embedding the call-to-action into consumers' daily activities. In this way, it's simple to act and to execute, as well as easy to draw the connection between consumer, company and cause.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

Leading Granola Bar Company Goes Digital

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0400

Most know Nature Valley for its classic Oats N Honey granola bars but just as the brands product line has continued to evolve, so has its dedication to Americas parks. Last Thursday, Cone Communications helped the granola company launch into the digital space with a new platform called Nature Valley Trail View designed to expand upon the brands commitment to preserving our national parks.

Nature Valley Trail View, announced on March 7 by the New York Times, encourages outdoor exploration and education through 300-plus miles of immersive national parks content, including interactive guides and panoramic views of trails at three iconic parks: Grand Canyon, Great Smoky Mountains and Yellowstone. The new platform debuted to media and technology influencers on March 11 at the internationally recognized South by Southwest (SXSW) Interactive (SXSWi) Conference and Festival Mashable SXSWi House in Austin, Texas.

Nature Valley is a longtime supporter of our countrys outdoor heritage. Through the Preserve the Parks program a partnership between Nature Valley and the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) the brand encourages Americans to get outside and enjoy our beautiful national parks, while raising funds for their preservation. For more than two years, Cone has worked alongside the General Mills-owned company providing strategic counsel and helping to further develop its partnership with the NPCA to generate awareness for parks critical needs. In 2012, funds raised for the NPCA will top $1 million.

So, as youre virtually hiking a trail in Yellowstone National Park during National Parks Week (April 21 29), make sure to take a water break on the Nature Valley Facebook page. By visiting the page, nature lovers can help support NPCA restoration projects; for each Facebook Like during this time period, Nature Valley will donate $1 to the NPCA, up to $50,000. In the meantime, wed love to hear your thoughts on the new platform share them with us on Twitter (@nature_valley) with the hashtag #TrailView.

*Cone client

Kristin Flynn is an Assistant Account Executive in Cone Communications Brand Marketing group.

Kony: Famous in Four Days

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Who is Joseph Kony? If you're one of the 55 million KONY 2012 YouTube views, the 2 million Facebook likes or the 2.3 million tweets using the #KONY2012 hashtag over the past week, you have at least an inkling. And in all likelihood, you probably didnt before. Invisible Children, a California-based nonprofit, launched the KONY 2012 campaign this year to bring one of the world's worst war criminals, Joseph Kony, to justice. Although the campaign is as much embroiled in controversy as it is embraced, it is hard to argue it has accomplished its immediate goal: "Make Joseph Kony famous."

Invisible Children posted a nearly 30-minute video only four days ago that has taken the social media world by storm. The first goal of the nonprofit is to bring awareness to Kony, leader of the rebel group Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), who has been committing atrocities in Uganda and central Africa for more than 20 years. After watching the video, viewers are directed to the Invisible Children website to purchase t-shirts, bracelets and posters in support of the cause. Those who are really inspired can even purchase a "Get Everything Pack + Limited Edition Peace and Action Necklace" for $2,500. After gearing up, Invisible Children asks supporters to message "Culturemakers" like Tim Tebow and Lady GaGa and "Policymakers" such as Condoleezza Rice and Mitt Romney. Many celebrities have already been inspired to participate, with Ryan Seacrest tweeting, "Was going to sleep last night and saw ur tweets about#StopKony...watched in bed, was blown away. If u haven't seen yet."

Using this growing awareness, the nonprofit seeks to ensure that "U.S. military advisers support the Ugandan Army until Kony has been captured and the LRA has been completely disarmed," according to the Invisible Children website. The movement all culminates on April 20, with supporters taking TO the streets to plaster every surface with KONY 2012 posters to ensure the issue will no longer be ignored.

Meanwhile, a host of critics have popped up to draw attention to the nonprofit's questionable use of funds and two-star "Transparency and Accountability" rating on Charity Navigator. The organization has also received criticism for its alignment with the Ugandan Army, which itself is riddled with controversy.

This fastest growing viral video in history, according to online measurement firm Visible Measures in the Wall Street Journal, will "expire" on December 31, 2012. Before that time, will KONY 2012 overcome its criticisms and turn this immense awareness into advocacy that, ultimately, becomes action? Will it achieve its end goal of bringing Kony to justice? Invisible Children must move quickly to activate this attentive base because in today's social media world, Kony's 15 minutes of fame will soon be up.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

Getting to "Yes" with Greater Success

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

A common problem I see organizations and agencies run into when developing new campaigns and programs is forgetting that as highly educated and passionate advocates of the chosen issue, product, etc., we cease to be accurate representations of our target population at large. As a result, we may overestimate the importance of/interest in our issue outside of our walls and forget to take a step back and do a reality check on what our target audience is actually willing, able and likely to do.

The Fast Company Co.Exist website recently featured an article called, "A Bandage That Allows You to Save a Life While Patching up Your Cut," which highlights a new bone marrow donation registry kit placed in packaging alongside adhesive bandages. The product, created by Graham Douglas of Droga5 and his advertising and design students at the Miami Ad School in Brooklyn, debuted at TED earlier this week. The kit is a simple, yet elegant, solution to address a huge need, which is encouraging more participants to join the National Marrow Donor Program by collecting a small blood donation when they are already tending to a cut. Douglas's kit is a great example of someone putting themselves in the shoes of the audience they are trying to reach and developing an appeal that is delivered in exactly the right way and at the right time to get to "yes".

I would suggest that there are three simple questions that can help us consistently ensure greater success in this regard:

1) What is the specific problem are we trying to solve?

In Douglas's case, the problem was a critical shortage of bone marrow donors because of a lack of awareness of the need and a misunderstanding of what it takes to join the registry. I didn't know a simple blood test is all that is required (nothing as scary as a spinal tap like I imagined), and I'm sure many of you didn't either.

The more concise we can get in defining the problem we are trying to solve, the better. In this case, it wasn't about curing a larger disease or even getting people to donate bone marrow. It was about getting people registered on the donor list. Looking at breast cancer for example, a specific problem wouldn't be, "How do we reduce breast cancer? or even, "How do we get more women to get their mammograms? it would be, "How do we get more women to schedule their mammograms?"

2) What is the easiest thing someone could do to help in a meaningful way?

Providing your contact info and a blood sample is all that is needed to join the National Marrow Donor Program, but it can have a huge impact for individuals on the waiting list and in desperate need of a donor match. Douglas isn't asking people to commit to being a marrow donor or even to prick their own fingers to join the registry. He's just asking them to help by capturing a drop of blood while they are already bleeding and then send it in using the kit right in front of them. The assumption is if someone gets on the marrow donor list, he or she will most likely agree to help someone in need if presented with the opportunity as a match. Going back to our breast cancer example, getting the recommended health screenings and diagnosing cancer early goes a long way in preventing cancer deaths. In addition, once a woman schedules an appointment for a mammogram, she is more likely to show up for it, so just getting more women to schedule appointments could make a big difference in changing behavior.

3) How could we reach our target when the barriers to a "yes" are at their lowest?

Douglas's kit takes strong messaging around the importance of joining the marrow registry, provides easy tools to make the donation and pairs it with a box of bandages to ensure the "ask" occurs at a moment when the barriers to "yes" are the lowest.

Applying this to breast cancer, instead of asking women to pledge to get their mammograms or even come to a free local screening, it might be more successful to partner with Microsoft, Google or Apple to have an educational pop-up window show up on a consumer's screen prompting her to schedule a calendar reminder. Or, another idea would be to work with hospitals and primary care providers to proactively schedule mammogram appointments for women with the appropriate risk factors and have a corporate partner cover the co-pay.

By asking ourselves and our clients the three questions above, I'd suggest we could ensure our campaigns and programs consistently move beyond basic education and awareness to highly effective engagement and simple, but impactful, actions.

Chris Mann is an Account Director in Cone Communications Cause Branding group.

Silent Sustainability

Fri, 02 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500

At last weekend's Harvard Social Enterprise Conference, Ayr Muir, founder and chief executive officer of Clover Fast Food, Inc., a Cambridge, MA-based restaurant and food truck company, revealed his secrets to success. He told the audience how his restaurants try to use local and organic ingredients as much as possible. They also limit the menu and intentionally run out of food items as the day goes on to curb food waste (considering 40 percent of food produced in the U.S. goes to waste, this is a noble goal). But the real success secret? According to Muir, most of Clover's customers have no idea of the company's green mission.

A growing number of companies are achieving lofty green goals and working to incorporate sustainability into the very essence of their companies. While many organizations are proud to shout achievements from the rooftops, others remain mum. There are a number of reasons for doing so, including fear of communicating successes because it might open a company up to scrutiny in other areas. Muir is on a mission to provide his customers with healthful, inexpensive alternatives to fast food, but he doesn't want the words "organic" or "local" to scare budget conscious consumers away (by the way, a majority of Clover's menu items come in at under five dollars). And in a recent CNN Money article, John Stein, the founder of Kirei, a design materials manufacturer that produces sustainable and non-toxic products, said he steers clear of touting its credentials because he fears it may actually be a turn-off to mainstream consumers. At the same time, Maker's Mark, deemed by CNN Money as "possibly the most environmentally friendly and socially responsible alcohol company in the world," doesn't flaunt its responsible actions because the company believes it's "just a part of doing business."

Although silent sustainability champions may honor humility over haughtiness, there is a real opportunity for communication, and perhaps more importantly, education. Many of the companies that remain reserved are also the ones who have made amazing progress breaking age-old "green" stigmas by providing low-cost, high-value products. If these companies can tell their stories, perhaps consumers will begin to understand that buying green doesn't have to be a sacrifice.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

Loyalty for Good

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

I was sitting at my kitchen counter having my daily bowl of cereal, as many nine year olds routinely do, when I was first exposed to cause marketing: the General Mills* Box Tops for Education program. As a regimented Honey Nut Cheerios eater (with the occasional variation of Trix, if I was lucky), I was able to enjoy my cereal and help my school at the same time! The more I ate, the more I could help - it was a brilliant campaign for a growing kid and cereal loyalist.

Since then, cause marketing has grown in popularity and consequentially, diversified as companies build programs that cater to specific wants and needs of their stakeholders. It helps to keep competitive edge. Provided price and quality are the same, 80 percent of Americans are willing to switch brands if a brand supports a good cause (2010 Cone Cause Evolution Study). Moreover, consumers want the power of voice and of choice 75 percent of Americans want to offer their ideas and feedback on the companys cause-related efforts (2010 Cone Cause Evolution Study). With these points in mind, it makes sense to reward consumers with an empowered, active role in helping to guide corporate giving.

Box Tops for Education remains strong since its inception in 1996 and has grown to a network of partner companies that offer eBoxTops (those for virtual redemptions) to reward consumer purchases. Other organizations with loyalty programs have been able to adopt and adapt this approach, from hotel companies like Hilton (Cone client) and Marriott, to major banking and credit card companies such as Citibank and American Express. These global giants offer the option to donate reward points to a charitable organization of personal choice (some with databases of over one million organizations). This simple, successful method has even extended into start-ups like DailyFeats, a website that rewards users with points for tracking positive behaviors. It is a relatively simple concept that can be flexed in numerous ways.

Heres why it works

For the company:

Drives repeated business - consumers are encouraged to subscribe to the loyalty program and come back to accumulate the points
Delivers a measurable impact to talk about - how many organizations were supported, how many dollars were given, how many people utilized the giving mechanism
Invites consumers to take part in a team effort for change - giving back should be done by both companies and consumers, not solely one or the other

For the consumer:

Enables loyalists to do good at no cost- there arent any checks written by the consumer
Empowers consumers with personal choice - theyve earned the points and can choose a cause they find compelling
Grants access at a low threshold - giving can be done in incremental amounts (rather than waiting to accumulate for the big rewards at the risk of points expiring)
Offers a more substantive reward for those who may not feel a strong need for other fluffy perks

For the beneficiary organization:

Lends visibility without the costs of advertising - loyalty programs are yet another way the public can learn about the organization
Offers the opportunity to build relationships - the organization can follow-up with continued communications (emails, newsletters, campaigns, etc.)
Provides a direct benefit - the donation

My breakfast routine has since changed to a daily Greek yogurt, but I have also become a frequent credit card swiper. Companies like Citibank make it easy, engaging and personal for me to continue to support causes I believe in by simply rewarding my continued business. With technology enabling loyalty programs to become even more accessible and easier to use, Im eager to see where companies go next.

*Cone client

Rachel Swirsky is an Account Executive in Cone Communications Cause Branding group.

Taking Cause Marketing to the Streets

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Can one soccer ball save hundreds, perhaps thousands, of cats and dogs from meeting an untimely death? One animal advocate and Miami Ad School graduate is hoping just that.

As reported in Ad Age, a single soccer ball and viral video have set out to bring awareness to a program mandated by the Ukrainian government, who as host to the European soccer championships in June, has ordered the roundup and killing of stray cats and dogs to clean up the streets. One ordinary-looking soccer ball was placed on a busy street in Hamburg, but when unknowing pedestrians couldn't resist kicking the ball, they were surprised by a chilling dog howl. Those who picked the ball up found a bold statement, STOP KILLING DOGS FOR THE UKRAINE UEFA EURO 2012," a QR code to learn more and directions to text donations to animal charity ETN. A video of these individuals' candid reactions to the howling ball went viral, spreading awareness for the issue and driving donations worldwide.

On the other side of the globe, another team of advocates has taken to the streets on its own social crusade: combating the slow deterioration of proper grammar in the U.S. An organization named Americans for Grammar is setting an example by targeting graffiti with poor grammar, armed with corrective red spray paint and a stencil that reads, "If you've got something to say, say it right." According to Ads of the World, the organization drives traffic to a blog which displays examples of grammar offenders and also directs donations to an urban language and grammar school.

Concerned advocates are working outside the confines of traditional marketing channels to raise awareness in imaginative ways and take their megaphones, quite literally, to the streets. When the issues are as unusual as these, sometimes your approach must be, too.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

Chipotle Wins Big at the GRAMMY's

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

Where this year's Super Bowl lacked in issue-focused ads, a spot from Chipotle made up for it just a week later at the GRAMMY Awards. The two-minute ad, originally released online and in movie theatres, featured a Willie Nelson cover of a Coldplay song, and although it aired during a commercial break, it left many saying it was the best musical performance of the evening.

Twitter feeds were buzzing with praise for the spot, with fans exclaiming, "Best #Grammy performance? That incredible @Chipotle commercial featuring Willie Nelson covering @Coldplay's The Scientist. Wow." And while some of the acclaim had to do with the musical appeal of course, it is hard to deny that the commercial was compelling in its own right. Nelson's moving rendition of "The Scientist" provides poignant narration to a simply animated story of a farmer who moves toward industrial food production, but seeing the changes in his own world, returns back to smaller-scale, more sustainable farming techniques. We've said this before on WDYSF, and we'll say it again despite the proliferation of communication channels for cause marketers, there is sometimes none more powerful than a simple video to leave an audience touched, informed and empowered. When a company has the means to bring the message to a mass audience through a pop culture event like the GRAMMY's, it's even better. And fortunately, it's more than just a well-crafted video Chipotle also has the creds to back it up. Through its longstanding commitment to "Food with Integrity," a 10-plus year journey for the company, Chipotle has continued to increase its purchase of naturally raised meat and ingredients sourced from family farms. However, Chipotle also acknowledges that it's far from perfect. In a recent New York Times article, Johnny Kelly, a director for the film project, described how the animated short actually resembled Chipotle's own evolution from its factory farm suppliers of years ago.

Chipotle's primetime spot may have sparked conversations about an important issue, but it's more than just a powerful commercial. For every 99-cent download of Willie Nelson's "The Scientist" cover, 60 cents will be donated to Chipotle's Cultivate Foundation to create a more sustainable and equitable food future. Perhaps that deserves an award.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.

Is "Great For You" Good for Consumers?

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0500

With one-third of American adults struggling with obesity, there is little doubt that action must be taken to curb this growing epidemic. Still, even with a replacement for the archaic food pyramid, government agencies have yet to introduce a standardized label to denote healthy foods at point-of-sale. However, an unlikely entrant has stepped forward to offer yet another solution to this glaring gap.

Walmart, the largest seller of food in the country, has announced a new label aimed at helping Americans make healthy eating choices. The new "Great For You" seal was devised and developed by Walmart, with the help of nutrition experts, health groups and government consultants, to denote food items that meet specific nutrition criteria. In addition to the label, which will first be rolled out on the company's "Great Value" brand, Walmart has taken steps to reduce the amount of sodium and sugars in many of the private label and brand name products it sells. Interestingly, the company developed the "Great For You" seal because executives felt they could no longer wait for a government-developed label. Walmart's own senior vice president of sustainability, Andrea Thomas, explained the rationale in a recent Reuters article, stating, "At the point in time that there is a standardized label that comes out from the FDA then we'll be happy to make a switch. At this point we feel like our customers need help right now; we don't know how long that's going to take."

Although it is unclear the real impact the seal will have on consumer eating habits, it does signify a bigger shift in consumer perception of the responsibility of companies. According to Cone's 2011 Global CR Opportunity Study, 88 percent of consumers believe companies are essential to major social change because they have resources governments and NGOs do not. In this case, Walmart has stepped in where government has been slow to act. What is yet to be seen, however, is whether the "Great For You" seal will break through the label clutter or will further add to consumer confusion.

We encourage your thoughts and comments. Continue the conversation on Twitter by using #WDYSF.