|
Issue 12, vol. 1 - December 2005
We receive many inquiries from clients interested in our perspective on cause marketing. Is cause marketing an effective means of creating an emotional bond and brand loyalty with young consumers? Our answer is maybe.
While young people are more altruistic than you think (over 86% of young people aged 14 to 29 donate their time or money to charity), cause marketing is not recommended for all organizations.
Brands or companies that are perceived as “ethical” or “ethically neutral” benefit the most, in terms of image improvement, from taking on causes. It is important for companies contemplating cause marketing to first research how they are perceived by their target market before investing in this type of campaign.
There are an infinite number of causes that would be thrilled to have your financial support, but it is crucial to select a charitable organization that really fits with your company’s values, ethics and brand position all the while resonating with your target market.
|
|
|
The majority of youth polled (62%) are drawn to causes that affect them, a friend or a family member. The Cancer Society is by far the charitable organization rated most important to teens.
There are, however, less prominent causes that teens embrace, like many children’s/youth causes such as youth homelessness, child poverty, violence and drug/alcohol/sexual abuse. Typically, Public Service Agencies have drawn attention to many of these causes; however, we are starting to see companies partnering with PSAs to create social marketing campaigns. Aldo’s Empowerment campaign with YouthAIDS is a good example of this. (http://www.aldoshoes.com/eng/YA/YA.cfm)
While the ALDO campaign uses celebrities to spread the word, 65% of respondents stated that the use of famous people to spread the message about a cause does not make them more likely to support the company or the cause. While the value of a celebrity endorsement is the attention it garners, the celebrities chosen must be genuine and authentic in their passion for the charity. Many young people believe (correctly in some cases) that celebrities are paid for their endorsement.
Unfortunately, not everyone can get a quality ambassador like Bono, Chris Martin or Angelina Jolie.
On a practical standpoint, we’ve seen some success from brands using cause marketing organizations as promotional and prizing partners. Normally marketers use products like the Xbox, an iPod or a Mini in their contests and promotional campaigns. We have seen some smart brands use cause marketing as an effective way to reach young Canadians. Charities like Kids Help Phone, War Child and World Vision are three “brands” that are well understood by teens and young adults. These three charities in particular can provide great opportunities as co-promotion partners in youth-targeted promotional campaigns.
For more information on Youthography's marketing, advertising, events and promotions expertise, please contact Jeff Roach at 416 204 1256 x231 or email jeff@youthography.com
|