Marketing for Good

P&G, Others Emphasize ‘Purpose Branding’ in Midst of Economic Crisis

By Natalie Zmuda

Published: October 13, 2008

BATAVIA, Ohio (AdAge.com) — You might expect that cause marketing would be the kind of intangible, feel-good advertising to get axed in a recession. Instead, quite the opposite is true, as major marketers, from retailers such as Sears, Target and OfficeMax to package-goods players such as General Mills and P&G, find that cause efforts actually help persuade weary consumers to spend.

OfficeMax’s ‘Day Made Better’ program aids teachers.

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As the field of corporate social responsibility matures, there are some noticeable cracks beginning to appear. There are those organizations that have spent a lot of time “talking” about the good that they do, but have little to show. Additionally, there are those corporations whose involvement and commitment to their cause of choice ends after a check is written and they are recognized for their charity.

Most of us are familiar with the “sniff” test. In order to check if something has gone sour, such as day-old meat, milk or dirty laundry, a quick “sniff” will help us make a determination. I believe that today’s customers are savvy and are always conducting this type of test with those companies with whom they do business. They subconsciously ask…
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Most businesses are not sure how they can do well, by doing good. For instance, how does one decide between a vast, endless sea of non-profit causes clamoring for support? Additionally, how can business benefit financially from giving? Chad Crouch, a local cause marketing leader, will be presenting “Pro Bono Work Meets Business Integrity” at the national conference Mind Your Own Business Conference on September 25th.
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How to invest in the work you love without sacrificing business integrity.

There are a lot of differing opinions on what pro bono means. If you read the Online Etymology Dictionary, this term is short for pro bono publico “for the public good.” However, over the past several years, this term has been commonly accepted as meaning “for free.”

For a business owner, the term pro bono it is often introduced when a well meaning, but financially disadvantaged, non-profit asks you to give your product or service at no cost.
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• What is the role of marketing in improving the human condition?
• Can a for-profit venture be profitable while focusing on socially-driven organizations?
• Is social responsibility a passing fad or a must-have commitment for all business and organizations?
• How do you measure the Social Return On Investment (SROI) for any marketing effort?

These questions, and many more, will be the focus of “Marketing for Good”.
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The focus of this blog is set within an emerging sector of the global economy known as the Social Sector. The term “civil society organization” (CSO) has been used by a growing number of organizations, such as The Center for the Study of Global Governance. The term “citizen sector organization” (CSO) has also been advocated to describe the sector — as one of citizens, for citizens — by organizations such as Ashoka: Innovators for the Public.
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