Cause Marketing News

• More Than Three-Quarters Of Americans Say A Nonprofit-Corporate Partnership Makes A Cause Stand Out
  More than three-quarters (78%) of Americans believe a partnership between a nonprofit and a company they trust makes a cause stand out, according to the newly released 2010 Cone Nonprofit Marketing Trend Tracker. (3/11/2010)  permalink
• eBay Sells 'Green' Used Goods with Rainforest Reward
  Between March 1 and Earth Day, Ebay will donate to Conservation International's Global Conservation Fund in the name of each person who vows to choose reused products as part of its Green Team Challenge. (3/10/2010)  permalink
• P&G Extends 'Thank You Mom' Program
  Procter & Gamble is extending its "Thank You Mom" program to the moms of the 2010 U.S. Paralympics Team. P&G first offered to help defray the cost of travel and accommodations for the mom of every Team USA athlete so they could see their children compete at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. (3/9/2010)  permalink
• Reading Is Fundamental and Oriental Trading Company Create Strategic National Partnership
  Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation's oldest and largest children and families' literacy nonprofit organization, today announced a new national strategic partnership with Oriental Trading Company (OTC), the nation's largest direct marketer of party supplies, arts and crafts, toys and novelties and a leading direct marketer of home décor products. The strategic partnership will provide tools to thousands of local RIF volunteers and coordinators to assist with creating themed free book distribution events in local markets across the country. (3/8/2010)  permalink
• Odwalla Strikes Deal With All 50 State Parks
  Odwalla will be the first brand to have a presence in all 50 state parks, thanks to a new initiative from the National Association of State Park Directors. (2/18/2010)  permalink
• P&G's Downy Fabric Softener Introduces New Downy Touch of Comfort Bottle with Portion of Proceeds Helping to Give 10,000 More Quilts to Hospitalized Children in 2010
  In celebration of its 50th year, Downy fabric softener has launched a new specially marked bottle, with five cents from every purchase helping to provide comforting quilts to hospitalized children. (2/16/2010)  permalink
• Bisquick(R) Unveils Pancake Nation - 'Makin' The Batter Matter'(TM)
  Today, Bisquick®, America's best-selling pancake mix, launches Bisquick Pancake Nation™, the first Web site of its kind to unite pancake lovers from across all parts of the United States. At the hub of the Web site is a grants program that offers qualified non-profit organizations and schools an opportunity to receive a $250.00 grant toward a pancake fundraiser. (2/16/2010)  permalink
• Fans Spread the Love on Target Facebook Page and Help Donate $1 Million to Five Charities
  In just two weeks, online supporters of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital® spread the love by helping the organization come in first with more than 49 percent of the total votes and a $490,000 donation through the Super Love Sender giving campaign on the Target Facebook® page. (2/15/2010)  permalink
• Cause marketing comes with rewards, risks
  Initial cause marketing triumphs helped stimulate a niche industry that now boasts agencies and consultants who match up corporations with nonprofit groups. An industry group, the for-profit Cause Marketing Forum, hands out annual Halo Awards for "outstanding efforts in the pursuit of doing well by doing good." (2/12/2010)  permalink
• 7-Eleven Gives Back With Cup Campaign
  Throughout 2010, the Dallas-based convenience store will introduce limited-edition 20-ounce coffee cups designed by entertainment and sports celebrities to be sold in 7-Eleven stores nationwide. Proceeds from cups sold will benefit the featured celebrity's charity of choice. (2/1/2010)  permalink

More CM News

Online Tools

• Aspen Institute Center for Business Education
  The Aspen Institute’s Center for Business Educationencourages future business leaders to innovate at the intersection of corporate profits and social impacts. Its goal is bold and long-term: to radically re-orient the MBA degree to embrace the principles of corporate citizenship and sustainability. Check out its website for Beyond Grey Pinstripes, its annual survey of MBA programs, outstanding faculty profiles and more. permalink
• Communicating for Good
  "Communicating for Good" is an online resource produced by Corporate Culture, the UK's leading cause-related agency. It offers hundreds of best practice examples of "trust related market": companies communicating directly with their customers to win their trust. permalink
• Community Involvement That Delivers Social Impact and Business Value
  The social case for corporate community involvement has always been easy to understand. But did you know it can also help a company achieve business goals? In American Executive, Barry Salzberg, chief executive officer, Deloitte LLP, and Evan Hochberg, national director of community involvement, Deloitte Services LP, explain just how powerful it can be. Together they note: "A new way of thinking about community involvement is yielding some surprising results and presents a real opportunity to unlock new resources for both the businesses and their community partners. The ‘aha’ moment comes when we start thinking about community involvement not simply as a matter of giving time or money (or both) but as an integrated part of one’s corporate strategy." permalink
• CSR: It's All About Marketing by C.B. Bhattarcharya
  That may sound cynical, but it's how it works best, argues Boston University Professor C.B. Bhattarcharya in this Forbes.com column.  permalink
• Generation G: A briefing from Trendwatching.com
  In February 2009, Trendwatching.com published an extensive briefing on Generation G, "the growing importance of 'generosity' as a leading societal and business mindset. As consumers aer disgusted with greed and its current dire consequences for the economy -- and while that same upheaval has them longing more than ever for instituios that care -- the need for more generosity beautifully coincides with the ongoing (and pre-recession) emergence of an online-fueled culture of individuals who share, give, engage, create and collaborate in large numbers." permalink
• Google Grants
  Google Grants offers Google AdWords advertising to nonprofit organizations for three months or more. permalink
• Guide to Cause Related Activity in the Restaurant Industry
  QSR® magazine has always found space to report on the charitable works and deeds of members of the foodservice community. But in February 2008 the editors decided to step up their efforts, and the decision was made to consolidate these stories in one place so readers, could easily learn about what the industry is doing when it comes to giving back.  permalink
• Guidestar
  For businesses researching potential nonprofit partners or nonprofits checking out the competitin, Guidestar is a good place to start. It provides free, easy access to charity profiles. permalink
• Hoover's
  This website offers free and pay information about companies, industries, people and products. A free look at one of its capsule company profiles is a great place for a nonprofit to start researching a potential business partner. permalink
• Leaders Magazine Interviews 17 CEOs on CSR
  Among the notables offering thoughts on companies and causes are the chiefs of Verizon, ExxonMobil, the NBA, Time Warner, Zurich Financial, Trump and Keyspan.  permalink
• Listmania -- Rankings of Corporate CSR
  A strong indicator of the attention being paid to corporate social responsibility is the expanding world of "Top 100"-type lists companies are vying to get on. SocialFunds.com has done us all a favor with this wrap-up of the many CSR-related lists in the marketplace today. permalink
• Look to the Stars
  Look to the Stars is a source of celebrity charity news and information, covering what the top stars are doing to make a positive difference in the world. The site includes a database describing the good deeds of many stars. permalink
• OnPhilanthropy.com
  onPhilanthropy.com is the home of several outstanding e-newsletters rich with information on corporate giving, nonprofit marketing and related topics. permalink
• Social Credit For CSR Purchases Key To Consumers
  In "Self and Social Signaling explanations for Consumption of CSR-associated Products," researches found that consumers like CSR-associated products because 1) these products send out highly visible, social signals to their friends, family and co-workers regarding their kindness and charitable nature; and 2) they like the more private, self-signaling potential associated with the purchases of these products, even when a strong public social signal is absent to others.  permalink
• Sports and Social Change
  SportsandSocialChange.org is a comprehensive guide to the sports non-profit sector, with a mission of building the ultimate “all-star team” of organizations, athletes, executives and fans to initiate meaningful social change. You’ll find a host of tools and resources to connect industry leaders and sports fans with charitable programs around the world. permalink
• The 2005 State of Corporate Citizenship Study
  For insights into business attitudes toward the private sector's role in society, check out this report just issued by The Center for Corporate Citizenship at Boston College. permalink
• The Charity Guide: Great tool for finding local charities
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• The Difference Between Sponsorship and Contributions
  This excerpt from Canada's The Sponsorship Report helps draw the line between purely commercial and purely philanthropic programs while recognizing that today most company/cause relationships are hybrids. (Note that reference to tax deductibility of corporate contributions is Canada specific) permalink
• The Future of Corporate Philanthropy: Alyson Warhurst in BusinessWeek
  British academic Alyson Warhurst attended the 2009 Business for Social Responsibility conference and Clinton Global Initiative and came away with these predictions concerning corporate social initiatives. permalink