There’s a whole lot of noise in the marketing world these days. With the barriers to entry to marketing’s previously big-brand-only marketing tactics such as video, infographics, and targeted ads quickly tumbling, even the tiniest brands and companies are able to create campaigns that look like million-dollar initiatives. In a time where anyone and everyone can claim real estate on social, in print, and more, how can a brand stand out in a meaningful way? There’s certainly a method, and it’s one that has the added benefit of leaving both you and your customers feeling really good about your brand.
Explaining Cause Marketing
You’re probably aware of, or currently wearing, the shoe brand TOMS – the company that donates a pair of shoes to someone in need when you purchase a pair of shoes from them. The shoes are trendy, stylish, and the warm and fuzzy feeling of making sure someone in need gets their feet covered helps to make consumers love buying products from TOMS. On their email receipts, you can even share the warm and fuzzy feeling with a friend by forwarding the email to give your friends 10 percent off their purchase as well.
I bought my first pair of shoes from TOMS when they first launched several years ago for the sole purpose of helping someone in need. I was going to buy a pair of shoes; why not help someone out while I’m at it? For me, this was my first exposure to cause marketing. This has become an excellent way for companies to get the word out about their business, grow a universe for advocates for their brand, and help people or a worthwhile cause the company itself feels passionate about supporting.
Data Behind Cause Marketing
People love cause marketing. Especially the youths: 70 percent of millennials will choose a product from a brand that uses cause marketing over a brand that doesn’t. Sixty-nine percent say they trust a company more for donating or supporting causes and 62 percent said they’re more likely to buy the company’s products. There’s even a knock-on effect in future marketing, with 66 percent saying they pay more attention to a brand’s marketing if they support a cause.
Whether it’s by donating a percentage of profit to a cause or planting a tree for each unit sold, there are so many ways for a company – big or small – to use cause marketing to differentiate their brand from the other marketing noise on digital or print mediums by other brands. How will you make your brand stand out?
Article written by:
Wes Sovis
Business Development Manager
