Even with cause marketing there can be too much of a good thing. A recent study by Boston-based brand-strategy firm Cone, as reported by Business Week:
Of the 1,066 adults polled online, 36% said they bought a product in the previous 12 months after learning of its maker’s commitment to social issues, down from 43% in 2004. Only 14% said they intentionally paid more for a product that supports a cause, down from 43% three years ago.
The devaluation of cause marketer reflects a number of converging factors. Most significantly, it seems that just about every company is flogging their cause du jour. The sheer volume of cause messaging simply numbs the senses, Also at issue is the fact that some of the corporate connections to the causes are tenuous at best and the commitment comes across as insincere. It is as if the corporate communications director said to his PR firm “Hey, get me a cause and do it on the double,” as opposed to finding a meaningful connection between the company, its employees and the cause.
Cause marketing, like all other marketing genres, requires strategic discipline, a long term plan and the will to cut through. From a strategy standpoint, marketer’s need to carefully define what they are hoping to accomplish and find the intrinsic link between the cause and the company. MAC Cosmetics carefully cultivated relationships with professional cosmetic artists as the foundation of its brand and was quick to support AIDS research funding when this group was initially affected by AIDS. Having a long term plan is essential to the success of cause marketing. Whirlpool has been working with Habitat for Humanity for years providing appliances for every new home they build. This long-term commitment is obvious to the consumer and enhances the brand appeal over-time.
Finally, cutting through requires zigging while all others zag. Finding a unique way to communicate your connection to a cause is as important as finding a fresh way to introduce a new product. Most cause marketing campaigns are dull as dishwater. No wonder people are less responsive.