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About Social Values and Cause Marketing
(SOURCE: GoodForBusiness.com)
Social Values and Cause Marketing (SVC) programs are no longer either a fad or an optional extra
for most corporations, but have emerged as an integral part of the marketing process.
Citizen acceptance of cause, issue and social marketing is high. Citizens understand that a responsibility
of a company is to make money, but also that they expect more, including active involvement in social
issues, causes and values. SVC Marketing is now critical for brands seeking to strengthen relationships
with their customers, employees, communities and business partners. A survey of recent information
reveals the following:
CITIZEN-CONSUMERS
Numerous polls and market research conducted over the past decade show that citizens prefer
products marketed in association with a non-profit organization, cause or values and beliefs that make
the world a better place.
According to a 1996 Business Week/Harris Poll, 95% of adults believe companies have a
responsibility to serve the interests of communities and employees, as well as to stockholders.
According to the latest Cone/Roper study, |
- 66% of citizens believe that SVC marketing is an acceptable business practice.
- 66% say that, when price and quality are equal, a company's responsible business practices
are an important factor in deciding whether to buy a brand or not.
- 83% report having a more positive image of a company that supports a value or cause that they
care about.
- 61% believe SVC marketing should be a standard part of a company's activities.
In the United Kingdom, the 1997 Access Omnibus Survey by Business in the Community found that:
- 86% of citizens say they have a more positive image of a company if they see it is "doing
something to make the world a better place."
- 64% said that SVC marketing "should be a standard part of a company's business practices."
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Additionally, surveys show that socially and politically active citizens are especially receptive to
companies who link with social issues. An overwhelming majority of 'Influential Americans' report
having a more positive image of such companies. The group also remains more likely to switch brands
(79% of Influentials vs. 65% average) or switch retailers (77% Influentials vs. 61% average) to support
a company associated with a good cause. These 19 million Influentials have a dramatic influence on
establishing future trends. Combine this force with the 130 million Americans who say that if price
and quality are equal, they are likely to switch to brand or retailer associated with a good
cause, and you have a compelling SVC business case.
EMPLOYEES
The value, cause, or belief report also shows the SVC programs have a dramatic impact on employee
pride, morale and loyalty.
- 90% of employees of companies involved with a SVC initiative feel proud of their company's
values, versus 56% of employees at companies without SVC programs.
- 87% of employees of companies involved with SVC marketing feel a strong sense of loyalty to
their company, versus 67% of employees at companies without SVC programs.
- More than half of American workers (56%) wish their employers would do more SVC marketing.
BUSINESS
Business for Social Responsibility reports that executives increasingly accept SVC marketing as a
'routine marketing strategy.' And they are spending more on it. Projections for 2002 are $1.5 billion.
Many analysts report that SVC marketing is the fastest growing segment in advertising. Cone
Communications surveyed corporate marketing executives and discovered that 90% evaluate their
company's SVC marketing efforts as 'very' successful or 'somewhat' successful. The Journal of Marketing reported on a 1996 academic study of 22 marketing campaigns—half
associated with a social cause—which found that even when the cause-related marketing campaigns
did not achieve their traditional economic benefits, such as increasing sales, they were highly effective
in achieving company-oriented objectives, such as motivating the workforce.
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