Finally, Cause Marketers Are Hearing Each Other

I’ve been writing this blog for almost five years and have been involved with cause marketing for coming up on 20 years. During that time one of my enduring grumblings has been that marketers from the causes and from the sponsors were talking to each other, but not really listening. It was like a modestly-happy couple communicating everything but trust. But now there are increasing signs that they’re finally hearing and trusting each other.

Witness this label effort called Child Hunger Ends Here from ConAgra Foods on behalf of Feeding America. ConAgra owns more than a half dozen food brands including three that target children; Chef Boyardee, Peter Pan peanut butter, and the Kid Cuisine brand of quick-serve meals.

Enter the 8-digit code from the package of any participating ConAgra item at www.childhungerendsheare.com and a donation is made to Feeding America, up to 2.5 million meals. That probably represents a cash donation of around $360,000, since Feeding America says it can get seven meals out of each dollar.

After you enter the code, you get the page above that offers up printable coupons for ConAgra items and asks for your email address.

But pay special attention to the three things that opting-in could bring:

"Yes, I would like to receive future emails about the Child Hunger Ends Here program."
"Yes, I would like to receive emails from Feeding America."
"Yes, I would like to receive emails about ConAgra Foods brands."

Imagine that. If you opt in, Feeding America will get your email address!

For a very long time I’ve been telling cause marketers, my clients and you, my faithful readers, to share this kind of data and more…to give onetime cause marketing promotions second life as a database. I won’t claim that my message has finally been getting through. Feeding America and ConAgra are very sophisticated organizations, after all.

But I am glad that to be able to point others to forward-thinking cause marketing partners who are doing things right.

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