Cause Marketing That’s Bucking the Downturn

The economies in the United States and the United Kingdom and wide swaths of Continental Europe remain stuck in the doldrums. But that doesn’t mean causes have to roll over and take it. That’s the message of a successful cause marketing relationship between UK discount fashion retailer TK Maxx and its charity partner Cancer Research.

Cancer Research generated £3.1 million pounds in its biennial ‘Give Up Clothes for Good’ campaign in April, up more than £500,000 than its last effort in 2010.

That’s impressive given the funk that so much of the worldwide economy is in. Give Up Clothes for Good asks shoppers at TK Maxx to donate clothing items in store. But if people are holding onto their clothes longer and replacing what they have less frequently, then that’s likely to negatively affect Cancer Research.

The charity resells donated clothes in thrift shops.

But three things helped ‘Give Up Clothes for Good’ to succeed, even in a sour economy.

TK Maxx and Cancer Research illustrated Give Up Clothes promotions with particularly arresting photographs. Photographer Jason Bell shot pictures of celebrity supporters… singer Charlotte Church is at the left… in an eye-catching way

TK Maxx stores are easy to get in an out of. TK Maxx stores are typically located in shopping centers and, as our cousins across the pond put it, ‘out-of-town retail parks.’

TK Maxx stores feature dedicated bins for ‘Give Up Clothes for Good’ donations. The promotion only takes place for one month every other year, so it would certainly be tempting to do this on the cheap. But dedicated bins lend an air of legitimacy, authenticity and stability, and they’re easy to find and make donations to.

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