Cause Marketing

Borders appears headed for bankruptcy. Blockbuster filed for bankruptcy protection back in September 2010. Circuit City is gone. Ultimate Electronics is about to fade into the dust heap of failed electronics retailers. And I’m having a hard time finding any current signs of life of the hot jeans brand PRVCY Premium , whose distinctive back-pocket stitching adorned the patooshkas of starlets like Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Paris Hilton, Christina Applegate, Jennifer Lopez, Miley Cyrus, and Jessica Alba. PRVCY was founded by Carolyn Jones in 2002. Blockbuster did some great cause marketing back in the day with Children’s Miracle Network . Borders still touts its community giving programs, with a special emphasis on literacy causes . I posted in this space on one of Circuit City's cause marketing efforts. I'll bet Ultimate Electronics had active community outreach programs as well. Here’s what PRVCY Premium’s website says about its purpose . “The company was founded with a n...

In a campaign reminiscent of the U.S. Post Office’s semipostal stamp campaign for the benefit of cancer research , the U.S. Mint is doing a cause campaign honoring Louis Braille and benefiting the National Federation for the Blind . Starting last Thursday, March 26, you can purchase specially minted coins bearing the likeness of Frenchman Louis Braille and in memory of his bicentennial. Only 400,000 coins will be minted and they can not be ordered after Dec. 31, 2009. In addition to being minted in a limited quantity, the coins will be the first ever from the U.S. Mint to feature readable Braille on them. The NFB anticipates raising as much as $8 million for the campaign, which will be used be used to advance Braille education for the blind in the following ways: Increase access to Braille instruction and reading materials Expand Braille mentoring, reading-readiness and outreach programs Require national certification in literary Braille among all special education teachers Advance ...