Horrifying natural disasters, especially when they happen to people that are geographical close and/or culturally similar… have great built in affinity, a necessary element to cause marketing. The Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami in Japan have already led to what I’ve termed “instant-on cause marketing.” What follows are two other examples of instant-on cause marketing efforts meant to benefit the people of Japan. In New York City, NBC Universal, the New York State Restaurant Association, among others, are leading a cross-town effort to benefit Japan through the American Red Cross. The campaign ‘ Dine Out for Japan Relief ’ asks restaurateurs to donate 5 percent of each meal during from March 23-30 to the Red Cross. At this writing the website listed more than 65 participating restaurants. On the West Coast in San Rafael, California, eco e-tailer VivaTerra offered 10 percent of all online sales during a 24-hour period to the Red Cross for Japan relief. An email, seen at the left, gave ad...
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