Cause Marketing

Over the course of the last 11 years KitchenAid’s Cook for the Cure campaign has raised more than $8 million for Susan G. Komen for the Cure. But don’t pay attention to the dollars raised. No, look at the 11 years they’ve been together. In cause marketing years that’s like 22 years. What’s an 11-year cause marketing relationship like? You know those really cute images from the movie The Notebook ? The movie posters depicted Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling bussing in the rain. But the more evocative parts of the movie, by far, are those of James Garner reading to his invalid wife, played by Gena Rowlands. Young love is cute. But old love is admirable. With KitchenAid and Komen the kids have come and gone. They’ve had disagreements and tense moments. But both parties are long past that euphoric ‘in-love’ phase and are now in a more mature part of their relationship. The real part. They’ve also gotten past that stage that some old couples fall into where they face each other across a rest...

Up there in the masthead of the blog is Alden Keene’s definition of cause marketing: “Cause marketing is a relationship that bridges commerce and cause in ways that benefit both parties.” There’s nothing in the definition about money changing hands, even if that’s how we typically think of cause marketing. Indeed, cause marketing is often configured so as to raise awareness. That’s the case in the campaign recently profiled in this space from Feeding America and featuring Laila Ali and Curtis Conway and that’s the case in this multi-faceted campaign from Becton, Dickenson and Company (BD), a $7.3 billion (sales) provider of medical instruments and supplies. BD’s website says it basically has two philanthropic approaches; donations of cash and product, and “raising awareness for a healthier world.” In 2009, BD gave $11 million , split evenly between in-kind product donations and cash donations. If I read the graphic correctly all the in-kind donations went to global humanitarian groups...

Watch it on Dish 1000 or on VDC.com The Starfish Television Network profiled several times in this blog space , began broadcasting on Dish 1000 on Wednesday, April 18. Not long thereafter it began streaming live on Virtual Digital Cable, vdc.com . Starfish [itself a 501(c)(3) public charity] airs 24-7, so it still very much needs your nonprofit programming. Almost all types are welcome, including long-form programs, PSAs, documentaries, televised galas and award programs, sports events with a charitable angle, you name it. But Starfish isn't indiscriminate. As per its nonprofit status, the programming must be must informational and educational in nature. Oh, and airing programming on Starfish is free to nonprofits! Starfish has a second need and that's for money to keep the channel on the air. As a public broadcaster Starfish is subject to FCC rules and regulations, much like PBS . So the staff and board of Starfish is actively seeking grants and sponsorship from corporat...