Cause Marketing

The May 2011 issue of Conde Naste Traveler magazine has the rather unusual distinction of having two cause marketing efforts advertised literally back to back, both of which feature actors who have played James Bond. The first ad, from the luxury-goods manufacturer and style-setter Louis Vuitton , has been around for a few years and features the best Bond, Sean Connery. The benefiting cause is The Climate Project , founded by Nobel Laureate Al Gore. In the second ad current Bond Daniel Craig pitches Omega , the Swiss watchmaker. The Omega ad calls attention to the cause Orbis International , which flies a hospital plane into the developing world to perform essential eye surgeries where it lands. Both ads are short on the specifics of the cause marketing they’ve engaged in. But that’s par for the course when luxury goods utilize cause marketing. Instead the most prominent elements of both ads are their respective Bonds, their exclusive brands, and their tie to the causes. Oh, and the V...

...And Keith Richards Feels Fine Today is Earth Day and in honor I review the current Louis Vuitton campaign for The Climate Project , Al Gore’s nonprofit wherein some 2,300 volunteers in the United States, Australia, Spain, India, the UK and Canada deliver a version of the Nobelist’s famous climate change slideshow. Strictly speaking this isn’t cause-related marketing. If you buy the Vuitton suitcase in the photo a donation is not made to The Climate Project. Still, I think there’s value for cause marketers to study this advertising campaign meant to call attention to Vuitton’s efforts on environmental sustainability and to the mission of The Climate Project. A quote from Al Gore on the Vuitton website puts it this way, “The Climate Project has made great strides in educating people all over the world about climate change and the solutions that will be necessary to solve the crisis. We welcome Louis Vuitton as a valuable partner in advancing this message.” The art to the left is a b...