PODCAST:  Former US President George W. Bush’s director of communications Karen Hughes goes On the Record…Online with iPressroom founder and chairman Eric Schwartzman about strategic communications messaging, promoting American values at this time of war and the challenges of publicizing unpopular US policies abroad.

NOTE: This is not a political podcast.  We are interested in how technology is changing the way organizations communicate, and the way people consume media and information.  This interview focuses on getting at the lessons Hughes learned as a communications professional.  We take no sides on the issues or policies of George W. Bush Administration.

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Upon accepting the Paul M. Lund Public Service Award during this morning’s General Session, Jill Allread, APR, offered some inspiring words to Conference attendees:

“I encourage you to take that gift you have of communications . . . there is such a need in the community with small groups trying to make a difference, whether it’s an organization serving children or trying to protect the environment. They need you. They need us. And a little bit of time can make all the difference to take an organization from a good idea to answer a need to an organization that then can raise the funds to actually put programs on the ground. The power that we have as communicators to be able help [organizations] to communicate internally and externally and organize is enormous. Think of the energy sitting in this room this morning to make a difference in the world.”

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This morning we posted a summary of yesterday’s luncheon address given by Karen Hughes. You may read the recap here.

Photo by Josh Hallett

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Cause marketing is hot, but it certainly isn’t new.

As early as 1891, Rockefeller hired someone to handle his philanthropic affairs.  Cause marketing provides mutual benefit to non-profit associations and corporate partners by aligning their interests for good.

Kristian Darigan, vice president and futurist for the non-profit cause division of Cone, explained that Cause marketing is getting harder because doing good has become an expectation rather than a differentiator.  In order to reap the greatest rewards, companies much be linked much tighter into the cause than in the past.

Continuum of Engagement

• Cause Marketing: Singular campaign
• Cause Branding: Using the companies philanthropy to deliver better results
• Corporate Responsibility: Integrated into the social DNA, in addition to causes they support, all the equity

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The Benefits for Companies

• In the US, 87% say when price and quality are equal, they are likely to switch from one brand to another associated with a cause, 2007 Cone Cause Evolution Study
• Globally, 60%chose NOT to buy a brand because the company was seen as a bad corporate citizen, Wirthlin Worldwide, Corporate Citizenship Balancing Act, 2002
• In the US, 77% say a company’s commitment to a social issue is important when they decide where to work, , 2007 Cone Cause Evolution Study
  Globally, employees were ranked as the stakeholder group that creates the greatest pressures or incentives for their company’s citizenship activities, World Economic Forum
• In the US, 92% say they have a more positive image of a product or company when it supports a cause, 2007 Cone Cause Evolution Study
• Globally, 61% of opinion elites say they have recommended a company to others in response to positive news about a company’s citizenship, APCO Worldwide Global CSR Study

The Benefits for Non-Profits

• In the US, 76 percent of people reported that they had a more positive image of the non-profit
• In the US, 70 percent are more likely to donate money to the charity

Kristian made an interesting point, that was also made by Mia Farrow yesterday in the general session, that many global companies have a bigger reach than the United Nations. 

A new trend is for the non-profit to initiate cause marketing campaigns. Cone usually represents clients such as Yoplait, Starbucks, Western Union and other corporate players, but decided to expand its practice when it chose to represent the American Heart Association in its cause marketing campaign.

Links to the PDFs of the Presentation

• PRSA- Creating Value, Building Relationships.pdf
• Go_Red_Case_Study_Final[1].pdf

See case studies below the fold

tags: Cause+Marketing

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As a mother of 14 children (10 of whom are adopted), Mia Farrow has devoted her life to humanitarian efforts, but she has never been as passionate about an issue as she is about the crisis in Darfur. 

Mia has been used her high profile as star to raise awareness of the ongoing genocide occurring in Darfur by the Janjaweed, a Sudanese government-backed militia who have executed a brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing in Darfur.

As part of her crusade to end the genocide in Darfur and neighboring Chad, Farrow has pulled out all of the stops in a multi-pronged campaign.

Continue reading " Mia Farrow Challenges 3,200 PR Professionals to ‘Do Something’ About Darfur "