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A
Cause-Related
Marketing:
of
Marketing
Coalignment
Corporate
Strategy and
Philanthropy
Cause-related marketing represents the confluence of perspectives from several specialized areas of inquiry such as marketing for nonprofit organizations, the promotion mix, corporate philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, fund-raising management, and public relations. The authors outline the concept
of cause-related marketing, its characteristics, and how organizations, both for-profit and not-for-profit,
can benefit from effective use of this promising marketing tool.
An Overview
of Corporate Philanthropy
Corporate involvement in social well-being began as
voluntary responses to social issues and problems, then
evolved into a phase of mandated corporate involvement, and is now evolving into a phase in which social responsibility is viewed as an investment by
corporations (Stroup and Neubert 1987). A brief description of these phases is warranted to trace the
emergence of CRM.
Voluntarily doing good. Stroup and Neubert (1987)
note that early philanthropy and social responsiveness
were undertaken by public-spirited corporations voluntarily. Though such undertakings invariably reduced profit because they consumed corporate resources (Stroup and Neubert 1987), some authors
contend that even these voluntary actions were not enA&M
Texas
of
is AssociateProfessor Marketing,
P. RajanVaradarajan
tirely altruistic. Keim (1978a,b), for instance, points
Tech
Texas
of
Professor
Assistant
is
Anil
Menon
Marketing,
University.
out that corporate philanthropy encompasses a range
Thestudywas supported
by a researchgrantto the first
University.
some that may positively affect the profit
TexasA&MUniversity. of activities,
Research,
authorfromthe Officeof University
of contributors and others based on purely altruistic
considerations.2 Morris and Biederman (1985) note
that shrewd alignment of corporate and social needs
'The Travel-Related Services unit of American Express Company
marked the first 50 years of corporate philanthropy.
has copyrighted the term "cause-related marketing."
The Evolution
Journal of Marketing
Vol. 52 (July 1988), 58-74.
In fact, corporate giving was limited by law to donations that could be justified directly as being in the
stockholders'interests. Hence, though the decision to
donate or not to donate was voluntary, the recipient
of the donation was limited legally to one that furthered corporate interests. This situation changed in
1954, when a New Jersey SupremeCourtdecision established the principle that publicly held companies
can provide grantsto nonprofitentities that do not directly produce profit to the companies' stockholders.
Mandated corporate social responsibility. This
Cause-Related
/ 59
Marketing
of Marketing,
60 / Journal
July1988
TABLE 1
Marketing: What It Is and What It Is Not
Is Program an
Is Program an Example
of Cause-Related
Example of Sales
Promotion?
Marketing?
Cause-Related
Program Overview
Company: The Coca-Cola Company
(Foods Division)
Program: Helping Beautify Texas
For every proof-of-purchase seal
from Maryland Club brand coffee
mailed by consumers, Coca-Cola
Company would donate 10 cents
(up to a maximum of $50,000) to
the Texas Department of Highways
and Public Transportation in
support of its programs to help
clean up the state highways and
plant wildflowers and other native
plants throughout the state. To
stimulate purchases, the program
also offered to consumers two 50cents-off coupons redeemable
toward purchase of Maryland Club
brand coffee.
Remarks
Yes. An economic
incentive is offered
to the consumer to
engage in an
exchange
relationship with
the firm (buy
three-get one
free). Additionally,
the cost of mailing
the free package to
the designated
beneficiary is borne
by the firm.
Cause-Related
/ 61
Marketing
Cause-Related
Company: Trailways Corporation
Program: Operation Home Free
Trailways Corporation, with the
help of police nationwide, offered
runaway minors a free ride home
from anywhere in the U.S. with no
strings attached. In the program's
first seven months, Trailways
awarded free rides to more than
2000 runaways, uniting them with
their families. The company's
chairman and CEO noted that the
program will remain open as long
as there is a need.
TABLE 1 (continued)
Marketing: What It Is and What It Is Not
62 / Journalof Marketing,
July1988
Objectives
for the cause by stimulating revefunds
Generating
nue-producing exchanges between the firm and its
customers is the primary objective of CRMPs. Never-
TABLE 2
Managerial Dimensions of
Cause-Related Marketing
Firm-Related Objectives
* Enhance corporate and/or brand image
* Increase sales and/or profit
Cause-Related Objectives
* Generate funds for the cause by
stimulating revenue-producing exchange
transactions between the firm and its
customers
* Promote direct contributions by the
general public to the cause
Proximity
* Arms-length relationship between firm
and cause
* Close interaction between firm and
cause
Time Frame of Program
* Long term
* Medium term
* Short term
Number of Participating Entities
* Single brand, single cause
* Single brand, multiple causes
* Multiple brands (intracompany), single
cause
* Multiple brands (intracompany), multiple
causes
* Multiple brands (intercompany), single
cause
* Multiple brands (intercompany), multiple
causes
Level of Association Between Firm and Cause
* Organizational level
* Product line/divisional level
* Brand level
Characteristics of Cause Supported (see
Figure 1)
* Consistent with image of product
promoted
* Consistent with characteristics of
product promoted
* Consistent with demographics of the
target market served by firm
Geographic Scope of Program and
Geographic Appeal of Cause (see Figure 2)
* Program national, regional, or local
* Cause national, regional, or local
Nature of Use (see Figure 3)
* Strategic tool
* Quasistrategic tool
* Tactical tool
Evaluation
* Preimplementation
-Beneficiary/sponsor congruence
-Proposed program
* Postimplementation
-Effectiveness of program
-Efficient use of funds contributed by
beneficiary
Cause-Related
/ 63
Marketing
64 / Journalof Marketing,
July1988
NetworkTelethon for the benefit of hospitals for children across the U.S.A.
Choice of Cause(s)
A systematic approach to the choice of cause(s) to
supportwould require that the firm study alternative
causes and the constituencies to whom those causes
appeal. Should there be a match between the firm's
customerprofile (or any of its multipleconstituencies)
and constituenciesto which a cause appeals, the firm
may choose to tie-in with the cause. For instance, the
positive, upbeat,hopeful family image associatedwith
Special Olympics was viewed as compatible with the
image P&G preferredconsumers to associate with its
products (Maier 1985). Other factors that might influence a firm's choice of causes are (1) the characteristics of its productofferings, (2) brandimage and
positioning, and (3) the characteristicsof its served
market. Figure 1 provides additionalinsights into the
influence of these factorson a firm's choice of causes.
Though numerouscauses have benefited from independentor joint relationshipsestablished with several brandsand firms, the causes with high visibility,
such as the Marchof Dimes, MuscularDystrophyAssociation, and Easter Seal Society, are the ones that
have attractedthe supportof many companies. Such
causes generally afford greater potential for media
visibility and positive publicitythando causes that appeal only to specific constituencies. However, as the
numberof tie-ins with high visibility causes increases,
to avoid being lost in the crowd, a firm should evaluate the merits of such alternativesas tying-in with
less visible causes, forging alliances with causes on
an exclusive basis, or initiating worthy causes on its
own.
In addition to paying careful attention to the selection of causes, firms strive to enhance the effectiveness of theirCRMPsby using a varietyof creative
approachesto differentiatetheir programfrom other
CRMPs. An illustrationis an intercompanyCRMP involving HasbroInc., a toymaker,and Dow Chemicals
Inc., manufacturerof Ziploc brandplastic bags (sandwich bags, storage bags, freezer bags). Contribution
of Hasbro brand toys to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve's Toys for Tots programon behalf of the consumer and a certificate suitable for framing acknowledging the customer'sparticipationin the Toys for Tots
programwere among the distinguishingfeaturesof this
program. A recent CRMP initiated by Master Card
Internationalin association with six charities enables
cardholdersto be involved in the allocation of funds
among the charitiesthrougha balloting process (Marketing News 1987).
Cause Portfolio
A firm may choose to tie-in either with a particular
cause or with a portfolio of causes. Illustrativeof the
Cause-Related
/ 65
Marketing
Cause-Related
FIGURE 1
Marketing: Factors Influencing Choice of Causes
CauseAppealPotential
Causesthathave greater
Causesthatappealto a
broadcross-sectionof the appealto subgroupsof the
largerpopulation
population
Johnson & Johnson line of
Cause supportedconsistent with image of product first aid products(The First
Name In First Aid)/Ameripromoted
can Red Cross
of
SalientCharacteristics
Hasbrobrandtoys/Toys
Cause supportedconsisCause-Related
tent with characteristicsof for Tots Program(during
Effort
Christmasshopping
Marketing
productpromoted
season)
Demographicsof individuals largely supportiveof
the cause consistent with
demographicsof target
marketserved by firm
FIGURE2
Geographic Scope of Cause-Related Marketing: Feasible Alternatives
Cause Appeal Potential
Brand
Characteristic'
Geographic Scope of
Cause-Related
Marketing Program
National brand
National
xe
Xf
Regional
Local
X
X
X
X
Xf
X
Regional brand
National
Regional
Local
X
X
eg
X
X
X'
Xf
X
Local brand
Regional
Local
Nationalb
Regional'
Locald
Xh
Xh
Xfh
66 / Journalof Marketing,
July1988
Evaluation:Alternative Perspectives
One can argue that for CRMPs to be viewed as a legitimatemarketingactivity, they must be evaluatedin
terms of the relative effectiveness of the marketing
efforts funneled into CRMPs versus alternativemarketing tools that conceivably can be used to achieve
the same end. For instance, Higgins (1986) notes that,
Cause-RelatedMarketing/ 67
FIGURE3
Alternative Perspectives of Cause-Related Marketing
versusTactical
II. Perspectives:
Strategic
I. Frame
of Reference
A. StrategicBusinessUnit
~~~\
10-
Line
Product
BB.
N~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
C. Brand
an entirelineof productsbuilt
StrategicPerspectiveof CRM:Marketing
aroundthe conceptof CRMa
Mix
D.Promotion
\
E.SalesPromotion
x
SalesPromotion
F. Cooperative
\
Sales
G. Horizontal
Cooperative
Promotion
Horizontal
H. Charity-Linked
Sales
Cooperative
Promotion
68 / Journalof Marketing,
July1988
in a revenue-pro-
siderable goodwill for the company and leaving a public impression of American Express as a responsible,
public-minded, and patriotic corporation (Josephson
1984).
Epstein (1987) addresses the issue of social responsibility and ethical concerns from a process ap-
Cause-Related
/ 69
Marketing
TABLE 3
Concerns About the Potential Adverse Effects of Cause-Related
Marketing'
Effect on Corporate Philanthropy Decisions
* Company decisions on philanthropic giving could be based strictly on marketing potential. With no
consideration accorded to the value of the cause, the traditional element of compassion in corporate
philanthropy is lost.
* Cause-related marketing efforts generally target popular, risk-free, high visibility causes and overshadow less
popular, high risk, low visibility groups that need equal if not greater financial support.
* As corporations examine philanthropic budgets and find comparatively modest returns, cause-related
marketing could replace rather than add to traditional giving.
* Traditional fund raising and its proven long-term effectiveness could be affected negatively if the "nonprofit"
motive for philanthropic giving (such as compassion, generosity, concern for the less fortunate, and a desire
to share) is called into question.
Effect on the Mission and Conduct of Nonprofit Organizations
* Voluntary organizations, tempted by possible financial gain, might change their program objectives to meet
the desires or demands of corporations.
* In cause-related marketing, a charitable organization must exploit its constituency and therefore compromise
its integrity, because the corporation must be convinced that the donors and members can be converted
into consumers of its product or service.
Effect on Public's Perception of and Attitudes Toward Causes
* Public understanding of philanthropy is not clear and cause-related marketing could further cloud the
general perception.
* Commercialization of a charitable/voluntary organization could endanger the public approval that has been
built over a number of years and thus erode its appeal for the traditional supporters.
* An organization could allow its cause to be identified so strongly with a corporation that it could be
perceived by the public as being "owned" or having "sold out" to the company; it could also prejudice its
case for support from other corporations.
Effect on Consumers' Charitable Giving Behavior
* Some consumers, unaware of the minor effect of their individual participation in a CRMP,might feel they
have fulfilled their philanthropic obligations and others may be oblivious to the entire program.
* Cause-related marketing promotes the notion of "painless giving." However, the consumer, who is making a
purchase, not a gift, is not a donor.
* The public might begin to view philanthropy as "the business of business" and take the easy way out of
financial obligations to charity, assuming the "let business do it" attitude.
* Consumers participating in cause-related marketing programs have less need to examine the causes they
believe are best administered and deserving of support.
"Adaptedfrom Gurin(1987).
proach. He defines the corporate social policy process
as the institutionalization within the corporation of
processes facilitating value-based individual and organizational reflection, and choice about the moral
significance of personal and corporate actions. This
process is integrative and analytical, building on the
concepts of business ethics, corporate social responsibility and its products, and corporate social responsiveness.
Though such frameworks and guidelines can help
organizations determine the fine line between causerelated and cause-exploitative marketing, a very critical determinant of ethicalness is openness. As Cadbury
(1987, p. 72) states, ". .. openness and ethics go
together and . . . actions are unethical if they will
not stand scrutiny." He further notes that openness
can disarm suspicion of companies' motives and actions. Though it may not be the most effective solution to the questions of ethics of CRM, the willingness of a corporation to disclose all information about
the raising and disbursement of funds to causes can
reassure skeptical stakeholders and reduce any conflicts (Freeman 1987). For example, all financial
transactions related to the Scott Paper Company's
CRMP for its Helping Hand line of products are audited by one of the top accounting firms (Scott Paper
Company 1986).
A company's social policy is potent only if top
management is actively involved in its design. Robin
and Reidenbach (1987, p. 45) note that organizational
involvement with social responsibility at a strategic
level is lacking in spite of recognition of the need for
it and the seeming willingness of executives to incorporate it. They further suggest that social efforts by
businesses in recent years have lacked a unified collective impact on public opinion because the objectives of such efforts are often inexplicit and not part
of an overall plan. As more firms institutionalize
CRMPs into their marketing plans, and as CRM is
inculcated into the corporate culture, the resulting collective impact of CRM efforts on societal well-being
is likely to be substantial.
Management
A survey of select firms that have used CRMPs extensively could afford insights into the analysis, planning, and implementationof CRMPs. Among the issues that warrantstudy in such a survey are:
* What are some of the majorcorporate and marketing objectives firms strive to realize by participating in CRMPs?
* Whatare executives'perceptionsof the strengths
and limitations of CRMPs?
Cause-Related
/ 71
Marketing
Conclusion
The evolution of CRM has been facilitatedby the confluence of perspectivesfrom several general and specialized areas of inquiry including marketing, marketing for not-for-profit organizations, corporate
philanthropy, corporate social responsibility, fund
raisingmanagement,and publicrelations.CRMPshave
helped firms realize corporate and marketing objectives, while at the same time providing much-needed
financialsupportand valuablemanagementknow-how
to deserving causes. The growing popularityof CRM
is indicative of an emerging trend-a trend acknowledging not only that business success is compatible
with the public good, but that both can be achieved
in unison (Scott Paper Company 1986).
CRM has the potential to evolve into a creditable
answer to the oft-repeatedcall for corporationsto become more involved in solving some of America's social and economic problems (O'Toole 1985; Steiner
1972; Tuleja 1985). However, it also carries the risk
of drawingthe wrathof concernedcritics (Gurin 1987;
Kinsley 1985). Corporationsthereforemust recognize
that though the concept of CRM is laudable, its misuse can lead to disastrousresults. Care and discretion
should be exercised by the firms and causes in the
design and implementationof CRMPs. If the majority
of marketerscan preventCRM from degeneratinginto
cause-exploitative marketing, it may very well be
viewed as one of marketing'smajor contributionsto
society.
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