Corporate citizenship and community outreach were always good ideas. But in this environment, with the national mood swinging between hope and fear, it’s critical that companies demonstrate to markets, regulators and employees that they’re part of the solution and not part of the problem. This environment also means fewer resources for doing the right thing, so the smartest organizations are changing the way it’s done.
Everybody loves puppies and hates breast cancer. So if you sell pet supplies or mammograms, you’ve got your causes. If you sell anything else, find another cause to support – one everybody will clearly associate with your business. 
Sure, you can buy a table at another black-tie dinner and sponsor yet another 5K race. That tells the world: We’re no different than anybody else and not particularly imaginative. The causes you support should tell a much better story.
We love non-profits, but they have their own baggage, interests and overhead costs. Do something on behalf of a non-profit and keep that something in-house, where you can manage budgets and outcomes like a business.
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Cause marketers up in arms. OK, it doesn’t paint the same picture as democracy on the march in Tehran. But last week, cause marketers from around the country beat back criticism from an academic. And then, making no friends in the cause marketing community, I took the opportunity to pile on. Here’s what [...]
Jeff Leitner
Nicole Plenge, PhD