The season of giving is finally upon us, and that means we’ll soon be seeing many more marketing campaigns from companies focused on giving back to the community. This not only provides invaluable publicity for these companies, but it also benefits a variety of different charities that rely on donations in order to continue their cause. When choosing an advertising agency, many companies weigh small ad agencies versus large ones, or who will provide them with the best digital marketing tips or website development tips — but why not consider who can help them help others while promoting the company? Promotions marketing for a cause is often successful because it targets consumers’ emotional side, and often times consumers are able to relate to the cause in some way. Last year saw some of the most successful promotions marketing campaigns for charities. Some of the best included:
- Boston Strong – It’s hard to forget the Boston Marathon bombings that occurred last April, leaving three people dead and hundreds of others injured. After the bombings, Nick Reynolds and Chris Dobens, two students from Emerson College, designed t-shirts through Milwaukee-based make-on-demand t-shirt company Ink for the People. Hoping to sell a couple hundred shirts to raise money for One Fund Boston, a fund created to raise money for the victims of the bombings, the two college students ended up doing much more. Selling over 59,000 shirts and raising almost a million dollars, they not only helped a great cause, but also brought a great deal of attention to Ink for the People and to themselves as promotions marketing gurus.
- Starbucks Pays it Forward – Pay it forward campaigns are becoming more popular, and essentially work as a buy on get one deal. One of Starbucks’ efforts to join in on the pay it forward trend is through their Suspended Coffee campaign in Great Britain. When a customer buys a drink they essentially donate a drink to someone can’t afford one through a charity fund. Paying it forward is a concept that spans all corners of the globe, and at its heart is about doing something nice for someone else just because.
- Don’t Buy Patagonia – This twist on the typical promotions marketing campaign actually told consumers NOT to buy their products. Instead, they encouraged their customers to have their old Patagonia gear repaired in an effort to reduce their environmental footprint. Not only was their message out of the box, but they also used the campaign to benefit their own initiative instead of partnering with a charity. The Common Threads Initiative strives to reduce waste from old clothing and other Patagonia products to help protect the environment.
Promotions marketing for a cause is great way for companies to raise awareness of their brand while giving back to those in need. With so many unique and successful campaigns last year, it will be interesting to see what companies will bring to the table in 2014. Read this for more.