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How Can Companies Promote a Social Cause with Their Advertising Strategies?
We are a generation of people who believe in a sustainable future. For us, growing together is the only growth that matters. Hence, it is critical for businesses to be sustainable. Businesses today are not only focused on profits and customer satisfaction but also on community happiness. Businesses today have corporate social responsibility because they are working and thriving in a common space shared by all. Part of the profits of the firm and its manpower is being utilized on different social causes that they believe in. In this article, we will be taking a look at the concept of cause marketing. How is Cause Marketing practiced today by renowned brands? And what benefits does a firm receive from cause marketing or advertising?
The Concept of Cause Marketing
Businesses today are creating advertisements that will not only increase the visibility of the brand but also raise awareness regarding various social issues in society. Social issues are the problems that a community faces and that decrease the individual's quality of life. The aim of social cause marketing or advertisements is to promote the brand as someone who cares about this particular issue and would want to solve it with the help of their customers. Since people today care about sustainability and community growth, they want to be associated with brands that not only help them with their products and services but also help them contribute to the social causes they believe in.
According to a consumer survey, consumers are willing to pay 5%-10% more for a brand that aligns with their social cause, and brand affiliation with a social cause affects approximately 70% of consumers. Cause marketing helps consumers give back to society through their purchases from the company.
The Different Types of Social Issues that a Brand Can Promote
The values and principles of individuals may vary. It is important for brands to choose a social cause that they most believe in, and some of them could be −
Child labor
Animal Cruelty
Human Trafficking
Organs Trafficking
Road safety
Education
Poverty
Hunger
shortage of clean water
Air pollution
Land pollution
Noise pollution
Skill enhancement for women or the backward tribes
Employment opportunities for the disabled
Shelter for dogs
Home for orphans and others
Benefits of Including Social Issues in Your Marketing and Advertising Strategies
We have seen that companies today advertise their products using social media. One of the examples could be the We Wood and The Entities brand broadcasting advertisements where the company would plant a tree for every product that it sells. The list of benefits that the company can have because of such advertisements is as follows −
Enhanced public image − With social cause advertising and marketing strategies, the overall image of the company improves in front of the public and the community. The brand is being viewed as someone that the community can rely on. This will not only increase sales but also ensure that when the brand falls into trouble or the price of the product increases, the public will now switch brands easily.
Increases brand loyalty − Today's consumers are willing to pay more for brands that share their values and goals. Social cause marketing not only attracts new consumers but also ensures that a loyal fan base for the brand is maintained. Consumers will always think about the brand and try to buy products from that particular brand. Through these activities, brands can capture the entire life cycle of the consumer, and the consumer will also spread positive words about the brands and their doings.
Corporate social responsibility − social cause advertising is like hitting two targets with one arrow. Advertising will serve as both a marketing strategy and a CSR activity for the company. Firms can profit even from the money that they would have to spend mandatorily. Companies must give back to the community that they are polluting and exploiting so much.
Creates a happy and satisfied workforce − People today want to be a part of something bigger. Job satisfaction matters, along with money and status. With families becoming smaller, the needs of consumers are becoming more intrinsic. They now have the time to look beyond their own and their family’s needs. Companies today encourage employees to participate in various social issue eradication activities that they are passionate about. The feeling of giving back to society creates a loyal and happy workforce.
Gives the company a competitive advantage − In a cutthroat environment where thriving is out of the question and survival is difficult, Cause Marketing gives the company a competitive advantage. With cause marketing, the company can set itself apart from its competitors. They can not only advertise their brand but also ensure a loyal customer base.
Companies that Promote Different Social Causes through Their Advertisements
Mahindra and Mahindra's #SeedtheRise Campaign − For the betterment of the farmers involved in the agriculture sector of the economy, the brand decided to collect donations. They collaborated with four non-profit organizations and decided to fund different projects like teaching farmers’ daughters, providing alternative livelihoods for the farmers, and enhancing agricultural practices and tools. The company was able to collect Rs 1 crore and donate the same amount that was raised in 2015.
Nivea #MomsTouch − The brand wanted to strike a chord of love and care with its consumers. Hence, it decided to partner up with NGOs working on children's education from the marginalized community. In an advertisement, the brand showed four different mothers from difficult backgrounds caring for their children and assisting them in breaking the cycle of unhappiness. For every share the brand got from that advertisement, it donated 100 grams of rice, and the consumers could also donate money for the social cause.
Body Shop and No Animal Cruelty − As we all know; the cosmetic industry is notorious for lab testing its products on various animals. Makeup is something that we generally cannot avoid, but this animal cruelty always made the consumers feel guilty about their purchase. The brand came up with the idea of not testing its products on animals. The company advertises this motto of theirs, and hence even the consumers are willing to pay double the price for the product, which has 100 other competitors.
Brands are always looking for opportunities through which they can be different from their myriad competitors. Sometimes it is in terms of the features of the product, and sometimes it is in terms of price. It is time that brands start looking beyond that picture. It is time that brands start caring about the community. Social cause marketing not only helps the company give back to society but also ensures a loyal customer base, goodwill toward the company, and increased sales. It is time that brands leap into the world of social cause marketing and differentiate themselves from their competitors. Let’s be the change that we want to see.
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