Yesterday evening, I was watching Hancock, a mediocre Will Smith movie  about a down-and-out super hero who befriends a PR specialist.  The specialist’s one goal, besides restoring Hancock’s tarnished star, is to change the world through cause marketing.  He was making a hard sell to a few corporate big wigs, who likened his ideas to serving jail time.

Despite the gentle ribbing on both sides, it does look as though Cause Marketing may have its day (or year…or decade) in the sun.  For instance, Pepsi recently announced that it would not be buying Superbowl ad time this year, instead spending $20 million on marketing its green “Refresh Projects.”  Consumers will have the opportunity to vote to determine how much of the money is spent.

Perhaps Pepsi is taking a cue from Trip Advisor, whose More Than Footprints campaign won the Best Use of Social Media award from the Cause Marketing Forum.  Trip Advisor invited consumers to vote on how they would best like to see $1 million dollars spent between five nonprofit organizations.  Using a completely viral campaign, and 1,000,000 votes later, Trip advisor donated to five major international nonprofits including Doctors Without Borders and Save the Children.

What does this all mean?  According to Cone, a Boston-based communications agency renowned for its work in cause- related marketing, cause marketing is on the rise.  Specifically, cause marketing that is globally focused is on the rise.  Consumers, they note, are vastly more interactive and receptive to marketing, especially if they believe in what the company is selling/stands for.

Conclusion:  Nonprofits and corporations can benefit from cause marketing, delivered through interactive campaigns.  A simple google search for Pepsi generates hundreds of links to articles and posts about the Superbowl decision.  Free, positive publicity, and not a dime yet spent.  Despite a  still-rocky economy, could 2010 be the year to turn around donation numbers?   If Hancock can benefit, perhaps nonprofits have a standing chance.

What are your thoughts on cause marketing?   What nonprofits, especially development nonprofits have benefited?

I discussed Mercy Corps earlier regarding the organization’s poignant and strategic use of Twitter.  Today, I revisit the nonprofit for its tactic in  acquiring holiday donations.  Like some its competitors such as Heifer International , Mercy Corps packages donating as “gift-giving.”  Its differentiator, however, is  to ”give the gift that lasts a lifetime,” a Mercy Kit.    

Donors have a choice of kits ranging from $25 and up, and benefiting specific causes.  One such kit is the Play to Heal Kit.  For $75,  a donor gives a child who has experienced trauma a mentor, supplies, and a caregiver manual.  If the donation is made for someone else, the named person receives a card.  Each kit page contains a story of  a person helped, a donor testimonial and a donation widget.

One testimonial: “The way that the Mercy Kit is presented makes it feel tangible. You get a real sense of how your gift could help someone.”

Brian Powell, Cause Marketing expert and author of the blog,  Good Concepts, would say this testimonial is at the heart of effective donation garnering.  He recently noted that two important quotients of cause marketing are transparency and tangibility.  Without promoting the truth of where donation dollars go, it is hard for a  nonprofit to compete.  Powell states that donors need a 1-to-1 ratio,  ”This $75 dollar sum buys this, this and this.”  Overall, nonprofits need to package a donation in a manner that answers Powell’s big ‘D’ question, “Will this donation make a difference?”

According to Charity Navigator, human services nonprofits experienced the biggest drop in donations last year.  However, these are the organizations that need money the most during the holidays.  It seems crucial, then, that organizations like Mercy Corps ensure their messaging reflect the big ‘D.’

A personal “Thank You” displaying that 1 -to-1 ratio from Jeremy Barnicle,  Mercy Corps Marketing and Communications Vice President

What organizations also do this well?