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Whether and how a brand supports a cause is becoming an increasingly relevant crossroad on a consumer's buying path. Still, this remains an oft-neglected consideration -- perhaps partially because it is difficult to measure immediate ROI and that, in turn, can make it a hard sell for executives focused on the bottom line.
However, there has definitely been an upswing in brands supporting causes in a higher profile manner, especially when it comes to the women's market.
The Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, which began in North America in late 2004 - and was already quite an innovative advertising approach on its own, made another very noticeably bold step by launching its Dove Self Esteem Fund via a February 2006 Super Bowl ad/video, "Little Girls." Their work continues to be going strong, and you can follow it on their site.
Tupperware, a brand that seems ever-connected to the big, green, round cookie container of my youth, has just announced its own new cause partnership: Chain of Confidence. The brand has gone through many changes over the years (it was founded in the mid-1940s), and the same has been the case with its evolving core customers and frontline salespeople these past 60-plus years.
In an effort to stay connected with today's social/corporate responsibility-aware women, Chain of Confidence enlisted Brooke Shields as the spokeswoman, and will donate funds to the cause of the Boys & Girls Club of America's Smart Girls. As with all these efforts, it will be interesting to see how long the partnership is maintained, if women respond, and how Tupperware will weave the cause into its brand for the longer term.
The truth is that many women like the idea of there being a "value add" in their purchasing decisions (or side business, as in the Tupperware case), all with the thought of influencing the greater good. Tupperware (and other more women-focused brands) have been tending to this cause-supporting point on a woman's buying path earlier than more traditional brands, but now is the time for the others to catch up.
While they don't each have to develop high profile partnerships, hire celebrity spokespeople and host online communities, all those many brands serving women (way beyond just beauty and homegoods, by the way) will have to make their own noticeable cause-marketing partnership steps.
Women are definitely watching to see how all brands will evolve to serve their more holistic viewpoint.
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Comments
"Still, this remains an oft-neglected consideration -- perhaps partially because it is difficult to measure immediate ROI and that, in turn, can make it a hard sell for executives focused on the bottom line."
Sounds like the main reason why many companies drag their feet about blogging.
Posted by: Mack Collier | 05.11.07
I agree, Mack. Cause marketing and blogging, done well, will likely have positive long-term affects in many cases, so how do you sell that to the bean counters? In these days of abundant choice, companies have to make that risky investment in not-so-clearly ROI-related customer outreach in order to get customers to choose/invest in them in return. Few can take that leap.
Posted by: Andrea Learned | 05.11.07
"As with all these efforts, it will be interesting to see how long the partnership is maintained, if women respond, and how Tupperware will weave the cause into its brand for the longer term."
Exactly. If the cause is a good fit with the brand, both will benefit. As you say, it will be interesting to see how Tupperware handles this.
Posted by: Mack Collier | 05.11.07
That's a wonderful salad you made, Ann! mmmmm, mmmmm....good!
Posted by: Aaron | 05.11.07
Tupperware and any brand needs to stay clear that cause-related marketing (or just corporate philanthropy in general) is a wonderful and high-road approach to brand building that doesn't take the place of just plain good business (the sticky ROI part).
Everything we marketers do needs to increase sell-through -- the hard part is often understanding the causal relationship that might not show up in the next week's scanner tapes. More time spent working with bean counters, CEO's, channel partners and other interested parties to create the right data traps and shared understandings of what constitutes success would be time well spent.
I'm a big believer in cause-related marketing in general and love it when they tie in closely with the pragmatic world of sell-through. And there's no reason Tupperware can't do this extremely well --
Posted by: Stephen Denny | 05.13.07
Tupperware already has a cause they have supported since day 1 --
The eliminate waste by making reusable containers.
If we all pack our leftovers and our kids lunch boxes with little tupperware containers instead of sandwich baggies and plastic wrap, we'd help limit the use of non-renewable resources.
What a great time in our world's history for Tupperware to remember that.
Posted by: Raffi Darrow | 05.17.07