Observations

Open Arrow by Alex Woo benefits Stand Up to Cancer.

Doing good feels good. We all grew up learning to be charitable to those less fortunate. That lesson has now become a part of the DNA of the 30-and-under crowd — the “we” generation who focuses not just on how something affects themselves, but how it affects others. One of the most potent marketing tools for this new era of consumers with an enlightened social consciousness is cause-related marketing. The shopping experience is heightened by knowing that your purchase is helping someone else. Whether it is buying Newman’s Own salad dressing in a grocery store or a piece of jewelry from a luxury retailer, when the sale enables money to be donated to worthy causes, the message is equally potent: Your dollars make a difference.
   In some instances — all things being equal in a like product — the one that supports a cause will be chosen over another item that does not. As we move forward, more and more companies are cultivating the giving tree and growing the movement into something that is no longer just an occasional anomaly, but instead the norm. While corporate social responsibility allows a company to work for the benefit of the community or environment, cause-related marketing is in many ways more personal, allowing customers to purchase an item that supports a charity near and dear to their hearts. Writing a check to a charity is always a good thing, but letting your customers be a part of that giving makes them feel good too, not only about themselves, but about your company.