Cause Marketing Versus Social Marketing for Nonprofits

Cause marketing clashes with social marketing in the minds of many nonprofits weighing options to extend their messages. Though difficult at times to distinguish, the two approaches can potentially help some nonprofit causes, depending on their resources and goals.

Cause marketing (or cause-related opportunities) usually pairs corporate resources with a nonprofit cause for mutual social benefit. The "for-profit" goal might involve publicity or philanthropy, while the "social benefit" might involve improved levels of awareness or giving on a specific issue. Social marketing, by contrast, involves attitude and behavior change around specific issues through campaigns targeting specific audiences. Usually led by nonprofit organizations or public agencies, corporations may also coordinate efforts on behalf of coalitions or community groups.

Additional confusion arises between cause marketing and corporate philanthropy. Because cause marketing involves a marketing partnership, from which the corporate partner cannot receive a charitable deduction for its relationship with the nonprofit or agency, the primary benefit rests upon increasing consumer awareness or brand equity though its support of a nonprofit cause. The nonprofit organization or cause, in turn, potentially stands to gain greater visibility that could lead to increased support in the form of volunteers and donations, depending on the campaign.

Cause marketing works particularly well for time and location based events, for example races and festivals, where the cause takes tangible form for multiple stakeholders across the partnerships (from customers, employees, existing and potential donors, advocates, recipients of service, volunteers, etc.); multiple groups can participate and benefit; and corporate involvement translates into more than marketing to achieve benefits beyond exposure. Sharing the values and beliefs among the community to achieve results drives cause marketing to success. Additional informational from sources like Selfish Giving can provide groups with useful starting points.

Social marketing works for causes with a clearly identified solution to a problem. The campaign often employs creative approaches to stress alternatives to a practice, working against perceptions by highlighting benefits or promoting more attractive outcomes. The informative Spare Change blog offers examples, resources and considerations for social marketing campaigns. Different marketing channels factor into multiple audiences, due both to the nature of the specific change opportunities among the target audiences, and the ultimate aim of affecting the root cause of the problem among decision makers and other influential parties.

While multiple motivations and resources drive and sustain effective cause and social marketing, success ultimately rests upon the partnership and capacity among the nonprofits involved. Good groups that lack the time, ability, and inclination to ensure the right opportunity works towards their goals will bring more harm than good upon their issues and stakeholders. For those nonprofits and agencies fortunate to build relationships and awareness on behalf of a shared or similar causes, careful planning and constant vigilance ensures results in line with what organizations have in mind.