CSR and TOMS

Consumers are growing increasingly conscious about the products they buy regarding corporations workplace safety, environmental impacts and fair treatment of employees. In fact, nine in 10 consumers would boycott an organization if they found the organization was operating irresponsibility (Environmental Leader, 2013). Nowadays, consumers can easily access information about company practices online (Environmental Leader, 2013). This has increased the need for companies to communicate transparently, but also ensure stakeholders are aware of corporate social responsibility programs and initiatives it participates in. An organization can be meeting its targets for CSR, but if there is no effective communication around the initiatives, it is irrelevant in the consumer’s eyes.

The majority of companies communicate corporate social responsibly in a similar fashion: hiring a CSR manager or department filled with trendy buzz-words, advertising one-off events or sponsorships and compiling heart wrenching photos for the glossy annual report. To stand out and be successful at being viewed as a responsible corporate partner, the consumer has to believe it. The best way to influence stakeholders is to provide sustainable philanthropic initiatives that are endorsed at every level of decision-making.

TOMS has become one of the most notable brands in corporate social responsibility and has revolutionized consumer empowerment across the globe (Tribby, 2013). TOMS practices a one-for-one model and details can be found at www.toms.ca. This model is the foundation of the organization where when one TOMS product is purchased, the same product is donated to a person who cannot afford it. TOMS is known for selling shoes, glasses and now just announced it will be providing water to developing countries with the purchase of TOMS coffee. This demonstration of cause-marketing is rooted in the organization and TOMS has done an incredible job communicating just how well it executes this business model.

TOMS has utilized every medium to attract its audience in the appropriate way. Majority of TOMS YouTube videos have over 100,000 views, the most receiving three million. The videos are dedicated to telling powerful stories that engage stakeholders, which is a crucial element to communicating philanthropy (Foundation Centre, 2013). TOMS is active on social media and has over four million followers, but what TOMS does exceptionally well is crafting the messaging to reflect the company’s values. TOMS social media presence is about kindness and supporting those in need. The TOMS website is littered with accessible stories and information for individuals seeking to understand TOMS concept in clear, concise language. There are large visuals and colorful infographics that communicate TOMS practices and there is a newsletter customers can subscribe to if they are looking to keep up to date on TOMS initiatives. Another way TOMS successfully flexes its philanthropic muscles is by taking lucky winners across the globe to distribute shoes on behalf of TOMS. Instead of offering free concert tickets to their target demographics favorite band or a trip for two to Mexico like other companies, TOMS contests reflects its mission to make a positive change in peoples lives through business.

The most significant form of communicating its practices is TOMS giving report. The report outlines the amount of people TOMS has been able to help and how each customer’s contribution played a role. It also provides information about the philosophy and why shoes play an important role in a child’s health. The report and the organization are easy to believe in because the CEO, Blake Mycoskie is obviously driven by giving. His mission is visible and reflected in every communication material TOMS creates. Mr. Mycoskie’s message is heard around the world and consumers can feel confident that their purchase does make a difference. Customers know that TOMS is doing whatever possible to support global communities.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W83bQGclUP4&list=PLCD08A1C9A7C33632

References

Environmental Leader. (October 17, 2013). Which Companies Have the Best CSR Reputation? Retrieved March 17 from http://www.environmentalleader.com/2013/10/17/which- companies-have-the-best-csr-reputation/

Foundation Centre. (November 22, 2013). The Power of Storytelling for Nonprofits (Retrieved from http://clevelandblog.foundationcenter.org/cleveland/2013/11/the-power-of-storytelling-for-nonprofits.html

Tribby, M. (October 3, 2013). These Shoes Ain't Just Made for Walkin': The Cause Marketing Biz

Model. The Huffington Post. Retrieved March 16, 2014 from http://www.huffingtonpost. com/maryellen-tribby/these-shoes-aint-just-mad_b_4030377.html

Top-quality Social Marketing Campaign

As technology continues to play an integral role in our generation, it is no surprise that social media is a huge contender in the marketing world. The social marketing campaign our group chose to focus on is Bell Let’s Talk. According to Bell, “Bell Let’s Talk is a multi-year charitable program dedicated to mental health” (Bell Let’s Talk, 2014). The campaign took place on January 28, 2014 and raised $5,472,585 through users sending and receiving text messages, mobile and long distance calls, tweets and Facebook shares (Bell Let’s Talk, 2014). For every communication that was sent on January 28, five cents was donated to mental health programs (Bell Let’s Talk, 2014).

From a communications standpoint, this campaign proved to be highly successful. With 109,451,718 text messages, mobile and long distance calls, tweets and Facebook shares sent in one day, the organization had to be doing something right. The organization placed great emphasis on using one specific hashtag, #BellLetsTalk, to grow the conversation. Bell promotes mental health year round, but focuses on this one day each year to encourage as many people to join in the conversation as possible. Bell was active on many social media forums well in advance of January 28 to make people aware of Bell Let’s Talk Day and remind them how to get involved. As we learned in the modules, the objective of social marketing is to create change by turning a negative behavior into a positive behavior. Bell does this by encouraging the public to open up about mental health in a positive manner, in an attempt to change negative stigmas that are associated with mental illnesses. Bell also did a great job because they built strong partnerships with leading organizations in the mental health field, and utilized key speakers to stand up for mental health and speak on behalf of Bell.

Bell benefits in many ways from being part of this campaign. Bell has established partnerships with key organizations in the community, the United Way, various universities and the Canadian Mental Health Association, just to name a few. The campaign has also received endorsement from influential individuals who are now spokespeople for the Bell Let’s Talk initiative, such as: Clara Hughes, olympic champion and Seamus O’Regan, former Canada AM co-host. Gaining support from these valuable individuals and organizations can flourish into future partnerships that could allow Bell to expand its market. Another benefit Bell has in being part of this campaign is showcasing to current employees and possible future employees that they place importance on mental health in the workplace. This proves to the community that this organization takes care of their staff. The Bell Let’s Talk Day campaign helps support brand positioning and creates brand preference for Bell because most customers will choose a brand that is associated with a cause versus a brand that is not. Lastly, creating social change in the mental health field would be a benefit as this benefit would stretch beyond the walls of Bell and would benefit the entire community.

References

Bell Let’s Talk. (2014). Our initiatives. Retrieved March 10, 2014 from http://letstalk.bell.ca/en/our-initiatives/

What is considered a good cause for cause-related marketing?

Many organizations used cause-related marketing to improve its profitability, reputation or to become more recognizable. I think it is important to recognize an impactful cause-related marketing campaign, Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives, because while this campaign makes a positive difference in people’s lives while promoting business for Yoplait. The Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives campaign has been active for 15 years and started when an employee lost a family member to cancer (Our Story, 2013). The purpose of the General Mills campaign, Yoplait’s parent company, is to raise money for “the breast cancer cause—one lid at a time” (Pledge your part, 2013). General Mills has partnered with Susan G. Komen, a foundation to support the cure for breast cancer, to help support millions of women and families fighting the disease. With each Yoplait lid sent in, donations are made to help fund education, treatment and research initiatives. (Our Story, 2013).

This is an attractive cause-related marketing example because breast cancer touches the lives of millions of people. Since the cause is a sensitive subject and affects a large number of individuals, this attracts people to want to help. Save Lids to Save Lives is particularly inviting because it is a straightforward donation process by simply saving lids from yogurt containers. While consumers initially paid for the product, it is a more attractive method of donating part of a product versus a monetary donation. Additionally, the campaign is transparent about where the donations will go and this is reassuring for people who want to help. Over the years, General Mills has added numerous products to the campaign in addition to just saving lids from Yoplait. Many popular cereal, cooking and juice products have participated in the campaign by donating 10 cents from each product code to Susan G. Komen (Ways To Help, 2013). Yoplait further simplifies the donation process by allowing consumers to redeem codes or lids online rather than sending them through mail.

The website is also another reason why this particular campaign is attractive to consumers. It is very interactive and allows user to engage in events, say how they help fight breast cancer such as “pledge your part” and find other ways to help the cause (Pledge your part, 2013). Also, Yoplait has a prominent partner, Guiliana Rancic, a television personality,  who shares her personal struggle with breast cancer. Through a simplified donation process, an interactive website, popular brand participation and a relatable spokesperson, Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives is an excellent example of cause-related marketing. General Mills’ actions create an attractive campaign while still improving the company’s profitability, reputation and recognizability.

To view the Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives website please follow the link: https://savelidstosavelives.com/desktop/

References:

Our Story. (2013). Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives. Retrieved January 31, 2013, from https://savelidstosavelives.com/desktop/.

Pledge your part. (2013). Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives. Retrieved January 31, 2013, from https://savelidstosavelives.com/desktop/.

Ways To Help. (2013). Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives. Retrieved January 31, 2013, from https://savelidstosavelives.com/desktop/.

RBC and Free The Children

One partnership between a charity and a corporation launched in 2013 was the partnership between Free The Children and RBC (http://www.rbc.com/freethechildren/).

RBC (2014) is one of Canada’s largest banks and services 15 million clients in 46 countries globally (Corporate Profile, para. 3). In regard to community initiatives, RBC partners with dozens of different nonprofits aimed at solving very diverse social issues. RBC sponsors organizations such as the Canadian Art Foundation and Kids Help Phone in addition to their own campaigns. The RBC Blue Water Project is a 10-year commitment of $50 million to provide clean water internationally. These are all examples of how RBC is truly committed to giving back to communities, and philanthropy is a principle ingrained within the organizational culture.

Free The Children (2014) is an international charity that empowers youth to become agents of change and act as global citizens. The organization removes barriers to education in impoverished nations, and help communities break the cycle of poverty (About Us, para. 1).

RBC and Free The Children have partnered to provide Canadian youth with resources to inspire social change. RBC partnered on four separate national campaigns within the past year including We Day, We Create Change, We Act, and We 365. We Create Change was one of the largest campaigns and raised $1.4 million to provide 56,000 people with clean water for life (RBC, 2013, para. 1).

The most compelling aspect of this campaign is that RBC has pledged that this partnership will be a long-term commitment. The high level of commitment provides more legitimacy and more sincerity than a one-time donation campaign. Additionally, the credibility of both organizations makes the partnership even more compelling. Both are very high-profile Canadian organizations and are extremely established in the market. There is a real possibility that these two large organizations can actually accomplish social change together, and their past success record is high. These factors make this partnership appealing to donors and supporters.

It is a mutually beneficial relationship because RBC can provide the capital to fund initiatives for Free The Children. On the other hand, Free The Children provides opportunity for RBC to advertise and connect with youth who will soon need financial services. It is a great way for RBC to attract future clientele early. Additionally, products such as the Free The Children RBC Virtual Visa Debit Card has been introduced, which donates a portion of all purchases to Free The Children programming initiatives. As Gord Nixon, president and CEO of RBC states in regard to We Create Change, “Our long-term commitment with Free the Children supports two very important issues - financial literacy and access to clean water.” (RBC, 2013, para. 3). This partnership is the very definition of a mutually beneficial relationship, and also provides opportunities for social activism goals to be achieved.

References

Free The Children. (2014). About Us. Retrieved February 1, 2014, from http://www.freethechildren.com/about-us/

Free The Children/RBC “We Create Change” Penny Drive Raises $1.4 Million, Providing 56,000 People With Clean Water For Life. (2013, June 27). CNW. Retrieved from http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1191449/free-the-children-rbc-we-create-change-penny-drive-raises-1-4-million-providing-56-000-people-with-clean-water-for-life

RBC. (2014). Corporate Profile. Retrieved February 1, 2014, from http://www.rbc.com/aboutus/index.html

 

World Vision follows best practices for maximum fundraising through its website

World Vision (2013) is a very well-known charity that focuses on helping children and their families in underdeveloped countries fight poverty and injustices (About Us, para. 1).  According to Frank Barry (2013), an expert on using digital communication tools to promote and fundraise for charities, a key feature in making a website that encourages donations is to use compelling imagery (para. 19). The homepage of World Vision’s website displays a series of images that can connect with its audience. The images are of children who, although living in poverty, have happy expressions suggesting that the work of World Vision has positively impacted their lives. According to Barry, audiences will engage more with a website that shows these types of images because it helps people see the impact and value of their donation (para. 19 - 20).

Barry also stresses the importance that audiences are more likely to donate if the organization is transparent (para. 54). On World Vision’s homepage a pie chart is shown that displays exactly where its money is distributed. By sharing financials, the audience is more inclined to give because they can see exactly where their donation is making an impact (para. 54 - 55).

To encourage long-term retention and see an increase in donations, Barry says that audiences like to see exactly what their donation can provide (para. 63). World Vision is unique where by the donor can see the child and their family that they are supporting. Visually seeing the person you are helping provides an emotional appeal to the donor (para. 63). World Vision’s donation page allows potential donors to select a variety of gifts that they can give to their child and his or her family. The selection of goats, mosquito nets, medicine and a variety of other gifts further allow the audience to see exactly what their money has provided. World Vision also sends photos and updates to the donor for their contributions.

World Vision also has placed its branding on every single page of its website. Potential donors will find this trustworthy and secure (para. 18). A fully branded site will encourage confidence for the audience that they are donating on a secure site (para. 18).

The donation process on World Vision’s website is very easy. It allows users to pay by either Paypal or credit card. The forms are easy to fill out, are simple and do not require a lot of time spent on them. This makes audiences more inclined to give because of its simplicity and user-friendly donation system (para. 25 - 27).

People are using mobile sites more often so it is essential that charities trying to gain donations online create a mobile-friendly website. World Vision has adapted to this trend by making its website completely accessible on smartphones. Potential donors are able to donate through smartphones which is often convenient for tech-savy, on-the-go audiences.

Donationto, a website that promotes non-profit digital communications says the audiences are more inclined to give when the content of the website tells a story (Donationto, 2012, para. 3). World Vision incorporates storytelling throughout its website. It tells stories of the children and their families that are part of World Vision programs, it shows influential Canadian celebrities that travel with the organization to get a first-hand experience of what they do, and the website also tells stories of children who are affected by war in their country.

World Vision’s use of imagery, transparency, user-ability and storytelling are a good example of how these key elements play an important role of attracting donations through a website.

References:

Barry, F. (2013, June 24). 15 Techniques Used by Top Nonprofits to Boost Donor Acquisition and Online Fundraising Results [Blog post]. Retrieved from http://www.npengage.com/online-fundraising/boost-donor-acquisition-online-fundraising/?utm_content=bufferd8734&utm_source=buffer&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Buffer

Donationto. (2012, September 20). 6 Online donation Tips for Better Fundraising [Blog post].

Retrieved from http://www.donationto.com/blog/6-online-donation-tips-for-better-fundraising/

World Vision. (2013). About Us. Retrieved Jan. 27, 2013 from   https://www.worldvision.ca/ABOUTUS/Pages/default.aspx

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This blog page is designed and maintained by the following fourth year Public Relations students from Mount Royal University:

Amanda Kemsley
Andrea Lee
Kaylene McTavish
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