The Market Share Compass

Cause Marketing

Jim Richards

CEO & Founder of The Market Share Group

“Humanity Is Always In Season”

Consumers want to support brands that stand for something. Brands that authentically collaborate with non-profit organizations on marketing campaigns can create goodwill, increase their social impact, and grow sales. Humanity is always in season. If a social cause is part of your culture and/or mission, then do not hesitate to leverage your sponsorship platform to drive awareness for your non-profit. Bring your sponsorship family onboard. You can get your NASCAR driver to do social posts promoting your brand’s commitment to fighting food insecurity. Get a celebrity to do a Habitat for Humanity build with your marketing team and share it online.

For some brands, it may make sense to invest and become an official partner/sponsor of a non-profit (i.e. Feeding America, USO, Boys and Girls Club, Susan G. Komen Foundation). When the cause is the sponsorship property, the Market Share Compass can still apply. You can build activation programs around the cause, create content, and leverage at retail.

Sponsorships can impact every touchpoint of your business, including your charitable efforts. Make cause marketing part of your sponsorship success metrics.