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Veterans Day, Every Day
As Americans across the nation today honor those who have served our country, many companies are also taking this time to give thanks to veterans in their own ways. In The New York Times, Stuart Elliot showcases at least eight Veterans Day-related campaigns currently underway, including a new way for consumers to bring "cheer" to veterans by sending postcards found on Cheerios* cereal boxes. The article also highlights a new Papa John’s campaign which will extend a special USO Meal Deal for the entire year; donating one dollar for each meal sold.
Corporate cause marketing focused on Veterans Day grows in volume each year, and with good reason: 85 percent of Americans believe it’s important for companies to support military nonprofits, according to a 2010 Cone Communications survey. Yet while many promotions last a short time, a new public service campaign called "After the Parade" highlights the need for a more sustained commitment to veterans’ needs. The program, highlighted in Fast Company, helps raise awareness for the nonprofits Services for the UnderServed (SUS) and provides specific calls to action, including assisting veterans who are entering the workforce. CVS Caremark*, for one, is joining forces with first lady Michelle Obama for the "Hiring Our Heroes" campaign, which will work to provide 100,000 employment opportunities for veterans and their families. And Five Point Snacks, a new snack food company, is making veterans core to its business. Not only does Five Point Snacks make a point to hire veterans, it will also give 11 percent of its profits every day to the Veterans Aid Foundation once the company becomes profitable.
Short-term campaigns are a welcome way to pay tribute on this holiday, giving consumers and companies alike the chance to express their gratitude. But just as during Earth Day, Breast Cancer Awareness Month and other popular cause-related occasions, don’t forget that the core issues don’t fade away as the calendar changes. When it comes to honoring and supporting our nation’s veterans, consider how you can make Veterans Day every day.
*Cone Client
Tags: charity cause holiday campaign
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Keeping Your Cause Top-of-Mind in 2011
The 2010 holiday fundraising push has come to an end, but that doesn’t mean communication of your philanthropy or cause program should fade with the timely tax incentive. In fact, Cone research shows 90 percent of consumers want to hear about corporate cause efforts and 75 percent want to know the resulting impacts of corporate/nonprofit partnerships.
So as we emerge from the end-of-year whirlwind of promotions and fundraising pushes, don’t forget to reflect and say “thanks.” At minimum, the TOMS note touched our employee enough to chat about and share the nice gesture with others (potential customers). And when something is worth talking about, the word of mouth can generate enough buzz to keep your cause, and brand, in focus year-round.
Tags: communications holiday causebranding campaigns engagement
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Consumers Shop With a Cause in Mind This Holiday
There are two traditions that define the holiday season for many Americans – shopping and giving. In this spirit of the season, consumers are shopping with an eye toward giving back to good causes and expect companies to lead the charge, according to the 2010 Cone Holiday Trend Tracker. Key findings of the study include:
- 89% of Americans expect companies to support causes this holiday;
- 78% of consumers want to be personally engaged in a company’s cause efforts; and,
- 49% of consumers say they have already purchased or plan to purchase a holiday gift that supports a cause.
You read that right – almost one-in-two Americans have cause on their shopping list this season. What’s more, consumers are willing to engage with corporate causes in a variety of ways, such as supporting an in-store gift drive (78%), making a donation at the register (68%), redeeming or buying a discount card or coupon that gives back to a cause when used (64%) or supporting a company’s cause efforts through social media (47%).
According to a new Gallup poll, consumers will spend an average of $714 on gifts this year. Imagine the impact if just a dollar or two of this was diverted to a social cause. Millions of dollars and untold awareness could be raised through very simple, turn-key cause marketing this holiday season. A gift to consumers, companies and causes alike.
Tags: charitablegiving causebranding retail nonprofitcausebranding corporategiving holiday
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Companies Give Back to Veterans in Unique Ways
Veterans Day weekend is a great time for retail promotions, as shoppers get a head start on holiday gift hunting. But it’s also an opportunity for companies to pay homage to our veterans and active military and to build goodwill among consumers. After all, 85 percent of Americans believe it’s important for companies to support military nonprofits, according to a survey by Cone. A few initiatives we’ve seen this year for Veterans Day include:
Dunkin Donuts is donating a pound of coffee to the USO for every two pounds purchased in-store or online (up to 100,000 pounds).
Outback Steakhouse offered a free Bloomin’ Onion and beverage to any military personnel who ate at the national restaurant chain on November 11 as part of its ongoing “Thanks for Giving” program.
JCPenney and JOE Joseph Abboud partnered with IAVA this October to give away $1 million worth of apparel to 5,000 returning Iraq and Afghanistan troops. The initiative aimed to help veterans transition back to the civilian workforce by providing professional attire.
Southwest Airlines dubbed November “Military Heroes Month” and kicked off a number of veteran-appreciation initiatives including: providing customers with postcards to write a letter of appreciation to military serving abroad, a commemorative exhibit at the San Antonio airport and a special welcome home to Operation Freedom Bird veterans at the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
Microsoft dedicated its citizenship website, Facebook page and blog to inspiring U.S. military veteran stories. The web makeover is part of its ongoing commitment to help prepare veterans and their spouses with the skills and resources needed to be successful in today’s workplace.
Walmart announced a five-year, $10 million commitment to help improve the employment outlook of veterans.
These approaches are all distinct – some are traditional cause programs benefiting military nonprofits, while others are just designed to honor our veterans and active military through in-kind donations – but each leverages the company’s unique assets to serve veterans’ needs and connect in ways that resonate with their consumers and employees.
Stay tuned for more on consumer holiday cause shopping trends and data in the coming weeks.
Tags: holiday causebranding research cone trends
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Breaking Through Holiday Clutter with Value
The following originally appeared in Cone’s inConetext quarterly newsletter. To read current or past issues, visit our Web site.
Holiday-themed cause marketing programs have long been a staple for retailers to drive differentiation, loyalty and sales during a cluttered shopping season. This year, major retailers are raising the stakes by creating programs bigger and glitzier than years past. We’ve already begun to see full-scale efforts launched by Macy’s, JCPenny and Walmart that push the needle on innovation and integration.
Recently, providing consumers with ‘value’ has been the buzz among marketers of all disciplines. Cause marketers are no exception. Without a lot of money to donate, consumers are seeking ways to ‘do good’ through their shopping. In response, smart retailers are integrating charitable giving into their product offerings and brand experiences to deliver value to consumers on several levels.
First, they are triggering donations through consumer purchases or participation. This enables consumers to feel good about their purchase, feel good about helping and offers a critical point of differentiation and reason to buy. Second, they are offering value in terms of specialized offers, such as discounts and coupons, to consumers who participate in cause programs. These incentives provide a pocketbook benefit to consumers, but also give retailers a measureable tool to gauge effectiveness of their marketing efforts. Finally, retailers are demonstrating social impact. Consumers are seeing the real, immediate value of their participation in a cause marketing effort through donation calculators and online tracking.
Remember, for this holiday season, when it comes to cause marketing programs, glitz may sparkle, but a value-centric approach will shine brighter.
- Rich Maiore, Vice President
Tags: causebranding campaigns holiday
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