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Women Give Big
Women often balance the household checkbook, and a new study by the Women's Philanthropy Institute reveals they are more likely than men to be writing these checks out to charity.
The study also found that women are more likely to donate to a variety of causes, rather than direct a lump-sum to one organization. Women may be giving a few dollars to each issue that crosses their path, whether it’s originating from a coworker, child’s school or community organization knocking at their front door. When engaging this group, provide tools that allow turn-key networking. For example, a personalized fundraising site where an individual can drive others to donate or a toolkit that empowers them to take charge of an on-the-ground fundraiser. The efforts of one woman to gather small donations can add up to a huge impact for the cause.
The research confirms that women hold the desire and capacity to be philanthropic at all income levels. When crafting a campaign to raise funds for your issue, look to engage these super-givers regardless of income level, and provide the resources that help tap into her vast network of others who want to support a good cause.
Tags: Women philanthropy charitablegiving nonprofitcausebranding fundraising donation
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You’re Blushing! Tackling Uncomfortable Issues with Cause Marketing
It’s hard to believe breast cancer was once a salacious issue for a company to support. Once considered too personal to discuss outside the doctor’s office, today it is the cookie-cutter cause to support in October. You know the issue has shed its societal stigma when everything from soup cans to paper towels bears the pink ribbon in your neighborhood grocery store. However that does not imply we’re past all the blushing and squirming when it comes to public dialogue of very personal health issues.
Some touchy issues may be shooed away from the schoolyard, but others are looking to target the youth market. MTV recently teamed up with the popular geo-location provider Foursquare to offer the first cause-related badge for checking in to…ahem…STD testing centers. Part of the network’s Get Yourself Tested campaign, the partnership hopes to dampen embarrassment and instead raise awareness, dialogue and action from teens about sexual health. And what better way to get the word out than allowing brave teens to announce their responsible actions to their entire social networks?
Although shock-factor is sure to get attention for these causes, core to all these campaigns is the authentic desire to get the public talking about important issues, even if they are uncomfortable. Once the dialogue is open, there is room for progress toward solving these serious issues. Perhaps one day discussing STD prevention will overcome the gasps and be as acceptable in our public dialogue as fighting breast cancer.
Tags: Women cancer causebranding advocacy campaigns youth newmedia health
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A Fresh New Attitude for Cause
Some say attitude is everything. And as the dreary April showers finally subside, it’s a perfect time to adopt a fresh, sunny outlook for the spring ahead. We’ve noticed a similar attitude overhaul taking place in a new crop of cause efforts. Instead of focusing on the seriousness of issues, these programs are adjusting the tone of conversations to something a bit more light-hearted to motivate more people to get engaged.
Kotex, as part of its humorous new brand campaign for “U by Kotex,” has teamed up with Girls for a Change to “empower and educate young women to become agents of social change.” The campaign encourages “real talk” about vaginal health and provides ways for girls to learn, interact and share online. Visitors to the brand Web site can sign a “Declaration of Real Talk,” sparking a $1 donation to Girls for a Change with every submission. The site is colorful and youthful – a fresh approach to a discussion that has longed for a makeover.
New fundraising site Crowdwise.com takes a similarly cheeky tone. Its tagline perfectly illustrates its brand personality: “If you don’t give back, no one will like you.” Created by actor Edward Norton, the site offers people a free way to create fundraising pages that can easily be shared through existing social networks. Users are incentivized to raise money by winning points and prizes along the way. With a wry humor sure to attract any do-good teeny-bopper, the added presence of several celebrity projects may help put site traffic into overdrive.
These programs illustrate that a new approach to cause does not always require a new issue or a new audience. By changing the tone of a dialogue or creating new ways of connecting and sharing, people will be reenergized and inspired to make a change. Fostering a positive attitude is one little thing that can make a world of difference.
Tags: Women health fundraising causebranding campaigns engagement celebrityengagement newmedia
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Cone Celebrates the ACS's "Choose You Day"
Today, Cone is joining employers around the country to participate in the American Cancer Society’s first annual Choose You Day. The event encourages Americans to spend 30 minutes doing something healthy and is part of the ACS’s new Choose You movement.
Cone’s Choose You Day events include:
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An hour-long group yoga class
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A healthy snack station
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The 2010 Cone Choose You Walk/Run to the Boston Public Garden
Employees can also make an optional $5 tax-deductible donation to help support the work of ACS. As a thank-you for participation, Cone employees receive a Choose You flower pin along with materials to spread the word and teach others how to make health a priority on Choose You Day.
Join us! Find out more information about how to celebrate Choose You Day in your office or how to make a personal pledge for your health by visiting the Choose You site.
Tags: nonprofitcausebranding donation campaigns employees cancer Women cone health
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Inspiring Women to 'Choose You'
Mother’s Day is just around the corner. Have you thought of a gift for the special women in your life? Flowers, jewelry or a nice brunch may be indulgent – but a truly memorable gift would be getting mom to care for her health.
Just in time for Mother’s Day, the American Cancer Society* (ACS) is launching a movement to encourage mom to do just that. Called Choose You, this initiative is inspiring women to put their health first and make lifestyle choices that will help them stay well and help prevent cancer. Choose You is primarily focused on women, but also invites men to join the movement and encourage the women in their lives to put their health first. A celebratory launch took place on Tuesday, where celebrity ambassador Ellen Pompeo illuminated the Walgreens’ Times Square digital billboard, the world’s largest, with images of women and men who joined the movement. This was followed by a star-studded honorary luncheon, including Gabourey Sidibe, academy-award nominated star of Precious; JuJu Chang, co-host Good Morning America; Kiran Chetry, CNN’s American Morning; and representatives from Choose You’s National Presenting Sponsors, Sprite Zero and Walgreens. This luncheon also brought together influencers on women's health to hear directly from ACS executives and scientific leaders.
But the movement doesn’t end with the glitz of the launch. ACS is making it easy for individuals to make a wellness pledge online (quit smoking, adopt healthier eating habits, etc.) and gain the support of their peers throughout their journey to a healthier lifestyle. Participants benefit from the emotional and financial backing of their supporters (who can pledge “support donations” to ACS on behalf of their friend's or loved one’s goal). When they achieve success, supporters’ donations will go to ACS. If unsuccessful, the participant's pledge will go to ACS. The structure is a win-win for both the cause and the individual, transforming the model for how to fundraise and incentivize behavior change online.
ACS will sustain the movement offline with a multi-faceted, year-round approach that reaches women wherever they are – online, in-store, at the workplace or in local communities – through a variety of targeted initiatives.
And mark your calendars – ACS has established May 12 as National Choose You Day, asking employers to give their workers 30 minutes to do something to promote their health. This annual event will be a reminder of the campaign – and will ensure it is re-energized each year. Suitably, the day of recognition will fall close to Mother’s Day every year, meaning it is always an appropriate time to remind the women close to you to focus on their health.
*ACS is a client of Cone, who helped develop and execute this campaign.
Tags: cone Women nonprofitcausebranding celebrityengagement campaigns cancer newmedia
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Turning Good into "Sport" and Other Good Innovations
It is refreshing to see goodness still bursting through in this bruising world economy. Nike, for the second year in a row, has teamed with Ashoka, a nonprofit that stimulates social entrepreneurism, to search globally for sports programs fostering social change. Both share a philosophy that philanthropy should be driven by innovation. The search takes place online at GameChangers: change the game for Women in Sport.
Last year three winners each received $5,000. Projects included Grassroots Soccer, a program leveraging soccer's popularity to educate young South Africans about HIV and AIDS, and in the U.S., Sports4Kids which provides physical activity and conflict resolution training to underserved children.
This year, the contest focuses on innovative programs targeting women's issues. By tying its philanthropy to key consumer segments, brand attributes such as innovation and its sustainable commitment to building girls' and women's self esteem through sport, Nike strategically links its "goodness" to its business. In these highly challenging times, creating "shared value," as Michael Porter calls it, is a smart business decision to enhance the effectiveness of giving, linking it to core business growth strategies. Interestingly, the potential for social change, not pure commerce, excites Nike through this contest. "If sport can be a major strategy for reducing HIV prevalence, then that's huge," says Ziba Cranmer, senior manager of social innovation at Nike.
Kudos to Nike for aligning its innovation in products with its international philanthropy. It is encouraging to see its constant creation of cutting-edge, sport-social impact programs. And, it is perhaps even more encouraging to see the words of Chairman and Founder Phil Knight come to life: “The performance of Nike and every other global company in the 21st century will be measured as much by their impact on quality of life, as it is by revenue growth and profit margins.”
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Tags: campaigns Women Nike Pedigree
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Is It Finally Time for Girls/Women to Rule the World?
With our world turned upside down through so much economic calamity, greed and selfishness, is it finally time for women to rule the world?
At the recent World Economic Forum at Davos, some 100 women got together on a Saturday morning to hear a panel discussion called "The Girl Effect." These female leaders from around the world talked about focusing on helping girls and women in developing countries gain better access to health care, education and job opportunities.
"This is the solution to a long list of world messes from poverty and hunger to the spread of HIV and violence -- and in this financial crisis its one of the best investments we can make," said Helene Gayle, president and CEO of CARE USA, who moderated the panel. Joining her were Nike CEO Mark Parker, Mari Pangestu, Minister of Trade of Indonesia and Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Kudos to Nike who has focused much of its recent charitable efforts on helping girls in poor countries. Kudos to Kiva.org with its microfinance focus on women. Kudos to Connie Duckworth who created a rug weaving business in Afganistan called Goldman Sachs 10,000 Women initiative, that aims to educate emerging women business owners with certificates of business and mentoring to help their ventures grow.
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Tags: philanthropy conferences Women Leadership
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