As everyone is aware, social media use has exploded in the past decade.  With 3.01 billion Internet users and more than 2.08 unique social media accounts, changes in how we communicate to others have rippled through various markets, specifically in cause related marketing campaigns.  The nature of advertising for example has shifted as companies react to these changes, creating a social media presence online.  With hundreds of millions (and in the case of Facebook more than a billion) active and unique accounts, reaching people over social media has never been more important.

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Getting your brand name out there can be incredibly challenging.  With so much competition on these platforms, having an angle and creating a story around your product is crucial.  It is no wonder that cause related advertising has become so popular.  Providing a way for people to give to charity as well as purchase goods for themselves, cause related marketing campaigns have exploded in popularity.  With that in mind, let’s take a moment to look at how you can use social media to raise awareness of your good causes, as well as caused related marketing campaigns.

Cause Related Marketing Campaigns - www.bullseyemarketingconsultants.com

Purpose Based Marketing

Purpose based marketing is centered on selling a product and tying it to a good cause.  By paying for the product, the individual is also doing good for a group or organization that works to provide assistance or help to others.  Studies have shown that purpose based marketing is effective because individuals love the idea that they are helping others when consuming goods themselves.  This ha led to the rise of cause related marketing campaigns, which in turn have led to several notable and viral marketing campaigns.

In the end, the marketing campaign centered on a cause provides three benefits.  It provides money to a third party that is doing good.  It motivates your clientele and gets them to purchase goods from you, raising your awareness.  Finally, it helps to improve your brand recognition with a beneficial service, causing other people to think more fondly of your product.

Top Cause Marketing Campaigns

Cause related marketing campaigns are nothing new.  In fact, some of the most popular campaigns to date happened before the rise of social media.  Take American Express as an example.  In 1983, they started the American Express Statue of Liberty Restoration.  Through this cause marketing campaign, they raised 1.7 million dollars for the Statue of Liberty restoration, dramatically improving business in the process.  The end result was a good strategy for American Express and the beginning of cause related marketing campaigns.

Cause Related Marketing Campaigns

Another popular example that lives on to today is the 2004 Dove Campaign For Real Beauty.  Creating a charity and movement around positive body self imagine, Dove helped to revolutionize body acceptance, allowing millions of people to benefit.  In addition, 2004 saw the launch of the Live Strong Bracelet.  Worn by presidents, babies, and everyone in between, Live Strong Bracelets helped to raise cancer awareness and attention to professional biking, raising more than 70 million dollars 1$ at a time.

How to Promote Social Causes

Promoting social causes is a relatively complex process to set up and relatively easy once the framework is in place.  The first thing you are going to need for your company is a social media presence when running cause related marketing campaigns.  Extending from your website like a spider’s web, you will want to create profiles across social media platforms, providing unique content in each, building up a following, and creating brand trust through sharing useful information and quickly responding to problems if and when they emerge.

With this network set up, you can begin planning your cause related marketing campaign.  Typically, companies choose something relating to their product, creating a direct tie in from the cause to what their brand is all about.  This makes it easier to promote the social cause without promoting your brand and still get a return when it comes to business.

When a cause is selected, contacted, and an agreement is made, it is time to advertise.  Work with the non-profit or other organization you are working with to advertise your partnership through their existing network.  On your end, begin announcing things on social media platforms and utilize the unique features of each to highlight various aspects of your social cause.  Finally, work beyond your social network and advertise across social media, the Internet, and even in traditional print and television.  When the message is good, affirming, and positive, individuals are more likely to tune in.  Make your message that and be ready for the increase in sales.

Just like any other form of marketing, running successful cause related marketing campaigns requires some practice and experience.  However, by your second campaign, you should be fully ready and aware of what to expect.  Until then, good luck planning your next purpose based marketing.