Cause Marketing is a mainstream term used today to describe cause or cause-related cooperative marketing efforts between a for-profit and a non-profit organization for mutual benefits. Back in 1986 when we started the Barefoot Wine brand, we made up a name because there wasn’t a name...
We often hear, “Follow your passion” as the universal prescription for happiness and success. But we say “Follow your opportunity, passionately” as a more plausible road to success. Opportunities abound! The key is to find a way to take advantage of them using your passion. So...
When you brand single-use containers, you are signing your own garbage. These “brand impressions” last long after the marketing process ends. But does the pollution of the beaches and the oceans benefit your brand image? Or does it broadcast that your brand condones the proliferation of...
Deductions for charitable giving will be significantly reduced in the coming years. Does this mean that the worthy causes that are the recipients of philanthropy will have to get by on less? How can companies afford to support non-profits given this situation? Even without the existing...
The Blue Partnership Blue Moon Brewing Company, part of Miller-Coors, has partnered with the non-profit League to Save Lake Tahoe. The co-promotion takes many forms and is a comprehensive co-branding program. It includes in-store display pieces, on-line videos, beach clean-ups, and even a sweepstakes for a...
The Ubiquity of Cause Marketing Today the term “cause marketing” has become an overused buzzword. Like “green washing,” much of the substance seems to be lost in the term. Some companies deliver “cause marketing” with a check and a “good luck with that.” Then they are...
We developed what we called “Worthy Cause Marketing” growing the Barefoot Wine brand. Our lack of funds forced us to be creative, and in the process, we discovered a way to get the word out on Barefoot Wines and make the world a better place at...
Today, if you are in business, you have to stand for something beyond your product or service. This relatively new concept is being hastened by the wave of transparency possible through the Internet. In the past, producers were so worried about losing customers that they avoided...
With big companies and big non-profits, we often see checks being written for sponsorship rights. This often buys the right to use the non-profits logo on the companies’ products and collateral marketing materials. While many non-profits are reliant on these sponsorships annually, their members need more...
In 1986, when we started the Barefoot Cellars brand, we were faced with the same problem that vexes most consumer product companies: How to get the word out with limited funds. A commercial advertising campaign was simply out of the question. As a new company, we...
Worthy Cause Marketing is a mutually beneficial partnership between private companies and non-profit organizations. The private company aligns itself with an organization’s goals. The company helps the NPO raise funds, provides resources, and raises awareness of the organization. In return, the organization's membership has a social...
There’s a secret Madison Avenue doesn’t want you to know: Worthy-cause marketing can beat conventional advertising for many products, because it gives buyers political and social reasons to buy your product and remain loyal to your brand - and it’s more cost effective. Worthy-cause marketing is...