In today’s day and age, “cause marketing” has become both a norm and an expectation – potential customers who visit your website and see your advertising want to know that you share their desire to make this world a better place. Studies show that more Canadian consumers than ever care about how companies are supporting social causes.
In fact, when quality and price are equivalent, social purpose is the number one deciding factor for shoppers. The high volume of consumers who say that they would switch from one brand to another if the other brand were associated with a good cause has climbed to 87%.
Even niche markets, such as college students, now show a striking preference for brands that are socially responsible. According to a newly released study from Alloy Media, nearly 95% of students say they are less likely to ignore an ad that promotes a brand’s partnership with a cause.
What we often find when we perform what we like to call our “digital health checks”, is that while many brands do work on various wonderful social cause initiatives (found buried somewhere within their website), not many take the time to share this as part of their story! And we believe you should.
Why? Though people may think that their purchasing decisions are based on rational choices, most consumers really decide what to buy and whom to buy it from, based on their emotions. Most consumers seek an emotional connection and want to feel good about how they spend their money. Sharing a feel-good experience with your customers about the ways in which your brand gives back creates an emotional connection with your business. Not only does this lead to brand awareness, but it also fosters customer loyalty.
It’s not just about how consumers feel about your brand anymore; it’s about how your brand makes consumers feel about themselves. What is in the hearts of your consumers? What matters to them? What are you doing about it? And how are you getting this message across so that they know about it?
To really put the power of cause marketing into perspective, check out our most recent Vaughan Mills “Lock In Your Love for Sick Kids” holiday spot, produced by our sister company Door Knocker Media. Next, we want to help you share your cause! Tell us what you stand for, and let’s craft a beautiful story.
