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Aligning your brand with a charity, more than just PR

Guest post by: Catriona Pollard

Article Overview: Let's face it, people like to associate themselves with businesses and brands that support causes. When embarking on a charity initiative, consider the sort of giving that you'd like to be involved in and why you're doing it. If corporate charity is undertaken as an obligation or as a means of self-promotion, this will show through in your efforts, and no matter how great your giving, it will be seen as less than sincere.

Aligning your brand with a charity, more than just PR

Let's face it, people like to associate themselves with businesses and brands that support causes. October was Breast Cancer awareness month and everyone everywhere was out buying products covered in pink.

We attended a Cancer Council fund raising event at Aqua Dining. The owners of the Ripples and Aqua Dining restaurants organised an amazing series of breakfasts raising over $100,000 for the Cancer Council.

Not only did Aqua Dining align their brand to a cause and raise crucial money for research, they cemented their own brand as socially responsible.

So how can you align your brand to a charity or cause?

Do it for the right reasons.

When embarking on a charity initiative, consider the sort of giving that you'd like to be involved in and why you're doing it. If corporate charity is undertaken as an obligation or as a means of self-promotion, this will show through in your efforts, and no matter how great your giving, it will be seen as less than sincere.

Pick a charity or cause that means something to you.

The organisation you choose need not be directly related to the work your business does or be a nationally or internationally recognised group/cause. Get together with your staff and discuss the various organisations and causes that mean something to you and that you are best able to help with your [limited] resources and time.

While alignment with a charity from the same industry as your business (for instance if you're in the health industry, working with a children's health group) does provide a certain synergy, if it better suits your needs, your giving can be as simple as helping out the local animal shelter.

Research the cause.

Once you have selected the charity or cause you wish to support, it is important that you research the group you choose to ensure that their objectives and needs don't conflict with your own business objectives, and that there are clear opportunities for you to help.

Don't just donate money.

There are many ways that a company can contribute to its chosen charity or cause. Many local level organisations have a greater need for donated goods and services, or for people able to volunteer for a couple of hours each month than they do for a straight cash donation.

Your business may sell a product or service that the charity needs that you can either donate entirely, or offer at a discounted rate. You may be able to help by selling a selection of the charities branded merchandise at your office reception.

Your next team building activity day can be coupled together with a volunteer working-bee at your charity. You may also help by organising or sponsoring a fundraising event, or running a garage sale to raise funds or a donation-drive to collect much needed goods.

Contact the charity and they will usually be able to advise what you may be able to donate or how best you can help.

Ask the charity to partner.

A strategic partnership built over time, where the business and charity promote the relationship reciprocally, is more powerful than a one off instance of giving. Through continued involvement both organisations are exposed to the other's network of contacts providing a greater pool of potential customer/donators, and build a greater brand awareness level within the community than could be done alone.

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Article Tags: brand, branding, Catriona Pollard, charity, CP Communications, donationcorporate charity, public relations



Related Forum Posts
Re: Ideas For Business - [quote="Stas Z":191lb7aa]Hi, I'm Lucy's partner for this project and I think I came up with an idea of how to attract people. Sure selling is one thing, but heres something that definitely attracts people and thats charity! Everywhere you look today, even in the subway their selling pizzas that cost much higher then what you could buy at the store, but mostly people buy them because they know their money would go to charity and that makes them feel good and makes them think that they have just made a difference. I still have not figured out the percentage but if we donate like 25% of the money earned to charity for example, more people would buy. Charity is used in business to help people out but as well as attract more customers to their business. I know this might sound like a stupid idea but hey you can never know for sure until you try your ideas. Thats what business is all about.[/quote:191lb7aa] Finding a charity that is important to the people you will market to is a big help. Its also good if you are personally enthusiastic about the charity. If you do a good size event with a charity, there are great ways to promote and lots of free promotion - but that would be a big event and you need the support of the charity. Shri
Re: Ideas For Business - Hi, I'm Lucy's partner for this project and I think I came up with an idea of how to attract people. Sure selling is one thing, but heres something that definitely attracts people and thats charity! Everywhere you look today, even in the subway their selling pizzas that cost much higher then what you could buy at the store, but mostly people buy them because they know their money would go to charity and that makes them feel good and makes them think that they have just made a difference. I still have not figured out the percentage but if we donate like 25% of the money earned to charity for example, more people would buy. Charity is used in business to help people out but as well as attract more customers to their business. I know this might sound like a stupid idea but hey you can never know for sure until you try your ideas. Thats what business is all about.
Fundraising for 3rd world Entrepreneurs - How great to learn that Evan is doing something for Entrepreneurs in Africa! It just makes me even more thankful to be part of this forum! After helping create a new charity for animals in my local community last year, I created a vision for a charity empowering Women Entrepreneurs. It won't happen for a while yet, but I know it is something I will do within the next few years. As we allow ourselves to think bigger, the opportunity to impact people becomes much bigger as well. Does anyone else have a desire to really make a difference in the world through this means?
Re: OT: Shop For Museums - [quote="ChrisH":umtugzcr]So, if you were looking at the same or a similar item at two different places and one was giving a percentage to charity and the other wasn't - which one would you choose?? Chris[/quote:umtugzcr] If ALL things were equal, except one vendor was giving a charitable donation, then sure I'd support the socially responsible buisness... but otherwise, I'd buy from the one that was more convenient for myself (e.g. let's say the store that didn't give to charity was closer or had an easier website to navigate through).
Re: OT: Shop For Museums - [quote="Kevin":2odw2s8a]While I'm all in favor of supporting worthy causes... I'm not sure that donating a small portion of profits to a non-profit organization/charity would entice me to spend more money with a particular retailer/vendor. I mean, if a person wanted to make a difference, wouldn't it just be easier to give a direct donation?[/quote:2odw2s8a] There are a good number of places that use this strategy and they even offer the option on Ebay listings. That is a way for people to buy what they want and still be able to do something good for someone else. So, if you were looking at the same or a similar item at two different places and one was giving a percentage to charity and the other wasn't - which one would you choose?? Chris


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