When I recently saw print and video advertisements about Tata Tea's Jaago Re! campaign, I was pleasantly surprised. It was pleasant because of two very important reasons. It's probably one of those rarest of rares - where a company is not advertising (at least directly) about its product. It is an equivalent of PIL (Public Interest Litigation) in marketing, probably! The advertisement is sensitizing the Indian people about their voting rights and almost convincingly arguing that it's a responsibility (once in five years hopefully). I am sure you would have come across " Har Subah Sirf Utho Mat. Jaago Re!" campaign. Wasn't it pleasant, for a change? Secondly, it is talking about the most powerful and vibrant part of any functional and operational democracy - people voice.
Of course, apart of Tata Tea, other Indian companies - HUL, for instance - have taken up social causes too. It's a welcome change from all these FMCGs? Why only FMCGs, by the way? I hope we would see more of these social cause marketing campaigns.
Of course, the cynics would have their plate full of arguments. Why not? After all, if there's no free lunch, why this? Just the way Adam Smith said, "It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer or the baker, that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own self interest. We address ourselves, not to their humanity but to their self-love, and never talk to them of our own necessities but of their advantages".
The arguments aside, I am intrigued about :
(a) Why social cause marketing? What is the intended objective? Why should companies commit their shareholders' money for social issues? Or is it to do with the company's values?
(b) What is the difference between a Social Cause Marketing initiative and a Corporate Social Responsibility Initiative, after all?
(c) Just the way brands are endorsed by celebrities (famous sports persons, actors, etc) , should a social cause be endorsed by a powerful brand, in that the powerful brand becomes the celebrity endorser for the social cause taken up? What happens if an important social cause is addressed by a not-so-well-known brand? Would it have the same reach as a powerful brand would have?
(d) At what stage of brand life cycle, would it be meaningful for any brand to get out of its comfort zone and start embracing social causes?
(e) Are the social cause marketing initiatives truly sustainable?
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4 comments
Naga Sandhya Ramadugu
May 7, 2009 at 10:42 PMJaago Re Campaign is truly a sensitizing ad. Going by the number of voters who registered in the website, it is worth saying that the campaign has achieved its objective to some extent. But the question is how far every company can take up social causes? Of course not everyone, since the nature of business differ. I feel, for instance, tobacco or alcoholic brands cannot initiate Cause-Related Marketing. Even though they take up, can they attain the intended objectives – building brand equity, competitive edge, customer loyalty, etc., of this communication tool.
Social-Cause Marketing is, no doubt a very powerful communication tool for the brands to stand out in the clutter. The partnerships between brands and charities can increase customer loyalty and help the brands stay in consumer’s minds, of course for a short span. It is a way of communicating company’s Corporate Social Responsibility through marketing communications. Here, again the question arises, should the companies commit their shareholder’s money for social issues. Yes, because Social-Cause marketing is creating brand equity.
But, can the brands initiate Cause-Related Marketing at all the stages of brand life cycle. I feel, in the early stages, companies have the mindset of earning profits and expanding their revenue base. However, once they establish themselves as a brand and reach the stage of stability, they tend to move towards social causes, to uphold the brand image and values.
Very intriguing discussion. I thought of commenting on (d) when should a brand be connected to a social cause. Three are quite a few example when new brands (products) are getting linked to a suitable and established social brand (if not cause). Call it differentiation factor or something else, but the bottom line has gone up more often than not.
January 28, 2010 at 2:33 AMOne such example is Lotus Herbals, a new but underdog brand in personal care.
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