A pioneer and leader in cause-related marketing, Interlex draws on its expertise and resources as a full-service advertising agency with a background in social marketing, advocacy marketing and issues marketing in developing campaigns that advance important social causes while also aligning branding strategy of corporate partners. Our Public Relations Online department includes a partnership development practice devoted specifically to forging robust and sustainable non-profit partnerships for our corporate clients.
Cause-related marketing is an important and growing sphere, particularly within certain fields Interlex is renowned for mastering, including: public health communications and multicultural communications. As government funding for non-profit organizations decreases and the ability of an economically challenged population to make charitable contributions is also pinched, cause-related marketing is a reflection of the growing importance of good corporate citizenry to social progress.
Cause-related marketing first emerged – and continues to be quite evident – in the field of public health communications. In this arena, Interlex has developed cause-related marketing campaigns for clients including the American Cancer Society, Special Olympics and the Pan American Development Foundation.
Cause-related marketing is also an important strategy within multicultural communications. Conscientious corporations driven by a desire to connect with growing multicultural communities in an emotionally compelling and culturally relevant manner have often focused their minority outreach efforts on cause-related marketing campaigns that reinforce their branding strategy. Interlex has combined its expertise in multicultural communications with its specialization in cause-related marketing consistently over the years.
As an advocate for minority issues, agency CEO Rudy Ruiz believes that one of the key ways to help address glaring disparities within minority communities in the areas of health, education and income is the strategic combination of cause-related marketing and advocacy marketing. To that end, Interlex works with corporations such as American Express, the company credited with coining the term “cause-related marketing,” to develop campaigns that help educate and empower multicultural communities through relevant minority outreach while building our clients' brands and business at the same time.
Featured Article:
Establish Market Presence Successfully with Cause Related Marketing
[Posted on February 14]
Establishing your presence in a new market can always be a challenging task, especially in the current economic environment. As consumers in certain market segments become disillusioned with big business, companies looking to enter these markets will have to find a way to engender trust in meaningful ways. There are methods to establish market presence in even the most challenging economic landscapes, and one of the most effective methods is cause related marketing.
Experience is an obvious advantage when trying to penetrate new markets, but relying on certain marketing methods that worked when the economic environment was more robust will simply not receive the same success today. Instead, companies will have to explore alternative methods that currently address the people’s concerns. Cause related marketing can make an enormous impact on the lives of your target market and allow your company to effectively transmit its message while also establishing an important foothold within your new market.
Many organizations have successfully used cause related marketing to realize impressive results. Ben and Jerry’s Homemade Ice Cream used cause related marketing by offering jobs to youth, providing education programs, apprenticeship programs, and sponsoring local events and school teams. Another method is to partner with a non-profit or governmental organization. By forming a cohesive and mutually-beneficial relationship between your firm and an established non-profit organization, your message of partnership will be communicated with clarity so that your firm will be able to enjoy a positive reputation as being a company that practices good corporate citizenship.
Cause related marketing is challenging to navigate, as in-depth knowledge of your target market is essential when implementing this strategy. This is especially the case when trying to penetrate new multicultural markets.
