Building CSR into Your Brand Fabric

Until quite recently, companies considered themselves to be good citizens if they paid their taxes, complied with the law and maybe supported a few good causes. They seldom paused to consider their wider relationship with society, nor were they expected to. 

Time have changed now, and for the better. Business are facing challenging times wold wide. Increased competition and commercial difficulties are combining with intensifying regulatory standards and consumer demand to create a whole new playing field. Conventional outlook of business is also changing. No longer are people confidently expecting government alone to sort things out. And all over the world, the role of multinational corporations is being reappraised. It is no longer enough for these organization to simply employ people, make a profit and pay taxes. Being part of the world, they are now expected to act responsibly, be accountable and benefit society as a whole. This is the new agenda of corporate social and environmental responsibility (CSER) or corporate citizenship. From a trickle, it has become a wave far-reaching boardrooms across the world. As the general public, the commentators, the analysts, the media and governments all now expect big business to practice responsible behavior, There are commercial consequences to be paid by those who do not. In other words, as the issues become more pressing and more widely felt, corporate responsibility has shifted from being a voluntary and often reluctant add-on to a central leaders have been quick to embrace this new philosophy spotting its potential for triple bottom line benefits - Profit for the economic bottom line, the social bottom line and the environmental bottom line. And since more and more companies are making their social initiatives public, CSR has now emerged as the latest tool to enhance your branding.


Be`Cause (its`s) Branding!
For a brand to find success and growth in today`s marketplace, it must become a relevant part of a customer`s life. Brands can do this by responding to trends, understanding customer concerns, and joining with customers and employees to meet real societal needs - Cause branding.

"Brand A was there for us when the earthquake hit us. Brand Y financially supports programs to improve child education. Brand X is giving back to the community and investing in our future. I will support Brand X and tell my friends and family to do the same."

Cause branding is the public face of a comprehensive CSR program. Its is a strategy to unite a brand`s core value (s) with a consumer passion and the right cause partner to raise awareness and funds to positively impact to positively impact a societal need.  It is a continuous 365-day - a - year association with a cause via internal and external programs. A true cause branding program is about one issue, be it health,  the environment, literacy, youth education or any other societal need.  It is a true branding endeavor to align a cause and a brand`s support of that cause in the consumers mind. While CSR can work to establish a brand as a good corporate citizen, cause branding forges a true emotional connection between a brand and its customers to support a cause that reflects the brand`s core values and the passions of customers and consumers. so overloaded with content, yet at the same time so fragmented, that a consumer who needs and most likely is looking for a specific product, can`t find it. In a growing marketplace that features declining rates of traditional media consumption a brand must embrace new strategies to break through the clutter and differentiate itself in the eyes of a consumer.  

Embracing cause branding makes good business sense. Nothing builds brand loyaity among today`s increasingly hard-to-please consumers like a company`s proven commitment to a worthy cause. Other things being equal, many consumers would rather do business with a company that stands for something beyond profits. Your cause branding activities highlights your company`s reputation within your target market. It can positively differentiate your company from your competitors and provide an edge that delivers other tangible benefits, including increased sales, visibility, customer loyalty, enhanced company image and positive media coverage. 

Today consumers expect if not demand, that multinationals and bid local companies play an active role in enhancing quality of life in local communities. This change is occurring because in many eyes ths government bureaucracy is seen as too big and slow, and not tuned in or responsive to needs of people. The seemingly never-ending stories of   corruption, regardless of what party is in power have also worked to disillusion the public. It is only a matter of time until the scandal and indictments  against government officials commence. Increasingly, business is seen as the entity most able to deliver services during a crisis. This shift is occurring because business and brands are closer and more responsive of multinationals, big locals and high worth individuals to the earthquake of 2005 was not a singular event but shining example of the growing role companies overtly plays in responding to local needs A brand with a focused cause branding strategy, aligned with a specific cause that is relevant to consumers, can easily stake a claim in the minds of consumers, "Brand A was there for us when the earthquake hit us. Brand Y financially supports programs to improve child education. Brand X is giving back to the community and investing in our future. I will support Brand X and tell my friends and family to do the same." This is the potential impact on reputation that a focused cause branding program can have,. By leveraging media channels to raise awareness of a cause  branding program a brand can activate the coveted word-of-mouth endorsement all brands seek to enhance corporate reputation. 

Developed and executed correctly, cause branding is a strategy to differentiate a brand from its competitors and positively impact a brand`s corporate reputation. Thus the objective of a cause branding program is to positively enhance corporate reputation with the intent to gain favor in the minds of consumers. The outcome of that favor is brand advocacy by consumers and its cause partner with the desired outcome being a services or products.

How to get started?

Any brand can establish a cause branding program as it progresses. A brand follows this path as it matures from local check writing and traditional philanthropy to cause marketing promotions and, ultimately, to committed, long-term support of a cause and nonprofit partner with a sustained cause branding program. A true cause branding program is national is scope and executed across all marketing platforms. 

The objective of a successful cause branding effort is to effect real change to improve the society, the common thread is the cause, which must be relevant to three key audiences. 

Brand Partner - The cause must align with a brand`s values and/or its products and services. The program must embody a core value to be authentic and embraced by both internal and external audiences. 

Cause Partner - The cause partner should have natural affiliation with the brand.

Consumer Partner - The cause must be relevant to a brand`s core customer segment.

The Cause Commitment - must resonate with core customers to build a foundation for growth and to activate those individuals who will become vocal advocates for the brand and the cause. The cause must also be relevant to a brand`s target consumers to attract new customers to the brand and drive ever-increasing participation and fundraising for the cause. 

While it may seem daunting to begin utilizing cause branding in your business, you will soon find that it becomes second nature. Not only will you increase your profits, but you will be giving back to the society. You will quickly discover that a well implemented cause related branding plan is truly a win-win situation!