The 3 Cardinal Rules of Cause Marketing

happens in the physical store. Mobile, social, and other digital channels have been largely underutilized as cause marketing tools, despite being among the most effective means of driving word of mouth and engagement, says Megan Strand, director of communications at the Cause Marketing Forum. WeWIN, a mobile app development company that has designed an API-based rewards program capable of tying into e-commerce systems, is seeking to change that.

At the Wireless Association's (CTIA) Super Mobility Week earlier this year, WeWIN launched a blood donor app as part of its work with the Red Cross. The free app allows users to schedule blood donations, earn rewards for their participation, and share their activity on social media. Through the Red Cross' corporate partnerships with brands such as Legal Sea Foods, ProFlowers, Plow & Hearth, Shari's Berries, CitySports, 1A Auto, and others, WeWIN's app enables consumers to collect rewards from the companies in the form of exclusive offers and discounts. So far, the app has been well received; in less than one month after the launch, it became the most downloaded app on iTunes in the medical category.

For the Red Cross, the benefits are clear, but for its corporate partners, the return is a little more nuanced. While programs like CVS' Lung Force campaign encourage shoppers to donate at the register after the purchasing decision has already been made, Red Cross donations happen before any purchases from a specific brand take place. This flips the business model, and gives brands an edge.

"Customers are going into stores with a coupon that they received after donating blood. It's almost like retailers are saying, 'Thank you for doing this great thing. We believe in it, too, which is why we're giving you this discount.' It creates an emotional connection for consumers and makes them feel like brands are sharing in their mission," Syd Dufton, CEO of WeWIN, says.

Dufton explains that when a purchase is predicated on a cause marketing campaign, the campaign is likely to be more effective because it's often the reason a customer walks into the store. Though point-of-sale campaigns can be successful, they often "feel like an afterthought" and are less likely to be memorable, he says. Plus, rewards-based campaigns are more transparent because corporations aren't tasked with the actual donation process—donations take place first through the charitable organization and reward redemption takes place later.

WeWIN's app also taps into the reach of social media to raise awareness about important causes. Through the Red Cross app, blood donors are encouraged to take selfies during the donation process and share them with their friends, as well as share personalized status updates about the reward they received. "It’s important that companies incorporate social media into their cause marketing. It's a wildfire when it comes to spreading the word," Dufton says.

The awareness-raising potential of social media culminated in the summer of 2014, when the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge became a viral campaign. The challenge started spreading in July when Pete Frates, a former Boston College baseball player diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, started posting about it on social media with his father's help. The campaign was spread through videos, which consisted of the participant dumping a bucket of ice water on his or her head, and then inviting three 

Related Articles

Forrester Releases Wave Report on Social Media Marketing

Seven companies are named as top providers of social media marketing management.