Cause Marketing

As CSR and sustainability have shifted from the margins to the mainstream in recent years, they’ve become even more complex and controversial topics. At Gibbs & Soell’s Sense and Sustainability Summit on Tuesday in New York, CSR advisors and media specialists tackled some of the key issues.

Even the terminology and scope of these areas was up for discussion. The panelists favored a more holistic definition not limited to environmental and philanthropic initiatives. Laura Gitman, managing director at BSR (Business for Social Responsibility), noted that traditional metrics are no longer enough and that ESG (environmental, social and governance) indicators should be used. Bryan Walsh, senior editor at TIME magazine, observed, “It’s strange to label sustainability as though it’s a separate part of business.” Diane Brady, senior editor at Bloomberg Businessweek, said she equates sustainability with long-term profitability. Below are other key takeaways.

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Launch a social media campaign that will build your brand and deliver results in our online Social Media Marketing Boot Camp starting June 7. Speakers include Abigail Cusick (Bravo Digital), Gregory Galant (Sawhorse Media), Alex Leo (Thomson Reuters Digital), Jim Tobin (Ignite Social Media), and many more. Read the reviews.

Ogilvy Public Relations has launched OgilvyEngage, a practice focused on getting consumers to change their habits in response to socially responsible public health and safety programs. Actions can include something as personal as taking medication according to a doctor’s prescription.

“A company can deepen its relationship with its customers by supporting them in such actions as managing their healthcare, developing better nutrition habits, and protecting their homes and their assets. It’s good for the customer and society and that makes it good for the business,” said Ogilvy PR CEO Christopher Graves in a statement.

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UBM, parent company for PR Newswire, has partnered with the city of Anaheim, C.A. and other local organizations for the Business4Better Conference, an event focused on best practices, tools, and networking for corporate social responsibility programs. The conference will take place May 1 and May 2, 2013. Click here to learn more.

Edelman has launched its eighth global practice, Business + Social Purpose, which will bring together the CSR, sustainability, and citizenship areas under one umbrella. The new practice will be led by global practice chair Carol Cone, who will work with regional leaders and 125 staffers to serve companies, NGOs, nonprofits, and other organizations.

The practice will provide services including brand and corporate citizenship strategies, reputation and image management, and sustainability. Clients include Adobe, Brita, PNC Financial Services, and Southwest Airlines.

Besides the services offered to others, the firm launched Edelman Citizenship in July of last year, which published its first Global Citizenship Report and donated $5.1 million in cash and pro bono services.

After the jump, we’ve got a few infographics with results from the 2012 Edelman goodpurpose study.

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The U.S. Olympic team is one of the few that doesn’t receive funding from the government. To shine a light on U.S. athletes and the people who help them make it to the Games, the U.S. Olympic Committee has launched “Raise Our Flag,” a campaign that kicked off this morning in New York’s Times Square with help from Cohn & Wolfe.

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Allison+Partners has chosen Adopt-A-Classroom for its annual pro bono program, donating $150,000 in PR services for 2012 to the nonprofit organization. Adopt-A-Classroom works with community partners to provide teachers with funding for school supplies and other resources. Allison+Partners has already started working with the group; Adopt-A-Classroom launched the “Help Henryville” program with OfficeMax on March 2 to benefit a Henryville, IN school that was destroyed by a tornado.

Allison+Partners chose Adopt-A-Classroom using a proprietary evaluation system, the Cause Marketing Accelerator, which matches a cause program with the values and brand of the agency.

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Yes, it’s 1.7 million views, which in many cases would be a viral success. But we’re talking about “Kony 2012: Part II,” the sequel to the viral video phenomenon that racked up 100 million views in less time only a month ago. These numbers for the latest film are just two percent of what the original video reached.

In music, there’s a known fear of the follow-up album, with fans, artists, and record companies scared that the second time around won’t live up to the debut. The problem with Kony 2012′s second outing aren’t just that the film isn’t as good as the original.

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The sequel to the wildly viral Kony 2012 documentary was released yesterday and so far, it has gathered 302 views on YouTube and about 900 media hits.

The first film became the most viral video in history, reaching 100 million views in six days. And in that time, filmmaker and Invisible Children co-founder Jason Russell made appearances on all manner of broadcast shows talking about the film and the criticism of it.

This time around, with “Kony 2012: Part II – Beyond Famous” it looks like things are taking a much more calm turn, which might not be an all together bad thing.

 

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Today is World Autism Awareness Day, and the United Nations has placed a focus on how best to help those suffering from autism spectrum disorders and their families.

Ban Ki-Moon, the UN Secretary General, said in a statement that countries around the world need to step up their efforts to address the needs of the autistic, research this disorder, and help those impacted with health services.

“On this Day in New York, Vienna and Geneva, the United Nations Postal Administration is releasing six commemorative postage stamps and two collectible envelopes dedicated to autism awareness.  These tiny pieces of paper — with images created by artists who have been diagnosed with autism — will send a powerful message to people around the world that talent and creativity live inside all of us,” the statement says.

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You may have started to see a lot of blue Facebook profile photos pop up on your news feed. As part of its annual fundraiser for Autism Speaks, Toys “R” Us is incorporating the nonprofit’s “Light It Up Blue” awareness campaign into its efforts.

Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us each have apps that will transform a supporter’s profile picture  into a blue autism awareness message. (Sample here.) The profile picture swap began this week; the awareness program began on March 1 and will continue through April 30.

This is the sixth year that Toys “R” Us has supported Autism Speaks. Donations to the cause can be made at Toys “R” Us stores and online. So far, the tally is more than $1.2 million.

Monday April 2 is World Autism Awareness Day. To commemorate the occasion and raise awareness, Autism Speaks asks people to shine a blue light like those seen in prior years at the Empire State Building and the Paris Stock Exchange. This is the organization’s third year with the “Light It Up Blue” campaign.