Definitions

Cause marketing (also known as cause-related marketing) is an umbrella term that covers a rich range of marketing activity. Central to its definition is the idea of a marketing partnership between a business and nonprofit entity for mutual benefit.

Cause marketing is not:

• “Social Marketing,” the use by nonprofit and public organizations of marketing techniques to impact societal behavior (e.g. stop smoking, don’t pollute, don’t use drugs, don’t drive drunk.)

nor is it:

• “Corporate Philanthropy,” the giving (without expectation of direct corporate gain) of charitable financial and in-kind grants by companies or their corporate foundations.

Two of the best definitions of cause marketing are:

• “(A)strategic positioning and marketing tool that links a company or brand to a relevant social cause or issue, for mutual benefit.” From “Brand Spirit, How Cause Related Marketing Builds Brands” by Hamish Pringle and Marjorie Thompson, Wiley, 1999

• “A commercial activity by which businesses and charities or causes form a partnership with each other to market an image, product or service for mutual benefit.” Business in the Community, the leading British corporate social responsibility organization