Statistics Every Cause Marketer Should Know

By David Hessekiel, Cause Marketing Forum

If you're a cause marketer, you undoubtedly need quick access to research to support your daily work.  Here are some statistics from 2008 to 2011 that shed new light on doing well by doing good.
 

2011

The Numbers - Although it's difficult to quantify cause marketing spending, IEG's numbers put corporate cause sponsorship at $1.68 billion in 2011, predicted to grow to $1.73 billion in 2012.

Consumers Crave Communication - Ninety-three percent of consumers want to know what companies are doing to make the world a better place and 91% also want to be heard by companies.  Unfortunately, 71% report being confused by the message companies use to talk about their efforts and impacts. 2011 Cone/Echo Global CR Study

Millennials: A Critical Cause Demographic - Millennials, more than Non-Millennials, prefer active engagement in cause campaigns, such as volunteering their time (31% versus 26%), cause-support purchasing (37% versus 30%), encouraging others to support a cause (30% versus 22%), and participating in fundraising events (27% versus 16%). Thirty-seven percent of Millennials report being drawn to products co-branding with cause campaigns where their purchase is a form of support, such as Tom's Shoes One for One Campaign.  American Millennials: Deciphering the Enigma Generation, a report from Barkley based on research conducted as part of a joint partnership with Service Management Group, The Boston Consulting Group and Barkley

2010

Consumer Expect Marketing with Purpose Globally – Eighty-six percent of consumers around the world believe that business needs to place at least equal weight on societal interests as on business interests.  2010 Edelman goodpurpose
 
Marketing Experts Agree - Two-thirds of brands now engage in cause marketing (up from 58% in 2009) and 97% of marketing executives believe it is a valid business strategy. 2010 PRWeek/Barkely PR Cause Survey
 
Communication is Key - 90% of consumers want companies to tell them the ways they are supporting causes. Nearly two-thirds (61%) don’t think companies are giving them enough details about their efforts, including the amounts donated and the length of the promotions.  2010 Cone Cause Evolution Study
 
Hispanics and African Americans Respond to CM - One-third of Hispanic and African American consumers report that they almost always choose brands that support causes they believe in, compared to just one in five Non-Hispanic Whites. Yankelovich MONITOR Multicultural Study 2010
 

2009

Consumers Punish Companies with Bad Reputations:   72% of US consumers say they have avoided purchasing products from companies whose practices they disagree with.  2009 BBMG Conscious Consumer Report
 
People Seek Authentic Corporate Commitment -  Globally 66% of people believe it’s no longer enough for corporations to merely give money away, but that they must integrate good causes into their day-to-day business.   2009 Edelman goodpurpose Consumer Study
 
Consumers Believe Companies Can Make a Difference - 60% of US consumers say businesses are in the best position to impact social issues, as opposed to government (14%).  2009 Waggener Edstrom Worldwide Consumer Research
 
Marketers Are Sticking With It - 61% of CMOs say they plan to maintain their level of cause commitment in spite of the recession.  2009 PRWeek/Barkley Cause Survey
 

2008

Cause Marketing Increases Sales - Behavioral research demonstrated a 28 to 78% increase in actual purchase within the toothpaste and shampoo categories.  2008 Cone/Duke University Behavioral Cause Study
 
Cause Increasingly Creates Differentiation - 79% of Americans say they would be likely to switch from one brand to another, when price and quality are about equal, if the other brand is associated with a good cause (compared to 66% in 1993). 2008 Cone Cause Evolution Study

People are Cause Conscious in Many Aspects of Life - 89% of Americans state it is very/somewhat important to know about the values of companies they come in contact with - whether through buying products, working for them or living in a community in which they operate.  The 2008 MS&L Global Values Study