Is it a fad? “The in thing”? The ultimate status symbol a corporate can achieve? Or cause branding means business? Is cause branding a balanced business model that will sustain the rigmaroles of the market dynamics?

This paper is going to discuss how a well thought out strategy integrating the business goals with a social objective should make practical sense and be of sustainable nature.

Many a great businessmen, entrepreneurs and highly successful corporate czars have said it time and again that the business should return to the society what it is taking from it. To mention a few of the entrepreneurs who have been successful after adapting this social approach are Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield of “Ben and Jerry’s” ice cream fame say that it was incorporated in their management style to give something back to the society. J.C.Williams of Xerox says, “We seek not only to be an effective commercial enterprise, but also to establish an institution that is socially responsible and constructive.” There can be innumerable examples of such beliefs and attitudes of visionaries who were very successful in their business.

The companies involved can influence two things

So, how do we go about doing cause branding?

Suppliers are the only people whom you can compel to do stuff. Asking good quality product is also a benefit that the corporate are giving to the society. They spend enormously on vendors’ quality standards. This is sometimes driven by the fear of competition and sometimes an internal opinion. The later is the stand that makes the cause branding a long term bonding with the corporate.

Before going on to the stockholders we have to see what buyers perceive cause branding as. Because the stock value by and large depend on the costumer acceptance of a company. Sales lead to higher profits, by and large, and wealth is created for the stockholders. Consumers if want to be a part of the cause branding will have to pay a price for it. No, this is not always true. If the marketing people can come out with some creative ideas to get the consumer interest and also save something for the society it can be easily done. Another example over here can be of NIIT Ltd., which is involved in computer education along with many other business interests. They offer hundred thousand scholarships each year by conducting an examination. By this they get a huge clientele base and earn extraordinary revenues in the process of conducting the examination. On the other hand the hundred thousand people benefit from this scheme of scholarship. This shows that it is more about using your mental abilities than being resourceful to serve the society. A market research done in the United States of America shows that 73% of the consumers want the corporates to associate themselves to a cause for the society.

To sum up, cause branding strengthens internal corporate cultures and has a dramatic influence on employee pride, morale and loyalty.

Tisco on old economy company has in its ninety-seven years of operation has seen only one strike by the workers. In the late thirties when there was immense unrest in the company the workers did not put their tools down because at the back of the mind the workers new what the company was doing for its workers. There are circumstances when the organization has to make some tough decisions as lay offs, but one thing should be made clear that for the larger interest of the community if few have to sacrifice then so be it.

One of the most important things the marketer has to do is to communicate this strategy well to all its consumers to gain their support. This loyalty developed through proper communication strategy of the corporate will develop into an emotional bond

Some topics in this essay:
Ravi Shankar, JCWilliams Xerox, ESOPs India, United America, Indian FMCG, Cause Branding, , NIIT Ltd, cause branding, Jerry Greenfield, Limited Indian, brand cause, giving society, breast cancer, thousands people, socially responsible, example company, costumer acceptance, brand image, conducting examination,