Cause Talk Radio: The Cause Marketing Podcast

Today, Megan and Joe chat with Sarah Harris, Vice President & Founder of Incite, about her firm's work with nonprofits and companies on cause marketing partnerships. We also discuss Incite's new white paper: The Cause Marketing Triangle: A New Approach to Cause Marketing. Finally, Sarah talks about her recent trip to Africa and how it reinforced that cause always comes before the marketing.

Today Joe and Megan chat with Jenna Reck of Target who explains 'Give With Target', the retailer's first-ever initiative that combines cause with back to school marketing, giving $2.5 million in grants as well as $2.5 million directly to schools via a Facebook voting initiative. Then Artis Stevens with Boys and Girls Clubs shares some of the smart strategy behind their comprehensive 'Tools for Back to School' campaign involving multiple brands executing a variety of cause-related marketing tactics. It's an action-packed show today, not to be missed!

Today, Megan and Joe chat with Ian Simpson, Co-Founder of Tevolution, a cause business that donates back to nonprofits when consumers buy their iced tea and text a code to donate to one of four charities. Ian discusses the challenges of starting and running a cause business and the relentless drive to raise money and to get Tevolution in to more stores. He also reveals how a busy entrepreneur squeezes more hours into his day by removing a real time suck: sleep. Tune in for an episode that will change the way you look at your summertime iced tea...and how you sleep at night!

Today Joe and Megan chat with Christina Bennett of Elizabeth Arden about their bang-up new cause marketing campaign on Pinterest, Pin It To Give It, in partnership with nonprofit Look Good Feel Better. Christina shares how the campaign plans to reach their donation goal of 10,000 eyeliners (valued at $16-$18 each) to Look Good Feel Better by early fall via a very integrated campaign bridging multiple channels and how this campaign may inform the brand's future efforts on Pinterest. We also learn about Elizabeth's Arden's other cause marketing efforts, including a partnership with nonprofit Pencil, focused on employee engagement in local schools.

This week, Megan and Joe talk with Stuart Elliott, advertising columnist at The New York Times about his recent article on "Seeking Success by Helping to Feed the Hungry." In it, Stuart profiles a new campaign called Run 10 Feed 10. Each person who registers to run in 10-kilometer races to be held in 11 cities this fall will trigger 10 meals to people in need in the runner’s community. The partners in the initiative are Unilever, on behalf of four brands, Degree Women, Ragú, Simple and Vaseline; Women’s Health magazine, published by Rodale; the Feed Foundation; and Crowdrise, a Web site that uses social networking and crowdsourcing to help raise money for charities. We discuss how this new campaign may represent a new area of opportunity for media companies that have previously let brands take center stage with cause marketing initiatives. Stuart also reflects on the growth of cause marketing the past few years and where the industry may be headed.

This week Joe and Megan discuss 5 cause marketing trends as highlighted in Network for Good's latest white paper. From crowdsourced philanthropy to social enterprise spin-offs, examples of relevant, effective cause marketing that helps business do well by doing good abound in today's episode. We explore how (and why) companies transform "one off" cause-related products into signature cause platforms, how "invisible" sustainability initiatives comes to life through consumer-facing cause efforts and why local activation is still a powerful weapon in a cause marketer's arsenal.

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan Strand and Joe Waters chat with cause-preneur Jonah Lupton about his new business Cauzly.com. A serial entrepreneur, Jonah shares his insights on starting a cause businesses and the unexpected—yet rewarding—challenges. He also talks about his prolific tweeting, how it benefits his business and how you can grow your own following to rival his—over 200,000 strong!

Today on Cause Talk Radio, we chat with legal experts Kristalyn Loson and Jonathan Pompan, both lawyers in the advertising and nonprofit practice at Venable LLP. From the basics of commercial co-ventures and unrelated business income tax (UBIT) to common legal mistakes made by cause marketers, Kristalyn and Jonathan bring an important perspective to today’s episode. Think your cause marketing’s not going to attract the attention of attorneys general? Think again and get up to speed by listening to today’s episode of Cause Talk Radio.

In today’s episode, Joe and Megan chat with Alexander Chernev, Professor of Marketing at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, about a new study on whether social goodwill sways consumer beliefs. Does cause marketing really allow companies to do well AND good? Find out the answer on today’s show!

Today Joe and Megan chat with Craig Bida to clarify, once and for all, what the difference is between CSR, cause marketing and cause branding. Don't know the difference yourself? Today's show's a must-listen. Craig's background in consumer products at P&G frames the conversation and we take a deep dive into the evolution of this field of doing well by doing good.

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe chat with MoZeus COO Charles Jones about effectively engaging consumers at events. Gone are the days where setting up a booth with kitchy prizes would attract attention. Charles explains how MoZeus is working in a cause marketing capacity with AARP to deepen consumer engagement at NASCAR events in support of their Drive to End Hunger initiative via a tablet-based application. The engagement has been successful in increasing consumer engagement as well as donations in support of their cause partnership.

In this episode of CauseTalk Radio, Megan and Joe talk with Phil “The Godfather of Cause Marketing” McCarty about the signature cause marketing program he helped create, St. Jude’s Thanks and Giving. Phil also offers some great advice and insights for nonprofits that want to realize their own Thanks and Giving aspirations.

In this episode of CauseTalk Radio, Megan and Joe talk with Carol "The Mother of Cause Marketing" Cone about a new study Edelman has just released on the state of cause and social purpose in the world. They also ask Carol the question we all want the answer to: How did she get the title Mother of Cause Marketing?

In this episode of CauseTalk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Tonia Zampieri, Mobile Strategist, Atlantic BT about how mobile technology is changing nonprofit communications and cause marketing partnerships. They discuss having separate mobile strategies for smartphones and tablets, and some new research on the connection between emotion and mobile ads.

In this episode of CauseTalk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Chad Royal-Pascoe, Vice President, National Strategic Alliances, March of Dimes about its new cause marketing initiative called Imbornto (I'm Born To). This is an interesting new endeavor as it reflects a growing trend among nonprofits to own a particular month or season and to bundle advertising and other promotions for maximum impact. For March of Dimes it's the time between Mother's and Father's Day. Chad explains why everyone born in the past 75 should be connected with March of Dimes and how companies can benefit from hitching their cause marketing efforts to this new effort.

In this episode of Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk with Frank Barry, Director of Digital Strategy at Blackbaud, about this week's Nonprofit Technology Conference (NTC) in San Francisco. They discuss what the hot topic is this year at NTC - mobile technology - and surprisingly what's not - Pinterest! Frank also discusses a new report out from Blackbaud on the state of social networking with nonprofits and how they're leveraging blogging, Facebook, Twitter and other networks for good.

In this episode of Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe chat with John Ludlow, Chief Strategy Officer for Snoball about automated giving. We learn more about the Snoball platform, pontificate about why embedded giving is the wave of the future, dismiss claims of slacktivism, and speculate about ways that automated giving can become a cause marketer's dream. Also, Joe suggests best practice phone greetings…be sure to stay tuned all the way to the end of the episode for these valuable gems!

Nonprofit contests are a dime a dozen, it seems. Today, Joe and Megan highlight three great contests that are either open for submissions currently or will be taking place in the near future. First, Ifdy Perez, Community Manager for Razoo, joins us to share "Twive and Receive", a nation-wide fundraising campaign that pits city against city in a one-day fundraising effort on May 24. Then we take a look at Toyota's "100 Cars for Good" campaign (deadline March 26th) and what Toyota does to make this campaign appealing for nonprofits and how it boosts their brand at the same time. Finally, we bring Sherri Wood, founder of nonprofit One Warm Coat, into the conversation to talk about the Cause Marketing Forum/AOL Impact 'Share Your Cause' contest (deadline March 30). As the winner of this contest last year, Sherri talks about why this particular contest was of interest to their nonprofit and what the benefit was to her cause. Join us for all this and more!

This week, Megan and Joe chat with homeless advocate Mark Horvath and Cause Media Group CEO Chris Noble about SxSW. Were the Homeless Hotspots truly a shameless promotion or actually a great idea? Chris and Mark share their fervent opinions. Also, is SXSW the place to be for nonprofits or are their conference funds better spent at other conferences?

In this episode of CauseTalk Radio, Megan and Joe talk with Geoff Livingston, author and Vice President at Razoo.com.  We discuss: A new Case Foundation report on Giving Days, and the success small nonprofits in Washington D. C. have had with the program. Up to 40 U. S. cities may roll out Giving Days in 2012. The Nature Conservancy's partnership with the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue that has created a firestorm of controversy - especially among staffers - for the country's leading environmental organization. Links & Notes Case Foundation Report: How Giving Contests Can Strengthen Nonprofits andCommunities Philanthropy.com: Nature Conservancy Faces Flap Over Fundraising Deal to Promote Swimsuit Issue CompaniesAndCauses.com: SI Swimsuit Issue/Gilt.com Sale Benefitting The Nature Conservancy