In the span of a few years, cause marketing has gone from an under-the-radar marketing tactic to a major cornerstone of many brands’ strategy. These companies are taking cues from their audience – according to research from Sprout Social, 70 percent of consumers want brands to take a stand on social and political issues. As a result, corporate giving is on the rise. On Giving Tuesday in 2022, donations were projected to total $3.2 billion, marking a new record and 18 percent increase over 2021. 

It’s wonderful news that businesses are choosing to donate more money than ever before. However, we can’t ignore that in 2023 and beyond, cause marketing still comes with new risks. The way consumers interact with brands has completely changed in recent years, and they’re not afraid to call out problems when they find them. Before initiating a new cause marketing campaign, be sure to consider these key questions to avoid turning your campaign into a disaster. 

Can I follow through on the commitments I make to support this cause? 

First and foremost, before your brand engages in a cause marketing campaign, you need to confirm you have the capabilities and funds to follow through on the commitments you make. One of the biggest cause marketing mistakes any business can commit is publicly making an empty promise. If your organization ultimately can’t provide transparency and deliver the support you promised, consumers will think you’ve intentionally misled them to earn brownie points. This can damage your brand’s reputation and leave you in a worse PR spot than you started in. If your business leaders aren’t confident that they will have the time or resources needed to do the campaign right, you should refrain from starting any cause marketing activities. 

Is my contribution meaningful? 

How impactful and meaningful your support is will vary based on your company’s size and resources. However, the moral here is to avoid looking like your brand is fishing for compliments or begging for good press from a low-involvement act. A company’s actions can look superficial if they aren’t careful. In fact, more than half of all consumers believe brands that take a stand do so for PR purposes (Sprout Social).  

To buck those assumptions, your business may want to consider donating a percentage of profits or volunteering a percentage of work hours, rather than giving a hard number. If you frame your donation as a percentage of proceeds, consumers can better gauge how significant the contribution is for your company. To further cement the good intentions of your cause marketing campaign, we recommend connecting the cause back to your company’s core values. This can help prove that your actions run much deeper than a one-time grab for good press. 

Is there an influencer or other organization I can partner with for this effort? 

As the saying goes, two is better than one. Joining forces with another organization or influencer to promote the campaign will organically extend your reach much further than just your existing audience. Some ideal partners might be an advocate with deep knowledge or personal connection to the chosen cause, or a local organization who addresses the issue in your own community. Adding these voices to your effort can lend credibility and potentially introduce your company to a new audience that isn’t yet familiar with your brand. Working with a partner also means they can provide more resources to support the cause, helping you make an even larger impact.  

Are there any reasons we should not be talking about this cause? 

This may be the hardest but most crucial question to answer. Before you announce your support for a cause, consider your company or top executives’ history and background. Is there any unsettling news that could come out that would distract from the particular cause you’re hoping to promote? If there is something controversial out there to find, today’s Internet sleuths will find it. Instead of focusing on your generous contributions, the conversation will turn into a dissection of the uncovered secrets – and how ignorant your brand was to ignore it. 

For example, in 2019, Burger King launched the #FeelYourWay campaign in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month. The fast-food brand created “Unhappy Meals” in an effort to bring awareness to mental health issues. However, the campaign quickly spurred a social media conversation about how Burger King supports their employees’ mental health. Current and former employees gave accounts of times they were overworked or had their mental health challenges ignored by superiors. If Burger King wanted to shine a light on an important issue like mental health, they should have first reviewed their own practices and made sure there were measures in place to support their employees.  

If your business does uncover a potential scandal while considering a cause marketing campaign, the best thing you can do is get out ahead of the story. Acknowledging mistakes and showing how you have made things right will give your campaign, as well as your entire brand, more respect and credibility moving forward.