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Belch: Advertising and
Promotion, Sixth Edition
V. Developing the
Integrated Marketing
Communications Program
17. Public Relations,
Publicity, and Corporate
Advertising
Exhibit 17-20 Advocacy
ads have been used for
years
offensive. When the ad backfired, the campaign was immediately halted and the agency
that developed it was fired. 41 The ultimate judge, of course, is always the reader.
Cause-Related Advertising An increasingly popular method of image building
is cause-related marketing, in which companies link with charities or nonprofit
organizations as contributing sponsors. The company benefits from favorable publicity,
while the charity receives much-needed funds. Spending on cause-related marketing
has increased more than 300 percent since 1990, reaching $828 million in 2002.
Proponents of cause marketing say that association with a cause may differentiate one
brand or store from another, increase consumer acceptance of price increases, generate
favorable publicity, and even win over skeptical officials who may have an impact on
the company. 42 Cause-marketing relationships can take a variety of forms. Making
outright donations to a nonprofit cause, having companies volunteer for the cause,
donating materials or supplies, running public service announcements, or even providing
event refreshments are some of the ways companies get involved. Exhibit 17-21
shows Doug Flutie’s support for the Doug Flutie, Jr.,
Foundation’s attempts to find a cure for autism.
While companies receive public relations benefits from
their association with causes, with 80 percent of consumers
saying they have a more positive impression of
companies that support a cause, they sometimes receive
financial rewards as well. 43 Visa’s “Reading is Fundamental”
campaign led to a 17 percent increase in sales, BMW
saw sales increase when it sponsored a program to eradicate
breast cancer, and Wendy’s International in Denver
saw sales increase by more than 33 percent when a portion
of purchases was contributed to Denver’s Mercy Medical
Center. 44
At the same time, not all cause marketing is a guarantee
of success. Cause marketing requires more than just
associating with a social issue, and it takes time and
© The McGraw−Hill
Companies, 2003
Exhibit 17-21 Doug
Flutie’s foundation cause is
finding a cure for autism
591
Chapter Seventeen Public Relations, Publicity, and Corporate Advertising