This insights post is a summary of the original blog post published by Matt Hamrin of MorganMyers. Click here to view the original, full-length blog post.
When profit and non-profit companies join forces for cause marketing, true magic can happen while maintaining authenticity. Here are tips for making it successful:
Establishing Authenticity
In an era when consumers are increasingly scrutinizing food and agricultural brands, authenticity has become the holy grail of building brand affinity and loyalty. And cause marketing is proven to deliver this game-changing authenticity consumers crave.
- The vast majority of consumers (86%) say authenticity matters when deciding what brands they like and support. That number is even higher among millennials, with 90% saying authenticity is important.
- Seventy-one percent (71%) of U.S. consumers say that they can relate to authentic brands and therefore want to back them, and 70% report that authentic brands give them a “stronger feeling of confidence.”
For food and agriculture brands, authenticity means having values consumers share and behaving in a way that brings those values to life genuinely, consistently, and transparently.
One of the most effective ways to demonstrate authenticity is through cause marketing. It genuinely showcases your values and commitment to making a positive impact on society. By supporting a cause that reflects your values, you convey a sense of authenticity that resonates with consumers.
Building Emotional Connections
Cause marketing has the remarkable ability to forge deep emotional connections between brands and consumers. When a brand aligns itself with a meaningful cause, it shows that it cares about more than just profits. This emotional connection fosters loyalty and advocacy among customers, as they feel proud to be associated with a brand that stands for something bigger than itself.
- Four out of five (81%) emotionally connected consumers promote brands to their closest circle and spend more on the brand, too.
- Seventy-one percent (71%) of customers recommend a brand based on their emotional connection to it.
Attracting New Customers
Millennials and Generation Z, the driving forces behind today’s consumer market, prioritize social and environmental issues. They seek out brands that share their values and actively contribute to making the world a better place. By incorporating cause marketing into your strategy, you’ll be better positioned to appeal to these younger consumers, ensuring the longevity of your brand.
- Seventy-six percent (76%) of millennials and Gen Z consumers have purchased or would consider purchasing from a brand to show their support for a specific issue.
- Seventy-one percent (71%) of Gen Z consumers said their impression of a brand is positively impacted by its association with a social cause.
- A whopping 90% of Gen Z consumers believe companies must act to help social and environmental issues.
Understand more about how to increase customer engagement and drive profitability in the full blog post: Cause Marketing: A Game Changer for Marketing Professionals.
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