Five Trends in Back-to-School Cause Marketing

The back-to-school shopping landscape is changing dramatically -- 60 percent of tablet users are turning to online instead of hitting the shopping aisles and more than a third of consumers are forgoing the big stock up of supplies all together. As marketers navigate changing consumer shopping habits, many continue to use cause marketing as a way to break through. This year’s campaigns run the gambit from traditional in-kind donations to new digital activations and unconventional beneficiaries. Here are a few of the back-to-school cause marketing themes we are seeing this year:

If You Sell It, Give It: It’s a natural fit for companies that are in the business of selling school supplies to get involved in back-to-school cause efforts, helping teachers who are increasingly opening their own wallets to equip classrooms. Target, 3M’s Command brand and others have lined up to provide much-needed in-kind support through “one-for-one” donations, free school supplies and grants.

Select Nonprofits Lead The Charge: Although back-to-school activations may be diverse, the nonprofit partners are less so. A handful of nonprofits rise to the top when companies look to support the education cause including Kids in Need Foundation, DonorsChoose.org, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and AdpotAClassroom.org. These nonprofits crop up again and again due to their close connections to the education cause, track records and ability to activate in local communities across the U.S.

To learn more about these trends in back-to-school cause marketing, read the full article on Bulldog Reporter Daily ‘Dog by clicking here.