Key Takeaways from the 2012 Cause Marketing Forum Conference – Article 3 of 4

People + Passion = Impact

People

I’m a people person. I like people. I like talking with people, connecting with people, learning about people. As I said, I am a people person. I suppose that’s why “people” is what resonated most with me during my time at the 10th Annual Cause Marketing Forum conference.

Cause marketing hinges on people too. People, who care about causes, get inspired, enlist the help of others, and indeed, go about changing the world. Julianne Burk of Sanofi Pasteur is one example of an inspired individual who saw an opportunity to use her pharmaceutical work to do more than a job – to tackle an important public health issue through a strong and dynamic partnership with the March of Dimes to raise awareness of and increase Tdap vaccinations against pertussis, otherwise known as whooping cough.

This campaign, the Sounds of Pertussis (www.SoundsOfPertussis.com) created a strong emotional connection with people, ultimately prompting action. The campaign sought to create a circle of safety around the baby – adults in the child’s life who have all been vaccinated against pertussis. The human connection is brought to life in the campaign’s powerful ads. While the informative message about the vaccination is shown visually, it is the audio track of a coughing baby under the video footage that creates a strong human reaction and compels the viewer to a point of discomfort – and thus action.

Passion

I am inspired by the passionate pursuit of our ideals that was on display at CMF! From UNICEF and P&G’s 1 Pack = 1 Vaccine Infant Tetanus eradication campaign to Tammy Tibbett’s creation of She’s the First, individual talent put to use for social good was evident throughout the event. Social impact marketing is one of those unique areas where the lines between organizations, sectors and roles blur. We are able to step out of our silo-ed ‘jobs’ and think about how a group of passionate people can come together in new types of collaborations – that hinge on combining our respective strengths to tackle a problem.

Tammy uses her passion for teens alongside her skill and background in social media and journalism to create She’s the First (www.ShesTheFirst.org) – an innovative organization that uses social media network to raise funds sponsoring education for girls around the globe.

Impact

We – individuals, corporations, causes, community organizers – all have unique strengths and talents, passions and ideas that drive us forward. Inspired by these conversations, I urge you, in the words of Harold Whitman, “Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”

Sarah Harris

Founder, Incite