Los Angeles-Based Executives Gather to Discuss Best Practices in Corporate and Nonprofit Partnerships

(3BL Media / theCSRfeed) Los Angeles - July 21, 2011 - On Wednesday, August 3, 2011, executives from top-tier corporations and senior leaders from national and Los Angeles-based nonprofit organizations will gather to discuss best practices in developing cause marketing relationships. The one-day conference, entitled “Maximizing Corporate & Nonprofit Relationships: Secrets for Company Alignment, Engagement and Measurement,” will be hosted by public relations and public affairs firm Allison & Partners at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, and is presented in partnership with the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks. David Ono, ABC7 Eyewitness News Anchor, will emcee the conference, and representatives from influential corporations and nonprofit organizations will participate in panel discussions led by industry leaders who have established and maintained successful cause marketing partnerships and programs.    As part of the upcoming conference, senior leaders from Allison & Partners will share the agency’s recent “snapshot” on corporate cause marketing practices, offering insights gathered directly from executives about the opportunities and challenges of planning and executing successful programs. Three panels will cover topics including education and private corporate partnerships, maximizing entertainment and professional athletics partnerships and best practices for successful campaigns. Panelists include executives from OfficeMax, Toyota, Macy’s Inc., Farmers Insurance, A+E Networks and Give Back Hollywood, and representatives from the Los Angeles Unified School District, DonorsChoose.org, Adopt-A-Classroom, Children Mending Hearts, The United Talent Agency Foundation and Step Up Women’s Network.   Scott Pansky, Allison & Partners co-founder, says, “Our goal is to help organizations discover the tools they need to build true Corporate Socialanthropy™ - platforms that help corporations and nonprofits make significant differences in their communities through programs that both benefit business goals and makean impact on a specific issue or cause.”    “Successful cause campaigns become part of an organization’s culture and can help enhance reputation and brand loyalty while having a positive impact on employees and customers,” Pansky continued, “but they must be built on a solid foundation and employ the elements of ART – authenticity, responsibility and transparency.”   According to the 2010 PRWeek/Barkely PR Cause Survey, two-thirds of brands now engage in cause marketing (up from 58 percent in 2009) making this the ideal time to bring corporations and nonprofits together to discuss innovations, challenges and best practices in the field. Through successful cause marketing campaigns, corporations can boost their image, increase sales and revenue, build stronger bonds with consumers and improve employee recruitment and retention. Likewise, nonprofits can benefit from additional resources, increased brand exposure, new audiences and enhanced credibility.   Following the conference, attendees are invited to remain at STAPLES Center for an afternoon of WNBA basketball as the Los Angeles Sparks take on the Connecticut Sun, beginning at 12:00 p.m.   In addition to the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, the conference is sponsored by Causecast, Time Warner Cable, the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, ABC7, Step Up Women’s Network and the Entertainment Publicists Professional Society, with all proceeds benefiting City Scholars® Foundation.   For more information or to register for the conference, please visit www.allisonpr.com or contact Marilyn Finegold at (310) 496-4449.     About Allison & Partners Allison & Partners is a leading mid-size public relations and public affairs firm with practice areas in consumer marketing, corporate communications, social impact, technology, public affairs and healthcare. The firm builds customized programs integrating media relations, social media, cause-related marketing, sustainability communications, executive branding, customer and employee communications and promotional services. Allison & Partners is headquartered in San Francisco, with offices in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Phoenix, San Diego, Dallas and Seattle, with a 50-state grassroots network. As an MDC Partners company (NASDAQ: MDCA, Toronto Stock Exchange: MDZ.A), the agency has deep affiliations with best-of-class marketing communications firms worldwide. www.allisonpr.com   ALLI15467