Strategy Alert: Pros Focus on a Cause, Follow Trends to Maximize Impact
By Karla Santiago
Staying ahead of the curve and in the know isn’t optional for world-class marketers. It’s the reason brain trusts like the Cause Marketing Forum fill massive hotel ball rooms with corporate CMOs, nonprofits and communicators eager to create the next movement that awes consumers and changes the world for the better.
In the traditional realm of social responsibility, few brands connect business with social impact better than JetBlue.
“Inspiring humanity goes a long way. Whether it’s donations or volunteer hours, we strive to make sure it all counts,” Mike Elliott, JetBlue’s executive vice president of People, told Cause Marketing Forum attendees.
The JetBlue approach to building community among crew members and customers involves an ongoing effort to ensure that every second and dollar invested counts and is measureable, said Elliott.
Staying true to its mission while benefiting from consumer trends is front of mind for nonprofits, too. At Goodwill, consumers no longer have to drive to the charity’s ubiquitous thrift stores to make donations.
With the digital revolution at hand and the online shopping experience is changing the retail landscape forever, Goodwill started Give Back Box. The program provides consumers an effortless and convenient method of donating used household items by using existing cardboard boxes and labels printed on home computers.
Goodwill earns accolades for keeping boxes out of landfills and continues to fill its stores with items that, when sold, benefit the nonprofit’s many human services programs.
Whether it’s making social impact happen through workplace volunteering or pioneering the next best donation box, it’s important to ride the wave, follow the trend and simply do good.
