Commentary

Campaigns That Refresh One's Enthusiasm

The other day I realized that I’d slept through the 12th anniversary of my professional “Eureka!” moment: the day I realized I could make a living by sharing information with businesses and nonprofits on strategies for doing well by doing good together.

Roughly 4,380 days later, you might think that I’d be sick and tired of letting the world in on the latest tie-in between a packaged goods marketer and a breast cancer charity.

Yes, sometimes in October I feel like I’m looking at the world through pink-tinted glasses. Far, far more frequently, however, I get a jolt of excitement from the creativity and smarts I see companies and causes applying to initiatives yielding financial and social dividends.

Here’s a quick look at three campaigns that will renew your enthusiasm for marketing initiatives that build a better world and the bottom line:

Turning Agents Into Educators – Horace Mann sells insurance to educators through a network of agents. Last year, the Springfield, Illinois-based company partnered with DonorsChoose.org to create a program that would make it easier for agents to get into schools for teacher meetings. Numerous doors opened when agents learned to instruct educators on using DonorsChoose.org to obtain funding for needed classroom materials. Via the DonorsChoose.org gift card program, Horace Mann donated $1,394,631 to classroom projects, supported 1,005,998 students, and funded 11,129 projects. 

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Sam Adams: Brewing the American Dream -- Now the largest of America’s micro-brewers, several years ago Boston Beer harkened back to its boot-strapping, small business roots and focused its giving on helping food and beverage entrepreneurs through mentorship and loans administered by Accion. In 2012, “Brewing the American Dream” lent more than $800,000 to start-ups, engaged nearly 100% of company employees in meaningful and took the program national. 

Boxtops For Education – Inspiring cause-related campaigns are not limited to new efforts. This year General Mills’ Boxtops for Education hit a major milestone: More than a half billion dollars raised for schools since the loyalty program’s inception in 1996.

What started as a regional effort with a few cereal brands has grown to encompass nearly all of the food giants’ products and more than 90,000 schools.

Have you been impressed lately by a program from which we all profit? Please let me know by commenting below – I’m always looking to add to my collection!

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