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Craig Bida

Member since January 2012Contact Craig

Craig Bida brings more than 20 years of experience spanning the private, public and nonprofit sectors – successfully partnering with companies, government agencies and nonprofits to drive business growth, while addressing pressing societal needs. As an executive vice president and head of Cone’s Cause Branding and Nonprofit Marketing disciplines, Craig is responsible for setting the vision for the future of the two disciplines, as well as acting as a strategic advisor for key clients.

Articles by Craig All articles by Craig

  • Marketing Alert: Clever Is Out, Smart Is In in Marketing: Causes on 07/01/2014

    Marketing today is changing by the minute, with many marketers genuinely struggling to keep up. Like it or not, we're all operating in a hyper-connected marketplace in which the balance of power is shifting away from companies. To understand this new reality, witness the predictable disaster loop that happens when brands stray off course. Seduced by clever marketing ideas, marketers do stupid things. Offended stakeholders react, unleashing a tsunami of negative social media, traditional media piles on, amplifying the story, and brand managers have a very, very bad day. Brands quickly change course, trying to make it all go away before the brand suffers irreversible damage.

  • Portfolio Power: Unlocking The Potential Of CSR Brand Management in Marketing: Causes on 03/31/2014

    Everybody knows that in today's rapidly evolving landscape, what brands stand for matters more than ever. The vast majority of people expect companies to go way beyond just selling products and to drive positive change. Marketers who aren't building corporate social responsibility (CSR) into the core of their brands are missing a big business-building opportunity.

  • One Thing That Really Matters For 2014: Closing The CSR Gap  in Marketing: Causes on 12/30/2013

    It's that time of year again-when Top 10 Trend lists suddenly appear like lights on a tree (so far I've counted dozens, including Tech Trends, Green Marketing Social Media Trends, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Trends, Supermarket Trends, even the heart-stopping 2014 Top-Ten Call Center Trends).

  • The Worst Of Times, The Best Of Times: Brand Building, CSR And Disaster Response in Marketing: Causes on 09/30/2013

    As we head down the home stretch of the 2013 hurricane season (remember last year's late-season surprise, Sandy?), and with California wildfires and Colorado flooding still impacting communities, there's no better time than now for companies to assess their disaster response strategies.

  • Tapping The Power Of Impact Thinking  in Marketing: Causes on 07/30/2013

    Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is seemingly everywhere these days - in the media, on store shelves, in classrooms, even on Wall Street, where impact investing continues to gather interest and momentum. Formerly the niche passion of a few crunchy companies and the hardcore wonks and activists who loved them, CSR has now become, indisputably, a mainstream must-do. As companies increasingly get involved in tackling societal issues, bringing more and more resources and assets to the table, the need to focus on tangible results is more important than ever. It's time for a new, impact-driven approach.

  • Proving Your Purpose: Doing Good Vs. Just Sounding Good in Marketing: Causes on 04/29/2013

    Cause-focused marketing is virtually everywhere. Consumers are inundated with brand messages promising positive societal impact across all consumer touchpoints, from print and TV (remember those heart-stirring cause-focused Jeep and Dodge Super Bowl ads?), to digital, on-pack, in-store, social media and even in-flight entertainment. It's what I like to call the causeification of marketing-the widespread integration of cause across the marketing mix.

  • 5 Key Anti-Trends For 2013  in Marketing: Causes on 12/31/2012

    Critical things you should have paid attention to in 2012 (but probably didn't).

  • Why Pepsi Canned The Refresh Project  in Marketing: Causes on 10/29/2012

    After years of attention, interest and fanfare, earlier this year Pepsi let its much-vaunted social impact initiative, the Pepsi Refresh Project, quietly fizzle away. Today, if you try to find the project's website, www.refresheverything.com, you'll be redirected to the Pepsi brand site, where you'll encounter the amped-up marketing blitz, "Live for Now," a heavily entertainment-focused campaign that puts Pepsi back on familiar ground: the glitz and glam of pop culture.

  • Chief Change Officers: How Activist CEOs Are Driving Increased Social Impact  in Marketing: Causes on 07/30/2012

    There's something radical going on in the C-suite lately. Business leaders are acting in bold ways-showing increased impatience with the status quo and taking action against pressing societal issues. This is driving an increased focus on corporate cause and social impact programs, as companies commit more resources to drive positive change.

  • Today's Brand-Building Tools: Purpose And A Commitment to Cause  in Marketing: Causes on 04/30/2012

    Radical transparency and vocal consumers-powered by social media-are rewriting the rules of marketing every day. Brands are being forced to be more agile, with marketers scrambling to keep up with highly connected, fully participatory and increasingly demanding consumers. It's a relentless pace that Target's VP of PR, Dustee Tucker Jenkins, recently described as, "Hours are like days, days are like weeks, weeks are like months." If this acceleration makes you dizzy, you're not alone.

Comments by Craig All comments by Craig

  • Why Pepsi Canned The Refresh Project by Craig Bida (Marketing: Causes on 10/29/2012)

    Thanks to everyone who commented. I am glad to see this piece struck a chord. Hopefully, other companies will learn from Pepsi's experience the power of focus and establishing a strong linkage to the brand.

  • Today's Brand-Building Tools: Purpose And A Commitment to Cause by Craig Bida (Marketing: Causes on 04/30/2012)

    Nick- Thanks for your comments. I agree: Panera Cares has been a terrific example of corporate leadership in social innovation. It will be great to see the impact Panera can have as they scale this effort beyond its current footprint. Craig

  • Today's Brand-Building Tools: Purpose And A Commitment to Cause by Craig Bida (Marketing: Causes on 04/30/2012)

    David- Thanks for the kind words. It is indeed an exciting time for brands! It must be rewarding for someone like you, who has been deeply involved in Cause for so long, to see where things are today. Craig

  • The Evolution Of Impact: Expanding Social Commitment To Drive Brand Advantage by Craig Bida (Marketing: Causes on 01/30/2012)

    Thanks for the comments. You ask a great question about to what degree companies will invest. More and more companies are taking a long-term view when it comes to societal impact, and recognizing that it takes time to shape and deepen brand equity and reputation. Companies that are integrating societal impact deeply in their brand DNA will not be able to—or want to—cut and run. Rather they are seeking ways to make meaningful contributions against focused outcomes so that they can demonstrate results to key stakeholders including consumers, employees and increasingly shareholders. Our appetite for societal impact has reached a point that companies can’t ignore it (only 6% of consumers globally believe that companies exist just to make money; everyone else expects businesses to drive positive change). Don’t expect this to shift anytime soon: Talk to young people today and you’ll quickly realize that a brand’s commitment to positive societal impact is not a nice-to-have, it’s an imperative.

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