Cause-Related Marketing Archives

04Nov 2021 by Bob Cargill

New Belgium Brewing’s Torched Earth Ale

Branding, Business, Cause-Related Marketing, Marketing

Would you ever make a good product into a bad product? Why would you do such a thing? Well, just ask New Belgium Brewing. They made Torched Earth ale, a bad-tasting beverage made with "smoke-tainted water," to make a statement about the climate change crisis. In the process, they got tons of PR and brought lots of attention to this important issue. Brilliant, if you ask me. Simply brilliant. Good for the people at New Belgium Brewing for taking such a strong stand as a brand. How could your business or organization do something similar that results in such a win-win situation?

25Sep 2020 by Bob Cargill

The #WhoAmIMaskChallenge

Advertising, Branding, Cause-Related Marketing, Marketing, Motivation

Why do you wear a mask? I wear a mask because I want to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. I wear a mask because I don’t want people to get sick and die from COVID-19. I wear a mask out of respect for those around me. What about you? Not only is this a relevant, timely conversation that was started by William Lucas (Bill) Walker last month, this is a great campaign which you can learn more about here. Bill is an Emmy Award-winning writer/producer who wanted to get the word out about the importance of wearing a mask during this pandemic. So he challenged people – like me and you – to record a short video introducing ourselves and telling the world why we wear a mask.…

06Sep 2018 by Bob Cargill

Take a Stand Like a Big Brand

Advertising, Branding, Cause-Related Marketing, Marketing

Good for Nike. I think it's incumbent upon brands and businesses to speak up for what they believe in...not just on behalf of sales. It doesn't matter how they feel about the issue. What matters is that they realize they have the platform and the responsibility to say something...as long as they believe they can make a positive contribution to the dialogue. The marketer in me thinks this may even help, not hurt Nike's revenue. But much more important, as a human being, I have greater respect for those who are authentic, transparent, open and honest. People do business with people, not corporate logos. Iconic swoosh or not, Nike just let consumers know that they are just like us. Like it or not, they dared express an opinion and join…

25Mar 2016 by Bob Cargill

10 Ways Brands are Using Social Media for Good

Branding, Cause-Related Marketing, Marketing, Nonprofits, Social Media

Asking questions. Running contests. Sharing pictures. Promoting products and services. There are many ways for brands to attract attention on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the like. Included among this list of ways to get people to sit up and take notice on social media is to show the softer side of your brand and declare your support of a worthy charitable organization. After all, almost everyone on these channels is trying to sell something, whether it’s a product, service or simply themselves. Almost everyone is like the carnival barker cajoling the passersby to step right up and come inside the tent. But a small percentage of them are associating their brands with a noble cause, giving those in the audience a reason to feel good about making the decision to…

20Aug 2012 by Bob Cargill

The Picture of New Marketing — Panera Bread

Branding, Business, Cause-Related Marketing, Marketing

I don’t often get out for lunch during the week. I have this stubborn, longstanding habit of eating at my desk, saving myself a little time and money in the process, but missing out on a short, healthy break away from an otherwise long day at the office. It’s a trade-off I’m willing to make in order to cram a little more productivity into my day, a routine that’s always worked well for me. But when I do go out to lunch these days, I almost always go to Panera Bread. There’s a location minutes away from my office in Lexington -- at 1100 Lexington Street in Waltham -- so it’s certainly convenient for me. But that’s not the only reason why I go there. For starters, I like the food…

05Aug 2012 by Bob Cargill

Every Time the Red Sox Win, I’m Making a Donation to Christopher’s Haven (Thanks to Snoball)

Boston Red Sox, Business, Cause-Related Marketing, Fundraising, Marketing, Social Media

If you’re a faithful Boston Red Sox fan like me, this hasn’t been an easy year to root for the team. As quickly as they manage to cobble together a winning streak of any length, it seems like they're on the losing end of just as many games, offsetting any chance of gaining ground on those ahead of them in the standings. But I’m still rooting for them. Always have, always will. Although I've never cheered for this baseball team in quite the same way as I have been lately. That's because I recently made a pledge on Snoball to donate one dollar to one of my favorite local nonprofit organizations, Christopher’s Haven, for every game the Red Sox win. That may not seem like a lot of money, but…

20Nov 2010 by Bob Cargill

10 Ways to Succeed as a Copywriter, Parts 1-10

Advertising, Blogging, Branding, Cause-Related Marketing, Copywriting, Direct Marketing, Facebook, Fundraising, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter

If you've been reading this blog for the last few months, you know I've been writing a series of posts on copywriting. Similar to the approach I took with my series on social media, I've looked at copywriting from a 30,000-foot level, focusing on the principles you need to be mindful of if you want to succeed in this profession. As I wrote about my own career in the very first post in this series... I may have worked for a number of different companies, developed new skills and taken on new responsibilities – such as creative direction, public speaking and social media – along the way, but I’ve also stayed true to my roots as a copywriter. And after all of these years writing headlines and subject lines, direct mail packages and email blasts, blog posts…

03Oct 2010 by Bob Cargill

10 Ways to Succeed as a Copywriter, Part Eight

Advertising, Blogging, Branding, Cause-Related Marketing, Copywriting, Direct Marketing, Fundraising, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media

8. Be a team player. Most copywriters are accustomed to working alone, sequestered away from the rest of the team, doors closed, blinds drawn, working feverishly against time. It's what we do out of necessity, when there's no room for distractions and we just need to put our heads down to get the job done as soon as possible. Yet while it's certainly not unusual for a copywriter to do his or her thing in isolation, battling loneliness as well as the clock, it really shouldn't be the norm. Sure, to succeed as a copywriter, you need to be a self-starter, capable of working independently for long stretches of time. But you also need to be a team player, someone who works well with others – especially designers, creative directors and…

16Sep 2009 by Bob Cargill

Blog Post on Video: Who Moved My Customers?

Advertising, Blogging, Branding, Cause-Related Marketing, Client Service, Copywriting, Direct Marketing, Facebook, Fundraising, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter

To say that marketing has changed in the last few years would be to put it quite mildly. Marketing has been rocked, shaken, stirred, knocked for a loop and turned completely upside down not just by the Internet, but by the emergence of social media as an informational, educational and conversational platform leveraged by the masses. Watch this short video and learn what to do about it before it's too late... This “blog post on video” was recorded on September 13, 2009 on Old Connecticut Path (overlooking the Massachusetts Turnpike) in Framingham, MA. It’s an adaptation of a post I wrote earlier this year called “Who Moved My Customers,” which you can read in its entirety here.