Skip to main content
Log in

Cause-related marketing: Building the corporate image while supporting worthwhile causes

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Brand Management Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An increasing number of corporations are realizing the benefits that can be derived from cause-related marketing (CRM) and are therefore adopting it as a marketing tool to achieve their marketing objectives, by demonstrating a commitment to improving the quality of life in the communities in which they operate. This aim of this paper is to identify the level of consumer knowledge with regard to the involvement of companies in CRM, and examines the value and importance of CRM in enhancing the corporate image of Cypriot businesses. The research methodology focuses primarily on a survey of 820 people and on personal interviews with the marketing managers of two companies that use CRM in Cyprus and a third company that is actively involved in intensive corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities but not CRM. The results of this research indicate that the majority of consumers expect corporations to be actively involved in activities of CSR, one of which is CRM.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • The European Alliance for CSR. (2006) http://www.csreurope.org/pages/en/aboutalliance.html.

  • Smith, C. (1994) The new corporate philanthropy. Harvard Business Review 73 (3): 105–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Varadarajan, P. R. and Menon, A. (1988) Cause-related marketing: A co-alignment of marketing strategy and corporate philanthropy. Journal of Marketing 52 (3): 58–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crane, A. and Matten, D. (2004) Business Ethics. New York: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Business in the Community (BITC). (2004) Brand Benefits: How Cause Related Marketing Impacts on Brand Equity, Consumer Behavior and the Bottom Line. October. A report published by BITC. www.bitc.org.uk.

  • Russell, J. T. and Lane, W. R (2003) Advertising Procedure, 14th edn., Prentice Hall, New Jersey.

    Google Scholar 

  • Drumwright, M. E. (1996) Company Advertising with Social Dimensions. No. 96–110, Marketing Science Institute (Cambridge, MA: 1996).

  • European Commission's Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry, http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/csr/index_en.htm.

  • Adkins, S. (2005) Cause Related Marketing: Who Cares Wins. Oxford: Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pringle, H. and Thompson, M. (1999) Brand Soul: How Cause Related Marketing Builds Brands. New York: John Willey & Sons.

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter, M. and Kramer, M. (2003) Harvard Business Review on CR. USA: Harvard Business School Publishing Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Van Riel, C. B. M (1995) Principles of Corporate Communication. Essex, UK: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gregory, J. R. (2004) The Best of Branding: Best Practices in Corporate Branding. New York: McGrawHill, p. 3.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mottram, S. (1998) Branding the corporation. In: S. Hart and J. Murphy (eds.) Brands: The New Wealth Creators. Hampshire, UK: Palgrave.

    Google Scholar 

  • Business in the Community (BITC). (2001) Cause Related Marketing Corporate Survey III. A report published by BITC reporting the findings of a survey carried out in the UK in 2001. For more information please visit the web site: www.bitc.org.uk.

  • Business in the Community (BITC). (2003) Cause Related Marketing Impact=Celebration. A report published by BITC that discusses the impact of Cause Related Marketing in the UK, www.bitc.org.uk.

  • Cone Holiday Trend Tracker. (2006) http://www.coneinc.com/Pages/pr_46.html.

  • Cone Holiday Trend Tracker. (2006) http://www.coneinc.com/Pages/pr_45.html.

  • Heart and Sold survey. (2001) http://www.cavill.com.au/pages.asp?area=9&page=28.

  • Profitable Partnerships. (2000) Business in the Community Quantitative Consumer Research, supported by Research International.

  • Hussey, J. and Hussey, R. (1997) Business Research. UK: Palgrave.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Boatright, J. R. (2007) Ethics and the Conduct of Business. USA: Pearson/Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saunders, M. N., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2000) Research Methods for Business Students, 2nd edn., London: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lincoln, Y. S. and Guba, E. G. (1985) Naturalistic Enquiry. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kotler, P., Wong, V., Saunders, J. and Armstrong, G. (2005) Principle of Marketing. Fourth European Edition, 4th edn., Essex, UK: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), available at http://www.wbcsd.org/DocRoot/hbdf19Txhmk3kDxBQDWW/CSRmeeting.pdf.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Demetris Vrontis.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Demetriou, M., Papasolomou, I. & Vrontis, D. Cause-related marketing: Building the corporate image while supporting worthwhile causes. J Brand Manag 17, 266–278 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2009.9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/bm.2009.9

Keywords

Navigation