Sponsorship Strategist

A novel approach to engaging corporations in your city or cause

As you head out for the weekend, here's some inspiration on how you might engage corporations in your cause or in your community. Norte Beer of northern Argentina flips social conventions, cleans up towns, and makes girlfriends fall in love with their guys, out with the guys. Enjoy!

3 reasons why cause marketing ROI is low

Earlier this year, I issued a set of predictions for 2011 about causes and corporations, including one that stated that corporate sincerity would be questioned. On Friday, a research study reveals that only 37 percent of Americans have purchased a product tied to a cause, even though 96 percent of Americans note two or three causes important to them.

Researchers cite Americans' "skepticism" that businesses are supporting causes that are aligned with their brands. Seventy-four percent of the individuals surveyed said there is a disconnect between the brand and the cause, while 67 percent believe that businesses are only supporting a cause to sell products.

I agree and suggest two additional explanations:

1. Some causes are undermining their trusted positions by accepting dollars from and full cause marketing campaigns with businesses that are misaligned with their missions. Buckets for a Cure comes to mind. If the corporate partner and nonprofit mission are not aligned in terms of values, among other points, consumers register cognitive dissonance and ultimately distrust, cynicism, and skepticism towards both the cause and corporation.
2. In the waning days of the recession and into the slow economic recovery, we heard lots of news about causes needing our assistance, especially because of the negative toll the economy had on their funding sources and the lives of constituents. At the same time, with corporate and institutional trust down, many corporations turned to cause marketing and partnering with the nonprofit sector or, generically, a cause to build trust, enhance reputations, and ingratiate their brands among consumers. The result? Cause fatigue. 

Cause marketing and partnership between nonprofits and corporations is by no means over, but as a tactic, both parties would be wise to ensure an optimum alignment and clear strategy. 

Nonprofits: does the tie enhance your brand? Foster your mission? Excite your constituents and donors? Or does it make you feel a little uncomfortable, even queasy? If you don't feel good about this partnership, if there is no strategic imperative, do not move forward and do not accept this money.

A nonprofit leader said to me earlier this year, "We don't need policies [around corporate sponsorship]. We'll accept money from anyone." Not for long, you won't.

Corporations: check your intentions. Are your customers and/or employees truly passionate about this cause? Are the opportunities offered by your potential partners' business changing, for your brand and for the nonprofit?  Or are you unclear about why you should work with this cause? Or are your intentions a little more selfish?

A young nonprofit fundraiser asked me whether it was a good idea for her organization, which preserves farmland, to accept sponsorship from a real estate developer. Can you see that it's all about intentions here?

It's not easy saying no to an opportunity, but when it's not a good, solid fit, the tie will backfire, causing more harm than good, destroying trust. It's perfectly acceptable to say, "no."

The Greatest Sponsorship Film I've Ever Seen: Morgan Spurlock's "POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold"

In 2004, shortly after seeing Morgan Spurlock's first film, Supersize Me, his cinematic experiment eating nothing but McDonald's three meals a day for 30 days, I headed off to New Orleans to the Essence Music Festival. I served as managing director for the daytime activities at the New Orleans Convention Center of the festival, the "Purpose" part of the "Party with a Purpose."

McDonald's was a major sponsor (and still is) and that year focused its activation on promoting its new healthier menu options. According to news reports at the time, McDonald's new menu had nothing to do with the film, and the company's history notes the introduction of Premium Fresh Salads to its menu in 2003. Still, I imagine not even company spokespeople could deny the synchronistic timing.

The vague trepidation I felt heading off to the 2004 Festival, wondering what impact the film might have for the Festival and its sponsor – would people rally? would festivalgoers protest? would there be a firestorm of media condemnation? – returned for me Thursday night when I went to see Spurlock's newest film, POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold. What would Spurlock say about marketing and sponsorship, the fields I'm in? What impact would it have?

In both cases, my trepidation was unfounded. No one protested McDonald's or the Essence Music Festival, and whether the film had any influence or not on McDonald's menu, who cares? The film raised excellent points; McDonald's has evolved its menu; and we each, as individuals, still must take responsibility for our own eating and nutritional information-gathering habits.

The new film is hilarious. Every industry has absurdities about it, and marketing is right up there. Spurlock pokes fun at it all – including at himself. POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold is the story of Spurlock's attempts to secure sponsors for the film while bringing us a glimpse behind the scenes of the sophistication of modern day marketing and uncovering the dark side.

What a different film this would have been in the hands of another filmmaker, like Michael Moore, for example. Consistent with his own branding profile, Spurlock is equal parts "mindful" and "playful" about the story and issues, right down to the musical score. Sergei Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf, about the hunter and the hunted, couldn't be a more perfect composition. Take a look at the trailer.

The film takes us through the whole process of sponsorship development, though in this case in the form of "brand integration," modern lingo for product placement, a tactic used by major brands to have their products embedded into the storylines of films and television shows. (Seinfeld was a master at this. Can you name all the brands, from Rice Krispies to Junior Mints, woven into the storylines? Sometimes the scripts read just like the press releases, making it even funnier.)

Throughout the sponsorship sales and execution process, Spurlock shares with us, the viewers, and his advisors his concerns, especially where to draw the line between selling out and not. Of course Noam Chomsky and Ralph Nader portend a dreadful future of Corporatized Morgan Spurlock, imploring him to rise above. With a mischievous sparkle in his eyes, Spurlock counters by hawking his sponsored shoes, Merrell's, to Nader. (Film tip: don't leave before the credits end for a great interaction with Nader.)

Spurlock keeps it light and defines the line quite clearly for his own work. In a post-screening discussion on Thursday, the closing film for Philadelphia's Cinefest, Spurlock said he pushed back on sponsor requests to approve the film before it opened and to see a financial return. 

"Being in the film" was the sponsors' return, he said. Exactly!

Overall, I found the film thoroughly enjoyable, laugh-out-loud funny, with plenty to learn for both sponsorship buyers and sellers, as well as life-long students of marketing. It opens next weekend, and I urge you to see it.

I will say, however, that one critique I have is also where Spurlock did sell out. Or rather, enabled someone else's sell out. One of the more serious threads in the film is about marketing messages in places where maybe they don't belong – public schools.

"Schools should be sacred," a Broward County school representative says, while she discusses with Spurlock the challenges of balancing a decreasing budget with demands for new programs. Banner advertising on the school fence line and truck fleet and in school buses is one solution. By the end of the film, POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold joins the ranks of the district's advertisers by purchasing all three vehicles. 

(It also bought the naming rights to the city of Altoona, Pa., home to another sponsor, Sheetz. The filmmakers reportedly purchased the rights for $25,000, and for 60 days, a drive through Pennsylvania, 130 miles west of Harrisburg and about 40 miles southwest of State College, will take you to POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, Pa. As the New York Times reports: “Clearly, the people of Altoona have a sense of humor,” Bill Schirf, the mayor, said in a statement, “and an asking price.”)

 

Apparently Google doesn't know about Altoona's temporary name change; as of this writing, you can still find Altoona.
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By advertising through the school's banner and bus billboard program, the filmmakers stepped on those sacred grounds at the same time they exposed the problem. Wouldn't it have been better for the film to simply have made a contribution to the school system, even an anonymous one? Or developed a cause marketing campaign? 

Perhaps this seems like a minor infraction in an overall enjoyable film, but a donation or cause marketing campaign would have been more aligned with the point of the film's social side. 

POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold opens next weekend. Go see it, have fun, and feel free to share your thoughts by clicking on "comments" below to let me know what you think!

[In honor of transparency: I paid full price for movie tickets for my friend and me, and I own several pairs of Merrell's that I paid for on my own. I have drunk POM Wonderful I paid for, eaten foods from Amy's I bought, have been in the airport on Aruba enroute to Granada on business, never worn Ban (that I'm aware of), don't own Carrera's, never shopped at Solstice, never heard of Get It for Free Online till now, have paid for my own rooms at Hyatt, don't live in a city served by jetBlue, never purchased a KDF car wrap, never purchased Mane 'n Tail (nor do I have a kid or Shetland pony to try it on), have purchased a few items at Old Navy, have never shopped at Petland, have purchased my own Seventh Generation products, have purchased my own gas and snacks at Sheetz, own no clothing by Ted Baker, may have dabbed at teenage blemishes with Thayer's Witch Hazel purchased by my mother, and was not influenced by any of these film sponsors while writing this blog. I did just enjoy mentioning them all however!]

Sponsorship Realities: Gail Bower's Predictions for 2011

If you’ve been operating at a frenetic pace, trying to outsmart the economy, you may not have stopped to look around and notice what’s going on in the world around you, the sponsorship world, that is. This special report provides you with five observations I’ve made that absolutely will have an impact on organizations’ abilities to generate revenue through partnerships with the corporate sector. Consider this insider intelligence to help you plan your 2011 sponsorship strategy.

Download Sponsorship Realities 2011

P.S. A day after I wrote the special report, I read this post. To me it's an indicator that my prediction #4 is happening sooner than later.

There's a sponsor for that!

Growing up in my family, the holidays were my favorite time of year. Off from school, the anticipation of Santa, the decorations, tons of presents, usually some new toys, fun with our grandparents and family, getting all dressed up, a special dinner, and then the start of a new year. My understanding of and relationship with the holidays has morphed and evolved over time, but it's still a special time of year for me.

One thing that always cast a sad pall over New Year's Day, however, was the dismantling of all the Christmas fun. We took down the tree and put away all the decorations until next Christmas. Now I see it as closure and just as much a part of the ritual, but as a child, I hated to see the spirit of Christmas and all the nostalgia I projected onto those decorations get packed away.

Living in a city, the experience takes on a new twist. Around this time of year, on trash collection days, discarded Christmas trees pile up curbside. Former Christmas trees are suddenly rubbish. Waiting for the trash collectors. It's heartbreaking.

Well, not if my neighbors can help it. Today I learned, there's a sponsor for that. Thanks to an urban farm, two tree-care company sponsors, and the collaboration and sponsorship of various city-wide neighborhood associations* – including mine, the Queen Village Neighborhood Association headed by a true tree-lover –  Philadelphians are encouraged to drop off their trees at a convenient location to recycle them.

"Instead, with sponsorship by Bartlett Tree Experts and Schectman Tree Care," said the QVNA eblast, "these volunteer groups are working to have trees chipped and reused to beautify local dog runs, community gardens and parks. To help, recycle your tree in a neighborhood near you." (If you're reading this from Philadelphia, the collection dates are January 8 and 9.)

There is a sponsor for nearly every kind of activity, event, movement, cause, or gathering. It just takes a little creativity.

Here's to a year of great ideas – and taking action on those ideas – in 2011. Happy New Year! And recycle your tree.

*Allens Lane Arts Center | Bartlett Tree Experts | East Kensington Neighborhood Association |East Passyunk Crossing Civic Association |  Fishtown Neighbors Association | Friends of Eastern State Penitentiary Park |Green in Chestnut Hill (GRINCH) | Greensgrow Farms| Logan Square Neighborhood Association|  Lower Moyamensing Civic Association  | Manayunk Green | Mt. Airy Business Association| New Kensington CDC | Newbold Neighbors Association | Northern Liberties Neighborhood Association | Olde Richmond Civic Association | Passyunk Square Civic Association | Queen Village Neighbors Association | Schectman Tree Care| Sustainable 19125 | University City Green |University City District |

The Code Words of Breast-Cancer Awareness - NYTimes.com

“Oh, yeah,” she said, vaguely, when questioned about it. “It’s for breast cancer.”

via www.nytimes.com

If you are involved with a cause or cause marketing campaign, check out Peggy Orenstein's story in today's The New York Times Magazine, linked above, on pink, the slogans and products we see annually in October, and what this means from the perspective of someone who actually experienced breast cancer.

I recently had a conversation with a woman who, like Orenstein, had experienced the disease. We talked about pink, ribbons, breast cancer, awareness and sponsorship. She told me that she disliked the annual reminder and being called a "survivor." Her feelings about the issue were moving and humbling.

Orenstein provides a broader cultural view. In the process of destigmatizing the cause – a topic I just wrote about for another cause – Orenstein and others she references argue that we've gone too far:

1. In terms of educating about a self-exam, she says "there is little evidence of its efficacy," and one group "erroneously tout[s] mammography as 'prevention.'"
2. "Fetishizing of breasts" through certain irreverent and brazen campaigns disconnect the body parts from the body, mind and spirits of the individuals;
3. Worse, they don't actually provide catharsis or meaningful space for discussion by those who have suffered breast cancer. Orenstein says: "Rather than being playful, which is what these campaigns are after, sexy cancer suppresses discussion of real cancer, rendering its sufferers – the ones whom all this is supposed to be for – invisible."

So perhaps the pink campaigns are really serving people who don't have breast cancer. As humans, it's natural for us to want to have control over our lives. But, let's face it, there is much we have no control over. Perhaps celebrating pink in ever more outlandish ways is a form of hubris.

What do you think?

Saluting Dunkin' Donuts and the Troops

My friend and colleague Joe Brooks, president & COO of the USO of Pennsylvania & Southern New Jersey, writes in with details of a great partnership his organization has with Dunkin' Donuts. If you're in Philadelphia, tune in to Fox tomorrow morning, Veteran's Day, at 7:15 to see Joe in action. In the meantime, here's what Joe has to say:

Today and tomorrow the USO of Pennsylvania & Southern New Jersey (Liberty USO) and Dunkin Donuts (DD) call attention to their “November is USO Month” promotion.

With 6 ABC covering the event this morning, DD’s Louis Conte, left, presented [Joe Brooks of] Liberty USO with an initial donation of 250 pounds of coffee. Today’s donation is a small gesture towards a much larger donation to come at the conclusion of the promotion.

The event, held at their 1500 Spring Garden St. location, also generated dozens of “Thank You” cards signed by customers appreciative of the protection our armed forces provide to us. The cards will be shipped to troops as part of a holiday care package program we’re undertaking with the support of Lockheed Martin.

The same scene will play out again tomorrow morning outside of Fox 29’s studios as Liberty USO and Dunkin Donuts will ask the general public to again sign the cards. In addition, I will be interviewed at 7:15 a.m. to talk about the DD promotion and of course the USO!

As a reminder the program offers a wonderful benefit to our troops:

• November is Free Medium Coffee for the Military Month! Yes, every Tuesday in November active duty military & our veterans (with ID) will receive one free cup of medium coffee at participating Dunkin Donuts.

• Buy 2 Pounds of Coffee and 1 Pound gets donated to the USO! Yes, between November 1 – 14 (just 4 days left) the purchase of 2 pounds of delicious Dunkin Donuts coffee triggers the 1 pound donation for our troops. Nationwide DD has committed to donating 100,000 pounds of coffee to our men & women in uniform. Let’s make sure the patriotic communities in Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey participate in force

The promotion has generated awareness of Liberty USO, will raise the morale of our troops via the Thank You cards, provide care to these same troops from the coffee donation and further advances Liberty USO as a strong promotional partner.

The tie engages Dunkin' Donuts customers, drives traffic to area (and national) stores, encourages sales, generates publicity for both organizations, fulfills Liberty USO's mission, and provides a bit of home to soldiers far from American soil.

Inspired?

Don't force the fit

A participant on a webinar I presented today asked me an interesting question, and I'm guessing other nonprofit – and corporate – leaders may be wondering about the same thing.

The individual wanted my opinion on how to overcome possible negative perceptions or stigma associated with the cause. (Not the organization itself, but the issue that this and hundreds of other organizations worldwide address.) Diverse audiences attend events held across the US and Canada to help raise a lot of money for a cause that affects a lot of lives.

Here's what I told this person:

1. Destigmatize. As the sponsorship seller of the event or property (or even internally at the corporation), it's your job to educate your corporate partners. (In doing so, you also fulfill your mission.) Help corporate leaders understand the truth, the pervasiveness of the issue, and why fear (which is what a stigma is rooted in) is unnecessary and unhelpful.
2. Audiences. Provide good data on who the audiences are, why they care about this cause, and how, by participating in this event, the corporation will actually reach a broader audience. That the corporation will be aligned with addressing or fighting this cause may be a positive to this particular audience.
3. Stop beating your head against the wall. Don't expect every corporation to get it. This may not be a fit for them or for you. That's OK. Move on to a prospect better matched for your organization and event.

Have you dealt with this issue? What other suggestions have you found to be effective?

Pepsi goes social

Socially conscious that is.

Did you hear the big news? Pepsi's pulled out of the SuperBowl ad adventures and will turn to social media and social responsibility instead.

In January, we'll be able to propose projects that make our worlds better places and vote on them starting in February. Pepsi will fund thousands of these projects, investing $20 million.

The article, linked above on ABC News' web site, written by a New York ad agency CEO and the chair of American Association of Advertising Agencies New York Council, is amusing. He calls the Pepsi decision a "risk," and smack in the middle of the article is a pedantic description of social media that underscores the shift marketers face, from traditional to social media, old guard to new:

"According to a recent survey conducted by Forrester Research, more than 50 percent of marketers are increasing their spending in social media. Advertisers view social media as important because online they can seek out people who have an affinity for the brand and engage them in a meaningful discourse that lasts longer than 30 seconds. Many times these people pass along information to their friends. Online tools give marketers the ability to track the "pass alongs." Communication can be more frequent and the consumer can share with the advertiser information such as what other information they would like to have and what actions they would like for the marketer to consider."

So yes that's interesting, but unless you've been living under a rock for the past two years and missed (1) the shift in technology and (2) the Great Recession, who couldn't have predicted the anticipated expenditure in social media.

To me, what's more interesting is Pepsi's investment in communities. I've been saying it for months now, since before I published  How to Jump-start Your Sponsorship Strategies in Tough Times: nonprofits have a window of opportunity right now to get the attention of the corporations in your backyard. They need your help to restore their images, rebuild trust, connect with new customers, forge customer loyalty, develop corporate social responsibility initiatives, etc.

If you haven't jumped through that window yet to go talk to your corporate community, what are you waiting for?

Corporations, large and small, if you haven't thought about connecting with a cause in meaningful ways to build your brand, leverage sales, build thought leadership, and generate immense goodwill, give this strategy some serious consideration. Watch Pepsi during the next few months. Check out what Seventh Generation is doing. Make some plans of your own.

10 ways to get your corporate sponsorship program ready for 2010

As we wrap up the first decade of the new millennium and one of the most challenging years for sellers and buyers of corporate sponsorship, I urge you to spend some time reflecting and really putting this year behind with greater awareness of how you'd like to move forward.

Selling sponsorship – selling anything – during easier economic times is, well, easier. When times are tough, all our shortcomings show up in technicolor. So what did you see about your operation this year? Where do you need new skills? A stronger operation? More ideas? More support? Jot your notes now so that when you return to your office in January, your focus is clear.

Here are 10 suggestions and areas to consider:

1. Be able to articulate your event/festival or nonprofit organization’s value to the corporate sector.
2. Develop an operation; sponsorship is not an ad hoc activity.
3.  Develop a sponsorship strategy.  Wishing for sponsors does not a strategy make.
4. Another plug for strategy: your operation is lean, and you have no time to waste.
5. Clearly articulate your brand.
6. Think in terms of the corporation and its self-interest.
7.  Innovate your way to meeting your mission through sponsorship.
8. Make activation easy for your partners.
9. Be proactive. Make fulfillment easy, too.
10. Express gratitude for the valuable relationships you have with your corporate contacts who support your nonprofit organization's cause or mission and with your organizational peers with whom you collaborate year-round.

When you return to your important work after the holidays, you'll be glad for this gift you'll give yourself.