Great Brands Never Have To Give Back
Giving and giving back benefits not only individual causes, but also the brands that support those causes. Giving back to the community is a great way for brands to showcase something positive and reach customers on an emotional level, but the benefits don’t stop there. While corporate philanthropy is nothing new, we are experiencing a kindness renaissance in brands giving back. But as a brand, we know that philanthropy is not just about doing good for the world.
Attract more customers, encourage lifelong brand loyalty, and do good with smart corporate giving programs. Embrace your mission and values and create a philanthropic program that will grow your brand and change the world for years to come. In addition to volunteering or donating directly to nonprofits to make our world a better place, one way you can contribute throughout the year is to support the companies that donate.
Charity is becoming an increasingly important part of corporate culture and an obvious choice for building brand reputation. Giving back is critical, not only because it supports communities and causes around the world, but it also reinforces your brand story. Whenever your business benefits the community, you are also promoting your brand and highlighting your values.
Finding ways to bring your brand back shows that you are committed to making a difference in the world and will contribute to your brand's future growth and success. Building a return-focused brand will attract a large customer base that wants to feel like their purchase matters. If a customer is torn between your brand and another non-charitable brand, they are more likely to choose you over your competitor. When customers buy from brands that sacrifice their profits, a good mood is created that strengthens the customer's relationship with the company.
But it's not just for consumers—brands are also encouraged to participate in donations, donating profits, products, and more to the organizations and non-profits that need them most. In addition to incredible discounts, many brands are paying up front this season by donating a portion of every purchase to various charities such as True Colors United and the Chicago Period Project.
Brands like Toms, DIFF Eyewear, Love Your Melon and PuraVida Bracelets have built their business models around giving back. While philanthropic programs, causes and connections are nothing new, neither is consumers making purchasing decisions based on social conscience. From helping save the oceans to reducing student debt, we've found a few reasons why these brands donate and collaborate so much.
We are honored to share their stories and how they reinvest their profits in support of major charities, initiatives or causes. To make a meaningful and sustainable positive impact on society, they are redefining their business models, reshaping their supply chains, reinventing products, and rethinking what they sell and how they sell it. They are looking for ways to create value for everyone involved in their business—customers, employees, suppliers, communities, and shareholders. Major brands are entering a new era by aligning their social efforts with their brand strategies and business operations.
Major brands seek to create shared value by building brand relevance across a diverse and increasingly resonant array of areas, from industry to community, from target customers to brand positioning and ultimately value. Major brands such as IKEA are exploring the social and cultural relevance of their brands to identify ways to create shared value.
Your brand must have a story, and that story must be connected to your donations. This will boost your brand presence and tell a compelling brand story. With the right story, you can inspire customers to make the world a better place by shopping with your brand.
Make sure to share the sponsored brand hashtag on social media to highlight their generosity. Include donation/service-focused hashtags (or brand/event-focused hashtags) to draw attention to your post (especially on Instagram).
By implementing these strategies, you will help subscribers see what amazing services the influencers are providing and they will be encouraged to contribute to the return. Make sure the influencers you work with on throwback campaigns use their talents and deliver service projects that make sense to them. For example, if you're working with food influencers, ask them to choose a way to give back something that makes sense to them (e.g., cooking for the family over the holidays, managing food bank delivery, baking for joyful help).
