Setting up a campaign to support a charitable cause

There are several aspects to consider when developing a CRM campaign:
- choice of partner: The choice of partner should preferably be based on geographical proximity. The strength of the partnership may be based on the profile of the consumers and segments of the population affected by the cause, or on the brand image and the product’s characteristics and market positioning. For example, Douwe Egberts, a company in the agri-food industry, has chosen to associate itself with a group of organizations working to end hunger (Belgian food banks).
- scope of the program: the extent of the program will vary according to the size of the company and its chosen partner (in the case of Douwe Egberts, the program is run nationwide).
- length of the campaign: in general, it seems that a longer-term partnership will boost consumer confidence and heighten the program’s visibility (media coverage, official ceremonies to present “donations”, publicizing the results of the campaign, etc.). In the case of Douwe Egberts, the program has been held during one month (December) on an annual basis for the last nine years.
- budget: this involves the shared products upon which the program is based. With regard to the Douwe Egberts program, the company donates the equivalent of about sixty metric tons of coffee each year. Marketing costs must also be considered, since the program is above all a commercial operation that requires publicity. Lastly, it is also necessary to cover expenses related to human resources mobilized during the campaign.
- negotiating the partnership: this stage precedes that of the contract, goes into detail concerning the campaign’s objectives and the means by which it will be carried out, and evaluates the risks involved in the partnership. The partners’ objectives should ideally overlap but must also be clear, straightforward and measurable, thus enabling continuous assessment of the CRM campaign. In the case of Douwe Egberts, the goal is to donate 10 million cups of coffee each year and promote the concept of providing food assistance to the needy during the wintertime.
-contract: in addition to the usual clauses addressing the rights and duties of the parties involved, the contract may include the amount to be paid to the participating organization(s), the way in which the sum is to be calculated, minimum and maximum limits (if any) for donations, usage of logos, publicity for participating organizations, and possible exclusivity clauses.
- program management and publicity: publicity must be taken into account before and after the program, since only consumers who have been made aware of it can take part. Post-campaign publicity regarding the results of the program is also very important, as this helps show the public how their donations have been put to use.
- measurement and evaluation: this stage is difficult insofar as it cannot be done strictly in financial or marketing terms, such as volume of sales. Gains made in terms of image, perception or the creation of positive consumer attitudes cannot be easily measured, yet must be taken into account.