• Eliciting brand engagement: Participating in a cause-related activity as part of a CSM program for a brand is certainly one means of eliciting active engagement. As part of any of these activities, customers themselves may become brand evangelists and ambassadors and help communicate about the brand and strengthen the brand ties of others.
A CSM program of “strategic volunteerism,” whereby corporate personnel volunteer their time to help administer the nonprofit program, could actively engage consumers with both the cause and the brand.
Perhaps the most important benefit of cause-related marketing is that by humanizing the firm, it may help consumers develop a strong, unique bond with the firm that transcends normal marketplace transactions. A striking success story is McDonald’s, whose franchises have long been required to stay close to their local communities. Ronald McDonald House Charities provides comfort and care to sick children and their families by supporting over 300 Ronald McDonald Houses and 45 Ronald McDonald Care Mobiles in communities around the world and by making grants to other not-for-profit organizations whose programs help children in need. Ronald McDonald Houses effectively leverage the company’s Ronald McDonald character and its identification with children to concretely symbolize the firm’s “do-good” efforts. This well-branded cause program enhances McDonald’s reputation as caring and concerned for customers.70