Summary
Hard data on the impact of meaningful marketing programmes can be elusive. Whether it's through corporate social responsibility or cause marketing, brands need to show that their campaigns benefit society. This article offers up seven ingredients for success and looks at Subaru of America's annual end-of-year cause marketing programme 'Feel the Love'. On corporate social responsibility, there are case studies on Molson Coors in Canada and its TAXIGUY free cab service programme that operates in 700 cities across Canada, and ice-cream manufacturer Haagen-Dazs and its attempts to tackle the honey bee crisis in the US.

Summary
Many companies are addressing issues of sustainability. This report from The Futures Company, part of its Future Perspectives series, looks at where consumers are on the road to sustainable living and how brands can lead the way, if only to build a competitive advantage. Among the problems faced are the fact that people are both citizens and consumers and have conflicting priorities, with consumer needs generally taking precedence over public concerns. Brands need to understand that for most people sustainability is just one factor, and rarely the primary one, in their choices. But if leveraged effectively, by differentiating the brand or giving greater reason to believe in a product's benefits, social and environmental factors can drive growth. As well as emerging issues in any given product category, brands also need to consider wider global issues: the scarcity of raw materials, the challenges of supplying fresh water and enough food for a growing population, the impact of climate change.

Summary
Duncan Goose, founder of UK brand One, spoke at AdAsia 2011 about the story and strategy behind the company, which exists to make money and then give it away to good causes. This was based on the insights that consumers think environmental and ethical issues are important but won’t go out of their way to address them or make sacrifices for them but they will buy brands that they know will act morally on their behalf. Products are invested in exist to make a difference on behalf of consumers through their everyday purchases, and tend to be in high-turnover, low-differentiation categories. Partners gain a different kind of consumer, who will buy the same brand across multiple categories and spend more. However, Goose warned that for companies to make the move into this model was a slow process that requires everyone involved to agree with it.

Summary
Macy's local and cause-related sponsorship initiatives is the focus of this Warc report from the 2011 IEG Sponsorship Conference. The company's aim is to combine the marketing efficiencies of a national brand while still allowing Macy’s to sustain regionally driven initiatives. Focusing on a cause allows Macy's to show their commitment to local communities. Examples discussed include the 'Go Red for Women' campaign (in association with the American Heart Association) and 'Book a Brighter Future' (with Reading Is Fundamental).

Summary
Nine of Landor Associate's branding experts predict marketing trends in a range of areas and sectors, including financial services, social media, airlines, design, green marketing, consumer spending, corporate social responsibility, hospitality and food and beverages. The forecasts include companies relying more on social media to encourage collaboration and employee connections, air carriers being more reliant on partnerships with airlines in other countries and "ugly" designs being a credible way to differentiate a brand identity.

Summary
This guide from OgilvyGreen offers practical advice on how to avoid accusations of "greenwashing" in green marketing campaigns. It argues it's integral in the planning phase to invest resource in building a substantial green story backed up by verified facts and partnering with environmental NGOs. In the communication strategy, it recommends making transparency and honesty a priority, the avoidance of clichés like "good for the planet" and finding a forum to allow the product to speak for itself. Post-launch, it recommends acting fast in the face of criticism and committing to sustainability in the long term. Campaigns cited as good examples include Unilever-owned Hellmann's Mayonnaise using free-range eggs, Clorox launching a natural cleaning products line called Green Works and Coca-Cola using 30% plant-based, recyclable bottles in Canada.

Summary
Russ Meyer from Landor Associates attempts to rebuff the myths about green brands held by some executives, which then prevent companies from becoming green leaders. He argues that there is a global market for green products, consumers are more likely to purchase green products in the food, home cleaning and personal care categories and sustainable companies are gaining from a reduction in energy, material and transportation costs. He also recommends that in order to green your brand, you must understand your consumer, partner with suppliers and retailers and market with accuracy and transparency.

Summary
Geoffrey Precourt, Warc's U.S. Editor, reports from the American Marketing Association (AMA) Webinar. Dan Kowitz, vice president of IEG Sponsorship Consulting speaks on the power of sponsoring non-profit causes and the importance of authenticity. He looks at research that has shown that American consumers want corporate entities to put more money towards good causes. Kowitz includes examples of sponsorship and the commercial gains that have been returned.

Summary
Gone are the days when marketers were able to rely solely on the four Ps - place, promotion, product, and price - to set apart their brands and win loyal customers. In today's climate of corporate social responsibility (CSR), consumers also require that businesses prove they are good "corporate citizens". One advantage of this shift is that CSR is helping brands develop their "soul", and can help drive emotional connections with consumers. Modern cause marketing originated with American Express in 1983 with its groundbreaking Statue of Liberty Restoration campaign, which raised money for the statue's restoration and helped the company generate $1.7 million over three months. As such, adopting a fifth "P" - namely, purpose - can also prove highly profitable.

Summary
This article argues that cause-related marketing (CRM) is a strategy whose time has come. Research sponsored by Business in the Community, in the U.S. and UK, shows considerable demand for CRM, and that awareness of a company's CRM leads to the brand having significantly higher affinity scores (trust, binding, innovation and endorsement). Functionality and price alone are no longer sufficient to differentiate a brand, since competitors can rapidly copy them. Values-led marketing engages the customer emotionally and creates a deeper level of relationship, which is harder to achieve but, once achieved, is harder to shift. But the values must be authentic and integral to the business values, not merely bolted on. Everybody wins from a CRM campaign if it is done well; done badly, it can be disastrous. Examples of campaigns are given: Unilever (Dove Self-Esteem), Marks and Spencer (Breakthrough Breast Cancer), Co-op Bank and others.