Check out our latest infographic supporting the Top 5 lists of where and why people donated their time and money during 2010 and 2011, which also correlates with our latest CSRinsights.
Happy New Year,
The YourCause Team
We thought we’d do something different for our end-of-year CSRinsights by highlighting where and why people donate their time and money. By using 2010/2011 data, we focused on the top five most influential stats we could find that influence the future direction of CSR and how online technology supports market demands.
Top 5 Reasons that motivated individuals to fundraise:
As online fundraising shifts to become the preferred method for donors, companies should keep in mind the top factors that motivate individuals to fundraise in the first place. People are primarily motivated to fundraise based upon a personal connection to a cause or requests received from their network. For a successful fundraising event, use communication tools that allow for employees to send invite requests and express their stories , which will motivate others. In addition, expand your giving programs to be year-round, so that there’s always an opportunity to fundraise due to a personal connection or special event.
Source: Blackbaud, 2011 “Peer-to-Peer Event Fundraising Consumer Survey"
Top 5 Categories individuals volunteered for:
Religion is typically not a company-sponsored cause. However, the category ranks as the number one place where people volunteer. Companies could support employees religious causes by providing tools to track their efforts outside of the workplace. Moreover, the top categories where people volunteer are great for assessing the type of opportunities promoted to employees. Religious is a risky affiliation, though there are a strong interests in educational, social service and hospital opportunities that could draw interests from employees as well.
Source: Volunteering in America www.volunteeringinamerica.gov
Top 5 Largest charities by private support ($billion):
These top five largest U.S. charities are based on the amount of private gifts received, demonstrating donor preferences. Each one of these charities has collected an ample amount of charitable contributions this year and continue to stay as leaders within the nonprofit space. To exemplify, United Way has a colossal amount of partnerships including Wal-Mart, Exxon, General Electric, etc. In addition, Salvation Army and Feeding America have collaborated with multiple corporations for cause marketing campaigns gaining countless amount of new audiences.
Source: Forbes, 2011 ‘The 200 Largest U.S. Charities'
Top 5 Issues consumers want companies to address:
Economic development is the number one issue consumers want companies to address. However, consumer staples and discretionary industries average 8-9% fund allocation in this area, according to CECP Giving In Numbers 2011. These industries are the most prominent in the public eye and depend heavily on the economic cycle, in which they could benefit from a brand reputation and consumer loyalty standpoint by listening to consumer expectations.
Source: 2011 Cone/Echo Global CR Opportunity Study
Top 5 Reasons for expanding charitable programs:
Research reveals there are many reasons to expand charitable programs, including the fact that it increases employee participation and demonstrates a responsiveness to employee desires. We know that employee participation makes for happier, more productive employees and therefore, a better business. In addition, when you expand charitable programs, employees believe you’ve listened to one of their many requests. Choice is key for employees if companies want to demonstrate responsiveness to employee desires.
Source: LBG Research Institute, 2011 “Workplace Giving Works! Make It Work for You"
Top 5 Internet users by language:
Many CSR programs continue to expand globally and multilingual solutions have become a prevalent need. In parallel, web users grow around the world with a surge of available languages on the web. The once dominated internet language, English, is expected to decrease. Therefore, online solutions should cover the basis of the languages most used in the internet in order to cater to the most active international markets on the web.
Source: Internet World Stats
Top 5 Most popular web browsers:
As of today, Technology is a necessity in a company and for the CSR market it is becoming an essential part to expanding charitable and volunteer programs. Third party providers need to upkeep functionality and design to ascertain codes match for user preferences. The above web browsers aim to provide a better browsing experience and give people greater access to the web, and in this case Firefox leads.
Source: www.w3schools.com
Company: AT&T
Cause: Leisure
Partner: Special Olympics
Website: www.att.com/specialolympics
Program of Action
AT&T and Special Olympics continue their campaign in supporting athletes across the country this holiday season. AT&T will make a $60 donation to Special Olympics for each select product or service a consumer buys on the AT&T Special Olympics site (includes wireless, high-speed internet and U-verse TV). Each donation helps Special Olympics continue their mission of providing year-round sports training and competition to individuals with intellectual disabilities. AT&T originally announced the campaign earlier this year and, in an effort to spread the holiday spirit, decided to increase the initial donation amount by $20 to help support Special Olympics mission.
Best Practices
Here are two main reasons why we’re a fan of this campaign:
1. AT&T goes beyond online engagement by allowing consumers to make small text donations through their mobile phones
2. AT&T Special Olympics initiates AT&T’s support to assistive technology
First, AT&T Special Olympics platform offers different ways for consumers to donate such as through your mobile phone. During the holidays, for every shopper who purchases a holiday ringtone or ringback, AT&T will donate $2.79. In addition, consumers can participate through AT&T’s text-to-donate program and make a one-time donation of $5 to Special Olympics.
Secondly, the meaning of the campaign presents AT&T’s initiative to take into consideration the needs of all customers when designing products. AT&T not only supports Special Olympics but also provides technology that can make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities, such as wireless services that are included in the products AT&T will donate if purchased.
On the other hand, the AT&T Special Olympics campaign secludes the audience on the amount that has been donated so far. Perhaps AT&T can keep shoppers in the know and reveal the charitable amount and/or goal they wish to reach.
Program Outcome
Though AT&T does not list the total amount of donations, we enjoy simple campaigns that drive high engagement. Shoppers have till January 7th to support Special Olympics and we encourage you to visit www.att.com/specialolympics to donate and educate yourself on the determination and courage individuals with disabilities possess.
Your CM Aficionados,
Amy and Kassie
Company: Macy's
Cause: Youth
Partners: Make-A-Wish Foundation
Website: www.macys.com/believe
Program of Action
For the fourth year in a row, Macy’s teams up with Make-A-Wish Foundation to launch their Believe holiday campaign. Young and old shoppers alike are encouraged to write a letter to Santa (stamped and addressed to Santa at the North Pole) and drop them off at Believe Stations in the official R.H. Macy Santa Mail letterboxes located throughout Macy’s stores. For each letter stamped, addressed and received by Santa, Macy’s donates $1 (up to $1 million) to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, which helps grant wishes of terminally ill children.
Best Practices
The inspiration to Macy’s unique theme “a million reasons to believe” is a historical story that matches the values of Make-A-Wish Foundation. The campaign is inspired by a letter sent to the editor of the New York Sun in 1897 asking if Santa was real. The theme of sending a letter emphasizes the importance of believing in something, which correlates with Make-A-Wish Foundation’s mission to provide hope for children who only want their wishes to come true.
Macy’s Believe campaign site engages consumers online and off by asking shoppers to create a letter with resources provided such as letter templates, background themes, font colors, etc. Once decorated, they can send their letters to the North Pole through letterboxes located at Macy’s stores. In addition to engaging consumers in a creative way, these attributes also bring an imaginative approach to the campaign for children and shoppers to actually send a letter to Santa.
This year, Macy’s took a leap and not only engaged shoppers online but developed a mobile application for the holiday campaign called Believe-o-Magic. As research states, people are spending more time on their mobile phones than ever before and global app downloads are expected to be at 29 million this year compared to the 9 million in 2010. The app allows consumers to take part in the campaign at any place, as well as, take photos from the Macy’s in-store frame and share via email or social media sites.
Though the values and mission of Make-A-Wish Foundation match the campaigns theme, perhaps next year Macy’s can integrate wish stories from the organization. Adding wish stories from children can benefit Macys Believe campaign and grab consumer’s attention through a deeper emotional aspect.
Program Outcome
Macy’s Believe holiday campaign ends on the night of December 24 and has so far received 965,928 letters. Shoppers have a few days left to reach Macy’s goal of 1 million. We encourage you to visit www.macys.com/believe and join in the spirit of Believe and make children wishes come true!
Your CM Aficionados,
Amy and Kassie
Company: eBay
Cause: Youth
Partners: Toys for Tots
Website: www.eBay.com/giveatoystore
Program of Action
Ebay launched their first Give -A-Toy Store campaign in New York and San Francisco benefitting Toys for Tots this holiday season. The Give-A-Toy Store campaign is an interactive toy store displaying popular toys such as teddy bears and trains that let consumers virtually window-shop for good.
Each toy represents a donation amount ranging from $2-$25. Shoppers can download the eBay mobile app to scan QR (Quick Response) codes on the toys’ virtual price tags, which triggers them to animate and “come to life.” If shoppers cannot install the eBay mobile app, they can visit www.eBay.com/giveatoystore to experience the Give-A-Toy Store campaign and make donations that will buy a toy for a child in need.
Best Practices
The creative campaign attracts online and offline attention by installing a virtual toy store on the streets of New York and San Francisco. The virtual toy store provides instant interaction from consumers walking along the sidewalk and encourages children, families, and others to make donations. Also, the online aspect is more than just a “like” on Facebook, eBay integrates fun and games by donating $1 (up to $50,000) for each toy that is personalized and built on their Facebook page.
In addition, constant incentives are being tossed in a fun way. After building a toy, consumers can enter eBay’s sweepstakes that offers consumers the chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree on eBay. The fun Give-A-Toy Store allures consumers to return in the future by adding the eBay mobile app and liking their Facebook page.
Lastly, eBay stayed true to Toys for Tots mission and ties the theme of the campaign to the organization’s values - to provide toys for children in need that may not otherwise receive. Overall, shoppers have fun feeling good through the campaign, knowing they helped made an impact in a needy child’s life.
Program Outcome
Ebay does not mention an amount goal they wish to reach this holiday season, however in addition to consumer donations, eBay will donate up to $50,000 when shoppers customize a toy on their Facebook page. Help eBay bring Christmas to these children and visit www.eBay.com/giveatoystore and offer them a positive memory they will cherish for a lifetime.
Your CM Aficionados,
Amy and Kassie
Company: Coca-Cola
Cause: Animal Welfare/ Environment
Partners: World Wildlife Fund
Website: www.arctichome.com
Program of Action
Coca-Cola continues to use their iconic polar bear holiday symbol to team up with World Wildlife Fund and kick off the Arctic Home campaign in an effort to raise awareness and funds to protect the polar bear's deteriorating habitat. Through the Arctic Home campaign, Coca-Cola commits up to $1 million to match consumer donations through March 15, 2012. Over the next five years, Coca-Cola is contributing $2 million to polar bear conservation efforts.
Best Practices
The campaign website, www.arctichome.com, immediately intrigues visitors with a video displaying rhetorical effects such as music, images, and facts about the bears that produce a sense of feeling to help their decaying home. Once the video is over, Coca-Cola directly provides visitors a quick method for what they plan to do on the site by displaying an instant pop-up asking whether they would like to “Donate Now” or “Explore Now.”
Coca-Cola involves a unique navigator and interactive tracking with the campaign. By moving your cursor, consumers have the ability to view information and facts about WWF scientists experiencing the Arctic environment designated areas (called virtual parcels). Consumers choose where their donation is made, and a polar bear sighting tracker with additional facts such as their age, weight, and name appears. The site also visually displays real-time temperature and time in the Arctic and consumers donations, which are rarely tracked publicly.
In addition, credit card donations powered by Network for Good and $1 text message donations are integrated with the site that will also be matched by Coca-Cola. According to Cone 2010 Text-To-Give, 27% are more likely to text a donation if a company/organization matches their gift.
On the other hand, the amount of action and plethora of buttons and interactive effects may distract and confuse visitors. Perhaps the designated site could demonstrate a how-to guide to explain each module and convenience the user experience.
Program Outcome
To date, $60,059 has been raised and donated to WWF. Consumers have till March 15, 2012 to donate with Coca-Cola matching each donation. We encourage you to visit www.arctichome.com and WWF and consider donating to polar bear conservation efforts. Or, just simply visit to learn more about these magnificent animals, their loss of habitat and greatest threats to survive.
Your CM Aficionados,
Amy and Kassie
Today is World AIDS Day and we’re recognizing those lives that have been affected by the disease. We also want to celebrate accomplishments— such as increased access to treatment and prevention services that have made great strides in fighting the AIDS pandemic. This year’s UNAIDS theme is, Getting to Zero, with a focus on achieving three targets in 2012:
HIV/AIDS has been a global fight for the last 30 years with an estimate of 33.3 million people living with HIV worldwide and 1.2 million persons living with HIV in the United States, according to research. More than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007 have died from the virus worldwide, making the disease the most destructive pandemics in history.
Today is an opportunity for all of us to learn the facts about HIV/AIDS. Let’s raise awareness on the spread of HIV, how it can be prevented and support those fighting the disease today.
Click here and take action today at YourCause.com by donating to organizations supporting this cause.
-Kassie Hernandez
