Cause Related Marketing. A substitute for direct donations?

Master's Thesis , 2012 , 144 Pages , Grade: 1,4

Business economics - Offline Marketing and Online Marketing

Despite the vast research on Cause-Related Marketing, little is known about the instrument’s potential to substitute direct donations. A company engages in Cause-Related Marketing when it teams up with a cause supporting charity organisation. The similarity with direct donations suggests that cause-marketed products bear the potential to tap the donation market. The present investigation extends prior research by identifying key drivers for purchasing cause-marketed products and its potential to gain access to the market of direct donations (Hypothesis 1). Second, the work tries to assess the geographic implications of a Cause-Related Marketing campaign (Hypothesis 2). The results of Hypothesis 1 indicate that cause-marketed products bear a potential to substitute direct donations. Findings of Hypothesis 2 show that the geographical context of a CRM campaign has implications on the cause supported by a
nongovernmental organisation.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• Literature Review
  • Traditional Marketing
    • Definitions of Traditional Marketing
    • Concepts of Traditional Marketing
    • Summary Traditional Marketing
  • Cause-Related Marketing
    • Definitions of Cause-Related Marketing
    • Concepts of Cause-Related Marketing
    • Benefits and Risks of Cause Related Marketing
    • Summary Cause-Related Marketing
  • Cause Affinity
    • Customer Behaviour
    • Definitions of Cause Affinity
    • Concepts of Cause Affinity
    • Summary Cause Affinity
• Methodology
  • Summary
  • Business Research Strategies
    • Reliability, Replication, Validity
    • Secondary Research & Primary Research
  • The Self-Completion Questionnaire
    • The Approach
    • The Likert Scale
  • Population, Sample and Common Errors
    • Description of Population and Sample
    • Common Sampling Errors
  • Ethical considerations
• Statistics
  • General Donation Behaviour
    • Have you ever donated money, time or goods for charity purposes or charity organisations?
    • How did you mostly get involved with charity organisations?
    • How often do you get involved for a charity organisation?
    • What is your preferred geographic context of involvement?
    • I do not donate for the reason(s) of:
  • Distribution of Responsibility & Attitude towards Cause-Marketed Products
    • Companies have a social responsibility.
    • Consumers have a social responsibility.
    • A consumer can remedy shortcomings with his buying behaviour
    • The disposition of products which support a charitable cause is part of a corporation's responsibility
    • The purchase of products which support a charitable cause is part of a consumer's responsibility.
    • I specifically purchase products which support a charitable cause
    • If I purchase a product which supports charitable causes I want to engage nationally/internationally.
    • I would pay a higher price for products, which support a charitable cause.
    • I perceive donating as more convenient when I buy products which support charitable causes
    • If I were to specifically buy products which support a charitable cause, I would be less engaged in charitable organisations
    • Which of the following statements describes you the most?
    • I wish more companies would support a charitable cause.
    • Which NATIONAL charitable cause would you prefer to support when purchasing a product which supports a charitable cause?
    • Which INTERNATIONAL charitable cause would you prefer to support when purchasing a product which supports a charitable cause?
  • Summary Statistics
• Analysis
  • Aim of the Study
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Distribution of Responsibility & Attitude towards Cause-Marketed Products
  • Assessing the Preferred Causes
  • Implication for Literature
  • Summary Analysis
• Recommendations

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This dissertation investigates the relationship between cause-related marketing and direct donations. It aims to determine whether cause-related marketing can be considered a substitute for traditional charitable giving.

• Cause-related marketing practices and their impact on consumer behavior
• The role of cause affinity in shaping consumer preferences
• The perceived social responsibility of both consumers and corporations in relation to charitable causes
• The effectiveness of cause-related marketing campaigns as a tool for social change
• The potential for cause-related marketing to influence consumer attitudes and behavior towards charitable giving

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The dissertation begins by providing a comprehensive literature review exploring the concepts of traditional marketing, cause-related marketing, and cause affinity. The following chapter focuses on the methodology employed in this study, including the design of the self-completion questionnaire used to gather data. The subsequent chapter presents statistical analysis of the data collected through the questionnaire, exploring various aspects of consumer donation behavior and attitudes towards cause-related marketing. Finally, the analysis chapter delves into the key findings and insights derived from the statistical data, examining the interplay between cause-related marketing and direct donations.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This dissertation focuses on the intersection of marketing, consumer behavior, and charitable giving. Key themes include cause-related marketing, cause affinity, consumer social responsibility, and the potential of cause-related marketing to influence charitable donations.

• College: Aston University (Aston Business School)
• Course: Business & Management
• Grade: 1,4
• Author: Sebastian Siebert (Author)
• Publication Year: 2012
• Pages: 144
• Catalog Number: V266095
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656559085
• ISBN (Book): 9783656559078
• Language: English
• Tags: cause, related, marketing