And Then What Happened? Social Purpose: The Value of the End Result

Canadians continue to place high value in companies and brands that integrate purpose into the marketing mix, as echoed by this year’s goodpurpose™ study.  In fact, the survey found that 67 per cent of Canadians are more likely to buy products and services from a company if they know it has brands that support good causes – up from 60 per cent last year.  That said, while we happily participate in calls-to-action to support a great cause, we seldom see the end results of our efforts.

This year, we watched with interest as Cadbury Canada took the opportunity to stand apart from the crowd and showcase the end result of The Bicycle Factory,  an initiative to provide young people in the cocoa-producing communities of Ghana with bicycles that help them travel to school, source food and retrieve water.  They did this through a documentary, Wheels of Change airing on a national TV network, which chronicled the impact of their program, while giving consumers the satisfaction of seeing the impact of supporting a brand’s social purpose initiative.

The Cadbury program prompted us to follow-up – and now promote – the results of our own social purpose initiative, The Little Give – a 48-hour challenge where staff across all three Canadian offices partnered with local charities and devoted their time, energy and public relations skills to great causes within our communities.

In just six months, the results from our efforts across the country are truly heartwarming:  a family-friendly courtyard at a shelter in Toronto that was enjoyed all summer long; increased awareness for a non-profit organization in Montreal dedicated to providing support to families with members who have Down Syndrome; and, a facebook page created for a Vancouver organization preventing the sexual exploitation of children has gained 525 fans and showcased social media as a vital communication tool.  These are just a few brief snapshots of how we’ve made a difference.

As Canadians continue to support and promote brands that have social purpose at their core, they will increasingly expect that brands communicate the impact of their mutual effort, ensuring that brands remain accountable for their efforts.   By “walking the walk” when it comes to showcasing our commitment to social purpose initiatives, we can set an important example in this arena for our colleagues and clients alike.