Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Jenny Davis-Peccoud, a partner with Bain & Company who leads their sustainability and corporate responsibility practice, about a new report that finds that only two percent of corporate sustainability programs achieve or exceed their aims. To get sustainability efforts back on track, the report offers four guidelines to deliver lasting gains.

On the show Megan, Jenny and I discuss...

This is awkward. 

Nearly a year ago to the day I wrote that cause marketers could learn a thing or two from Playboy's decision to go nude-less. Imagine, Playboy without nude pictures!

It appears that Playboy readers couldn't imagine it because sales slumped over the past year. The decline was so steep that Playboy announced last month that it's returning to its rakish ways. Nude pictures are back in this month's issue.

Last year I told nonprofits to cover up. Is it time to take it off again?

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to James Mitchener, Marketing Manager at Waste Industries, about the Full Circle Project, a customer-driven fundraiser that to-date has donated nearly $1 million to charities.

On the show, Megan, James and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to co-founders Kevin Finn and Mark Edelson of Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant. Along with its handcrafted beers and New American cuisine, Iron Hill is known for its cause marketing. They've raised $200,000 for children's pediatric cancer.

On the show, Megan, Kevin, Mark and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Sloane Lucas, Manager, Corporate Citizenship, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, about their cause marketing efforts on behalf of Operation Homefront whose mission is to build strong, stable and secure military families so that they can thrive in the communities they've given so much to protect.

One creative fundraiser launched last summer was Operation Rocker. With the purchase of a rocker on Cracker Barrel’s website, the company donated an adult rocker to Operation Homefront. 

On the show, Megan, Sloane, and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to co-founders Matt Sharp and John Rougeux at Causely, a service that helps businesses use cause marketing to grow and build community. 

With Causely, the business benefits from a big increase in word-of-mouth (typically a 4-6x increase in social media impressions!). Businesses also earn a charitable reputation in the process. Customers benefit because it gives them an easy (and free) way to support great causes. And, of course, non-profits benefit as Causely has donated over $2 million since it launched.

On the show, Megan, Matt, John and I discuss...

The nonprofit sector is a strong and vibrant community full of people willing to help each other out. And now more than ever, it’s important to come together and work as allies and mentors.

The value of being mentored seems pretty obvious: new skills, confidence, friendship, etc. And in fact, the research shows that people who are mentored get more job promotions and earn more than people who aren’t....

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Patrick Adams, Managing Director, Secret Weapon Marketing, the creative minds behind the Helpful Bowl, a bigger, better Super Bowl that has SoCal Honda Dealers donating money to Boys & Girls Clubs of Southern California for every Big Game ad that has an advertising cliche.

On the show, Megan, Patrick and I discuss...

Many businesses have taken an extra step to setup charity foundations designed specifically to help not-for-profits. So, if you are already reaching out to businesses for support, why not go ahead and see if their corporate office provides philanthropy through grants...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Jessica Li, Assistant Professor of Marketing at the University of Kansas, about a new article that explores how corporate social responsibility efforts are perceived by different cultures. These efforts may not be effective for all consumers or in all countries.

On the show, Megan, Jessica and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Allison Weinhagen, Director of Community Engagement at City Market, a 16,000 sq. ft. community-owned food cooperative in downtown Burlington, Vermont.

Anytime you check-out at City Market, you can choose to "round up" your total to the nearest dollar. Each month, the spare change collected during Rally for Change is split between three great non-profits that align with the co-op's mission. Since the program's inception, City Market has raised over $300,000 for charities.

On the show, Megan, Allison and I discuss....

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Dan Goldenberg, Executive Director of the Call of Duty Endowment, which was founded by Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick. Dan was last on the show in November 2015. Since then, the endowment has expanded on its cause marketing and the Endowment's impact.

On the show, Megan, Dan and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Alex Meysman, national event director at Love Your Melon (LYM). The online retailer donates 50% of the profits from each sale made to find a cure for pediatric cancer and to support families impacted by cancer.

From LYM’s Cyber Monday sales alone, they donated over $400,000 to Pinky Swear Foundation and CureSearch. The sales for LYM were the highest the company has seen since its inception in 2013.

But the truly amazing thing about LYM is its success motivating millennials to purchase cause-related products. LYM merchandise often sells out at soon as it hits the website, an accomplishment that must leave many national brands green with envy!

On the show, Megan, Alex and I discuss...

Welcome to my annual 10 Best Cause Marketing Promotions of 2016. As always, it was a great year for cause marketing. 

My 10 Best posts are by far the most popular piece of content I’ve ever published on my blog – or anywhere else for that matter. Combined these annual posts have over 50,000 views...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Sarah Durham, CEO of Big Duck, a communications firm that is a leader of Brandraising - a proven approach to fundraising that puts the focus on marketing, branding, and communications.

On the show, Megan, Sarah and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to David Hessekiel, the founder and president of Cause Marketing Forum Inc., which recently changed its name to Engage for Good! This wide-ranging conversation includes the rebranding of the organization, the evolution of cause marketing and what we can look forward to in 2017.

On the show, Megan, David and I discuss...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Beth Bellanti, Program Manager of Vodka For Dog People, one of the philanthropic arms of Tito's Handmade Vodka, about their vision to help better the lives of pets and their families far and wide. They see a future in which dogs won’t need rescuing at all!

On the show, Megan, Beth and I...

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and I talk to Abby Lunardini, Vice President of Brand Marketing and Communications at Virgin America, about #TinyDogsTinyFares. With every booking at VirginAmerica.com on Cyber Monday, the airline donated ten dollars to its animal shelter partners: The San Francisco Animal Care and Control, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Animal Haven.

Also this week, the airline hosted its seventh Operation Chihuahua airlift – flying Chihuahuas in style from San Francisco to New York so they can be adopted into loving homes – just in time for the holidays. 

On the show, Megan, Abby and I discuss...