media update’s David Jenkin looks at ways corporates can make social investments that matter, and why they should.

Earning loyalty by doing good

When it comes to the decline of public trust in government, media, and business, South Africa is not unique. The country is, of course, plagued by a great many social ills with poverty and inequality being the most glaring. With greater demand for authenticity in brand messaging, ignoring the reality of those ills is becoming less of an option, particularly for South African businesses. However, when an organisation engages such issues head-on, the rewards can be tangible and far-reaching.

“Customers are no longer content to merely consume brands, they expect an emotional connection built on that brand’s authentic contribution to society and/or the planet. Brands that can forge this connection will reap the benefits,” says Michael Baretta, managing director of [dot]Good, a marketing and public relations agency specialising in ‘for-good’ marketing and social investment.

Such benefits were recently demonstrated by independent market research company Ask Afrika with the unveiling of their Kasi Star Brands for 2017, an index of brands that township consumers are most loyal to.

There are a range of determining factors including pricing and quality, but brands at the top of the index are credited with going further and successfully forging an emotional connection with consumers. KFC came in second place overall, which Maria Petousis, TGI Director at Ask Afrika, attributed in no small part to the ‘Add Hope’ campaign – an ongoing initiative which has made a real, demonstrable difference in communities.

Marketing for good

Candice Goodman, managing director of mobile marketing consultancy Mobitainment, drove this same lesson home in her presentation at the Township Shopper Marketing Conference in March, titled Why Doing Good is Good Business.

“Ultimately, when we connect with emotion, touch hearts, and with purpose, we are increasing loyalty, driving sales and profitability,” she said. “When we get briefed on a campaign, we inevitably find it’s about increasing sales. And I know that marketers’ KPIs are determined by pushing product, growing market share, and that needs to be done tomorrow – but let’s be brave. Let’s change our mindset for the long term.”

Baretta adds, “Traditional corporate social investment (CSI) generally does not create a linkage between a business’s philanthropic activities, its customers, and its business goals. It’s no longer enough for businesses to do well. They need to do good and be seen to be doing good too. Businesses who are unable to make this change will suffer.”

Beginning a socially conscious initiative

“The first step to preparing for this leap is for brand custodians to educate themselves about the issues that impact their industries, communities and the environment in which they operate,” Baretta advises. He suggests that acquiring this knowledge can spark the necessary inspiration and creativity for a socially conscious campaign.

He continues, “Armed with this inspiration, organisations can seek out the most appropriate partners in the NGO space, and forge mutually beneficial relationships. By collaborating closely with partners, brands can substantially magnify the positive effects of their CSI spend and create a compelling narrative.”

He cautions that it is incredibly important to conduct the appropriate level of due diligence when partnering with an NGO in order to avoid reputational damage.

Socially conscious marketing done right

Baretta points to [dot]Good’s recent campaign for Rush Bars which partnered with Qhubeka, an NPO, and Cycle Labs, as an example. For every product sold, R2 goes to Qubeka to buy bicycles to help communities. To incentivise sales, consumers stand a chance of winning cycling gear – a promotion called Unwrap to Gear Up.

As another example, he highlights [dot]Good’s service offering that allows brands to drive volumes in store whilst upskilling talented, yet previously disadvantaged youth in middle income stores. “This platform employs students from the Imvula Education Empowerment Fund, a 100% black-owned, broad-based trust, as in-store promoters for FMCG brands," he says. “It helps our clients to fulfil their social and B-BBEE responsibilities while driving sales and providing real-world work experience for the students.”

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Interested in reading about socially conscious marketing? Read our coverage from the Township Shopper Marketing Conference in our article, Township Shopper Marketing 2017 Conference spotlights SA township consumers.