Cause-related publicity can be extremely beneficial to the reputation of any brand. However, when cause-related publicity backfires, it can be detrimental to a brand's image. We've simplified the dos and don'ts for PR pros looking to get into cause-related publicity — it's all here in this five-minute read.
Cause-related publicity is a division of PR that aims to improve the public image of a brand by supporting different socio-economic causes.
Ideally, a brand should support a cause that is relevant to its mission and vision, and it needs to be able to make a measurable impact toward the cause.
Brands can contribute to a cause through:
- financial input
- providing free equipment or products
- providing labour pro bono, and
- using their voice to create public awareness.
TL;DR — cause-related publicity is a way for brands to build a positive reputation by investing in their communities.
media update's Joreke Kleynhans discusses some dos and don'ts to help you make the best out of your brand's cause-related PR efforts.
Relevance
Don't: Choose any cause remotely related to your brand's purpose and try to promote it.
Do: Critically assess the cause. Ensure that the cause you choose to support is related to your own brand's vision and mission statement and that its values and objectives do not contradict those of your brand.
Relevance doesn't only refer to an invisible string that can be tied between you and your cause. If that were the case, a fried chicken restaurant could easily promote the vegan movement in their PR. Why? Well, they both care about chicken(s), don't they?
When a brand publicly supports a social cause, it also publicly upholds the values and objectives of said cause.
With social issues, emotions play a significant role in public perception of the issue as well as those that support it. Therefore, brands need to predict how the public will react to everything they do in their campaign and proactively prevent negative or emotionally loaded reactions.
Actionability
Don't: Only post an infographic on your social media, and call it a day.
Do: Use the substantial resources your brand possesses to take actions that make a positive difference in the cause you are supporting.
In the past, infographic activism might have been acceptable to most consumers, but in 2024, consumers have the power — and performative activism is not rewarded.
While creating awareness is important in any social issue, it's only the very first step in a long journey. Performative activism is so last century, you're better off staying quiet than pretending to contribute.
Instead of just posting an infographic about your cause, use your social media as a platform. This is an opportunity to inform your audience of the steps that you are taking — and that they can take — to support this cause.
This is where relevance makes its return, not just for publicity purposes but also for practicality. If a brand decides to support a cause that does not relate well enough to its own purpose, it runs the risk of not having any appropriate resources that resonate with the cause.
This means that it will either need to incur the expenses of finding and providing useful resources, or worse — have its activism be perceived as performative.
Sustainability
Don't: Give the man a fish.
Do: Teach him how to fish.
The United Nations created and adopted 17 Goals for Sustainable Development in 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These goals are meant to contribute to a world where people prosper and live in peace and harmony with the environment. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 10 and 11 speak to Reduced Inequalities and Sustainable Cities and Communities.
SDG 11 refers to the ability of community members to look after themselves and continually create safe and inclusive living environments.
Self-sufficiency is emphasised, meaning that community members should have limited reliance on external parties. Examples of this are:
- financial donors
- service providers
- non-profits, and
- religious organisations.
With this in mind, an easy way to evaluate whether your brand's contribution will sustainably support your chosen cause is to ask the question: Will the recipient of my contribution still benefit from it, even if we terminate our relationship immediately after the exchange?
Contributing to a relevant cause with the applicable knowledge, expertise and skills your brand can provide will bring sustainable, ongoing change and development to the cause of your beneficiary.
What are your thoughts on brands promoting social causes? Let us know in the comments!
*Image courtesy of Canva