Why cause marketing and facial hair are a match made in heaven

We’re just about to wrap up another Movember, folks. Just like the Ice Bucket Challenge and Pink October for Breast Cancer Awareness, Movember is another charitable craze in cause marketing. The whole cause began back in 2004 but it’s only in the last few years that Movember has really taken off. So how did it become so successful? How do cause marketing initiatives such as the ALS Ice-Bucket Challenge and Movember get so much traction? Let’s first take a look at what cause marketing really means.

Cause marketing or cause-related marketing refers to a type of marketing involving the cooperative efforts of a for profit business and a non-profit organization for mutual benefit. There’s an increasing demand for your hard earned dollar and the old tactics of going door-to-door asking for a donation is a thing of the past. Social media has taken over and not only are people donating to a cause, they are willing to engage in order to support it. Whether that involves dumping a bucket of cold water on your head, men walking a mile in high-heels or growing a good old fashioned Bromerang, people are engaged beyond opening their wallets. So why is that?

It could be that you’ve been personally affected by the cause

You or someone you care about is suffering and somehow you just feel like you need to do something to help. Sometimes giving money just isn’t enough, so you become a champion for the cause.