Raise your hand if you knew that General Mills is consistently ranked among the top ten contributors of food in the United States. Did you know that last year they donated almost $38 million in food to both domestic and international food banks? Or did you know that when you purchase a GM product, you can enter the product code online to help secure five meals for a food bank in your community? Yeah, me neither.
Engaging in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a great strategic marketing tool and can positively influence consumers buying behavior and loyalty. But how many consumers know that your brand is taking part in a CSR related activity? In an omnibus study conducted last year by The Pert Group about CSR awareness in a cross-section of restaurants, one third of consumers said they would increase their visit to a restaurant that had a food donation program in place. Unfortunately, the study also found that most consumers “ aren’t sure” or “don’t know” if restaurants donate food to the needy.*
This week, a popular brand may have gotten it right. On March 4th, Land O’Lakes kicked off their Pin-A-Meal Campaign.
For every Land O’Lakes recipe pinned on Pinterest, the Land O’Lakes foundation will donate $1 up to $250,000 to Feeding America to help fight hunger in the United States. But why is this campaign different from any other?
- Use of social media – Land O’Lakes has not only chosen to promote their campaign via social media, an effective way to get in touch with the masses very quickly, but they’ve chosen Pinterest (one of the fastest growing social networks) as their main conduit.
- Added value – Currently, the overall top pinned category on Pinterest is food and drink. Not only does the Land O’Lakes brand fit within this category, their campaign adds value for users – they get delicious recipes to save to their boards.
- They are telling a story – Pinterest was made for visual storytelling and the Pin-A-Meal campaign delivers. Without using much text, the images and design get the point across to the user.
- Consumer involvement – Not only is Land O’Lakes doing something great to help fight hunger, but consumers can help too. With just a click of a button you can give someone in need eight meals. How great is that?
The Pert Group has extensive experience with CPG clients and we know that philanthropy is a sensitive area for communications. Consumers can sense when companies are insincere or are indifferent to a cause. At the same time, management may think publicizing donations is inappropriate. Effective communication doesn’t have to be self-serving. It can be used to promote community involvement activities, while sending a powerful, positive message about your brand. How can we help your company share the good work you’ve been doing?
*Survey specifics
The Pert Group Omnibus Survey was conducted from May 10-13, 2012, with 1,002 interviews completed. Respondents were 48% male; 52% female. Contact The Pert Group for detailed demographic information.