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BizReport : Ecommerce : August 24, 2011

Cause Marketing: Women prefer brands that donate with each purchase

When faced with a choice between two brands that benefit a cause almost half of women would choose the one that donates with every purchase according to new by The Integer Group and M/A/R/C Research.

by Helen Leggatt

The Integer Group asked a panel of 1,200 Americans what would influence their preference for one brand over another when choosing between two companies that each benefit a cause and sell the same product, similar in price and quality.

The top answer among both men and women was "personal relevance of cause" (70%). According to the research, published in The Checkout, women report that causes such as finding cures and disease prevention are the most compelling, with social change, faith-based, animal and child welfare causes also appealing.

Differences among genders emerge in the second most common answer which was "donates with every purchase". They know the purchase they just made will make a difference. So, while women tend towards brands that promise instant gratification with each purchase (44% vs. 38% of the overall population) it's not such a big deal for men (33%).

"Brands need to appeal to men's rationale side, delivering a more rational benefit for their participation in a cause program, which can lead to higher engagement," said Craig Elston, SVP, The Integer Group.

"Men are more likely to support organizations like The Salvation Army or Goodwill, with women saying they support disease prevention causes such as breast cancer awareness."

The top brands purchased based on their affiliation with a cause were:

1. Yoplait
2. Anything Affiliated With Breast Cancer
3. (tied) Susan G. Komen for the Cure & Newman's Own
4. General Mills
5. Yogurt in general
6. (tie) P&G and RED
7. Boxtops for Education
8. (tied) Kellogg's, Campbell's & Girl Scouts
9. Dawn
10. Avon

Tags: brand marketing, cause marketing, consumer behavior, consumer insight

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