Cause Talk Radio: The Cause Marketing Podcast

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Sarah Durham, CEO of Big Duck, a communications firm that is a leader in _Brandraising_ — a proven approach to fundraising that puts the focus on marketing, branding, and communications. On the show, Megan, Sarah, and Joe discuss: - Speaking of brands: Where did Big Duck come from? - Why branding is important for nonprofits. - Sarah's definition of "Branding". - What do you need in place before you go through a rebrand? - How Big Duck tracks the ROI of a rebrand with its clients. - How communications isn't decorative for a nonprofit - it's a workhorse! - How to get the key people on board within your organization for a rebrand. And the main difference between a nonprofit and a for-profit rebrand. - Where does social media fit into a nonprofit's communications strategy? - What stands in the way of a successful nonprofit rebrand? - In 2017, will we see more nonprofit content brands (i.e. nonprofits that prioritize communications)? **Links & Notes** - [Big Duck](http://www.bigducknyc.com/ "Big Duck") - _[The Rebrand Effect](http://www.bigducknyc.com/rebrandeffect "The Rebrand Effect [EBOOK}")_ - [Sarah Durham on Twitter](https://twitter.com/bigducksarah "Sarah Durham on Twitter") - [Brandraising](https://www.amazon.com/Brandraising-Nonprofits-Visibility-Through-Communications/dp/0470527536?tag=rashpixel_mwl-20) - [Cleveland Clinic's Health Essentials](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/ "Cleveland Clinic's Health Essentials") - Check out the podcast _This Old Marketing_ (last ten minutes of the show) for the story on UK National Trust Magazine

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to David Hessekiel, the founder and president of Cause Marketing Forum Inc., which recently changed its name to Engage for Good! This wide-ranging conversation includes the rebranding of the organization, the evolution of cause marketing and what we can look forward to in 2017. On the Show, Megan, David and Joe discuss: - Joe muses on a new illustrious title for David: "The Commodore of Cause Marketing." - David's backstory: why did he start the Cause Marketing Forum? - Why CMF is rebranding to Engage for Good. - How cause marketing has evolved since the forum launched in 2003. - How companies are becoming more cause-oriented instead of nonprofit-focused. - Why companies will always need nonprofits. - The history of the Halo Awards and how organizations can apply for a 2017 award. - The future of cause. What will be the expectation of businesses when it comes to cause? How will the election impact cause marketing? - When is the Engage for Good conference? **Links & Notes** - [Engage for Good](http://engageforgood.com/ "Engage for Good") - [David Hessekiel on Twitter](https://twitter.com/DaveCause "David Hessekiel on Twitter") - [Engage For Good on Twitter](https://twitter.com/engageforgood) - [Good Works! Marketing and Corporate Initiatives that Build a Better World...and the Bottom Line](https://www.amazon.com/Good-Works-Marketing-Corporate-Initiatives/dp/1118206681/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?qid=&sr=&tag=rashpixel_mwl-20&_encoding=UTF8) - [Engage for Good Conference](http://engageforgood.com/conference/ "Engage for Good Conference") - [Apply for a 2017 Halo Award](http://engageforgood.com/halo-awards/ "Apply for a 2017 Halo Award")

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan, and Joe talk to Beth Bellanti, Program Manager of Vodka For Dog People, one of the philanthropic arms of Tito's Handmade Vodka, about their vision to help better the lives of pets and their families far and wide. They see a future in which dogs won’t need rescuing at all! On the show, Megan, Beth and Joe discuss: - The background of Tito's Handmade Vodka and the birth of Vodka for Dog People. - How Tito's sales people were eager to promote the program to clients and saw the potential of Vodka for Dog People as a sales driver and a great cause. - The importance of businesses starting with a cause about which they are passionate. - How the program progressed beginning in 2012 and their focus on third-party events - "Yappy Hours" - all over the world. - What lessons Tito's has learned in developing and growing the program. - Other philanthropic activities Tito's is involved in. - The importance of developing community around Tito's philanthropic work. **Links & Notes** - [Vodka for Dog People](http://www.vodkafordogpeople.com/) - [Vodka for Dog People on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/vodkafordogpeople/?hl=en) - [Tito's Handmade Vodka](http://www.titosvodka.com/)

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Abby Lunardini, Vice President of Brand Marketing and Communications at Virgin America, about [#TinyDogsTinyFares](https://twitter.com/hashtag/TinyDogsTinyFares). With every booking at VirginAmerica.com on Cyber Monday, the airline donated ten dollars to its animal shelter partners: The San Francisco Animal Care and Control, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Animal Haven. Also this week, the airline is hosted its seventh “Operation Chihuahua” airlift – flying Chihuahuas in style from San Francisco to New York so they can be adopted into loving homes – just in time for the holidays. On the show, Megan, Abby and Joe discuss: - How Virgin American went to the dogs! - How "Operation Chihuahua" has evolved since 2010. - How Virgin America promoted #TinyDogsTinyFares to its customers. - Why Virgin America launched the effort on Cyber Monday instead Giving Tuesday. - How "Operation Chihuahua" and #TinyDogsTinyFares fits into Virgin America's social responsibility strategy. - Joe's early experience with Virgin America in an online charity contest and his bitter loss to Rabbi Chaim! - The challenge of airlifting Chihuahuas across the country. - Joe tests Abby's knowledge of Chihuahuas! Are they really the smallest dog breed? **Links & Notes** - [Great pictures and videos from this year's 'Operation Chihuahua'](https://www.virginamerica.com/cms/about-our-airline/photos/operation-chihuahua "Great pictures and videos from this year's 'Operation Chihuahua'") - [Virgin America on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/VirginAmerica/ "Virgin America on Facebook") - [How Boston's Top Nonprofits Got Their Butts Kicked & What We Can Learn From Rabbi Chaim](https://www.selfishgiving.com/blog/cause-marketers-journal/how-the-elite-boston-nonprofits-got-their-butts-kicked "How Boston's Top Nonprofits Got Their Butts Kicked & What We Can Learn From Rabbi Chaim")

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Alison DaSilva, Executive Vice President, Cone Communications, about their latest study, the _2016 Cone Communications Millennial Employee Engagement Study_. On the show, Megan, Alison, and Joe discuss: - Why Millennials are so important to companies. 50 percent of the workforce by 2020! - Why Cone decided to do this research. "90 percent of our clients are coming to us and asking about Millennials. How do we keep them happy." - How Cone keeps employees happy. The Cone Olympics??? - How Cone defines a socially responsible company. - Are employers playing catch up with employees since the priority is usually targeting Millennial consumers? - How do Millennials want companies to support causes? - The importance of social media to Millennials. - What were the biggest surprises from the study? The importance and depth of interest in volunteerism. - As a Millennial expert, how well does Alison know Millennial lingo? - What Cone is planning for future research studies. **Links & Notes** - [Cone Communications](http://www.conecomm.com/ "Cone Communications") - [2016 Cone Communications Millennial Employee Engagement Study](http://www.conecomm.com/research-blog/2016-millennial-employee-engagement-study "2016 Cone Communications Millennial Employee Engagement Study") - [Cone Research](http://www.conecomm.com/research/ "Cone Research") - [Sign Up for the Cone Newsletter](http://www.conecomm.com/get-the-latest "Sign Up for the Cone Newsletter")

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Ryan Harmon, CEO & Co-founder of Press Cleaners. Press is a weekly, subscription-based dry cleaning and laundry delivery service in Texas that is helping the homeless and growing its business with its _Socks for Souls_ program. On the show, Megan, Ryan and Joe discuss: - The backstory on Press Cleaners and Ryan Harmon. - How _Socks for Souls_ got started. Press will even pick up donations from non-customers! - The impact of Socks for _Souls on Press_' business. "It's frictionless." - How Ryan's entrepreneurial journey included lots of cause ventures that made _Socks for Souls_ a natural fit when he co-founded Press. - What challenges have Press encountered with _Socks for Souls_. - Ryan's recommendations for entrepreneurs who want to add cause to their business. - Joe challenges Ryan's to come up with cause ideas for new startups. A cause marketing idea for a lingerie store FOR MEN??? **Links & Notes** - [Press Cleaners](https://www.presscleaners.com/ "Press Cleaners") - [Press Cleaners on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/presscleaners "Press Cleaners on Facebook") - [Ryan Harmon on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryancharmon "Ryan Harmon on LinkedIn") - [Socks for Souls](https://www.presscleaners.com/charity/ "Socks for Souls") - [Support David Neff's Movember Fundraiser](https://us.movember.com/mospace/214305 "Support David Neff's Movember Fundraiser") - [Cause Talk Radio 183: Uber Makes Donating Clothes to Goodwill Easy](http://rashpixel.fm/causetalkradio/183 "Ep183: Uber Makes Donating Clothes to Goodwill Easy")

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to David Wolfe, Co-Founder and CEO of Leesa Sleep, a certified B-Corp that donates one mattress to a shelter for every 10 it sells. To date, they've donated 9,000 mattresses and are proudly pioneering a way for people to give back while they sleep! On the show, Megan, David and Joe discuss: - How Leesa got started by a serial entrepreneur with a generous spirit. - How Leesa approaches the intersection of profit and purpose. Which comes first? - How Leesa has made mattresses "cool," which may explain why so many Millennials are consumers and employees! - How Leesa tracks the social impact of the mattresses it donates. One way is through an "Impact Tour" of shelters they've helped. - How Leesa chooses the shelters it donates to. - How Leesa balances its donation with new and returned mattresses. More than half of their donations are new mattresses. - The real problem of homelessness: no place to sleep. Watch This! **Links & Notes** - [Leesa Sleep](https://www.leesa.com/ "Leesa Sleep") - [Sapira Sleep](https://sapirasleep.com/ "Sapira Sleep") - [One Company Tackles Homelessness: One Mattress at a Time](http://www.triplepundit.com/podium/mattress-homeless-leesa/ "One Company Tackles Homelessness: One Mattress at a Time") - [Mark Horvath & InvisiblePeople.tv](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RPnZkL-6H8)

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Christine Riley Miller, Senior Director of Corporate Social Responsibility & Corporate Foundation for Dunkin' Brands, about the company's new, re-branded foundation, the _Joy in Childhood Foundation_. The goal of the foundation is right in the name: to provide the simple joys of childhood to sick and hungry kids. On the show, Megan, Christine and Joe discuss: - Why Dunkin' decided to rebrand its foundation. - Dunkin's partnership with Feeding America and their effectiveness working with brands like Dunkin'. - Is the rebranding more than a name change? Yes! Focus moving forward are food banks and children's hospitals. - How Dunkin' Brands works with its franchisees to balance local initiatives with national programs. - How Dunkin' works with children's hospitals - and other organizations that bring "joy" to children. - How Dunkin' raises money for its philanthropic initiatives. There is a point-of-sale fundraiser happening right now at Dunkin' stores! - Joe and Christine discuss Joe's favorite Dunkin' fundraiser: Cops on the Rooftop. They've raised $2.3 million since the event's inception! - How Dunkin' communicates its social impact to consumers, franchisees and employees. - Will more companies follow Dunkin's lead and create foundations to raise and distribute money? **Links & Notes** - [Joy in Childhood Foundation](http://www.Dunkin'brands.com/foundation "Joy in Childhood Foundation") - [Dunkin' Donuts Cops on the Rooftop](https://www.soill.org/event/Dunkin'-donuts-cop-on-rooftop/ "Dunkin' Donuts Cops on the Rooftop") - [Christine Riley Miller on Twitter](https://twitter.com/crileycsr "Christine Riley Miller on Twitter")

Today on Cause Talk Radio Megan and Joe talk to Lori Davison, Vice President of Brand Strategy & Communications, at SickKids Foundation about the foundation's new brand platform. Titled _SickKids VS The Greatest Challenges in Child Health_, the platform shows the strength, the fierceness, the fight that’s very real at SickKids and shares it with those who have never stepped foot into the hospital. This isn't your typical hospital ad campaign! On the show, Megan, Lori and Joe discuss: - The background of SickKids. They've been around for over 140 years in Toronto and they see over 100,000 children every year. - How the SickKids VS campaign got started and the goal to shift perceptions to reach new donors. "We needed to jolt the community." - How corporate and individual donors have responded to the campaign. - The "massive" lift in donations, especially from male Millennials, that the Foundation has seen since the ad's launch. - How nonprofits can do a better job standing out in a cluttered, apathetic world. - How SickKids plans to use the new platform with its corporate partners. - Who developed the campaign? How long did it take to plan and execute? **Links & Notes** - [SickKids Foundation](http://www.sickkidsfoundation.com/ "SickKids Foundation") - [Cause Talk Radio 151: Organic Valley Boosts Sales with Spoof on Cause Marketing](http://www.rashpixel.fm/causetalkradio/151)

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan, and Joe talk to James Citron, CEO, of Pledgeling and Victor Cho, CEO of Evite about Evite Donations, which has raised over $1M in donations for 20,000 nonprofit organizations across the United States. Evite Donations is a free tool that turns every Evite event into an opportunity to give back. Hosts can select their favorite nonprofit from the 10,000+ members of the Pledgeling network, or recommend a new nonprofit. Guests donate without leaving Evite.com, and Evite never charges a fee to make donations. The backend integration for donation processing is powered by Pledgeling, which includes instant tax receipts to donors for their donations. On the show, Megan, James, Victor, and Joe discuss: - How the partnership between Pledgeling and Evite got started and how they developed Evite Donations. - Like all good ideas, Evite Donations came from Evite's customers! - How Evite and Pledgeling integrated their platforms to createEvite Donations and a seamless donation process. - Why Pledgeling decided to not charge a standard fee and instead encourage users to leave them a "tip" for using the service. - What the donation program taught Evite about their customers. - How Evite users are using the platform for other events. - What's next for the Pledgeling/Evite partnership. - How companies could use Evite Donations. - How Evite Donations expands a nonprofit's audience beyond its typical donor base. **Links & Notes** - [Pledgeling](https://www.pledgeling.com/ "Pledgeling") - [Evite](http://evite.com/ "Evite") - [How to Use Evite Donations in 5 Easy Steps Infographic](https://www.pledgeling.com/blog/evite-and-pledgeling-celebrate-1-million-raised-for-thousands-of-nonprofits-in-first-year-of-evite-donations-partnership/)

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Christy Phillips-Brown, Director, External Communications & Community Relations, for Food Lion, a grocery store chain with 1,000 stores in 10 states, about their efforts to fight childhood hunger. On the show, Megan, Christy and Joe discuss: - Christy updates us on how Food Lion, a North Carolina based company, is working to help victims of the flooding from Hurricane Matthew. - How Food Lion has changed course on point-of-sale programs over the years. They've gone from eight fundraisers to just one. - How Food Lion has had success with giving shoppers a choice between making a flat donation OR rounding-up at the register. - How Food Lion has developed other programs to raise money and give back to the community, particularly Feeding America and the 30 food banks in their service area. - How Food Lion works with its vendors to donate 3 million meals. - How Food Lion's Summer Without Hunger program is feeding needy kids over summer vacation. - Food Lion's overhaul of its CSR program included creating new charitable platform, Food Lion Feeds. - The one POS program Food Lion does over the holidays includes a special five-dollar gift box that shoppers can buy for themselves, give as a present or donate to a needy family. - Food Lion has an annual awards program, The Feedy's, that honors those who are fighting hunger. - For the second year, Food Lion employees are supporting local food banks with the Great Pantry Makeover! They fix, pain and restock local food banks so they can better serve the community. - How Food Lion communicates with employees and customers about their cause-related efforts. **Notes & Links** - [Food Lion Feeds](https://www.foodlion.com/in-our-community/food-lion-feeds/ "Food Lion Feeds") - [Food Lion News on Twitter](https://twitter.com/FoodLionNews "Food Lion News on Twitter") - [Pop-Up Register Programs Support Boston Bombing Victims](http://www.selfishgiving.com/blog/cause-practices/pop-up-register-programs-support-boston-bombing-victims "Pop-Up Register Programs Support Boston Bombing Victims") - [Food Lion on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/foodlion "Food Lion on Facebook") - [Food Lion Newsroom](http://newsroom.foodlion.com/ "Food Lion Newsroom")

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Jeremy Ball, who leads the Big Lots Foundation and is director of philanthropy and events for the parent company Big Lots, about the retailers impressive cause marketing efforts on behalf of Nationwide Children's Hospital. Last fall, Big Lots mobilized its nearly 1,500 stores and raised $2.2 million! But this was just the tip of the iceberg. In August, the Foundation announced a $50 million transformational gift to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. Big Lots will support Nationwide Children’s new behavioral health expansion, including the construction of a treatment and research center on the hospital's main campus. On the show, Megan, Jeremy, and Joe discuss: - How Big Lots got involved with Nationwide Children's Hospital and their decision to fund children's mental health in a big way! - How Big Lots support for Nationwide Children's went from a few pallets of food to a $50 million donation. - Why it was important for Big Lots to include its customers and employees in its fundraising efforts. - Big Lots' goal to hit $3 million this year and how they plan to reach it. - How Big Lots overcomes the #1 obstacle that retailers face with register fundraisers. - How Big Lots engages employees in other parts of the country to support a children's hospital in Ohio. - What Big Lots learned from last year's program and what changes they made for this year. Training is key, as is goal-setting. - How Big Lots used incentives to motivate and reward employees. **Links & Notes** - [Give Big & Help Kids Everywhere](http://www.nationwidechildrens.org/biglots "Give Big & Help Kids Everywhere") - [Big Lots All Associates Meeting Announcing Gift to Nationwide Children's](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9q_vr3QhRpM&feature=youtu.be "Big Lots All Associates Meeting Announcing Gift to Nationwide Children's")

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Kim Van Syoc, Executive Director at the Banfield Foundation. about the organization's successes and challenges in the first year of operation. The Banfield Foundation was founded in 2015 by Banfield Pet Hospital (BPH), which operates more than 950 pet clinics, mostly located in PetSmart stores across the country. On the show, Megan, Kim and Joe discuss: - Joe introduces Megan and Kim to the elusive "cockerdoodle"! (See below) - How the Banfield Foundation got started in 2015 and its close alignment with BPH's CSR mission. - How the Foundation is funded. Primary funder are customers who give at the register. They gave $2.5 million over the past year! - What the Foundation learned from its partner, PetSmart, and its charitable giving program. - The Foundation's funding of 150 nonprofits over the past year, and which types of pet issues they focus on. - How the Foundation's pinpad program works at BPH, and the key role employees have played in the success of the program. - Some of the challenges the Foundation faced the first year. - How the Foundation is telling its story for maximum impact with Stories of Impact. - Other corporate partnerships the Foundation is considering. - The Foundation's goals for 2017. **Links & Notes** - [Banfield Foundation](http://www.banfield.com/banfield-foundation "Banfield Foundation") - [Stories of Impact](http://www.banfield.com/banfield-foundation/banfield-foundation-stories-of-impact "Stories of Impact") - [Kim Van Syoc on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-van-syoc-a8091793 "Kim Van Syoc on LinkedIn")

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Ryan Kuhn Senior Director of Marketing for Goodwill Industries International about a national collection drive they launched with the help of Uber. Megan, Ryan and Joe discuss: - Goodwill was the recent winner of PUBLIC's Cause Marketing Innovation Award. - Goodwill's national program with Uber began with a local relationship in New York. Collection drives included clothing and e-waste drives. - How Uber promoted the campaign to customers - How Goodwill helped local Uber drivers connect with local stores in their community. - How Goodwill's work with Uber required flexility and a commitment to innovation. - The logistics behind the campaign. Uber collected 250,000 pounds of clothes for Goodwill! - The power of tapping into the strengths of your partner. - The target demographic for Goodwill is women between the ages of 35 and 45. The Uber campaign helped them reach this audience and a younger demographic. - The business benefits of the program to Uber. - The future of Goodwill's partnership with Uber. **Links & Notes** - [Uber and Goodwill Make Spring Cleaning Easy](http://www.goodwill.org/blog/news-updates/uber-and-goodwill-make-spring-cleaning-easy/ "Uber and Goodwill Make Spring Cleaning Easy") - [Ryan Kuhn on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryandkuhn "Ryan Kuhn on LinkedIn")

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Russell Sparkman, CEO of FusionSpark Media, about Upstanders, a new purpose-driven web series from Starbucks. The goal of the initiative is to tell real stories of humanity as a reminder that ordinary citizens can create extraordinary impact by refusing to be bystanders Russ is the perfect person to speak to on this content initiative! He and his firm are leaders in purpose-focused non-fiction storytelling. On the show, Megan, Russell and Joe discuss: - The work of FusionSpark Media. How long have they been at the intersection of purpose and content marketing? - Russell's thoughts on Content Marketing World this year where he delivered a presentation on purpose-driven content marketing. The force of purpose was strong at this year's conference! - What were the key takeaways from CMW? How will these lessons influence the creation of cause-content? - Is Upstanders cause marketing? Is it better than Race Together? - Russell: "The path to engagement is paved with purpose." - What can small businesses and nonprofits learn fromUpstanders? What's the takeaway for an organization that has the desire but not the unlimited budget and resources? - How could nonprofits "Causejack" Upstanders? - How Starbucks is determined to create a movement around Upstanders. Movement-building campaigns are critical to brands. **Links & Notes** - [Upstanders](https://upstanders.starbucks.com/ "Upstanders") - [FusionSpark Media](http://fusionspark.com/ "FusionSpark Media") - [Russell Sparkman on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/russellsparkman "Russell Sparkman on LinkedIn") - [Purpose-focused Content Marketing: Content Marketing World 2016](http://www.fusionspark.com/sparkman-cmworld/ "Purpose-focused Content Marketing: Content Marketing World 2016") - [Cause Talk Radio 104: Content Marketing and the Future of Nonprofit Fundraising](http://www.selfishgiving.com/blog/content-marketing-future-nonprofit-fundraising "Ep104: Content Marketing and the Future of Nonprofit Fundraising") - [Content Marketing Strategy for Cause Marketers](http://www.causemarketingforum.com/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=bkLUKcOTLkK4E&b=6423029&ct=14905793 "Content Marketing Strategy for Cause Marketers") - [Cause Talk Radio 110: How Causes Can Inject Themselves Into Breaking News and Get Noticed](http://www.selfishgiving.com/blog/newsjacking-for-nonprofits-causes "Ep110: How Causes Can Inject Themselves Into Breaking News and Get Noticed") - [The Starbucks Guide to Cutting Edge Cause Marketing](http://www.selfishgiving.com/blog/starbucks-guide-to-cause-marketing "The Starbucks Guide to Cutting Edge Cause Marketing")