The Socially Conscious Movement
All around, I see budding social responsibility efforts. It’s one of the positive outcomes of the Great Recession, and one I believe will last.
My oxford shirt no longer lines the pockets of the folks at Brooks Brothers, it also supports St. Jude’s Children’s hospital. Outback Steakhouse just launched a “Red, White and Bloomin’” menu. Order from it during March and all proceeds will benefit Operation Homefront, a nonprofit offering emergency and morale assistance for US troops and their families. Riggs Partners is working with Moe’s Southwest Grill on a special $1.99 burrito day, with $1 for every burrito sold on April 20th benefiting the Medical College of Georgia’s children’s hospital.
While these efforts seem tailor-made for retailers, business-to-business and corporate marketers needn’t be sidelined.
Jim Rogers, Duke Energy’s visionary CEO, recently called his alternative energy plant construction “purpose driven capitalism.” Rogers has long been a proponent of seemingly counter-intuitive initiatives such as the Alliance to Save Energy. He sees green power as the way his company, soon to be the largest utility in the nation; will help to solve the growing carbon emissions crisis.
In today’s business climate, every business, even a regulated monopoly, would be smart to align itself with worthwhile objectives. In doing so, they’ll be moving toward the type of brand affinity that will buoy them against future market turbulence.
