Although it's part of the corporate lexicon, cause marketing is often misunderstood. Social responsibility and corporate citizenship practices are mistaken for or lumped in with cause marketing.
"When Ben & Jerry's ice cream executives talk about their social, economic, and environmental policies as part of their mission statement, that is social responsibility or corporate citizenship," says Ellen Fruchtman, president of Fruchtman Marketing. "Cause marketing is defined as a partnership between a for-profit company and a nonprofit group that seeks to establish a mutually beneficial agreement."
Historically, retail jewelers have done charitable work as part of giving back to the community. But in recent years store owners want their causes to be a more formal part of their corporate identity.
In many ways this managerial effort is necessary for ca