15 Questions A Franchise Should Ask Before Entering into Cause-Related Marketing Partnership

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By Paul Jones | Published 03/16/2008 | Strategic Partnering , Marketing Tools , Marketing Strategy , Advertising , Positioning | Unrated

Paul Jones

Paul Jones is the owner and founder of Alden Keene & Associates, a marketing and communications consultancy. One of Alden Keene’s house specialties is cause-related marketing. Jones has been quoted often on the topic in many forums, including Newsweek magazine and online at http://about.com, http://philanthropy.com, and elsewhere. In less than a year, his blog on the subject became the highest ranking cause marketing blog on Google, Yahoo!, and MSN. It can be viewed at: http://www.causerelatedmarketing.biz

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15 Questions A Franchise Should Ask Before Entering into Cause-Related Marketing Partnership

In the United States there’s one place where you’re all but guaranteed to run into some kind of cause-related marketing, namely a retail franchise outlet.

The ten largest U.S. based franchise systems, ranked according to total system sales volume as ranked by the Franchise Times follow. Where known I’ve added the cause with which each franchise system is most publicly-affiliated.

1). McDonald’s… Ronald McDonald House Charities

2). 7-Eleven… Muscular Dystrophy Association

3). Carlson-Wagonlit Travel…?

4). KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken)…?

5). Ace Hardware… Children's Miracle Network

6). Burger King… ?

7). Pizza Hut… Book It reading incentive program

8). Coldwell Banker Real Estate… Habitat for Humanity

9). Subway Restaurants… American heart Association

10). Wendy’s…Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

It’s not surprising that consumer-oriented franchises would tend to have a cause marketing focus. Academic researchers consistently find that corporate social responsibility makes good business sense for businesses that target the consumer market. (See, for instance "A Model for Corporate Philanthropy" by Fisman, Heal and Nair).

For franchisees and franchise systems, there are a number of questions to ask of woud-be charity partners before you start:

+ Does the charity's mission have broad appeal?
+ Will your customers know who anything about the charity?
+ Is what they know good?
+ Do they have any scandals in their past?
+ Does the charity have unique appeal?
+ Does the charity have the support of influential franchisees?
+ Is there a 'fit'?
+ Does the charity fulfill its mission well?
+ Are they efficient with their resources?
+ Is their board responsive and effective?
+ Is the relationship or any of the elements promotable in the media?
+ Can they help with promotions?
+ Do you have budget to help them produce and distribute campaign materials?
+ Do they have people on the ground in the markets most important to you?
+ How will they acknowledge the franchisor/franchisee's efforts?

Retail franchises are ripe for cause campaigns because consumers expect them. But make sure you have good answers to the questions above before heading into cause-marketing relationships.

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