Spiritual & Psychology

Strategic Marketing [Photo: By Courtesy]Talking about marketing is never-ending. Various concepts, strategies, and marketing practices that continue to implemented in order to make the brand is firm. The goal is to maintain or boost sales peformance. It's become an obligation of marketing to keep on innovating so the brand embedded in consumer's mind.

One strategies that could be applied is Cause Related Marketing (CRM). CRM could be defined as a positioning strategy and marketing tools that linking the activities of a company or brand to relevant social problems or issues.

Another definition says that CRM is commercial activity where companies and NGOs establish a mutually beneficial cooperation to improve the brand image, products or services or could be said by Business in the Community. The Company seeks to raise themes or social issues emerging in the community. From a social problem, the company then packaged and wrapped the issues become a marketing strategy, combine it with the brand. The brands is actively communicated as a brand which commits to resolve the social problems. To make the program runs effectively, the company usually works with social agency or NGO who concern to these social problems.

Photo: By CourtesyUnilever with it's Lifebuoy soap in an example. We frequently have seen on TV or print media about a "Lifebuoy Berbagi Sehat" (Sharing Healthy Lifebuoy). The lack awareness of lower-class people about healthy lifestyle became the social issues of the brand. Lifebuoy inspired people to participate; by buying one of Lifebuoy soap, the community has donated Rp10 for an increase / improvement of water sanitation for poor communities.

There are so many social issues that could be a theme based on the environmental situation such as human rights, public health (malnutrition, outbreaks of dengue fever, AIDS, etc.), education, employment and others.

Relationship Marketing [Photo: By Courtesy]

CRM and Donations
Referring to the above, it can be understood that CRM is not a form of donation or regular donations. If a company or brand sponsoring a social activity or participate to contribute an amount with the logo display or anything as a compensation -it's not CRM!

CRM is not just a donation (charity), with several characteristics, as followed:
• Duration: usually CRM programs implemented in long-term duration, from conception, survey, up to implementation. While sponsorship or donation is generally short-lived, limited only when the activity occurs (short term).

• The results of the CRM program could not measured in that time, since it is a strategic program (while donations are tactical). A clear measurement is required to identify the success of CRM program.