Despite lean economic times, 78% of US consumers think companies should either maintain or increase their level of financial support for causes and nonprofit organizations, according to research conducted by Opinion Research Corporation for Cone.

The 2008 Cone Cause Evolution Study found that consumers are both more aware of and more receptive to cause-related messages than ever before, and they will reward socially conscious companies both with money and goodwill if they feel they are supporting a good cause.

While most consumers (75%) say it is important for companies to offer them a way to purchase a product that supports a cause, they also want to be offered a range of other ways to support issues they care about.

Additional findings:

• 85% of Americans say they have a more positive image of a product or company when it supports a cause they care about. This number remains unchanged from 1993 survey results.
• 85% feel it is acceptable for companies to involve a cause in their marketing (compared with 66% in 1993).
• 79% say they would be likely to switch from one brand to another, when price and quality are about equal, if the other brand is associated with a good cause (compared with 66% in 1993).
• 38% percent have bought a product associated with a cause in the last 12 months (compared with 20% in 1993).

Choice, Relevance, Practicality Key

When deciding to support a company’s cause efforts, consumers consider choice, relevance and practicality to be most important:“Consumers want to feel a connection to the issue and the nonprofit while fulfilling their personal needs,” said Alison DaSilva, EVP, knowledge leadership and insights at Cone. “While this is a tall order for companies, it provides great opportunity for continued innovation and business growth.”

Priority Issues for Business and Society

More than half (52%) of Americans think companies should maintain their level of financial support for causes and nonprofit organizations despite tough economic times, while another quarter (26%) expect companies to give even more.

The leading issues that Americans want companies to address in their cause programs are consistent with growing domestic and global needs, the study said.

Nearly nine in 10 Americans (89%) say it is important that business, government and nonprofits collaborate to solve pressing social and environmental issues.

Source: www.marketingcharts.com