Consumers' Motivation for Participating in Cause Related Marketing: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

The paper investigated the consumers' perceptions of cause marketing efforts of companies by examining the real-life experiences of the customers. Cause marketing initiatives are increasingly becoming a prominent aspect of the marketing mix; a lot of companies are jumping onto the bandwagon, primarily to distinguish themselves in the homogeneous markets. However, it is only a recent phenomenon that the companies are beginning to appreciate how corporate giving can be adopted as an effective marketing strategy. The paper, by using a qualitative approach, attempted to understand the meaning of CRM from the consumers' perspective: As to what influences the decision making on the part of the consumers? It identified various motivational factors that drive the behavior of consumers exposed to a CRM initiative. The paper provides valuable insights to academicians and practitioners as to how to communicate and what to emphasize while designing cause marketing communication initiatives.