Cause Marketing Interview with Company and Cause

Cause Marketing, the partnering between companies and causes for the greater benefit of both has really taken off in the last few years. Consumers and eBay shoppers particularly love supporting brands which give back to worthy causes.

Auction Cause is please to introduce you to one such success story, Earnest Sewn Jeans and The National Hemophilia Foundation (NHF). They have joined forces for a very special eBay Giving Works charity event which runs through March 29th – www.ebay.com/celebjeans

We asked Eleanor Ylvisaker, PR Director for Earnest Sewn, to give us some insight into the brand and the relationship with NHF:


(AC) How did you first become involved with NHF and can you describe the partnership?

(EY) We were contacted by the organization to have our celebrity clients donate autographed jeans to the cause for the auction. We investigated the cause, and saw all the wonderful things NHF is doing. We then contacted our celebrity friends and stylists, and everyone we reached out to was anxious to participate and join the cause.

(AC) What sets Earnest Sewn apart from other specialty/designer jeans?

(EY) What I see as setting us apart is our consistency in concept and strong lifestyle identity. Our concept lies in the idea of mixing the Japanese beauty aesthetic of Wabi-Sabi, with denim's Americana past. In staying true to this we incorporate pride in workmanship and commitment to authenticity.

Each garment in actually only worked on by three people. The Sewer who sews the entire garment from start to finish (instead of a factory assembly line) without any guides on the sewing machine (further adding to the hand made feel of the garment), the hand sander who sands down the jean with sand paper (after completing months of charcoal drawing training before he is ready to work on our garment), and the wet process technician, who washes the jean, resin coats it, and oven bakes it. These three people, along with myself, hand stamp the jean after each step of the process is complete. By signing our names we are committing our reputation to the product and claiming our belief in it.

Everything we do stays consistent with this lifestyle concept, from the design of our new An Earnest Cut & Sew clothing collection, to the brands like Santa Maria Novella (the oldest fragrance and beauty line out of Florence), Carpe Diem hand cobbled shoes and boots, and Rogues Gallery clothing and accessories that we carry in our flagship store in NYC. The focus is on superior product quality, and strong brand integrity.

(AC) Who are some of the celebrities who wear Earnest Sewn jeans?

(EY) Earnest Sewn has a strong celebrity following. Here is a list of some of some of our best clients:

Angelina Jolie, Ashley Olsen, Ashton Kutcher, Beyonce Knowles, Brad Pitt, Bruce Willis, Cameron Diaz, Charlize Theron, Cindy Crawford, Courteney Cox, Demi Moore, Ellen DeGeneres, Ellen Pompeo, Forest Whitaker, George Clooney, Gwyneth Paltrow, Halle Berry. Jessica Alba, Katie Holmes, Kiefer Sutherland, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lindsay Lohan, Mary-Kate Olsen, Matt Damon, Nicole Kidman, Nicole Richie, Orlando Bloom, Scarlett Johansson, Teri Hatcher, Uma Thurman and others.

(Their list included over 100 amazing celebrities, but due to space limitations, Auction Cause narrowed it down to just those mentioned here)

(AC) What are your thoughts on cause marketing through eBay Giving Works, http://givingworks.ebay.com?

(EY) I think it is a wonderful way to reach a broader market of people, and has the potential to raise much more of the needed funds for the charity.

Auction Cause next asked NHF to tell us more about hemophilia, why they have their auction listings on eBay Giving Works, and their relationship with Earnest Sewn Jeans

(AC) How is NHF making a difference for those with hemophilia?

(NHF) NHF educates the community through its programs and services. It provides: a hotline to request information; a prevention program to understand how to avoid complications of the disorder; a first step program for the newly diagnosed; a women with bleeding disorders program; a multicultural task force to reach underserved populations; and an annual meeting that brings everyone together. NHF advocates for insurance reform for the community on both the state and federal levels ensuring access to care. NHF seeks funding on the federal level to maintain the hemophilia treatment center network and is a watchdog on the safety of the blood supply. NHF funds research to find better treatments and an eventual cure for bleeding disorders and funds clinical fellowships to ensure the future of hemophilia treaters.

(AC) What is the most common misconception about hemophilia?

(NHF) The most common misconception about people with hemophilia is that they bleed to death. This is incorrect, they bleed at the same rate as a person without hemophilia they just bleed longer. Minor cuts and scrapes can be treated just like everyone else. Complications occur when internal bleeding takes place in the joints causing joint disease or in the muscles and if there is a head bleed this could lead to brain injury and possible death.

(AC) Why eBay Giving Works for your charity auction?

(NHF) We chose eBay Giving Works for our auction as it reaches a much broader audience than the hemophilia community and eBay allows for the promotion of awareness about the bleeding disorder.

(AC) Tell us more about your relationship with Earnest Sewn jeans. Have you worked with them on other projects?

(NHF) In 2006, we contacted several jeans companies who have celebrity clients to assist us with obtaining autographed jeans and the folks at Earnest Sewn were absolutely amazing in responding immediately and getting several high profile celebrities to participate and have been extremely generous in their efforts.

To learn more about Earnest Sewn Jeans, please visit http://www.earnestsewn.com. To learn more about National Hemophilia Foundation, please visit http://www.hemophilia.org.

Upcoming Cause Marketing Auctions on eBay Newsletter

At least once a month, we send out an email newsletter to our subscribers letting them know about our current eBay GivingWorks events. Often, this is the first announcement of some very exciting auction listings, so you can say you "heard it first" before seeing them in the media or on the front page of eBay. Strict no spam policy, and we never use the email addresses of our subscribers for any other purpose either. Sign up on our homepage - http://www.auctioncause.com

Here is a sample of our last newsletter (the real one comes in HTML)

NEW celebrity auctions & once-in-a-lifetime experiences, all for charity!
At Auction Cause, a premier online auction management agency, we enjoy keeping our newsletter subscribers up to date on the latest charity and celebrity auctions on eBay. Use the links below to jump right to the current auction pages, or read more about the auctions first by scrolling down. You can unsubscribe at any time by using the "manage your subscription" link at the bottom of the page. We have a strict privacy policy - no email address or name is ever rented out or used for any other purpose than this occasional newsletter.

CURRENT AUCTIONS:
WHY COUNT SHEEP Bid on celebrity-designed and hand-painted sheep!
FLY WITH HAWKING Experience ZERO-G with renowned physicist Stephen Hawking!
SIX DEGREES Lily Taylor signed Swag Bag & Ltd. Edition Kevin Bacon Magnets From Sundance!

UPCOMING AUCTIONS:
DINNER WITH GENE SIMMONS Fly to L.A. for a VIP dinner with Gene Simmons & Shannon Tweed!
CELEBRITY DESIGNED BLUE JEANS Bid on celebrity-autographed blue jeans, shirts, & more!
BIG LEAGUE CHEW Bid on a limited edition signed Big League Chew Cal Ripken, Jr. gum pouch!
INTERN AT GQ Bid on a chance to intern at GQ for all of July 2007!
WONK'D OUT Get "Wonk'd Out" with Wonka Candy Celebrity Furniture for charity!
BRIGGS & RILEY CELEBRITY LUGGAGE One-of-a-kind celebrity customized luggage!
Meet Eric Gazin, President and Founder of Auction Cause, in San Diego or New York!

CURRENT AUCTIONS

WHY COUNT SHEEP - Join actress Cheryl Hines (HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm) and the American Academy of Nurse of Practitioners (AANP) Foundation in their effort to raise awareness of insomnia, a medical condition that chronically affects 30 million Americans each year.
Counting sheep doesn’t always help you fall asleep, yet many have resorted to this age-old tactic, including actress Cheryl Hines. Hines has experienced insomnia for more than 20 years and now, in conjunction with this charitable effort, she is painting one instead of counting them. Cheryl along with other celebrities including David James Elliott, Angie Everhart, Marlee Matlin, Kathy Najimy, and Jim Palmer have portrayed their personal feelings and emotions associated with insomnia on life-size sheep sculptures.
These celebrity-designed and hand-painted sheep are available right here on eBay now through March 16, 2007. All proceeds from your purchase will support educational initiatives by the AANP focused on raising awareness about insomnia and its impact on those who suffer from this condition. Bid now!

FLY WITH HAWKING - Bid on an exclusive opportunity to experience zero gravity with renowned physicist Stephen Hawking! You and a guest can fly weightless with Prof. Hawking on The ZERO-G Experience™! The flight will take off from the Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Central Florida on April 26, 2007. The package will also include a three night stay at the JW Marriott Hotel Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida, from April 24-April 27. 100% of the proceeds from this auction will benefit Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation. The 10-day auction begins March 16 at 6pm PST. Bid now!

SIX DEGREES - Kevin Bacon has partnered with Network For Good to inspire fans to get connected with their celebrities' favorite causes, or to champion their own cause. As part of the kickoff event, Kevin is donating his swag received from the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Bid now!

UPCOMING AUCTIONS

DINNER WITH GENE SIMMONS - Coming soon - A once-in–a-lifetime opportunity for you and three of your friends to fly to Los Angeles and have dinner with Gene Simmons and Shannon Tweed of the hit real life series Gene Simmons Family Jewels on A&E. 100% of the net proceeds will benefit the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Auction starts March 25th. Learn more!

CELEBRITY DESIGNED BLUE JEANS - Bid on celebrity-autographed blue jeans, shirts, hats and other memorabilia donated by the hottest stars of film, television, music and pop culture. The proceeds from these collector's items help support the National Hemophilia Foundation. Auction begins Tuesday March 20, 2007. Learn more!

INTERN AT GQ - GQ kicks off their 50th anniversary with a money can't buy experience in support of The Gentlemen's Fund- the chance to intern at GQ for July 2007! 100% of the proceeds to charity. The auction launches April 15th, stay tuned for details.

WONK'D OUT - Starting April 15th, get "Wonk'd out" with Wonka. These will be the wackiest gifts for your favorite kid for sure! Wonka has worked with the following celebrities to get their inspirations to wonk'd out items with Wonka candy and kick off their Wonk'd Out Room promotion: Tony Hawk, Corbin Bleu, Ashley Tisdale, Rob Pinkston, Andy McDonald, Christopher & Kyle Massey, Devon Wekhauser, and Monique Coleman.These celebs have wonk'd out some amazing items with Wonka candy themes including skateboards, a guitar, a phone, table & chair, a bean bag chair, and more. 100% of the proceeds will be going to Starlight Starbright, and the Bay Area Wilderness Fund. More details to come in a forthcoming newsletter or visit http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=9214187&msgid=3578115&act=0FLY&c=14584&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wonka.com&l=13 to learn more about Wonka now.

BRIGGS & RILEY CELEBRITY LUGGAGE - Briggs & Riley, a leader in the luxury luggage field has worked with over 20 celebrities to bring you unique pieces of luggage art. Celebrities and auction launch date to be announced soon.

AUCTION CAUSE AT EVENTS - A pioneer in the field of cause marketing on eBay GivingWorks, Auction Cause President Eric Gazin will be speaking at the American Marketing Association Cause Marketing Conference taking place in San Diego, CA on April 4th. He will be discussing tools to aid the cause marketing partnership in session 3 and outlining how the online arena is changing quickly. For those attending the Cause Marketing Forum in New York City on May 17th, be sure to stop by the eBay GivingWorks lounge, where Auction Cause is one of the co-sponsors along with eBay GivingWorks. It is a day filled with insights into the field of cause marketing. For more information, please visit http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=9214187&msgid=3578115&act=0FLY&c=14584&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.causemarketingforum.com&l=14
To inquire about Eric Gazin speaking at your event or conference, please contact Ericka Deciutiis at (323) 655-0554.

ABOUT AUCTION CAUSE
Auction Cause is a premier auction management agency specializing in high profile corporate and nonprofit eBay auctions. We've worked with top companies all over the world to raise money for charity and create awareness for their brand. Working with companies on eBay since 1998, Auction Cause management have more years of hands on eBay selling experience than any other agency.

Contact us for a free brand evaluation of how to make your company shine on eBay or for information on getting introduced to a charity partner. Simply email us at causemarketing@auctioncause.com.
We value your privacy

You may unsubscribe to this newsletter at any time by clicking on the "manage your subscription" link at the bottom of this email. We only send the newsletter out to those who requested information about our future auctions, past customers, or those who have manually signed up. © 2005-2007 Auction Cause. All rights reserved.
Privacy Policy

Eric Gazin Interview on Cause Marketing via eBay GivingWorks

Recently, Paul Jones of Alden Keene & Associates, interviewed me on various aspects of the Auction Cause business, how we manage events on eBay, and other interesting aspects of eBay focused charity auction listings. Have a look:

http://causerelatedmarketing.blogspot.com/2007/02/abcs-of-effective-charity-auctions-on.html

Charity Auctions - Has the Equation Changed?

I want to share both beginning and advanced cause marketing auction information here on the blog.

The following is an article I wrote a few years ago for CDS. Though the field is changing fast, there is some good information here for those new to the field.

Charity auctions have been a part of the nonprofit world for a long time and for good reason. They are enjoyable for attendees, they add some excitement before dinner galas, and they have the potential to raise a great deal of much needed revenue for an organization. So, what are nonprofits doing differently now that has the potential to completely change this equation? They’re using the Internet to create online fundraising auctions.

What are the advantages of an online auction over a traditional one? The first is to reduce overhead, challenges and costs of doing an event in person. Another is, instead of having typically 200-1,000 attendees at an event mingling by the bid sheets, a nonprofit now has the potential for Internet users worldwide to take part in the auction. One might ask: Does this translate into higher bid prices? Reports from eBay show the same items bringing in 15%-100% higher bid prices and a substantially higher final bid price when the money goes to a good cause.

To read the article in its entirety, please visit:

http://www.cdsfunds.com/charity_auctions_has_the_equation_changed.html

American Marketing Association Cause Marketing Conference in San Diego April 4th

There is a fantastic conference coming up with loads of good information for those in the cause marketing field. The American Marketing Association is holding its 9th annual event on cause marketing. I will be speaking on a panel in session 3 in the morning, sharing some case studies and insight into how technology plays a role. My examples will look at how cause marketing is playing out on eBay and eBay GivingWorks. For more information on the event, please visit.

http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=9840f498-9087-48de-8969-133ebbd5d4d7

Cause Marketing on eBay GivingWorks

Welcome to our new blog here on the blogger site. Auction Cause has been around for a while now helping agencies, nonprofits, corporations, celebrities, and others reach their maximum potential via eBay GivingWorks listings.

My name is Eric Gazin, and I am the founder and President of Auction Cause. Auction Cause is best defined as a premier online auction agency, specializing in high profile events.

In the coming weeks, we will explore some of the exciting and new ways cause marketing auction listings on eBay GivingWorks have attracted huge attention while at the same time raising a lot of money for worthy causes.

We also will showcase some of our events as they unfold too. For starters, those of you interested in celebrity signed jeans and other autographed items may enjoy looking at this amazing event we are running now for the National Hemophilia Foundation - www.ebay.com/celebjeans. We are always very thankful for so many big names giving back like this.

Starting at 6 PM PST on March 25th, we are managing an auction event for A&E Television Networks, offering the winner and three guests a chance to fly to Los Angeles to have dinner with Gene Simmons and his wife Shannon Tweed. Have a look here - http://stores.ebay.com/The-Official-A-E-Store/VIP-Dinner-With-Gene-Simmons.html. It is running for 10 days.

For more information on Auction Cause, please visit www.auctioncause.com. I also welcome questions about eBay, charity auctions, or online fundraising in general.