Some exciting news on the charity auction front. Too often, kids are not sought after to solutions for global crisises. A special project of the Child Art Foundation addresses this, having brought together amazing child artists from around the world to Washington, D.C. to paint masterpieces of some of the most recognizable people from the arts, politics, heads of state, business & industry, and more. Online at http://www.ebay.com/childart for a few more days, these incredible works showcase the message of peace that only children can bring to the table. Here is the entire release:
The International Child Art Foundation (ICAF), in partnership with eBay and Mission Fish, will hold a charity auction on November 1-10, 2007 of 15 murals to fund art programs for children across the globe. The world’s best child artists, selected through the global Arts Olympiad, created the artworks to pay tribute to their global leaders during the 2007 World Children’s Festival held in June on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The largest celebration of children’s creativity and imagination, the festival showcased international cooperation among children communicating through the language of art. The children saluted leaders in all fields with their collaborative works:• Political Leaders: President George Bush and first lady Laura Bush, former President Bill Clinton and N.Y. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Neslon Mandela of South Africa, and Sheikha Mozah of Qatar• Business Leaders: Bill and Melinda Gates, Herbert Hainer, Jeff Immelt, Steve Jobs, Thomas Kristiansen, Pierre Omidyar, Larry Page, Prince Al-Walid bin Talal, and Jerry Yang • Entertainment Leaders: David and Victoria Beckham, and Robert Iger of DisneyEach mural is painted in acrylic on a 3x4-foot primed stretch canvas. A personalized 12x16-inch plaque accompanies each mural, with information on the young artists, their photos and greetings for the leader. The ICAF will ship the murals and plaques to the auction winners on November 15, 2007 and requests the winners to present the mural to the respective leader. “We are delighted that some of the most creative children in the world chose to honor their global leaders in this imaginative fashion,” said the ICAF founder Dr. Ashfaq Ishaq. “Their art represents their aspirations for the future. We are pleased to offer the public a rare opportunity to present their leaders with most meaningful gifts this holiday season. Money raised through the auction will fund our Arts Olympiad and programs like Healing Arts and Peace Through Art.“Since 1997 the ICAF has served domestically and internationally as the leading arts and creativity organization for children. The ICAF integrates art with science, sport and technology for the development of children’s creativity and empathy—preconditions for a just, prosperous and nonviolent world. The event is being managed on eBay by Auction Cause, a premier online auction management agency specializing in high profile design, strategy, and cause marketing for corporations and nonprofits worldwide. For more information, please visit www.auctioncause.com
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Concert For Diana and eBay
We have had the pleasure at Auction Cause of working with Clarence House, the official office for Prince William and Harry. As part of the Concert For Diana which took place on July 1st in London, we have been running a series of auctions on eBay Giving Works - www.ebay.com/dianaconcert . It is not often one finds The British Royal Family actively playing a role in an eBay auction, but the 2 princes have extended the reach of the concert theme, honoring the legacy of their mother, by raising funds for 2 worthy charities.The marketing aspect of something like this is quite different than a traditional brand auction. Here, the design and graphics are simple and refined, reflective of royalty as well as low key around the use of Princess Diana's name. In fact, there is no likeness of her in the auctions, just the logo with her signature.I believe there is now an understanding that eBay is the global medium from which to message out numerous concepts. Gibson Guitar company donated 3 of their more exclusive and rare models to be signed by artists and celebrities at the just completed concert. Kudos to Gibson, who for a modest investment by their standards, are doing good in the world of fundraising as well as attracting some attention for their terrific brand.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Cause Marketing Forum
Just back from the Cause Marketing Forum in NYC. It is definitely the most dynamic event in the field. About 500 people there, great mix of those in the nonprofit sector, corporate world, agency field, and independent consultants.
I have been to quite a few conferences and often feel that people just wanted a free trip on the company dime. Not here. There was an overall consensus among those speaking and and attending that we are on to something really big.
My role, along with eBay Giving Works, as sponsors, was to educate on how eBay is an amazing platform from which to run a cause marketing campaign. My blog is full of the reasons why it works so read below for some thoughts on it.
One of the highlights for me was hearing the story of how Newman's Own got started and how doing things differently has led to over $250 million in donations for worthy causes. The VP of Newman's Own was the keynote speaker during lunch, and in an entertaining way, took us all through how the company is now one of the key players in the premium food sector. One of his most important messages was that people were not going to buy their products unless the taste and quality were outstanding. This brings up a key point in cause marketing - you can get someones attention with a celebrity or cause, but there needs to be substance to back it up. All things being equal, a cause attached to a product will come out on top, but the speaker was careful to point out that one should not bank on a charity attachment getting a company sales without a lot more behind it.
I was also surprised to learn how few employees are at Newman's Own (we were sworn to secrecy on this one!). They have a number of food partners who make the products, much like Trader Joe's, but that Paul Newman still does all the taste testing himself.
So this cause marketing stuff is still evolving. This conference was a great showcase for what is taking place, but I believe there is so much more good that can be derived from the relationship of company and causes. Stay tuned, we plan on doing what we can to build this field exponentially.
I have been to quite a few conferences and often feel that people just wanted a free trip on the company dime. Not here. There was an overall consensus among those speaking and and attending that we are on to something really big.
My role, along with eBay Giving Works, as sponsors, was to educate on how eBay is an amazing platform from which to run a cause marketing campaign. My blog is full of the reasons why it works so read below for some thoughts on it.
One of the highlights for me was hearing the story of how Newman's Own got started and how doing things differently has led to over $250 million in donations for worthy causes. The VP of Newman's Own was the keynote speaker during lunch, and in an entertaining way, took us all through how the company is now one of the key players in the premium food sector. One of his most important messages was that people were not going to buy their products unless the taste and quality were outstanding. This brings up a key point in cause marketing - you can get someones attention with a celebrity or cause, but there needs to be substance to back it up. All things being equal, a cause attached to a product will come out on top, but the speaker was careful to point out that one should not bank on a charity attachment getting a company sales without a lot more behind it.
I was also surprised to learn how few employees are at Newman's Own (we were sworn to secrecy on this one!). They have a number of food partners who make the products, much like Trader Joe's, but that Paul Newman still does all the taste testing himself.
So this cause marketing stuff is still evolving. This conference was a great showcase for what is taking place, but I believe there is so much more good that can be derived from the relationship of company and causes. Stay tuned, we plan on doing what we can to build this field exponentially.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon & Network for Good place #7 for Viral Cause Marketing in 2007
The Marketing Sherps is out with its awards for the best of viral cause marketing, and a campaign we managed on eBay Giving Works placed at #7 out of the hundreds of submissions they received.
To read about what they liked, as well as see some other excellent cause marketing campaigns, please visit: http://www.marketingsherpa.com/viralawards2007/7.html.
A quick recap on the campaign: Kevin Bacon decided to take his fame from the game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" and turn it into a nonprofit, Six Degrees, www.sixdegrees.org. He partnered with Network For Good, www.networkforgood.org, who helped him set up a system by which Kevin and his friends could fundraise for causes close to their hearts. Fans could then support charities their favorite celebrities liked, or become a champion for their own cause, challenging their friends along the way. We love the whole concept of Network for Good, the best place we have found to instantly donate to any nonprofit in the U.S.
Auction Cause worked with Kevin and Network For Good at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007 to help gather swag bags from stars like Teri Hatcher, Parker Posey, P Diddy, Sienna Miller, Diego Luna, Keri Russell, and many more (see http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=six-degrees), and listed them on eBay Giving Works as part of the overall program.
With hundreds of thousands of page views, thousands of bids, and a tremendous amount of funds raised, it was a great way to help kick off Six Degrees. A number of companies were quite generous, donating extra items once they learned it was part of a cause marketing campaign on eBay. They were given premium exposure, which was great of course for the brands and a big win for Kevin and his charity too.
Congrats to all involved, and another big win for the power of cause marketing on eBay.
To read about what they liked, as well as see some other excellent cause marketing campaigns, please visit: http://www.marketingsherpa.com/viralawards2007/7.html.
A quick recap on the campaign: Kevin Bacon decided to take his fame from the game "Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon" and turn it into a nonprofit, Six Degrees, www.sixdegrees.org. He partnered with Network For Good, www.networkforgood.org, who helped him set up a system by which Kevin and his friends could fundraise for causes close to their hearts. Fans could then support charities their favorite celebrities liked, or become a champion for their own cause, challenging their friends along the way. We love the whole concept of Network for Good, the best place we have found to instantly donate to any nonprofit in the U.S.
Auction Cause worked with Kevin and Network For Good at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007 to help gather swag bags from stars like Teri Hatcher, Parker Posey, P Diddy, Sienna Miller, Diego Luna, Keri Russell, and many more (see http://cgi3.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=six-degrees), and listed them on eBay Giving Works as part of the overall program.
With hundreds of thousands of page views, thousands of bids, and a tremendous amount of funds raised, it was a great way to help kick off Six Degrees. A number of companies were quite generous, donating extra items once they learned it was part of a cause marketing campaign on eBay. They were given premium exposure, which was great of course for the brands and a big win for Kevin and his charity too.
Congrats to all involved, and another big win for the power of cause marketing on eBay.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Impressions from the American Marketing Association Cause Marketing Conference in April
I had the opportunity recently to take part in a panel discussion at the American Marketing Association's Cause Marketing Conference in San Diego. A few hundred profesionals from both the nonprofit sector as well as business comnnunity attended, sharing insights and best practices.
There is really a fire taking place with all the companies and causes joining the push to align themselves with each other. It is overwhelmingly positive, as at the end of the day, I see more nonprofits benefiting with extra dollars. Corporations are eager to start new cause intiatives or redirect marketing budget towards worthy endeavors.
Within cause marketing, people are now trying to define what makes a good partnership and how to go about securing an alliance. The business speakers stressed the need to be clear what the nonprofit was willing to do besides ask for money. Would they be able to create a value proposition? Would the nonprofit be able to promote the business beyond a one time event? Nonprofits wanted to make sure their name was not being used solely to generate profits for the company, that there was a sincere connection with the charity mission too.
As our company name implies, we are all about cause marketing via auctions on eBay Giving Works. I received a number of questions from the audience about how the process works, and what they needed to do to get started. One of the best tips I gave was to look at one's nonprofit board first. There is a great untapped resource there for auction items, many of which can be an experience rather than a physical item. Tie in a corporate donor there, and suddenly, that donation of a luxury box to a sporting event can turn into a cause marketing opportunity for the business and a new relationship with the nonprofit.
Auction Cause often is approached by both nonprofits and corporations to "find a match" with one another, so we do get an insider's point of view on this too. I would have to say that both sides need to do their homework and truly think out all they want from the other side. Nonprofits are quickly realizing they need to think like a business in order to be taken seriously, and businesses realize they need to often provide more than just dollars to make the relationship work.
There is really a fire taking place with all the companies and causes joining the push to align themselves with each other. It is overwhelmingly positive, as at the end of the day, I see more nonprofits benefiting with extra dollars. Corporations are eager to start new cause intiatives or redirect marketing budget towards worthy endeavors.
Within cause marketing, people are now trying to define what makes a good partnership and how to go about securing an alliance. The business speakers stressed the need to be clear what the nonprofit was willing to do besides ask for money. Would they be able to create a value proposition? Would the nonprofit be able to promote the business beyond a one time event? Nonprofits wanted to make sure their name was not being used solely to generate profits for the company, that there was a sincere connection with the charity mission too.
As our company name implies, we are all about cause marketing via auctions on eBay Giving Works. I received a number of questions from the audience about how the process works, and what they needed to do to get started. One of the best tips I gave was to look at one's nonprofit board first. There is a great untapped resource there for auction items, many of which can be an experience rather than a physical item. Tie in a corporate donor there, and suddenly, that donation of a luxury box to a sporting event can turn into a cause marketing opportunity for the business and a new relationship with the nonprofit.
Auction Cause often is approached by both nonprofits and corporations to "find a match" with one another, so we do get an insider's point of view on this too. I would have to say that both sides need to do their homework and truly think out all they want from the other side. Nonprofits are quickly realizing they need to think like a business in order to be taken seriously, and businesses realize they need to often provide more than just dollars to make the relationship work.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
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.
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.
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