Running a cause-related marketing campaign can enhance a brand’s image by aligning it with meaningful social or environmental causes that resonate with its target consumers. Campaigns that show a company cares about issues beyond its bottom line serve a dual purpose of generating positive public perception while increasing customer loyalty and sales.
However, a cause-related marketing campaign can be challenging to pull off for many reasons, from skeptical consumers to conflicting stakeholder expectations, not to mention possible backlash if the message comes across as inauthentic, tone-deaf or detached from the company’s core values. As the members of Forbes Agency Council know, successful cause marketing demands deep strategic planning, genuine commitment and a nuanced understanding of both corporate and social communication dynamics. Here, 17 members share potential pitfalls to avoid when planning a cause-related marketing campaign.
1. Assuming Alignment Will Automatically Resonate
Marketers should avoid assuming that alignment with a cause will automatically resonate with the target audience. Cause marketing requires understanding of the audience’s values, needs and pain points. Stay true to your brand’s mission and voice while connecting authentically to the cause. Start with audience research, identify value intersections and ensure your campaign addresses their needs. – Abbi Whitaker, The Abbi Agency
2. Supporting Partners Misaligned With Your Purpose
When a cause-related partnership doesn’t align with a company’s core values and mission, it can erode trust and damage the company’s reputation. Therefore, it’s critical for marketers to authentically and consistently support a cause that aligns with their organizational purpose. A genuine commitment to the cause will resonate with key stakeholders while furthering the company’s long-term goals. – Matt Miller, X-FCTR
3. Lacking Commitment And Seeming Inauthentic
A major pitfall in cause-related campaigns is the risk of appearing to be inauthentic. Consumers can tell when a brand supports a cause just because it’s trendy. To avoid this, ensure the cause aligns with your core values and actions. Authenticity comes from real commitments—like partnerships or measurable initiatives—not just marketing. When a cause reflects who you truly are, it builds trust and lasting loyalty. – Anthony Chiaravallo, Vallo Media
4. Jumping On The Latest Trend
Avoid jumping on the latest trend. Instead, choose causes that matter to you and resonate with your customers. You’re not just placing a logo on an ad; you’re telling a story. The most compelling stories and the most impactful cause-related marketing campaigns authentically connect with your brand values. – Rich Chiaino, Enrich Marketing
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5. Exploiting A Cause To Appeal To An Audience
Marketers must ensure the cause strongly aligns with their brand’s values and that there is genuine commitment. Exploiting a cause solely to appeal to an audience risks public backlash. Is there a true desire to help? Will the brand engage with the cause long-term? Meaningful participation should go beyond a financial donation—it should reflect authentic involvement and action. – Marc Paulenich, Hart
6. Dropping Your Support As Soon As The Campaign Ends
Cause-related marketing goes beyond a single campaign for profit or image. If a brand drops its support for a cause as soon as the campaign ends, it appears performative. A lasting commitment, even on a smaller scale, demonstrates genuine sincerity and fosters loyalty from consumers who value support of the issue. – Kelly Ehlers, Ideas That Evoke
7. Leveraging A Cause To Carry Your Messaging
Cause-related campaigns backfire when they are performative and not grounded in the values and practices of a company. Don’t rely on leveraging a good cause to carry your messaging. Consumers and customers who really care about the cause you’ve chosen will do their homework and call you out for any “cause washing” they see. If you have to defend your campaign, you’ve lost. – Lee Caraher, Double-Forte
8. Chasing A Cause Purely For Financial Gain
A major pitfall in cause-related campaigns is chasing a cause purely for financial gain. I’ve learned that authenticity drives impact. Our team only supports causes we genuinely believe in. To avoid falling into this trap, we ensure that purpose aligns with action, building campaigns around genuine commitment rather than opportunism. – George Arabian, NVISION
9. Choosing Causes That Don’t Resonate With Your Audience
Misalignment is a big potential pitfall—not just between the cause and the brand, but also between the cause and the brand’s audience. Even if your audience is fully engaged with your brand, if the cause or organization you’re supporting doesn’t resonate with them, your results in campaigns will be lackluster. Pull back, look at the whole picture and ask, “Does this make the most sense? Is this going to make an impact?” – Marc Hardgrove, The HOTH
10. Making Your Cause Too Political
While cause-related campaigns can be beneficial, I would advise being careful about making them too political in today’s divided environment. Pick causes that do not force anyone—you or your customers—to “pick a side” or lean in any way politically. Companies that have done so have alienated half their audience and have paid a high price for doing so. – Eyal Danon, Ignite Advisory Group
11. Using Superficial Support As A Marketing Tactic
One pitfall in cause-related marketing is inauthenticity. Consumers can spot when a brand’s support is superficial. As the CEO of a for-profit company and founder of a nonprofit, I’ve seen that successful campaigns stem from genuine alignment with a cause and a long-term commitment to making a positive impact, not just using it as a marketing tactic. – Chris Suchanek, Firm Media Inc
12. Supporting Causes Leaders Are Passionate About
On occasion, executive leadership aligns with a cause it’s passionate about without considering whether the cause actually resonates with the organization’s customer base. Years ago, we witnessed a fun, family-oriented chain choose to align with a national organization for missing children as its cause. It featured educational information at all of its locations. While an important cause, it did not connect with the customer. – Dean Trevelino, Trevelino/Keller
13. Failing To Take Actual, Significant Action
In a cause-related campaign, marketers must consider what the customer reaction will be if the brand doesn’t appear to be taking actual, significant action. Today’s consumers want companies to promote a cause and show their dedication by donating a percentage of sales, implementing sustainable practices or working with relevant groups. – Christina Garduno, Media Culture
14. Selling The Organization First
Selling the organization and what it does first, as opposed to communicating the importance of the cause and including your organization second, is a potential pitfall. The focus should be on the importance and basis of supporting the cause itself. After all, it carries the most weight and likely the strongest message to attract interest. – Ellis Verdi, DeVito/Verdi
15. Being Too Self-Promotional
Avoid being too self-promotional. Consumers are great at spotting disingenuous campaigns, as they’ve had plenty of practice with the rise of “greenwashing” and “social washing.” It might sound counterintuitive for a marketing campaign, but your brand will get the best results from cause-related campaigns if you simply keep the focus on the cause and practice what you preach. – Evan Neeson, Nixon Co
16. Ignoring The Importance Of Strategic Timing
Timing is everything for the success of any campaign effort. Strategic timing is more than just picking a launch date. To make sure your message hits home at the best time for your audience, you need to know a lot about current events, culture and society. You need to carefully look at the big picture and be able to change your timing when things change. – Goran Paun, ArtVersion
17. Posturing Without The Wherewithal To Be Truly Charitable
Posturing as if your organization cares when it can’t afford to be truly charitable is risky. If a business isn’t ready to invest time, money and share of voice into purpose at the expense of profit, proceed with caution. Profit-driven KPIs shift campaign decision-making and can quickly turn authentic advocacy into hollow marketing, repelling consumers and damaging brand equity. Cause marketing isn’t one-size-fits-all. – Shanna Apitz, Hunt Adkins