Cause-related Marketing
Cause-related marketing programs to benefit the Greater Chicago Food Depository offer unique opportunities to reach the conscious consumer while supporting our mission of ending hunger. Defined, cause-related marketing is a strategic positioning and marketing tool that links a company or brand to a relevant social cause or issue, for mutual benefit.*
When partnering with the Greater Chicago Food Depository, unique programs can be developed to align with your business and sales goals through various methods: transactional activities, percentage of sales, product based programs, joint messaging, public relations events, and grass roots fundraising. In addition, cause-related marketing programs have proven to be great tool for engaging employees and bringing them together to help fight hunger.
For more information, contact:
Erik Graves, Cause Marketing Manager
773-843-7289
E-mail Erik
Cause-Related Marketing Supporters
With the support of our cause-related marketing partners, the Greater Chicago Food Depository has been able to meet the need in our community by distributing more than 58 million pounds of food last year, the equivalent of 119,000 meals a day!
Hunger Knows No Season: Now in its ninth year, Hunger Knows No Season is an innovative, cause-related marketing promotion that brings together grocery retailers and food manufacturers to support the Food Depository’s hunger-relief programs. The message to consumers is simple: “Help Fight Hunger. Buy This Product.” Products are marked with the promotion’s distinctive yellow and green signs and can be see at participating retailers. Last year, many participating brands enjoyed sales increases while helping to raise more than $350,000 for Chicago's hungry.
Recipe for Hometown Hunger Relief: Developed by Kraft Foods, in partnership with Jewel-Osco and the Food Depository, this intiative is an ongoing cause-related marketing program where every time a Jewel-Osco customer purchases a featured Kraft item, Jewel donates a fresh food item to the Food Depository. The program adds value beyond transactional donations, delivering education around hunger issues and who it affects, and motivating consumers with ways they can help locally. To date the program has raised more than $50,000 worth of fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, and bread for Chicagoland soup kitchens, pantries and shelters.
Smith Bucklin Holiday Party: Smith Bucklin, a Chicago-based association management company and longtime supporter of the Food Depository, hosts a holiday celebration each year to benefit Chicago’s hungry. Among Smith Bucklin’s many creative ideas was an online auction organized by employees. Other fundraisers included: a happy hour with admission proceeds to help the hungry; a mid-week “jeans day” for the cost of a donation; and a holiday party that included raffles and a “Dancing with the Stars”-type competition. Last year's event raised $42,000.
Girl Food Dinner: Each year Chicago’s top female chefs come together for an evening of exquisite cuisine to benefit the hunger-relief efforts of the Food Depository. Started 12 years ago by Chef Susan Goss of the West Town Tavern, 100 percent of the proceeds raised though ticket prices, silent auction and raffle are donated to the Food Depository. Last year's event raised more than $15,000 and featured Chefs Maneet Chauhan (Vermilion Restaurant), Beverly Gannon (Hali’imaile General Store), Stephanie Izard (Scylla Restaurant), Jackie Shen (Red Light Restaurant), Susan Goss (West Town Tavern) and Ina Pinkney (Ina’s Restaurant).
Click for Cans: Campbell's Chunky, in partnership with the NFL, and the Food Depository have teamed up to invite fans of the Chicago Bears to show their team spirit and help give back to their local communities through the annual Click for Cans online competition. Bears fans have the chance to click and vote for their favorite team as part of Campbell’s Chunky's commitment to tackling hunger and helping to secure much needed food donations.
To learn more about food drives and how you can help the Food Depository collect 1 million pounds of food, visit Every1can.org.
* "Brand Spirit, How Cause Marketing Builds Brands" Pringle, Thompson, Wiley, 1999.
