We all are exposed to traditional and typical advertising and marketing messages every day, for everything from food to fragrances to banking to many other products and services we consume on a regular basis.
However, sometimes companies with the most powerful brands in the world take their marketing messages a step further and align them with a cause, which can be incredibly beneficial to society, reports Huffington Post Gay Voices.
“When done properly, cause marketing can change the world and help to move that cause in a positive direction, whether it is health-related, environmental, humanitarian, or social in nature.
“We are currently seeing a positive example of cause marketing by Office Depot, a leading national retailer, who has dedicated its back-to-school effort for the second consecutive year to raising awareness for anti-bullying as it specifically relates to parents, teachers, and students. The company has recently launched a campaign with worldwide music phenomenon One Direction, coinciding with their U.S. summer tour. The theme of the campaign is “1D + OD Together Against Bullying,” and has been designed to raise awareness for anti-bullying, culminating in educational programs beginning this Fall in schools across America.
“By embracing the anti-bullying cause, Office Depot is aiming to create more positive environments for three of its key consumers. First, they want to enable teachers to have more positive classroom and teaching experiences. No one can deny that teaching is a tough profession. Reducing and possibly eliminating bullying at school will take one more stress factor off of teachers’ already full plates.
“Second, the retailer is helping to ease parents’ concerns about what their children may be subjected to at school. Many parents wonder, “Is John being teased?” “Is Jane withdrawn because someone is tormenting her?” Schools should be safe places for kids, so building awareness about anti-bullying can help protect kids and make parents feel less anxious.
“Finally, the company hopes to empower youth to be true and brave, whether experiencing bullying themselves or witnessing it. The adage “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is for the most part not the norm. Lies, gossip, name-calling, alienation, verbal abuse, and humiliation leave lasting and needless scars. When youth are empowered with knowledge of how to handle a bully and a situation, they are more apt to put an end to it and its negative affects. It’s pretty simple, as the basic tenet of the program is to treat others how you’d like to be treated. Harry Styles, a member of One Direction states it simply, “Live Nice, because no one likes people who aren’t nice.”