The Engage For Good Podcast

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183: Uber Makes Donating Clothes to Goodwill Easy Sep 27, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Ryan Kuhn Senior Director of Marketing for Goodwill Industries International about a national collection drive they launched with the help of Uber.

Megan, Ryan and Joe discuss:

Goodwill was the recent winner of PUBLIC's Cause Marketing Innovation Award.
Goodwill's national program with Uber began with a local relationship in New York. Collection drives included clothing and e-waste drives.
How Uber promoted the campaign to customers
How Goodwill helped local Uber drivers connect with local stores in their community.
How Goodwill's work with Uber required flexility and a commitment to innovation.
The logistics behind the campaign. Uber collected 250,000 pounds of clothes for Goodwill!
The power of tapping into the strengths of your partner.
The target demographic for Goodwill is women between the ages of 35 and 45. The Uber campaign helped them reach this audience and a younger demographic.
The business benefits of the program to Uber.
The future of Goodwill's partnership with Uber.

Links & Notes

182: Starbucks Launches New Cause Content Platform Upstanders Sep 20, 2016

Show notes

Today on CauseTalk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Russell Sparkman, CEO of FusionSpark Media, about Upstanders, a new purpose-driven web series from Starbucks. The goal of the initiative is to tell real stories of humanity as a reminder that ordinary citizens can create extraordinary impact by refusing to be bystanders

Russ is the perfect person to speak to on this content initiative! He and his firm are leaders in purpose-focused non-fiction storytelling.

On the show, Megan, Russell and Joe discuss:

The work of FusionSpark Media. How long have they been at the intersection of purpose and content marketing?
Russell's thoughts on Content Marketing World this year where he delivered a presentation on purpose-driven content marketing. The force of purpose was strong at this year's conference!
What were the key takeaways from CMW? How will these lessons influence the creation of cause-content?
Is Upstanders cause marketing? Is it better than Race Together?
Russell: "The path to engagement is paved with purpose."
What can small businesses and nonprofits learn fromUpstanders? What's the takeaway for an organization that has the desire but not the unlimited budget and resources?
How could nonprofits "Causejack" Upstanders?
How Starbucks is determined to create a movement around Upstanders. Movement-building campaigns are critical to brands.

Links & Notes

181: Omni Hotels Books Meals for Needy with "Say Goodnight to Hunger" Sep 13, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Peter Strebel, Chief Marketing Officer at Omni Hotels & Resorts, about Say Goodnight to Hunger (#SayGoodnightToHunger). This action-triggered donation program feeds a family of four dinner for an entire week whenever guests book a stay directly at OmniHotels.com.

Since the programs launched in June, Omni Hotels has donated 3 million meals. Donations support Feeding America and local food banks in the 42 communities where Omni's 60 hotels are located.

On the show, Megan, Peter and Joe discuss:

Joe's love of Boston Cream Pie and its connection to the Omni Parker House in Boston.
How Omni Hotels got involved with Feeding America and the kick-off ofSay Goodnight to Hunger in June.
How Omni Hotel employees have supported the program in their communities. Feeding America's local footprint made it a perfect nonprofit match for Omni!
How the program is geared toward Millennial customers and employees. 45% of Omni employees and 25% of Omni customers are Millennials.
How being the father of a Millennial (who works at TOMS!) inspired Peter to take the next step in Omni's social responsibility efforts.
How support for this program began at the very top of the Omni organization.
What has surprised Peter the most since the launch of the program.
What Feeding America brings to the table as a partner of Omni Hotels.
How Omni Hotels is communicating with employees about the program to show the impact of their efforts.

Links & Notes

180: How Pencils of Promise Does the Most Good by Focusing on Impact Sep 06, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Leslie Engle Young, Director of Impact at Pencils of Promise (PoP), about how the how organization has become a top philanthropic brand by smashing its goal of increasing access to quality education for children in the developing world.

On the show, Megan, Leslie and Joe discuss:

How Leslie got involved with PoP - and she owes it all to Bob Dylan!
Why PoP created a position specifically focused on impact. Should other nonprofits have this role?
What metrics does Leslie measure to determine PoP's effectiveness? Focus is on outcomes not outputs.
How important is data to PoP?
How PoP moves a new program from Pilot to Beta toIntegration.
PoP's quarterly transparency report and why an annual reports wasn't enough. "We want people to see where we are succeeding and where we are struggling."
How PoP communicates with its stakeholders.
PoP's WASH program that teaches kids about WATER, SANITATION and HYGIENE. "If you're not healthy you can't/won't go to school!"
The challenges of being a metric-focused and data-driven organaztion that works in the Third World.
What are PoP's 2017 goals?

Links & Notes

179: How Arby's Maverick Spirit is Building a PurposeFULL Business Aug 30, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Chris Fuller, Executive Director at the Arby's Foundation, about the chain's first PurposeFULL report highlighting progress across its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) platform. With 3,300 locations around the world, Arby's is the second largest quick-service chain in the world!

On the show, Megan, Chris and Joe discuss:

Why Arby's is releasing its first CSR report now
What Arby's is doing to share the report with stakeholders.
The four pillars of the report:YouthFULL, SkillFULL, ResourceFULL & FlavorFULL.
Arby's focus on youth empowerment and its contribution of over $76 million.
Customer donations at the register - last year that totaled $3.6 million.
How Arby's puts the "FUN" in fundraising and gets 75 percent of its restaurants to participate in fundraising programs.
The structure of Arby's point-of-sale fundraisers and importance of having an employee "champion."
How Arby's picked childhood hunger as its cause.
How's Arby's is working with its nonprofit partners to maximize social impact through innovation.
Arby's plans to work with Dipjar on a pilot program for year-round "passive fundraising."
Chris' thoughts on the importance of cause marketing to brands.

Links & Notes

178: Chris Noble on The Power of Influencers & The Future of Cause Marketing Aug 23, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Chris Noble, CEO of Matchfire, a marketing and technology company for business and social impact, about key trends in cause marketing, including the power influencers, content marketing and employee engagement.

On the show, Megan, Chris and Joe discuss:

How Matchfire brings four different agencies together (StudioGood, Kompolt, Patron & Matchfire) that were once "Brand Soup." The commonality with all these entities was social good and technology.
Matchfire's work with the Muscular Dystrophy Association on #LiveUnlimited, a bold initiative to reach a new, younger audience for the charity.
How #LiveUnlimited focused on 150 online influencers to drive traffic, interest and donations to the campaign.
Trends in cause marketing: Snapchat, Pokemon Go!, Employee Engagement.
The critical role content marketing has and will play in cause marketing, and how people confuse it with digital marketing.
How the language we use to describe corporate responsibility (cause marketing, purpose, CSR etc.) can either empower or confuse our employees.

Links & Notes

177: Tech Company Partners with Oxfam for 'See a Demo, Get a Goat' Aug 16, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Lisa Lewis, Director of Marketing at Formation Data Systems (FDS), a startup data storage company, about an interesting cause marketing partnership with Oxfam involving giving goats to families in need!

On the show, Megan, Lisa and Joe discuss:

How FDS was looking for a marketing program that was affordable but impactful when Lisa discovered Oxfam after a friend gave her a goat as a gift!
How the program works. If you demo FDS' product through Oxfam they will donate a goat to a needy family in a third-world country.
The power of goats! They are a fantastic animal to donate because almost singlehandedly they can lift a family out of poverty.
How FDS has used See a Demo, Get a Goat outside outside a trade show (that they couldn't afford to attend!) with great success!
Are goats the next household pet?!
How FDS has incorporated goats into a series of videos called GoatBusters that links the craziness of goats with the disorganization of most company's storage efforts.
Two unexpected lessons from the program. First, employees love it - especially their younger employees (Millennials!). Second, the program is so "sticky." Prospects remember the goats!
Is this cause marketing program driving sales?
FDS' partnership with Oxfam. What do they think of the program and its success?
What is the key takeaway from this program? What can other B2B companies learn from it?
What's next for the goats?

Links & Notes

176: Personal Branding for Causepreneurs with Katrina McGhee Aug 09, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Katrina McGhee, a nonprofit leader and entrepreneur who has more than 25 years of experience in progressive leadership roles, including chief marketing officer for Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

On the show, Megan, Katrina and Joe discuss personal branding for causepreneurs. We cover:

What is personal branding?
Why causepreneurs have a difficult time focusing on personal branding.
How personal branding is critical to career success. It's portable and helps you become an "A" player.
Katrina's process for defining your personal brand.
How to do a "personal audit" on yourself.
How to tell what's a distinction and what's a distraction in your personal brand.
The importance of generosity in your relationships.
How to build strong relationships with people. It's better to go deep than wide.
Katrina's top five tips for personal branding.

Links & Notes

175: How This Texas DQ Franchisee is Fighting Childhood Hunger Aug 02, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Bill Spae, CEO of Vasari LLC, a Dairy Queen franchisee with 76+ locations in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Vasari is the second largest franchisee in the DQ system!

Vasari leads several cause marketing programs, including a fundraiser for Share Our Strength that raised $335,000 since 2014.

On the show, Megan, Bill and Joe discuss:

How Joe met Bill at the National Restaurant Show in Chicago where they were both speaking on behalf of Share Our Strength.
How DQ got involved with Share Our Strength. It's not a national program for DQ, but a regional program for Vasari LLC.
How DQ kicked off the program in 2014 and Share Our Strength supported their efforts with their deep experience in cause marketing point-of-sale.
How much the program has grown since 2014. The goal this year is $200K+.
How DQ changed its ask from a dollar amount to a meal amount and raised more money.
The power of incentives to solicit donations.
Joe shares a painful DQ regret.
Does DQ ask for specific donation at the register, or do they let the customer decide? Key takeaway: don't pressure people.
What employees think of the program, and how Vasari has grown their engagement with communication, storytelling and swag.
Why DQ doesn't ask for donations through the pinpad. Employees do all the asking.
How DQ avoids donor fatigue.
The business benefit of supporting a cause.

Links & Notes

174: Boston Brewery Helps Entrepreneurs Brew American Dream Jul 26, 2016

Show notes

Today on Cause Talk Radio, Megan and Joe talk to Risa Sherman, Manager of Philanthropy & Cause Marketing at The Boston Beer Company, about the company's signature cause initiative, Brewing the American Dream.

This innovative program champions the great ideas and dreams of small business owners nationwide who are pursuing their passion in the food and beverage, hospitality, and craft brewing industries.

On the show, Megan, Risa and Joe discuss:

An overview of the halo-award winning Brewing the American Dream. The initial goal was to add value to the community beyond just writing a check.
The three legs of the program. First, access to capital. Second, access to mentors. Third, access to new customers and markets.
The focus of the program over the past year? One word: Impact (and tracking it!).
What's the business impact of Brewing the American Dream? A close connection to innovation helps Boston Beer stay nimble in its own business.
How much Boston Beer employees enjoy working with other entrepreneurs.
Risa has worked on the agency side and the brand side. What's the difference? What advice would she give agencies?
The importance of involving the whole company in cause marketing.
What is Boston Beer planning for the program in 2017?

Links & Notes

Brewing the American Dream

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