Cause marketing is interchangeably referred to as cause-related marketing and is defined as a profit-making initiative by a for-profit company or a brand to raise awareness, money, and/or consumer engagement in a social or environmental issue. It can be distinguished from corporate philanthropy, since the latter involves simply a donation to a charity or a cause, while cause marketing is based on a marketing relationship with another organization involving a transaction and hence cannot be treated as a charitable contribution. In the new era of social responsibility, this is more the norm, and more consumers are asking companies how they are making the world a better place by supporting important causes.

Cause marketing basically has three major components: (1) a product, (2) a partnership between the ...