Let's solve it in six months. . . They are our social conscience. Instead, he has earmarked that money for charitable causes, says spokeswoman Dana Murray. But at Bookman's and other businesses, corporate do-gooding may seem a lot like advertising. Bookman's, for example, helped purchase four school marquees, which have the store's name displayed prominently at the base.
Experts contend that cause-related marketing is nothing new.
While venerable corporate giving dates back to the 1950s in the United States, it's been more recent that big businesses such as Target Corp. and Home Depot USA Inc. have showcased corporate benevolence, says Michelle Ahlmer, executive director of the Mesa-based Arizona Retailers Association. Consequently, small businesses have become more vocal than before about what they've been doing for years, Ahlmer says. And the business culture of philanthropy has reached new heights, with some business owners actually turning down clients that don't take part in community service. For her business and for her clients' businesses, cause-related marketing can be a more effective business tool than direct advertising. I can only give back so much.