Western marketing started selling by dealing with rational benefits of products. It then moved on to emotional benefits. The next stage is spiritual benefits. A truly charitable gift is anonymous. So philosophically a purely charitable act is impossible.
Every gift has a price tag as they say.
In a CRM scheme that recognition is garnered more systematically than a brief credit in the back of a theatre programme, which is the traditional pay off for corporate giving. While a lot of companies and individuals feel uncomfortable about being overtly generous, these days it is assumed that if you are not doing it then you are not doing it. The difference between CRM and a charitable promotion is that the latter is usually short term and has no territorial link. To succeed, a CRM must triangulate the interest of consumers, the territory of the company and the personal enthusiasm of a high-level sponsor within the organisation. That support needs to be earnest and sincere and touch a personal cord because they will at some point have to stand up in public to explain why the company is doing it.