Developing Internal Cause Marketing Campaigns – Puppy Edition

a grid of animal photos
By Pace Editor |

At Pace, our tagline is “Create With Heart,” and that’s exactly what we do every day–philanthropy is in our DNA. Imagine coming to work and being surrounded by others with the same passion for service in an environment that fosters community involvement. Pretty great, right?

When the holidays came around last year, the agency decided to focus on the spirit of service. Instead of a holiday card, we chose to do something that meant more to our team. During last year’s Puppython, Pace raised more than $5,000 for the SPCA of the Triad. This helped support the nonprofit organization in its efforts to rescue and rehabilitate abused, neglected and injured animals. Am I tugging at your heartstrings yet?

This holiday season, we certainly heard no objections to more puppy time. As the 2nd Annual Pace Puppython approaches this week, our team has been busy finalizing details, executing content and chasing tails—puppy tails, that is. 

While it can be easy to get distracted by the wet noses, wagging tails, sloppy kisses, cute cuddles and puppy dog eyes … where was I? Oh, yes, cause marketing– we must always address three important questions when implementing cause-related marketing plans.

IS THIS A CAUSE I TRULY BELIEVE IN?

The best work always comes from something that you care about and can be honest about. Puppython is an opportunity, beyond showcasing Pace’s capabilities, to highlight who we are as a creative agency and to tap into something meaningful. If you talk to people at Pace, everyone is already so passionate about their pets that we knew it would be a natural fit to support the local SPCA and help those many animals in need. 

HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO MY BRAND?

Pace and puppies. What could be better? While the event shows off many of the agency’s talents relating to production skills, studio capabilities, design and social media, Puppython is also a manifestation of our passion for philanthropy.

HOW CAN I CREATE INTENTIONAL CONTENT THAT PEOPLE WILL CARE ABOUT AND THAT ALIGNS WITH THE CAUSE?

Post a picture of cute puppies. Check. You would think it would be that easy, but it’s quite the opposite. When developing a cause-related marketing campaign, you must identify clear objectives and differentiate between paid and organic social. As we built separate campaigns for Puppython, we had to ensure we were creating purposeful content to achieve paid social objectives and that we were targeting the right audiences. When it came to organic content, we wanted to offer users fun subject matter that not only contributed to our goals but also made people feel good. I mean, who doesn’t want to look at cute doggy pictures all day?

The mistletoe is hung, and there is puppy love in the air. Tune in on Dec. 13 as Pace livestreams the event on YouTube. Wishing you peace, love and belly rubs.