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Companies and causes – it’s not a part-time gig

Posted by Andrew Lane in niche in the news, random ramblings on October 13th, 2008 | one comments

Social responsibility is a hot button issue these days. Every body is talking about it, many are passionate about it, and every company would have you believe that they’re on board. But what it seems some of them aren’t getting is that social responsibility isn’t something you can do once in a while – it’s something that needs to be ingrained in your culture, or you might as well not even bother, Mr. CEO. I came across another tragic example of this part-time responsibility today…

It's nice to put a shot like this on your website, but do you really mean it??

The issue, well my need to rant about it at least, comes up as I’m watching the Game 3 of the 2008 ALCS. An odd context to be sure.

But playoff sports have always been a time when the corporate world brings out the big guns, and this is no exception. It seems that a Major Corporation (I’m not trying to slander a company here, just to prove a point) has planned a grand demonstration of their corporate responsibility to coincide with the pageantry of the American League Championship Series. To paraphrase the announcer’s in-game read, with a hint of added sarcasm:

A reminder to everyone that (Major Corporation) and (Broadcasting Television Network) want you to help us prove how our companies care about saving the planet by turning off your lights to conserve energy as you watch Game 4 tomorrow! It’s the Major Corporation Cates About the Planet initiative, tomorrow on Broadcasting Television Network!!!

Okay, a lot of sarcasm. But that was basically the announcement. TOMORROW’s game is the time to turn off your lights and conserve energy. Not right now. Not every game. Just tomorrow – because that’s when Major Corporation has paid to have a sponsored integration into the broadcast and will get the most advertising reach and supposed goodwill for this grand gesture of social responsibility.

Major Corporations: I thought we were learning this! Remember when you all decided you needed blogs and went about alienating an entire demographic of savvy consumers by completely undermining the honesty on which the platform is based??? Didn’t you learn then that you can’t just show up at the party and gain respect simply because people can see you’re there?!?! You can’t just communicate a blanket message and think it’s going to resonate with specialty audiences. People who care about conservation and preserving our planet actually care! They aren’t pacified by a one day, corporate-endorsed call to dim the lights as they know this is a much larger problem. If you want to speak to these people, you should know that too, and you should demonstrate that knowledge and understanding in every touchpoint of your communications plan. It needs to be a true part of your business – not just something you’re doing today because its fashionable, or in this case, tomorrow because you can attach some advertising to it.

So if you’re so inclined, watch Game 4 of the ALCS with your lights out, and know that without a Major Corporation, such a socially responsible act might not have been possible.

But please, when you’re flipping the light switch, cringe a little – just for me?

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  • Martin

    I would be more impressed if they said everyone should turn off their giant televisions and beer fridges. Oh, but then you wouldn’t be able to watch the game, or the advertising.

    So go ahead and do something small and insignificant for just a moment, so you can feel good about yourself and tell everyone about it, mentioning the name of the Big Corporation of course, just as long as you don’t stop being a good consumer. And don’t think about the fact that your consumption is what is destroying the planet to begin with. No, it’s just those horrible light bulbs!

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