Can we agree that we have enough places to connect and talk online? Can we concur that ‘community’ isn’t synonymous with social media or a nom de plume for site traffic?

I’m not an expert on creating communities (Cause Capitalism lacks one), but I have been duped as a user, lulled into the promise of a ‘community’ that I can contribute to and take from. And I’ve seen hot springs of action and innovation spring up only to dry up when the ‘community’ is no longer needed.

Here’s what I would find useful: a resource hub that’s an exchange of information, support, knowledge, contacts, data, tools and funds.  I’d call it the Change Exchange.

Hub entails participation from many sectors and resources, an informal transaction of assets. Cause-inclined communities built by Pepsi or General Mills typically source and compile a plethora of ideas, organizations and (temporarily) engaged individuals, but what happens when the project is over and the marketing team turns to something new? What happens to the ideas and the members who were inspired enough to create a password?  Nothing. They languish and become jaded by the concept of ‘community’ and feel they’ve taken part in someone else’s image-shaping or dollar-making.

But most critically, it’s a constant leak in the bucket of true social change or innovation.

Can Pepsi share with Timberland’s Earthkeepers, share with Myoo Create, share with Changemakers to create a sustaining, snowballing hub that sparks real change?

Image credit: Canicuss

I’m not the first to make the case that crowdsourced social good contests should retreat quickly into the night.

• They’re inefficient at creating change;
• Their current popularity has diminished the value they bring to companies and brands;
• Consumers are fed up with them (how many vote-for-me solicitations do you get a week that make you feel more like a brand pusher than a change agent?); and
• For the money and hoopla they involve, they should accomplish more than marketing the company and channeling money to (often unvetted and under-qualified) projects.

Whether you agree or not, the next question is, What’s the alternative?

First, it’s helpful to understand what these contests do offer. They’re big and loud. They attract participants, voters, supporters, media and millions of tweets, blogs and Facebook likes. Through this lens, they do provide bang for their buck.  And they only require what many companies excel at–assembling the resources to design and run a colorful marketing campaign and to write checks to the winners. Deep-root partnerships, familiarization with target communities and evaluation and reporting on the awarded funds aren’t required.

So the new question becomes What’s an alternative that can offer companies the same level of virality and visibility without skimping on substance?

Looking for an alternative campaign format is too myopic. Instead, companies should look at a broader level of engagement that supports social responsibility as a business (not just a marketing) strategy.  Admittedly, this sounds obvious, but how can companies do this and still get their marketing kick?

I suggest that companies focus on developing long-term partnership that support a social enterprise abroad. Transferring energies from internal competitions to external investments* allows companies to explore and develop for new markets (BoP populations offer significant market opportunities), test new products, improve resource efficiency and ensure ethical supply lines.  Even thought these partnerships take place outside of the United States, companies still have ample opportunity to relay their work with these communities to American consumers.

P&G’s Children’s Safe Drinking Water program, led by P&G employee Dr. Greg Allgood, is a strong example of a corporate initiative focused on external impact that’s successfully connected American consumers to its work in developing communities. An education portal and upcoming social media campaign to fund clean drinking water for its partner communities and veteran organizations tackling this cause are two storytelling mechanisms.

*This post is the current culmination of several conversations I’ve had with leaders in social enterprise and CSR over the past few weeks, as well as Tim Ogden’s evocative article, in which he talks about external investment vs. internal competitions.

What do you think? Maybe I’m biting off something too big to chew, but there’s something bigger and better than crowdsourced contests that needs to be wrestled down.

Your next pair of Levi’s might come with a clothesline or shoebox-sized dryer.  After a recent lifecycle assessment, Levi’s realized that 60% of the climate impact of a pair of jeans comes after the jeans are made and sold; nearly 80% of this is from drying the jeans in a dryer.  The presumed and easy response to this would be for Levi’s to say, “Not our problem. We abide by fair labor practices, use recycled and organic fibers and run fuel efficient trucks to transport our jeans. What happens after we sell them has nothing to do with us.”

But Levi’s didn’t.  Instead, it launched Care to Air, an awareness campaign and contest to shift consumer behavior in favor of the environment.  In partnershihp with Myoo Create, Levi’s will award $10,000 for the world’s most innovative, covetable, and sustainable air-drying solution for clothing.  This isn’t a money maker for Levi’s.  You don’t have to buy jeans, or even own Levi’s products, for the campaign to be a success.  And since Levi’s has chosen the environment-at-large as a beneficiary, it doesn’t get to leverage the credibility or press that a nonprofit partner would bring to bear.

So why do it?  Is it just about being viwed as a socially compassionate brand?  That’s part of it–and it’s not taboo because the Levi’s actions consistently reflect a commitment (rather than lip-service) to sustainability.  Part of a company’s responsibility (I know, I task them with a lot) is to educate and involve its consumers in making more responsible choices and to pressure their competitors to raise their responsibility game.  Influencing consumer behavior also happens to be one of Levi’s commitments: “To reach far beyond the boundaries of our company to influence not only what people wear but the way people think and act.”

This is exactly what Levi’s is doing with Care to Air, and it’s brilliant because as much as you register the brand behind this campaign, it isn’t about the brand at all.  It’s about what I do with my clothes at home and how I understand this to affect the environment.

This point is often overlooked.  Your do-gooding and good deeding aren’t a substitute for marketing.  Customers can’t love you for what you do if they don’t know you.  At this point you might be thinking:

But Wait!  One of the benefits of a social mission is the visibility it brings to my company.  I’ve even heard–from this very site–that social responsiblity programs can be funded with the marketing budget because they’ll bring publicity.

The whole truth is that a social mission helps, but doesn’t cover it. Even Stonyfield Farm, a virtuoso of guerilla marketing tactics, put effort into its marketing to build its brand 17 years ago.  Here are some ideas you can use to brand your company without robbing your social programs.

Put a face on it
Choose a spokesperson from your company who cultivates his or her expertise in the field.  World of Good did this well. Co-founder Priya Haji speaks* on social enterprise and fair trade and has become the public face of the company.  Zappos’ Tony Hsieh is another great example; while turning Zappos into a marvelous company, Tony talked about how he was doing it, creating an ethos around Zappos that MBA students, employees and customers love.

It doesn’t start with conference keynotes or articles for Inc.  Connect with a community on Twitter that cares about your issue–free trade, landfill diversion, employee empowerment or cupcakes.  Solicit people’s opinions, share what you’re doing and promote their work and thoughts.  This (just basic networking) shapes you as a connector and leader in the space.  Set up search terms that help you flag conversations like ‘recycled paper’ For New Leaf Paper, for example.

Blog (there’s a reason I’m not the first person to tell you that blogging is effective)
Whether you commit to blogging three days per week, once a week or twice monthly, be consistent.  You don’t need to fill your blog with grand ideas.  Sharing how you are building your company and talking about other people, companies, tools or trends in your sector is enough.  37signals’ blog Signal vs. Noise covers design, business, experience, simplicity, the web and culture.  It’s a daily read for the tech community.

Tap your community
Richard Seireeni calls this the Gort Cloud–an abstract network of trendspotters, advocacy groups, business alliances, certifying organizations and social networks.  Seventh Generation, Tesla Motors and Stonyfield Farm used the Gort Cloud as a partial replacement for traditional marketing.

This list is far from complete.  What other tactics have you used or seen other businesses use successfully?

* An excellent podcast from Priya Haji from Stanford Social Innovations.

Cause marketing is the only marketing segment that grew last year, which is good news for Chris Noble, who runs Causemedia Group.  It means that when he has an idea for a social media fundraising campaign, he can find a sponsor who’s dying to be a part of it.  And when he’s asked to run a generic media campaign for a brand, he can nudge them toward a cause component that they fall in love with.

So what makes his fundraising campaigns so successful?  I invited Chris to Cause Capitalism to talk about the core elements of a successful social media cause campaign and how smaller companies can create their own online campaigns for social good.

Click the player to listen to the interview (well worth it) or right-click and save for the MP3.

Lesson 1: Go deep inside the organization to identify a cause that you care about

If you reach beyond the obvious cause to something you really care about, you’ll come up with better ideas and your campaign will be more sincere.  PositScience makes brain training software.  An obvious charity partner for them would be a nonprofit involved in brain disorder or brain damage. But when PositScience employees really thought about what cause mattered to them (and not just what tied into their brand), they went with an organization that works with disabled veterans (some of whom do have brain damage, so there is still a link, just not the low-hanging fruit).

Lesson 2: Don’t treat the tools like they’re something different

Treat your social media tools like they’re an extension of your existing program.  They are just vehicles to present the campaign. The tools will also evolve. The most important thing is to have a coherent campaign strategy that incorporates whatever tools are around today.

Lesson 3: React quickly

When you launch a campaign you’re beginning a conversation. The minute your campaign is launched, you’ll start to get feedback. Respond to it according to the overall message of your campaign.

About Chris Noble
Chris is the CEO of Causemedia Group, which includes What Gives?! and StudioGood.  Causemedia Group has run over 600 campaigns and raised more than $25 million for charity by bringing brands, celebrities, and nonprofits together with social media.  His goal is to make it easier for non-profits to raise money.   Say ‘Hi’ to Chris on Twitter (@cfnoble) or hear him speak on cause marketing and social media at the Cause Marketing Forum in Chicago this June.

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