The Effect of Fit and Company’s Motivation on Consumers’ Evaluation of Cause Related Marketing

Cause Related Marketing has increasingly became a prevalent and meaningful part of a company’s marketing plan. A successful Cause Related Marketing campaign can create a win-win-win situation for companies, customers and non-profit organisations. It has been found that whether company and cause is compatible with each other and perceived company motives are two key determinants of the effectiveness of Cause Related Marketing campaigns. Most of research has shown that a high fit partnership can generate more positive consumer response to the Cause Related Marketing campaign. The effect will be reinforced when positive company motives are perceived. However, some research concerns that consumers would suspect the purpose of the partnership when companies have close relationship with the cause. The study summarises a metrics consisting four types of functional-based fit conditions and investigates whether consumers express significantly different response to two types of high fit conditions when different company motives are perceived. The results show that consumers expressed constant response to CRM campaign, company and cause evaluation in both high (close) fit and medium ft conditions whether positive or negative company motives were perceived. The significantly different effects between high (close) fit and medium fit only occurred in purchase intentions when negative motive was perceived. Thus, the author advises that a cause which having the same core product line or the same target markets with the company should be considered as the first priority when building a Cause Related Marketing partnership