As we start seeing the biggest global economic meltdown in our rearview mirror, corporate social investment campaigns will never be the same. In other words, fundraisers — NGOs, not-for-profit organisations (NPOs) and companies — will be going that extra mile to make sure people show interest in their campaigns.
Those who will not try to evolve — and are expecting cheques because they feel they are entitled to donations since they are helping the poor — will be left behind. It’s a harsh reality.
This is my corporate social investment (CSI) forecast in 2010:
- Green CSI
The most talked-about topic today is climate change and most conglomerates are slowly catching up to the going-green campaign. Campaigns such as the 5 Cent Project will become popular among green activists and the communities it benefits. Its primary objective is to collect uncirculated coins to help underprivileged schools raise funds to improve their learning environment. People are encouraged to donate their unwanted coins, meaning these coins will be circulated instead of new coins being minted. Such campaigns are a win-win scenario.
- Social media
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and blogs will be dominant platforms to spread the word about the social responsibility campaigns. This will be good for fundraisers because they require minimum financial input and will provide a maximum output in outreach. There is a catch, though: fundraisers must come up with interesting content for their pages to acquire and sustain traffic. People must be captivated by the cause to leave their thoughts on a group’s Facebook page, or even to send messages to their friends urging them to support the cause.
- Soccer
Influenced by the 2010 Fifa World Cup buzz, more soccer-related charity events will occur. Companies trying to gain entry into the South African market will use any opportunity to connect with locals through the soccer frenzy, mostly in developmental areas of the sport, be it sports fields, soccer kits or coaching.
- Celebrity ambassadors
More often than not the media tend to report more about celebrity misses (controversial topics) than hits. Fundraising campaigns that have celebrities involved are likely to get more coverage from the media and participation. For example, DJ Sbu has a weekly television show on SABC1 and has a huge fan base around the country. When he talks about social campaigns he is involved in, the majority of people (especially the youth) respond to his call. Fundraisers will have to align their campaigns strategically with trustworthy and reliable celebrity figures because this can backfire if ambassadors start getting coverage for the wrong reasons. In a nutshell, this trend has been proved to work and it will continue to grow during the course of this year.
- Experience is better
Gone are the days of media cheque handovers with big toothpaste smiles. More conglomerates (especially during this recovery stage from the recession) will engage in campaigns, in which they target locals to be part of the experience in shaping their lives for the better. This will help brands interact directly with communities because it will be in a form of ongoing projects. The other advantage of these designed projects is that communities will become active participants of something into which they have given input (for example, their time), compared with something that has been handed over to them. Trust is at an all-time low (remember the global economic crisis is largely blamed on corporate greed), so handing over cheques or transferring money will only be on the decline, with the exception of small amounts being donated.
- Youth involvement
The majority (more than 60%) of the country’s population comprises young people and it will be crucial for fundraisers to target this group. Fundraisers will have to include the youth (have a youth panel) during the planning stages, especially with campaigns that are aimed at youth mpowerment. To run a campaign without proper consultation and assume young people will be interested might prove to be suicidal. Most companies have come to realise this.
- Help yourself to help you
Education and skills development, especially in entrepreneurship, have been identified as the most invaluable way of giving back to society: teach a man how to fish as opposed to giving a man a fish. A perfect example is Shanduka’s Black Umbrellas CSI programme that aims to empower emerging entrepreneurs. For a monthly fee of R500 or R1 000, the programme provides member SMMEs with a working environment and the support services to enable them to thrive. Benefits include office space, computers, internet access, telephones, vehicles with drivers, a compulsory reliable bookkeeping service and a structured mentorship programme with a business consultant.
- NGO/NPO competition
Money is tight; that’s what you hear from most executives. This year will see more competition among fundraisers trying to appeal to corporate South Africa for their CSI budgets. Complementary collaborations will be the way to go. For example, a corporation such as Medi Clinic, which collaborates with organisations like Doctors without Borders or the Red Cross, requires less effort in facilitation because both are in the field of helping people within the health discipline. Fundraisers that show a high level of innovation and integrity will be the winners.
- World record attempts
With so many organisations looking for funding and needing a unique approach, more projects aim to be the first in the world, for example setting a world record, or breaking an existing world record. A great example is the Cancer Association of South Africa’s Coast 2 Coast 4 Cansa campaign. This makes it easy for corporates to want to get involved in such campaigns. Why? If the campaign is successful, they will be part of history (being in the Guinness Book of Records or Ripley’s, etc) and if the campaign is not a success, in terms of getting the record, it remains a good try for a good cause.
- Competitions
More charity projects run by companies and NGOs/NPOs will raise the bar with competitions to raise funds, in which lucrative prizes (such as cars and a holiday for two) are up for grabs. What is unfortunate, though, is that more people seem to be motivated by the what’s-in-it-for-me syndrome, which I feel is unintentionally perpetuated by organisers. But as this seems to work for them, organisers will focus on the bottom line and this will predominantly be run through SMSes.
Prince Menzi N Mthethwa is the project manager of the 5 Cent Project, is a 2008 Johnnie Walker Dream Red winner and is passionate about youth and social development. This article is from Dion Chang’s Flux Trend Review 2010 featured on www.bizcommunity.com