An integrated model of cause-related marketing strategy development

Researchers in the fields of marketing and corporate social responsibility have suggested that cause-related marketing (CRM) can provide firms with opportunities for managing their community relationships and for enhancing their marketing, financial, social, and environmental performance. In this article, we offer a conceptual framework that helps to broaden the understanding of how firms develop CRM strategy. We identify three key CRM strategy development components: motivational factors, strategy design, and campaign tactics. The conceptual framework is constructed based on these three components to explore how the key CRM drivers influence the CRM implementation plan, which subsequently leads to the development of different campaign styles. We also propose that firms’ emphasis on value delivery systems in the process of CRM strategy development plays an important role in influencing the direction in which they wish to assemble their CRM campaign. © 2014, Academy of Marketing Science.