Hessekiel ’82 Co-Writes Guide to Mixing Social Causes and Commerce

David Hessekiel ’82 is co-author with Philip Kotler and Nancy Lee of Good Works! Marketing and Corporate Initiatives that Build a Better World … and the Bottom Line (John Wiley and Sons), a guide that offers actionable advice on integrating marketing and corporate social initiatives into broader business goals. The book suggests that purpose-driven marketing has moved from a nice-to-do to a must-do for businesses and explains how to balance social and business goals.

The book’s introduction explores why some marketing and corporate social initiatives fail and others succeed and then looks at six social initiatives for doing well by doing good. Other chapters consider how corporate managers and staff can choose the most appropriate issues, best partners, and highest potential initiatives. A final section devoted to nonprofits and public sector agencies seeking corporate support offers advice on how to create mutually beneficial partnerships.

The authors provide guidance on the effective execution of marketing campaigns, including persuading consumers to join your company in supporting a good cause; supporting product sales and consumer engagement by linking them to donations; changing the way you do businesses to achieve a worthwhile social outcome; and dealing with cynics and critics.

Hessekiel is president of the Cause Marketing Forum (www.causemarketing forum.com). A blogger for Forbes, MediaPost and the Huffington Post, he is a frequently quoted industry analyst and speaks regularly about cause marketing and corporate social responsibility to business and NGO audiences.