The CMO Council's "Pause to Support a Cause" campaign, powered by Op4G, is a novel corporate social responsibility initiative that invites non-profits and their public service-minded members to take part in market research activities -- conducted simply and efficiently online -- as a new way to raise funds or earn income.
The cause-directed survey model will help market researchers connect with difficult-to-reach consumers and audience segments. It will lower research costs, shorten fielding times, heighten response rates and encourage more consistent survey feedback and participation. Additionally, by linking survey fielding to non-profit donations, marketers can add a powerful altruistic appeal and ensure market research dollars produce real social value while improving brand insight and perception.
"Each year, nearly $20 billion is spent on market research, several billion of which goes towards costly, time-consuming incentives rewards, giveaways and other gifts that gain or induce response," noted Donovan Neale-May, the executive director of the CMO Council, which has more than 6,000 marketing executive members controlling an estimated $200 billion in annual spend. "Deploying these dollars in a more socially beneficial way, the Pause to Support a Cause campaign invites global marketers to use a dedicated panel of highly-motivated, demographically diverse consumers who have elected to participate in market research as a way to raise money for their charities of choice."
Op4G operates the online research panel which partners with non-profits to enroll and securely profile participants who can opt-out at any time. Registrants can donate as little as 25 percent, or up to 100 percent, of payments they receive for research participation towards their non-profit cause or chosen charity. With more than 200 non-profit groups already supporting the campaign, thousands of consumers are already registered, allowing marketers to quickly and affordably source targets for online engagement, polling or surveying.
In developing Pause to Support a Cause, the CMO Council worked closely with Edward Martin, the pioneer of the corporate social responsibility partner-marketing model, who advanced ideas behind the campaign. Martin is the director of international insights and new methods at Hershey's and has held similar positions at Kellogg's, Coca-Cola, Citibank and Ford Motor Company.
The CMO Council Pause to Support a Cause program offers continuous or periodic access to the Op4G database through an annual subscription or on a fee-for-use basis. To learn more about the program, contact Bryan DeRose (CMO Council) at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 650-433-4144, or Jim Brennan, Op4G, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or via phone at 207-351-6903.
About the CMO Council
The Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council is dedicated to high-level knowledge exchange, thought leadership and personal relationship building among senior corporate marketing leaders and brand decision-makers across a wide-range of global industries. The CMO Council's 6,000 members control more than $200 billion in aggregated annual marketing expenditures and run complex, distributed marketing and sales operations worldwide. In total, the CMO Council and its strategic interest communities include over 20,000 global executives in nearly 100 countries covering multiple industries, segments and markets. Regional chapters and advisory boards are active in the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa. The Council's strategic interest groups include the Coalition to Leverage and Optimize Sales Effectiveness (CLOSE), LoyaltyLeaders.org, Marketing Supply Chain Institute, Customer Experience Board, Market Sense-Ability Center, Digital Marketing Performance Institute, GeoBranding Center, and the Forum to Advance the Mobile Experience (FAME). More information on the CMO Council is available at www.cmocouncil.org.
About Op4G
Op4G (Opinions4Good) is a private Member-based, online research community. Op4G's objective is to provide the most robust, diverse, and active membership to Clients seeking Internet-based market research, opinion polls, surveys, focus groups, and other studies in a cost-effective and timely manner. The company hosts the research at www.op4g.com, and will soon add Op4G Direct as a second opportunity for researchers large and small to access the Member community.
Op4G is at the center of a unique partnership among more than 200 Non-Profit organizations across the country, their donors/volunteers, and corporate clients around the world. The Op4G panel is comprised of consumers who have agreed to participate in online research in return for cash compensation, of which they share a minimum of 25% with a Non-Profit of their choice. It is a unique strategic alignment among Non-Profits, corporations, and Op4G benefiting each party with an exceptional opportunity to generate market research and provide significant, monthly recurring revenues to Non-Profits across the country.
