However, slightly less than a third (30%) have told a family member or friend about a product or company after hearing about a company’s commitment to social issues, a decline of 30 percent (vs. 43%) since 2004.

"Cause marketing has come of age," says Carol Cone, chairman and founder, Cone, LLC. "Consumers expect companies to support social issues, and companies have responded in a variety of ways, from multi-year, multimillion dollar commitments, to something as simple as adding a ribbon to a package or ad and donating funds to a nonprofit. The 'ribbonization' is no longer breaking through-so, in the past year, the likelihood of consumers to use word-of-mouth communications has dropped. Companies must now identify the issues that have the most relevance for both target stakeholders and their business. And, their social issue programs must be authentic, sustainable, transparent, and well-communicated."

Meaningful Commitment to Causes Highly Important to Employees

American employees' expectations of companies have also increased, and quite dramatically-72 percent wish their employers would do more to support a cause or social issue. This has climbed 38 percent (vs. 52%) since Cone’s last survey in 2004.

Employees familiar with their companies' cause programs indicate:

"Employees are a company's most valuable currency-they are the brand touch points, the ambassadors of a business," states Carol Cone. "Because of the advancements in technology and the Internet, there is no longer a separation between the workplace and community. The workplace has become community for today’s employees so it is important for companies to deeply engage with them through purposeful work around causes and through communications about their business practices which are aligned with these causes. When companies inspire their workforces in this way, employees will be proud and loyal and will carry forward positive messages about their companies to their families and friends."

Two-Way Communications Key to Breaking Through

Advertising and the Internet are the two main ways Americans prefer companies to communicate their social and environmental issues and practices (45% and 41% respectively). Americans are also using technology proactively to learn about and support social and environmental issues and causes. More than one in five (22%) have used the Internet or other technologies to engage in grassroots activism. Others are searching for information on issues (37%) or are forwarding important messages to family and friends (38%).

"Consumers have always relied on word of mouth recommendations to influence their decision making, and the increase in prominence of viral communications has made this form of idea exchange even easier," explains Kivistik. "When a company communicates its cause activities in relevant, emotionally compelling ways and highlights the related social impacts, consumers will pass along the message to those around them."

Consumers Savvy About Seeking Causes Most Relevant to Business

Many companies are choosing which issues to support based on where they can deliver the most meaningful business and social results to their stakeholders. Nine in 10 Americans say companies should support causes that are consistent with their responsible business practices. Eighty-seven percent say they want a company to support issues based on where its business can have the most social and/or environmental impacts.

Health remains the leading issue Americans want companies to address (80%). Education, environment, and economic development (job creation, income generation, wealth accumulation) tie for second place at 77 percent.

"Today"s companies have a tremendous opportunity to look at social issues through the corporate lens of where they will have the most impact for their employees, customers, and the environment," says Kivistik. "Americans are attuned to the larger societal issues brought forth by globalization. They recognize that often the greatest impact a company can have is to support an issue that is aligned with its business (for example, supporting health or economic issues that affect the workforce or environmental conservation). They want businesses to address these issues in transparent and sustainable ways and ‘walk the talk’ in how they operate."

About the survey:

The 2007 Cone Cause Evolution Survey presents the findings of an online survey conducted March 29, 2007 by Opinion Research Corporation among a sample of 1,066 adults comprising 499 men and 567 women 18 years of age and older. Results concerning the causes Americans find important were gathered in a separate online survey on May 7, 2007 by Opinion Research Corporation among a sample of 1,097 adults comprising 525 men and 572 women 18 years of age and older. The margin of error associated with a sample size of 1,000 is ± 3%.

About Cone:

Cone, LLC (www.coneinc.com) is a strategy and communications agency engaged in building brand trust. Cone creates stakeholder loyalty and long-term relationships through the development and execution of Cause BrandingSM, Brand Marketing, Corporate Responsibility, and Crisis Prevention and Management initiatives. Cone is a member of the Omnicom Group.