Fighting childhood hunger, counseling elderly drivers and preserving rainforests, all while building business, were among the accomplishments showcased at the Ninth Annual Cause Marketing Halo Awards.

Eighteen category-specific awards were presented by the Cause Marketing Forum at its annual conference at the Chicago Hyatt Regency on Thursday, June 2 to campaigns that occurred in 2010. DonorsChoose.org and eBay were singled out for Cause Marketing Golden Halo Awards for their respective contributions to the field of doing well by doing good.

The most honored campaigns were:

• National Conversation Drive (two awards) This Liberty Mutual campaign benefitting Independent Transportation Network addressed the sensitive topic of senior driving and creatively encouraged family members to pledge to broach this conversation.
• RBC Blue Water Project (two awards) Showcasing their $50 million, multi-year commitment to protecting fresh water, this Royal Bank of Canada campaign highlighted the work of three grant recipients, Free the Children, Tides Canada and The National Geographic Society via video and local "Blue Water Day" events.

Canadian companies took home 4 out of the 20 individual awards and Macy's earned their third cause marketing Halo Award for their nostalgic "Believe" campaign, partnered with the Make-a-Wish Foundation.

"Cause marketing, the creation of programs that pay financial and social dividends, has grown tremendously over the past ten years," commented Cause Marketing Forum President David Hessekiel. "In fact, cause was the fastest growing area of sponsorship in 2010 and is predicted to hit $1.7 billion in 2011."

In keeping with that trend, a record number of programs were entered in the Cause Marketing Halo Award competition. "The winners of this year's Cause Marketing Halo Awards demonstrated creativity, innovation and excellence in campaign execution and results for companies and causes," said Hessekiel.

The winners include:

Best Social Service or Education Campaign
GOLD: National Suit Drive
Men's Wearhouse and multiple local nonprofits focused on job readiness for disadvantaged men
SILVER: Kohl's Cares $10 Million Contest
Kohl's Department Stores and K-12 schools across the country

Best Health-Related Campaign
GOLD: The Recovery Project
A&E Network and Faces & Voices of Recovery, National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence and Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America
SILVER: Hyundai Gives Hope on Wheels September Childhood Cancer Awareness initiative
Hyundai Motor America

Best Transactional Campaign
GOLD: Community TELUS TV Campaign
TELUS and various local charities
SILVER: Huddle to Fight Hunger
Kraft Foods and Feeding America

Best Message-Focused Campaign
GOLD: National Conversation Drive
Liberty Mutual and ITNAmerica
SILVER: Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF
Toys "R" Us and US Fund for UNICEF

Best Video Creative
GOLD: American Express Members Project
American Express
SILVER: Blue Water Project
Royal Bank of Canada and nonprofits that protect watersheds and provide clean drinking water

Best Environmental or Animal Campaign
GOLD: Blue Water Project
Royal Bank of Canada and Free The Children, Tides Canada and The National Geographic Society
SILVER: Hello Green Tomorrow
Avon and The Nature Conservancy

Best Print Creative
GOLD: Child Hunger Ends Here
ConAgra Foods and Feeding America
SILVER: Bulgari for Children's Education
Bulgari and Save the Children

Best Event Marketing Campaign
GOLD: National Believe Day
Macy's and Make-a-Wish Foundation
SILVER: National Conversation Drive
Liberty Mutual and ITNAmerica

Best Digital Marketing Campaign
GOLD: Our School Needs
Microsoft-Bing and DonorsChoose.org
SILVER: The Aviva Community Fund
Aviva Canada

Now in their ninth year, the Cause Marketing Halo Awards are North America's highest honor in the field of cause marketing, awarded by the Cause Marketing Forum, a company dedicated to providing business and nonprofit executives with the practical information and connections they need to succeed. All Halo winners can be seen online at www.CauseMarketingForum.com/Awards.

Engage for Good

Engage for Good

Engage for Good (formerly the Cause Marketing Forum) helps business and nonprofit executives succeed together by providing access to actionable information, valuable contacts and recognition for outstanding work through conferences, distance learning, online resources and customized services.

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