Seeking corporations to align with our cause

Center News

Hutchinson Center unites with other cancer research institutions in pursuit of win-win corporate support

Businesses are on a constant quest to improve performance, acquire new customers and maximize the benefit of expenditures. Scientists are on a constant quest to gain knowledge, fund research, and, in the case of cancer, save lives. Different missions, yet there is a way to meet the needs of businesses and scientists at the same time — cause-related marketing.

Through cause-related marketing, businesses and charities or nonprofits form partnerships and promote products or services for mutual benefits. By aligning with causes viewed as important by its customers, the marketing programs enhance company reputations and profits. At the same time, the programs raise critical funds and awareness for the cause. While the details and execution can vary, a typical cause-related marketing campaign involves a business agreeing to donate a percentage of sales of a particular product or service for a specific period of time to a nonprofit organization. For example:

• Ballard Blossom donates a percentage of all pink rose bouquet sales to the Center.



• Each fall, Click Wine Group donates a percentage of sales of its FAT bastard wine to breast-cancer research.



• University Village sponsors the annual Shop to Make a Difference program. Shoppers purchase a $20 card that entitles them to a 20 percent discount at participating merchants. The Center receives all of the proceeds from the card sales.

Now, the Center is posed to take cause-related marketing to new heights as part of the Cancer Research Alliance.

The Alliance unites 13 of the country's most prominent cancer centers around a common goal — raising money for cancer research through selective partnerships with major corporations. Alone, none of the 13 centers is likely to generate the kind response outside of its region that big corporations crave. However, combined, they can deliver the impact — and return on investment — major corporations demand from their marketing dollars.

In 2006, companies across the nation spent an estimated $1.6 billion on cause-related marketing — money that helped support a host of nonprofit organizations and their causes.

Productive cause-related marketing campaigns serve a dual purpose. "There's more to cause-related marketing than money," said Linda Gainer, vice president of external affairs and communication. "The partnerships also raise public awareness of the nonprofit organizations involved and the work they do."

Each of the Cancer Research Alliance's 13 members is a comprehensive cancer center as designated by the National Cancer Institute. Together, they represent major media markets in all corners of the country. Besides the Hutchinson Center, members include Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and City of Hope in Los Angeles. It's a powerful lineup dedicated to fighting all forms of cancer rather than specializing in one particular type. That's important because major corporations want to align themselves with causes that matter to the largest number of consumers possible.

"It's a win-win-win situation," Gainer said. "Not only does the nonprofit and the business benefit, but society benefits because the money that goes to the nonprofit strengthens its ability to fulfill its mission."

While the Hutchinson Center is open to forming more local partnerships as well as establishing national partnerships through the Cancer Research Alliance, every potential partnership will be carefully reviewed to ensure it's in the best overall interest of the Center.

"Cause-related marketing offers some exciting opportunities," Gainer said. "We also know how much hard work has been invested in building the Hutchinson Center's name. Under no circumstances will we engage in any partnerships that could compromise the Center's reputation as a world-class scientific institution."

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