So how can brands engage them? The study offers 10 ways:
Take the time to understand what motivates
them. Among the reasons young adults gave for taking up
social causes are feeling like they can do something to help;
knowing their involvement will make a difference; actively seeking
out involvement; receiving information that prompts them to act;
and the fact that getting involved feels fun and social.
Be the source of information that prompts them to
act, and seed it in places where they go for news, online
news sites; 78% try to stay informed about the causes they care
about.
Make it social. Figure out how your
cause-marketing effort can fit in to conversations with their
network. A great example of this is to employ "mobile philanthropy"
like the recent text-donation number set up by the Red Cross
following the Haiti earthquake that raised over $30 million.
Use what you've got. A full 75% of young adults
believe corporations have the material resources to help, and 60%
think corporations have the knowledge to support social causes.
Make sure your program has a way to prove to this group
that their involvement made a difference. Sixty-four
percent of young adults say they would get involved with a
marketer's program if they believed the involvement was large
enough to make a difference.
Overcome the barriers. The top three reasons
young adults don't get involved are time constraints; skepticism
their involvement will make a difference; and lack of opportunities
to get involved. Thus cause-marketing programs need to make
involvement easy, convince participants they count, and make it
accessible.
Don't underestimate the element of surprise.
Brands can lose standing through inaction. Nearly half of young
adults surveyed feel that companies are morally obligated to help
support social causes, but fewer than 5% believe brands are best
positioned to solve problems related to poverty, human rights,
health and education, even though they have the knowledge and
resources to do so. By making the effort, brands can gain good
will.
Consider starting an L3C, staffed by young adults, as a
real surprise. Many states, like Vermont, Illinois and
Michigan, are now allowing the formation of L3Cs, low-profit
limited liability corporations whose aim is to offer significant
social benefits.
Ignite their creativity. Technology and
creativity can play a large role in social activism. Tap into this
group's tech savvy by creating cause marketing platforms that allow
them to show off their digital photo, video and gaming skills.
Consider going open source. Young adults'
passion for information and sharing can create a platform for
open-source activism. The possibilities are endless: digital
sit-ins, homegrown edutainment campaigns, and glocal iReporting of
issues.