From Charity of the Year to Company of the Year – is it time to turn the tables?
John Thompson | 13 November 2013 | Blogs
Reports of the death of Charity of the Year (COTY) programmes have been greatly exaggerated.
Yes, companies and charities are thinking more strategically about how they can work in partnership, but they’ve been doing that for years resulting in numerous successful outcomes. However, many companies still view COTY as the cornerstone of their community affairs activities and many charities still spend an extraordinary amount of time and money competing for COTY status. But there can only be one.
Those that do get short-listed for the dreaded staff votes (that have highly predictable outcomes), still take to the likes of social media, frantically seeking out employees and other influencers that might sway such votes. But the fate of so many creative, business-objective-meeting pitches, full of cause-related promises, are often dependent on the thumbs of individuals. People that vote according to their personal experiences, preferences and beliefs. But there can only be one.
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Indeed, only recently was my Twitter timeline filled which such pleas from those chasing the Santander COTY pot.
But the thing is, as long as charities continue to bite, companies will continue to dangle their cherries. This is despite the recurrent indigestion many causes will continue to suffer from through being perpetually pipped at the post.
The rewards for being successful are addictively attractive, even if they are truly out of reach for most. For there can only be one.
However, this isn’t a blog predicting the future shape and scale of corporate-community partnerships, or one aimed at giving advice to those that enter these COTY beauty parades. It’s not even about how “Charity of the Year” partnerships have become more sophisticated, are often extended and can be used as catalysts for securing other partnerships by those able to secure them in the first place. Those will follow.
Turning the tables
Instead, I wanted to share an example of how charities, that appreciate the power and worth of their brands, might turn the tables and give companies a go at jumping through hoops for a change.
So here it is. Several years ago, as part of a overall plot to help promote a client’s 60th anniversary and supporting activities to prospective corporate partners, I had a cunning plan. The charity would send out spoof application forms to a highly targeted list of corporates, inviting them to pitch to become one of its “Companies of the Year”.
I imagine it’s a prank that would still resonate with corporate fundraising teams today, especially those grappling with a pile of COTY applications.
Participating companies would have a few days to complete an application form that asked how they would go about raising significant funds for, and the profile of, the Charity, demonstrating how their organisation met the strict application criteria. The most sparkling applications would then be short-listed from a range of sectors including: banking, retail, fmcg and telecoms. Short-listed companies would then have the opportunity to dazzle in front of a panel consisting of senior charity managers plus celebrities known for their vigorous interrogation techniques.
The accompanying press release, embargoed until April 1st, indicated that the charity had been pondering inviting the likes of Anne Robinson, Jeremy Paxman and Simon Cowell to sit on the panel.
It was all very tongue-in-cheek, though I imagine it’s a prank that would still resonate with corporate fundraising teams today, especially those grappling with a pile of COTY applications. It worked though, especially as a humorous warming-up preamble for follow-up calls that secured meetings with high-profile brands agreeing to meet for meaningful discussions and/or participate in anniversary events.
That was a while back but, as we know, there are still companies out there implementing the most tedious COTY application processes. They still talk about meeting strategic objectives, but allow the final decision to be made at shop floor level. Some even write to over one hundred charities to let them know they’ve been “long-listed” and encouraging them to apply. Few provide any financial runner-up prizes for those that reach the final pitch, but don’t quite make the grade. And there can only be one.
However, without COTY disappearing en masse as part of the fundraising mix any time soon, perhaps some corporate fundraising teams might want to try out their own version of this concept. That leads me to wonder what criteria companies might be set to guide their applications and help them prove they have the X-Factor too.
So here’s a draft template I made earlier:
| Thank you for applying to be our Company of the Year 2014. In order to be short-listed for further consideration, please ensure, in no more than 500 words, that your application: * demonstrates an understanding of and passion for our cause * demonstrates how your brand values and vision match ours * demonstrates experience of raising funds in excess of £1m through multifaceted methods * demonstrates success in publicising partnerships through a wide range of channels * demonstrates a creative approach to designing and delivering win-win partnerships * demonstrates the ability to mobilise and motivate employees, customers and suppliers * demonstrates a national presence with the ability to support the partnership at a local level right across the UK * outlines a marketing budget to fully fund and promote your ideas * states your pledge to provide a fully dedicated team of account managers to deliver the partnership N.B. Short-listed companies will be invited to pitch their final ideas at short notice at a venue subject to last minute change, using unreliable technology that we will provide. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified by text and given the opportunity to buy discounted corporate tables at some of our VIP events throughout the year. Which, we hope you’ll agree, is better than a poke in the eye with a chocolate biscuit. |
Too far? Point made though?
Well, I’d love to know your thoughts. Is your cause prepared to be one that asks companies to pitch to it? Who knows, “Company of the Year” might even take off, even though eventually it could become the bugbear of many commercial community affairs and marketing directors:
“Oh no, we’ve been long-listed for another bloody ‘Company of the Year”. Better fire-up the laptop. Wish me luck. At least there can be more than one.”
More from John Thompson
- How retailers found purpose through pandemic partnerships with charities (25 March 2020)
- War horses for causes: how 24 First World War horses raised the equivalent of around £16 million (19 May 2014)
- From cash mobs to cause mobs (9 July 2013)
John Thompson, Changing Business
Twitter: @jtchangingbiz
About John Thompson
John Thompson is a fundraising consultant with particular expertise in cause-marketing, sponsorship, strategy development, partnership marketing and executive recruitment. A blogger on UK Fundraising since 2006 with a background in corporate fundraising and public relations.