Today’s consumers are increasingly attentive to the values upheld by companies. They ask where the products they buy come from, how they are made and how employees are treated. Anxious not to fall into the trap of greenwashing, buyers expect action rather than fine words.

It is in this context that CSR marketing represents a real opportunity for brands. More than just promises, Corporate Social Responsibility commits companies to taking concrete action to protect the environment and promote social justice. By communicating these positive actions, companies can raise their profile, build a community of committed customers and stand out from their competitors.

In this article, we look at the interaction between marketing and CSR and how you can boost your communication strategy by using fun ways of raising awareness.

SUMMARY

• What is CSR ?
• Why integrate CSR into your marketing strategy?
• Gamification to boost CSR marketing

Created by environmental and humanitarian organisations, CSR (or Corporate Social Responsibility) aims to encourage companies to make a voluntary commitment to sustainable development. Since 2010 (with the ISO 26000 standard), this concept has been governed by an international standard under which the CSR policy pursued by companies must address a number of key issues, including :

• Local development ;
• Defending human rights ;
• The application of decent working conditions;
• Actively protecting the environment (in particular by reducing its carbon footprint).

Both environmental and ethical, CSR is not just a declaration of intent. It must be translated into concrete action, throughout the company’s value creation chain. It is therefore a global strategy, encompassing the use of local and environmentally-friendly raw materials, the establishment of fair relations with all its stakeholders, the recycling of its waste and respect for more horizontal governance.

CSR is therefore a commitment to structural change, but it is also a growth factor for companies. Indeed, it is proving to be a marketing asset for brands wishing to differentiate themselves by focusing their communication on strong values (and actions).

While it is tricky to combine commitment and marketing, the two are not necessarily contradictory. In fact, CSR can be fully integrated into a company’s marketing strategy. Today, brands are no longer just economic players, but social players in their own right. This implies both moral and ethical obligations to produce better products. This positioning can be used to stand out in the marketplace and reach out to committed consumers.

CSR marketing can therefore encompass several elements:

Storytelling and corporate branding

By integrating its CSR initiatives into its brand territory, the organisation will create a strong narrative, more likely to generate emotions in consumers. This is the case with committed brands such as Asphalte or Respire, which strengthen the connection with their customers by communicating shared values and highlighting their authenticity and transparency.

Responding to consumer expectations

Companies must constantly adapt to the needs and aspirations of their audience. With consumers now fully aware of the ecological and social issues behind their purchasing decisions, CSR marketing enables companies to position themselves as committed brands that fully meet the demands of the new consumer-actors.

Brand differentiation

In an ultra-saturated market, CSR marketing enables companies to make a difference on more than just the price or quality of their products/services. Using recyclable materials, manufacturing in France or sharing revenues with all employees are all ways of creating a distinct brand identity.

Engagement on social networks

Communicating on your CSR policy can also be an excellent way of creating more authentic, less promotional content. Companies can share their employees’ initiatives and go behind the scenes to effectively engage their audience.

Buyer conversion and loyalty

CSR strategy can directly influence consumers’ purchasing decisions. Indeed, numerous studies show that buyers are prepared to pay more for products or services marketed by responsible companies. It is also a channel for building loyalty, as customers are more loyal to companies whose values they share.

To convey their values and actions in favour of the environment and social justice more effectively, companies can use more engaging marketing levers.

Gamification, i.e. incorporating playful elements into campaigns, is particularly well-suited to CSR marketing. This format enables audiences to be better engaged by encouraging interaction with the brand.

Quiz to raise awareness of CSR issues

It is also a method already well known in education (known as edutainment) for encouraging the discovery and memorisation of new information. As part of a company’s CSR policy, for example, formats such as the Quiz or Memory can be used to effectively raise awareness among employees and customers about issues such as respect for the environment.

This is the route taken by the DPD transport company to raise employee awareness of the issue of waste reduction. The company is using this interactive mechanism to involve its teams in CSR issues, but also to promote its commitments, particularly its tennis sponsorship.

As well as the format itself, which tests knowledge and retention of the new information shared in the quiz, the company banked on attractive prizes. As a result, employees were all the more motivated to take part in this corporate CSR game to win electric bikes and connected caps.

Competitions to engage your community

Conclusion

CSR marketing is an excellent way for your brand to create a stronger connection with its prospects and customers, but also with its employees. With Adictiz, you can easily organise interactive games around your company’s Corporate Social Responsibility, and communicate your values and commitments in a more authentic and fun way!

The role of marketing is to encourage consumers to adopt a particular behaviour. It’s a creative discipline that that evolves with societal change and technological advances. In this way, marketing adapts to buyers’ preferences and expectations.

While we have recently seen an expectation of strong interaction with brands (facilitated by the Internet and social networks), consumers increasingly see themselves as committed players. Our consumer choices reflect our values, the causes we support and the changes we want to see in society.

Hence the demand for transparency and integrity on the part of economic players, including in the way they communicate. This trend is called responsible marketing. C’est une approche plus authentique, sincère et engagée d’échanger avec ses clients et prospects sur la manière dont opère l’entreprise.

This article looks at the challenges of responsible marketing and the benefits it can bring for brands. We will also look at how to embody a more ethical voice by using gamification to better understand the expectations of its audience and adapt its communication accordingly.

SUMMARY

• What is responsible or committed marketing?
• The benefits of responsible marketing for brands
• Gamification for responsible marketing

Responsible marketing is a communications strategy in which a brand takes into account the impact of its activity and its statements on the environment and society. Also known as ethical marketing, this approach involves address social, ethical and ecological issues in its marketing campaigns. It is also important to use more sustainable media and communication tools that respect users’ privacy.

It should be noted, however, that responsible marketing should not be seen simply as a strategy for attracting customers. To have a real impact, this approach must be genuine, verifiable and translated into concrete action. In this way, it sets itself apart from washing practices (such as greenwashing or pinkwashing). This approach goes beyond mere posturing for the sole benefit of brands and takes into account the general interest.

Examples of responsible marketing

Responsible marketing practices can take several forms, depending on the sector in which the company operates and the expectations of its audience.

Examples include :

• Highlighting virtuous practices (ecologically and socially). The Ikea furniture brand for example, has moved towards greener production methods. This means using materials with a low carbon footprint, but also designing circular products. They will remain useful and in good condition for many years.

• Supporting charitable causes. Companies can also adopt responsible marketing by communicating their support for charities. This is the case, for example, with Patagonia, whose founder donates a considerable proportion of his profits to environmental NGOs. The Marriott hotel group has developed a programm in which members can earn points by booking in one of its hotels. They can then make a donation to partner organisations such as UNICEF and the World Central Kitchen.

• The use of communication channels that respect their users. Brands can opt for less energy-intensive formats or avoid posting too often to avoid generating advertising burnout. Lush, for example, has decided to delete its Instagram and Facebook accounts in protest at Meta’s dubious practices when it comes to protecting user data.

Responsible marketing is essential for building solid, high-quality relationships with customersBut also to ensure sustainable growth. Here are the main reasons for adopting more virtuous communication:

1. Strengthen consumer confidence. This concerns the protection of their data and respect for their confidentiality. Users are cautious when it comes to sharing their information, and prefer companies that comply with the RGPD and are transparent about their data collection practices.
2. Boosting customer satisfaction. Les marques adoptant un marketing responsable donnent la priorité aux intérêts de leur communauté plutôt qu’à leur bénéfice financier. Elles favorisent le bien-être de leurs clients, notamment en protégeant leur écosystème.
3. Improve brand reputation and develop a competitive edge. Companies no longer stand out solely on the quality of their products or services. Those that gain market share succeed in capturing the attention and loyalty of consumers who favour committed brands.
4. Stimulate customer loyalty. Brands that opt for ethical marketing tend to generate a stronger connection with their target audience. Shared values and commitments foster a strong emotional bond. This in turn encourages lasting relationships and brand loyalty.

Popular with brands as a way of increasing interaction and strengthening the connection with their audience, gamification applies to responsible marketing. The principle behind this strategy is to incorporate fun, playable elements into its campaigns. They take the form of marketing games, points systems or attractive rewards, etc.

Gamification therefore makes it possible to :

1. Promoting consumer awareness and education. La gamification est utilisée dans l’éducation pour faciliter la mémorisation de nouvelles informations et motiver les apprenants. En marketing, cela peut prendre la forme de quizzes, a fun and engaging format that companies can use to share information or raise awareness among their audience.

2. Encourage the adoption of responsible practices through committed challenges. Solidarity challenges are a way of mobilising your audience in support of a cause. By creating healthy competition and offering prizes, brands can encourage their customers to raise funds, adopt more eco-responsible actions, and so on.

3. Better understand the needs of your audience while respecting their privacy. Gamification is a responsible marketing lever that makes it easier to gather information on consumer expectations. All in a transparent and ethical way (in particular without tracking its audience with cookies) because customers voluntarily share this data via collection forms (before or after a marketing game).

Conclusion

Responsible marketing has become an essential lever to help brands create a strong connection with their audience and support sustainable growth. To adopt more ethical and transparent communication, your brand can rely on gamification. Discover our playable mechanics and transform the way you communicate with your customers!