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  • October 2014
  • Article
  • Harvard Business Review

Making Charity Pay

By: Michael I. Norton and Jill Avery
  • Format:Print
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Abstract

Companies are increasingly experimenting with the use of philanthropy to enhance consumer loyalty, brand awareness, and sales. But even highly creative approaches that garner a lot of buzz often fall short of sales goals, leading many companies to conclude, prematurely, that charity doesn't pay. Our research, in contrast, suggests that charity can drive engagement—when done right.

Keywords

Philanthropy; Charitable Giving; Charity; Philanthropy and Charitable Giving; Advertising; Marketing; Brands and Branding; Marketing Communications; Marketing Strategy; Consumer Products Industry; Food and Beverage Industry; Retail Industry; United States

Citation

Norton, Michael I., and Jill Avery. "Making Charity Pay." Harvard Business Review 92, no. 10 (October 2014).
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About The Authors

Michael I. Norton

Negotiation, Organizations & Markets
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Jill J. Avery

Marketing
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More from the Authors
  • Christie's and Leonardo da Vinci's Salvator Mundi: The Value of a Brand By: Jill Avery
  • Consumers Value Effort over Ease When Caring for Close Others By: Ximena Garcia-Rada, Mary Steffel, Elanor F. Williams and Michael I. Norton
  • Camera IQ and the Metaverse: Building Augmented Reality Brand Experiences By: Jill Avery
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