A close look at research on pursuing the right formula for cause-related marketing advertising

Abstract In a typical cause-related marketing (CRM) campaign, a company donates a percentage of product sales to a charity or nonprofit related to the chosen cause. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature on this subject, and briefly discusses common antecedents of CRM advertising effectiveness. The exploration of the CRM literature starts with advertising and reviews two factors: emotional appeal and execution style. We further discuss contextual elements such as cause factors, company factors, and factors related to CRM activities. This paper integrates research findings across studies to develop a coherent and comprehensive picture of the extant CRM research conducted in the advertising field. Practitioners can use these insights to communicate with their target markets and enhance acceptance of their CRM campaigns. The paper further shows the growth and evolution of the topics covered in marketing-related journals and in the International Journal of Advertising. Lastly, the paper discusses under-researched topics, and important upcoming trends and research avenues.