Are Brands Linking with Charities for Extra PR Leverage or Does Corporate Altruism Truly Exist?

Maddalena Pinto, account manager, Clarion Communications

More and more brands are developing strategies involving charity link-ups as well as celebrity endorsements - and one wonders if this is because corporate altruism has hit an all time high, OR if finally we’ve reached a point where supporting a charity guarantees better media coverage. From tailors linking to support male cancer to a giant egg hunt around London to save elephants in Africa, it seems no brand is exempt. 

And how do these corporate entities decide their chosen charity?  I may be sceptical, but unless there’s a mystery link I’m unaware of, it seems that most brands are choosing them based on pre-existing celebrity endorsers that will be great spokespeople attracting the right media attention. Having said this, as much as I think brands should sell their own USPs to gain the media’s support, one cannot be judgemental on raising funds for people, countries or animals in need; at a time when the corporate world is under scrutiny for all the wrong reasons, surely this is one of the few things that can be seen in a positive light.