Like many of you, I enjoy volunteering and doing pro bono work for nonprofits. When I moved to Denver way back when, I volunteered to be a Big Brother. That experience alone was rewarding. My Little Brother and I spent several Saturdays skiing at Winter Park and exploring the world. I’m grateful for the experience. Above and beyond those rewards, my friends and colleagues answered the call numerous times for various fundraisers and recruitment campaigns. I’m grateful for those experiences and I thank everyone again. Below is one of those stories.

Forty years ago, the Denver Broncos started a spectacular Super Bowl campaign. They fell just short of the championship that year, so Denver claimed another crown.

In the 1986 season, John Elway passed for 3,485 yards with the help of veteran wide receiver Steve Watson and rookie Mark Jackson.

In the AFC Championship game, the Broncos faced a tough test on the road against the Cleveland Browns. During Elway’s historic 98-yard game-tying march (The Drive), Jackson caught a crucial 20-yard pass on 3rd-and-18. A few moments later, he caught a 5-yard touchdown pass with 31 seconds left.

In overtime, Elway launched a 28-yard pass to Steve Watson. His catch put Denver deep into Cleveland territory, which set up a game-winning field goal from Rich Karlis. The Broncos advanced to Super Bowl XXI in Pasadena to face a the New York Giants. Although Denver led the Super Bowl at halftime, the Broncos lost 39-20.

To help harness the lightning from that amazing season, Watson and Jackson joined our outreach campaign for Big Brothers of Metro Denver.

Ironically, Denver had the largest chapter of Big Brothers in the nation at the time. Unfortunately, it still had a waiting list of children. It was a chance for Big Brothers to build even more support in the community.

Thanks to the help of many people, the campaign came together quickly. In addition to Mr. Jackson and Mr. Watson, our team included:

• Scott Watson (my Little Brother, #7 — no relation to Steve Watson)
• Mike Stillman, Photographer
• David French
• Continental Airlines
• Channel 9
• The Denver Post
• The Rocky Mountain News
• Mike Naughton Ford
• Brian Kinkel
• Greg Ferri
• Jim Dudley
• Jeff Pester
• Derek Okubo

Thanks to these supporters and many others, this is still one of my favorite campaigns. It was opportunistic and strategic, but the community support was overwhelming.

The campaign generated several new Big Brother matches, while generating more than $1 million in cash, in-kind donations and national media coverage. Those who donated $500 or more received two round-trip airline tickets from Continental Airlines. We used the D&F Tower on the 16th Street Mall as a barometer of donations (below).

Big Brothers began in 1904 as an alternative to the juvenile justice system. Ernest Coulter, a New York City court clerk, saw an endless cycle of young boys in court. He recognized that the legal system wasn’t what these children needed. He believed that the guidance of a caring adult could help these young men. He recruited 39 volunteers to become the first “Big Brothers.”

Simultaneously, the Ladies of Charity (later Catholic Big Sisters) began befriending girls entering the New York Children’s Court. Among these pioneers were Mrs. O’Keefe and Mrs. Parker, two of the first Big Sisters who realized that equity in mentorship was just as vital for young women.

Since 1918, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Colorado (BBBSC) has believed in the incredible potential that exists within every child. As part of the nation’s largest mentoring network, BBBSC creates meaningful matches between adult mentors (“Bigs”) and youth (“Littles”) through Community-Based and Site-Based Mentoring.

Additionally, BBBSC’s School-Based (STARS) program provides peer-to-peer group mentoring, while Big Futures supports high school students with post-secondary planning. Through these programs, BBBSC fosters positive relationships that create lasting impact and empower young people to achieve their full potential.

For more information, visit https://biglittlecolorado.org/

Crossbow Communications is an award-winning public affairs and government affairs firm. We are a Colorado-based corporation. We serve the world.

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Cause marketers can back their strategies with sound market research and a powerful return on investment. need research to support your daily work.  Here are some statistics from 2008 to 2013 that shed new light on doing well by doing good.

Cause sponsorship is predicted to reach $1.78 billion in 2013, a projected increase of 4.8 percent over 2012. Causes motivate 91 percent of global consumers to switch brands to one associated with a good cause, given comparable price and quality. Half of global consumers said they would reward companies that give back to society by paying more for their goods and services (44 percent in the U.S. and 38 percent in Canada). Consumers want more clarity because 70 percent of consumers are confused by the messages companies use to talk about their CSR initiatives.

Purpose caused 47 percent of consumers to buy a brand at least monthly that supports a cause, representing a 47 percent increase from 2010. Over the years, consumers have taken increased action on behalf of brands with Purpose:

• 39 percent increase in “would recommend” cause-related brands;
• 34 percent increase in “would promote” cause-related brands; and
• 9 percent increase in “would switch” brands if a similar brand supported a good cause.

While 87 percent of global consumers believe that business needs to place at least equal weight on society’s interests as on business’ interests, less than a third believe business is performing well in addressing societal issues. Although it’s difficult to quantify cause marketing spending, IEG’s numbers put corporate cause sponsorship at $1.68 billion in 2011, predicted to grow to $1.73 billion in 2012. Ninety-three percent of consumers want to know what companies are doing to make the world a better place and 91 percent also want to be heard by companies. Unfortunately, 71 percent report being confused by the message companies use to talk about their efforts and impacts.

Millennials, more than Non-Millennials, prefer active engagement in cause campaigns, such as volunteering their time (31 percent versus 26 percent), cause-support purchasing (37 percent versus 30 percent), encouraging others to support a cause (30 percent versus 22 percent), and participating in fundraising events (27 percent versus 16 percent). Thirty-seven percent of Millennials report being drawn to products co-branding with cause campaigns where their purchase is a form of support, such as Tom’s Shoes One for One Campaign.

Consumer Expect Marketing with Purpose. Eighty-six percent of consumers around the world believe that business needs to place at least equal weight on societal interests as on business interests. Two-thirds of brands now engage in cause marketing (up from 58 percent in 2009) and 97 percent of marketing executives believe it is a valid business strategy.

About 90 percent of consumers want companies to tell them how they are supporting causes.

One-third of Hispanic and African American consumers report that they almost always choose brands that support causes they believe in, compared to just one in five Non-Hispanic Whites. Consumers are willing to punish companies with bad reputations as 72 percent of US consumers say they have avoided purchasing products from companies whose practices they disagree with.

Globally, 66 percent of people believe it’s no longer enough for corporations to merely give money away, but that they must integrate good causes into their day-to-day business.

Companies Can Make a Difference and 60 percent of US consumers say businesses are in the best position to impact social issues, as opposed to government (14 percent).

Cause Marketing Increases Sales. Behavioral research demonstrated a 28 to 78 percent increase in actual purchase within the toothpaste and shampoo categories.

Cause Increasingly Creates Differentiation. About 79 percent of Americans say they would be likely to switch from one brand to another, when price and quality are about equal, if the other brand is associated with a good cause (compared to 66 percent in 1993).

People Are Cause-Conscious in Many Aspects of Life since 89 percent of Americans state it is very/somewhat important to know about the values of companies they come in contact with – whether through buying products, working for them or living in a community in which they operate.

Crossbow Communications is an award-winning public affairs and government affairs firm. We specialize in public health and environmental issues. We serve the world.

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