From Forbes — Brand Philanthropy: A CMO Explains Why

An interview with Western Union CMO Diane Scott

Steve Olenski, Forbes contributor, had a question: Why do big brands launch large-scale philanthrophic marketing campaigns?

In his Forbes article, Brand Philanthrophy: A CMO Explains Why, Olenski asked Diane Scott, Executive Vice President, Global Chief Product & Marketing Officer for Western Union, for the rationale behind Western Union’s recent American Dream campaign.

The campaign, which resulted in more than 1 million Facebook impressions, sent Western Union staff and a photojournalism crew out to ask 200 Americans if they still believed in the American Dream over the course of seven days and 14,000 miles. The campaign also “offered more than $182,500 in aggregate cash prizes redeemed” for pieces of the American Dream — “downpayment on a house, school tuition, family meals and more.”

Diane Scott offers some great insights on brand philanthropy and corporate mission in the article, including this beauty:

The truth of the matter is (science tells us so!) that the bulk of our decision making is driven by the more emotive areas of our brain. As we look to create discontinuous growth through our marketing impact and efforts, I believe we will see many brands finding their heart again. Marketers will begin to re-draw the lines of what emotional impact needs to look like with the brands they serve. Marketers will be finding new ways to really make people feel something again towards their brand through stronger, more impactful storytelling techniques that strike a humanity cord with customers. -Diane Scott, Executive Vice President, Global Chief Product & Marketing Officer for Western Union

Definitely worth a read. Read the entire article here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/steveolenski/2015/09/17/brand-philanthropy-a-cmo-explains-why/