Cause Related Marketing: A preliminary study to identifying key factors that affect the success of CRM programs in India

Cause related marketing refers to a company's commitment to donate a part of its sales revenue toward a cause (Varadarajan and Menon 1988). Cause related marketing (CRM), is a way for companies to walk the double edged sword of commercial focus and societal responsibilities. In the last few years, there has been a spur in the studies done on effectiveness of CRM initiatives in increasing sales while building a positive brand image. These studies have led to systematic institutionalization of methods and techniques to implement CRM. One factor driving this growth in CRM is the realization that consumers’ perceptions of a company as a whole and its role in society can significantly affect the corporate brand's strength and equity (Guerreiro et al., 2015).