All Cause Marketing is Not Gold

Sometimes it comes in dark navy twill with red stitching, red pocketing and a "Detroit 874" logo.

While I'm always in pursuit of gold, the dollars cause marketing can raise, cause marketing can also be in-kind.

Work apparel maker Dickies new program for the Salvation Army of Metro Detroit is a great example of product cause marketing.

They've donated 5,000 pants to the nonprofit with the promise to donate an additional pair for each 874 sold for a total potential donation of 10,000 pants.

Dickies' goal is simple: to help one of the most economically disadvantaged cities in the U.S. to get people back on its feet [and dressed, I assume].

Obviously, what's great about in-kind cause marketing is that it taps a product that you already have at your cost--which doesn't diminish by a dime the value of the item to the nonprofit, as long as they truly need it. Everyone has heard of the food pantry that got the generous donation of spam. Mmmmm.

The best way to show your charitable intentions with in-kind cause marketing is to mix cash with product. And Dickies did just that with a $25,000 gift to the Army alongside its product donation.

Another way to execute in-kind cause marketing is online. Take this effort from Specialized Bikes. For every 1000 ‘Likes’ of  its official Facebook page they'll donate a bike to CYCLE Kids, a nonprofit fighting obesity and inactivity among youth.

Here are some other ideas for using Facebook likes.

Specialized has already donated 30 bikes and is happy to giveaway more until the program ends.

Some people will do anything if you say you like them.