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Facebook is a particularly appropriate medium for companies and causes to use when joining forces to engage consumers because “it’s a prime mobilization platform” explains Marc Blinder, creative director for Context Optional, a social media marketing company.

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While 2011 is upon us, with citizen consumers preparing to exercise their enfranchisement at the checkout counters in addition to at the November polls, cause marketers can learn from the best practices of companies large and small in 2010 campaigns.

2010 has taken cause marketing to sophistocated and intentionally created campaigns that speak to broad issues while galvanizing consumer support for further action and engagement with cause.

Mercedes Benz is contributing $20,000 to organic farms and other sustainable entrepreneurs in partnership with the conservation Fund's ShadeFund.

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GE's announcement of the winners of its $200 million dollar crowdsourcing challenge demonstrates the efficacy of crowdsourcing actionable ideas on a very large scale.

Two studies released in recent weeks have confirmed what many marketing and brand professionals have been observing and intuiting for months: consumers want to do good in the world through their purchases.

88% of men say it's important for a brand to support a cause, 61% have purchased a brand because it supported a cause, 67% would try a brand because it supported a cause, and 55% would pay more for a brand that supported a cause.

Smart corporations are learning that there is tremendous value in a crowd of passionate, engaged and mobilized fans.

Pepsi's Refresh grant-giving program has been featured on cause marketing blogs, the social media web,  and across the news as quite lit