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New York Attorney General Issues Guidance on Cause Marketing Practices

The New York Attorney General has issued “Five Best Practices for Transparent Cause Marketing,” and strongly urges charities and companies that engage in cause marketing to adopt these recommendations, which have been endorsed by the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, and adopted by Susan G. Komen For The Cure and Breast Cancer Research Foundation.[1] Given the regulatory authority that the New York Attorney General has over all charities involved in cause marketing campaigns in the state, the Attorney General hopes to see widespread adoption of these disclosures across the industry. While many of the disclosure provisions are in line with current industry best practices, we would like to call your attention to areas in which the Attorney General’s recommendations go further than any previously-articulated standards.

1.         Clearly Describe the Promotion

 Companies should clearly disclose the following key terms of any cause marketing promotion:

a.       the name and mission of the charity receiving a donation;

b.      the benefit the charity will receive from each purchase of the product or service;

c.       any flat donation, minimum guarantee, or donation cap;

d.      any consumer action required for the charity to receive the donation; and

e.       the start and end dates of the campaign.

Many groups have already adopted the above disclosures as part of existing best practices in the cause marketing industry, most of which were previously established by the Wise Giving Alliance. The Attorney General recommends that these key promotional terms be displayed in a clear and prominent format and size, and close to the text used in marketing the promotion. The Attorney General has also put forth a template “donation information” label for disclosing key promotional details on products or websites. While standardizing the disclosure of material terms may be a helpful tool in providing consumers with consistent disclosures, companies may find it challenging to implement the recommended label format within the available product packaging space.

2.         Allow Consumers to Easily Determine the Donation Amount

 Companies should indicate that a fixed dollar amount per unit purchased will be donated to charity, to enable consumers to easily determine their charitable donation. If the campaign is not based on a set donation per unit sold, the Attorney General recommends using a fixed percentage of the sales price rather than vague statements such as that “profits” or “a percentage of proceeds” will be donated. This recommendation is also in line with existing best practices, and will hopefully help companies focus on not merely providing a truthful disclosure, but one that allows consumers to evaluate the actual impact of their purchase.

3.         Be Transparent About What Is Not Apparent

The Attorney General recommends that companies disclose all facts related the cause marketing promotion that are not apparent to the consumer, such as:

a.       Where a flat donation has been or will be paid to the charity, make clear that consumer action will not trigger a donation.

b.      Make clear if the intended donation is an in-kind donation rather than a cash contribution, such as donating a book to a children’s literacy organization for every purchase made.

c.       Where a ribbon, color, logo, or other indicia associated with a charitable cause is used in connection with a cause marketing campaign, the Attorney General recommends that the company clearly disclose whether a consumer’s purchase will trigger a charitable donation. If cause marketers are required to affirmatively state that no charitable donation will be made whenever an awareness symbol is used, this recommendation could have the effect of discouraging charitable awareness campaigns.

d.      Where there is a set minimum guaranteed donation, there should be enough products available for sale to comfortably exceed the minimum donation.

e.       Where there is a set cap on the donation, make sure the market is not flooded with products.

4.         Ensure Transparency in Social Media

Companies conducting cause marketing campaigns via social media are encouraged to clearly disclose all terms of the social media campaign, including campaigns where a charitable donation is made without the purchase of any products or services, such as where a consumer “likes” a Facebook page, or follows a company’s Twitter feed. This recommendation moves beyond the typical focus on campaigns in which consumers purchase a product to benefit a cause. The Attorney General also recommends that companies provide a means for consumers to track the campaign’s progress in real-time, and alert consumers to the campaign’s end. This recommendation may be challenging to implement in promotions involving product sales (e.g., due to returns and other sales reconciliations).

5.         Tell the Public How Much Was Raised

 The Attorney General recommends that cause marketers and charities disclose the results of their campaigns on their websites soon after the completion of any cause marketing campaigns.This represents a newly-articulated industry best practice.This requirement could discourage companies from experimenting with innovative cause marketing campaigns for fear that post-campaign reporting will reveal poor sales results.


[1] Although the primary burden to comply with these best practices is on the for-profit cause marketers rather than their charitable beneficiaries, both parties need to be aware of the recommendations.

 

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who we work with

Our clients are diverse nonprofit organizations with a broad range of missions, as well as for-profit companies in evolving areas such as social enterprise, corporate philanthropy, joint ventures, technology-driven fundraising, and impact investing.

A.B. Data
AB InBev Foundation
Absolut Company
American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science
American Diabetes Association
American Friends of the Hebrew University
American Parkinson Disease Association
Americans for Ben Gurion University
Association of Fundraising Professionals
Avalon Consulting
Baton Rouge Area Foundation
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
Bleeding Blue for Good Fund
Bradley Cooper’s One Family Foundation
BrightFocus Foundation
Brooks Brothers
Chadwick Boseman Foundation for the Arts
Changing Our World
Charity Defense Council
Christian Appalachian Project
Doctors of the World/ Medecins du Monde
Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins San Frontieres
Drug Policy Alliance
Duke University
Emory University
Estee Lauder Companies, Inc.
Feed The Children
Food For The Poor
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation
Grameen Foundation USA
Hope for New York
International Campaign for Tibet
International Crisis Group
International Justice Mission
J. Crew Group
Johns Hopkins University
Lautman Maska Neill & Company
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

LSU Foundation
Marts & Lundy
Meyer Partners, LLC
Milken Institute
NAACP Foundation
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
National Marrow Donor Program
National Park Foundation
Natural Resources Defense Council
North Carolina State University
North Shore Animal League
Operation Smile
PBS Foundation
Pernod Ricard USA
PetSmart Charities
PopSockets
Population Action International
Project ORBIS International
Public Interest Communication
Rails to Trails
Redeemer Presbyterian Church
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Save the Children Federation
Sesame Workshop
Simon Wiesenthal
SOS Children’s Villages – USA
Subaru of America
The Little Market
Touro University
United States Equestrian Team Foundation
United Way Worldwide
University of Connecticut
University of Virginia
Vote.org
Whitney Museum of American Art
World ORT
World Wildlife Fund
YWCA USA

A.B. Data
Absolut Company
American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science
American Diabetes Association
American Friends of the Hebrew University
American Parkinson Disease Association
Americans for Ben Gurion University
Association of Fundraising Professionals
Baton Rouge Area Foundation
BrightFocus Foundation
Burger King McLamore Foundation
Cancer Care
Carnegie East House and James Lenox House Association
Center for Car Donations
Changing Our World
Charity Defense Council
Christian Appalachian Project
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
Convoy of Hope
Cornell University
Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins San Frontieres
Drug Policy Alliance
Duke University
Emory University
Feed The Children
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation
Grameen Foundation USA
Helen Keller Services
Hope for New York
Human Rights Watch
Humane Society of US
Indiegogo
International Campaign for Tibet
International Crisis Group
International Justice Mission
Japanese American National Museum
Johns Hopkins University
Lane Bryant Charities
Lautman Maska Neill & Company
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
LSU Foundation
Mattel
Meyer Partners, LLC
Milken Institute
National Breast Cancer Coalition
National Marrow Donor Program
Natural Resources Defense Council
North Carolina State University
North Shore Animal League
Obama Foundation
Operation Smile
PBS Foundation
Pernod Ricard USA
PetSmart Charities
Population Action International
Project ORBIS International
Public Interest Communication
Rails to Trails
Redeemer Presbyterian Church
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Sesame Workshop
Simon Wiesenthal
SOS Children’s Villages – USA
Steinhardt Foundation
Subaru of America
United States Equestrian Team Foundation
University of Montana Foundation
University of Nevada, Las Vegas Foundation
Whitney Museum of American Art
World ORT
World Wildlife Fund
YMCA USA
YWCA of New York City
YWCA USA

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news & events

Our attorneys’ recent contributions to the media and nonprofit sector publications.

news & events

Check out our attorneys’ recent contributions to the media and industry publications.

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Warning: Don’t Cut Legal Corners When Mixing Social And Business Impact,  Forbes
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Cliff Perlman remarks on the possible threat of a change to charitable deduction.

How To Deal With Residual Data, Nonprofit Times
Jon Dartley’s advice on addressing “data exhaust”.

Secure Your Data – Seriously, AFP New York Chapter News
As Jon Dartley, a data privacy and security attorney at Perlman and Perlman says, “It is vital to have the appropriate legal terms in the contract to protect your interests.”  Find out what your liability limit is.  Have it in writing who bears the responsibility and cost of a data breach.  And, have the vendor agree on a specific timeframe within which they need to advise you of a data breach.

Warning: Don’t Cut Legal Corners When Mixing Social And Business Impact,  Forbes
Particularly striking is that (Karen) Wu believes this is the “first multi-state regulatory activity involving cause marketing in almost two decades.”

Is stealing, then giving back, OK?
Cliff Perlman lends his advice on theft within a nonprofit.

Buyer Beware: Negotiating Terms in Technology Agreements
Jon Dartley provides tips on negotiating contracts with technology vendors.

Four Ways Charitable Giving Could Change with a Tax Overhaul
Cliff Perlman remarks on the possible threat of a change to charitable deduction.

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Jon Dartley’s advice on addressing “data exhaust”.

perlman & perlman philanthropic sector law firm blue and green logo

click to exit page

perlman & perlman philanthropic sector law firm blue and green logo

click to exit page

silk lanterns

who we work with

Our clients are diverse nonprofit organizations with a broad range of missions, as well as for-profit companies in evolving areas such as social enterprise, corporate philanthropy, joint ventures, technology-driven fundraising, and impact investing.

who we work with

Our clients are diverse nonprofit organizations with a broad range of missions, as well as for-profit companies in evolving areas such as social enterprise, corporate philanthropy, joint ventures, technology-driven fundraising, and impact investing.

A.B. Data
AB InBev Foundation
Absolut Company
American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science
American Diabetes Association
American Friends of the Hebrew University
American Parkinson Disease Association
Association of Fundraising Professionals
Avalon Consulting
Baton Rouge Area Foundation
Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation
Bleeding Blue for Good Fund
Bradley Cooper’s One Family Foundation
BrightFocus Foundation
Brooks Brothers
Chadwick Boseman Foundation for the Arts
Changing Our World
Charity Defense Council
Christian Appalachian Project
Doctors of the World/ Medecins du Monde
Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins San Frontieres
Drug Policy Alliance
Duke University
Emory University
Estee Lauder Companies, Inc.
Feed The Children
Food For The Poor
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation
Grameen Foundation USA
Hope for New York
International Campaign for Tibet
International Crisis Group
International Justice Mission
J. Crew Group
Johns Hopkins University
Lautman Maska Neill & Company
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
LSU Foundation

Marts & Lundy
Meyer Partners, LLC
Milken Institute
NAACP Foundation
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
National Marrow Donor Program
National Park Foundation
Natural Resources Defense Council
North Carolina State University
North Shore Animal League
Operation Smile
PBS Foundation
Pernod Ricard USA
PetSmart Charities
PopSockets
Population Action International
Project ORBIS International
Public Interest Communication
Rails to Trails
Redeemer Presbyterian Church
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Save the Children Federation
Sesame Workshop
Simon Wiesenthal
SOS Children’s Villages – USA
Subaru of America
The Little Market
Touro University
United States Equestrian Team Foundation
United Way Worldwide
University of Connecticut
University of Virginia
Vote.org
Whitney Museum of American Art
World ORT
World Wildlife Fund
YWCA USA

A.B. Data
Absolut Company
American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science
American Diabetes Association
American Friends of the Hebrew University
American Parkinson Disease Association
American Rivers
Association of Fundraising Professionals
Baton Rouge Area Foundation
BrightFocus Foundation
Burger King McLamore Foundation
Cancer Care
Carnegie East House and James Lenox House Association
Center for Car Donations
Changing Our World
Charity Defense Council
Christian Appalachian Project
Coca-Cola Scholars Foundation
Convoy of Hope
Cornell University
Doctors Without Borders/ Medecins San Frontieres
Drug Policy Alliance
Duke University
Emory University
Feed The Children
Gerald R. Ford Presidential Foundation
Grameen Foundation USA
Helen Keller Services
Hope for New York
Human Rights Watch
Humane Society of US
Indiegogo
International Campaign for Tibet
International Crisis Group
International Justice Mission
Japanese American National Museum
Johns Hopkins University
Lane Bryant Charities
LSU Foundation
Mattel
Meyer Partners, LLC
Milken Institute
National Breast Cancer Coalition
National Marrow Donor Program
Natural Resources Defense Council
North Carolina State University
North Shore Animal League
Obama Foundation
Operation Smile
PBS Foundation
Pernod Ricard USA
PetSmart Charities
Population Action International
Project ORBIS International
Public Interest Communication
Rails to Trails
Redeemer Presbyterian Church
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors
Sesame Workshop
Simon Wiesenthal
SOS Children’s Villages – USA
Steinhardt Foundation
Subaru of America
United States Equestrian Team Foundation
University of Montana Foundation
University of Nevada, Las Vegas Foundation
Whitney Museum of American Art
World ORT
World Wildlife Fund
YMCA USA
YWCA of New York City
YWCA USA
Lautman Maska Neill & Company
Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Under Law

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