Target Stores and the American Heart Association are being honored today with Golden Halo Awards at the Cause Marketing Forum in New York City.
The Halo Awards are “lifetime achievement” awards for strong, continued cause marketing programs, said Cause Marketing Forum President David Hessekiel.
Target is being recognized for corporate philanthropy programs including: Take Charge of Education, a school fundraising program; Target House, a residence for families of children who are patients at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; and Start Something, a collaboration with the Tiger Woods Foundation to improve kids’ self-esteem.
The American Heart Association gets the nod for its own cause marketing work, including the “Go Red for Women” heart-disease awareness campaign, sponsored by Macy’s and Pfizer; the annual American Heart Walk, with one million participants and national sponsors Subway and NutriSoy; and the 10-year-old Food Certification Program that puts an icon on packages of heart-healthy foods.
“In 1990 corporate cause marketing spending was about $120 million. This year it will top $1 billion, thanks to innovative businesses and nonprofits like Target and the American Heart Association,” Hessekiel said.
The Rye, NY-based Cause Marketing Forum also will give awards to cause marketing campaigns in fourteen categories, including environmental/wildlife, health and social service/education. This is the Forum’s third year.
