Strengthening Cause-Related Marketing Partnerships for Marie Curie

Image: Marie Curie 

Effective revenue stream diversification is crucial for a sustainable fundraising strategy within the not-for-profit sector. An overreliance on a single income stream, such as event fundraising or sponsorship, poses a significant threat to the long-term commercial and operational stability of charities – it is for that reason that Marie Curie recently engaged Mongoose Sports & Entertainment’s Consult division to deliver a commercial review of its cause-related marketing opportunities and brand licensing.

The Challenge

Many charities find it difficult to benchmark their cause-related marketing and/or partnership offering in a formal manner, hence the need for insight-led brand licensing and valuation support. 

Specifically, Marie Curie identified the need to establish a market-led valuation of their IP, to underpin the development of brand campaign proposals and provide a baseline for negotiation. Following an initial consultation, it also became apparent that work was required to standardise Marie Curie’s go-to-market approach, centred around the development of cause-related marketing partnerships.

The Solution

Primarily, our Commercial Consulting division was deployed to deliver a benchmarked valuation of the Marie Curie brand. Using a combination of key stakeholder engagement and a detailed assessment of the charity’s audiences, delivered by our Digital team, we utilised our proprietary valuation methodology to establish a brand licensing fee structure. This renewed structure was reflective of Marie Curie’s brand value and recognition, independent of further partner-led investment, and designed to underpin all future brand engagements.

Then, with a focus on formalising our client’s approach to cause-related marketing partnership development, we conducted an extensive review of their owned campaign platforms and existing partnership agreements, alongside detailed analysis of campaign activity across the not-for-profit sector. In collaboration with our Communications Division, leveraging expertise across purpose-led campaign delivery, we were able to define the required process and strategy to support Marie Curie’s Commercial Fundraising team in securing new campaign partners  – this included the definition of key partnership principles, a recommended commercial structure, a fresh sales narrative and channel identification. 

The Output

Following the definition and assessment of two commercial models – one for sales-led campaign partnerships, the other for marketing/fundraising-led opportunities – Mongoose went onto provide Marie Curie with a ‘Partnership Toolkit’, which included:

• Market-based brand licensing fee structure

• Extensive audience-insight and profiling

• Cause-related marketing partnership models (sales and marketing)

• Commercial revenue drivers and optimisation approach

• Partnership tiering & definitions

• Sales narrative & market entry strategy

This toolkit will support Marie Curie in formalising their approach to brand engagement and negotiation, ensuring consistency across their brand/partner portfolio. While establishing a sustained campaign-led revenue stream, we don’t doubt this will also provide a springboard to longer-term brand engagement – ultimately enabling Marie Curie to fulfil their charitable objectives, providing expert end-of-life care and support to those who need it most. 

For more information on how to partner with Marie Curie, or if you’d like to hear more about revenue diversification in the Not-for-Profit space, please reach out to Harvey.taylor@mongooseagency.com.