With people taking up responsibility for their actions, these are one of the best times for brands to drive customer loyalty with campaigns that have a social cause at the center of their focus.

Driving customers to repurchase becomes easy when they have a strong reason to come back. With a social focus, brands can not just contribute to the betterment of the society and the environment but also boost their sales through a customer-brand relationship that will last for a long time.

Walmart, for example, partnered with Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Customers were offered the option to donate an amount, no matter how small, at checkout. If the customer chose to donate a dollar or more, they could put their name on a Miracle Balloon or dedicate the balloon to someone they love. Walmart managed to raise a staggering $122/minute in 2012.

It was a great idea to equate purchases with charity. It lent customers a sense of satisfaction and kept them coming back for more.

As a matter of fact, you do not necessarily have to associate with a hospital network to drive customer loyalty. You could reach out to charities and automate donation credit. Offer your customers the option to make a small donation out of will. Highlight the charity name and clearly outline how customers’ contributions are helpful in bringing about the change to lend your cause marketing campaign the credibility it requires to generate the momentum.

Brands can also develop customer loyalty by changing perceptions. Dove started a digital campaign aiming to redefine the definition of beauty. They used real customers in their television ads and customer testimonials on their social media pages. This generated massive interest and contributed to a raised self-esteem among women.

Coke too partnered with WWF, emphasizing the need to preserve polar bears. They even used the bears as their official mascot. They were able to raise $3 million through the campaign.

Marketing the best way to build trust and promote a brand