Making the best out of a bad situation is the key to success. How to make the most out of these situations, however, can be a bit of a mystery.

What was unveiled in a session called “Bridging the CSR/Cause Divide” at the recent Cause Marketing Forum annual conference in Chicago was some of the keys to making charitable causes by companies seem authentic in a time of crisis.

* Because the drought was a crisis for everyone in California, it became an issue for the Shock Top as well. Without water, there is no beer.
* By creating a program for customers to get involved and help “shock the drought” it created 126 million earned media impressions
* This cause also earned more than 160 media placements, drawing more interest to the company and placing them at the forefront of the issue.
* It is essential to have a fast response to a highly topical, timely issue with real solutions. Without this, less earned media impressions occur.
* Building on already incredible work already happening within the company led to an even stronger campaign for Shock Top.

Shock Top became a household name by confronting the California drought head-on. The Shock Top CSR team, combined with the cause close to the company’s heart, allowed for increased earned media impressions, increased positive sentiment for the company and, ultimately, helped fight the drought in California.