Giving Compass' Take:

• Global Giving's cause marketing glossary provides detailed descriptions of words used in collaborations between nonprofits and corporate partners. 

• How does common language help to facilitate effective partnerships? What partners could help you advance your philanthropic work? 

• Read about philanthropy vocabulary. 

Activism: Activism refers to any efforts by individuals or groups to effect change in their communities (from their neighborhood to their planet).

Advocacy: Advocacy is support for ideas, initiatives, or service to others that takes the form of action—such as writing letters to politicians, protesting, raising money, or direct involvement with the cause.

Authenticity: Authenticity in cause marketing refers to whether consumers will readily accept that a brand truly supports a specific cause. Brands that fail to thoroughly examine how their sponsorship appears to the public can be accused of cause washing and self-orientation.

Awareness: Awareness refers to consumer understanding of a specific cause. Raising awareness is an effort to make more consumers aware that a social problem exists and ideally, making them motivated to help fix that problem.

Awareness-Raising Partners: Awareness-raising partners are organizations that may be unwilling or unable to fund a nonprofit with direct contributions. An awareness-raising partner might highlight the nonprofit on their social media channels, for example.

B-Corp/Benefit Corporation/Certified B-Corporation: B Corporations are a form of for-profit corporate entities that have a legal requirement to balance profit with purpose — usually related to environmental or social causes that the company values. You can learn more on the B Corporation website. Related: B Lab is the nonprofit parent organization for B Corporation certification. Learn more.

Brand Identity/Brand Personality: Brand identity is a concept that encompasses both the visual identity as well as the messaging that a company uses to guide brand perception with consumers. Many companies use cause marketing as a tool to align their brand identity with causes valued by both the company and their target customer base.

Read the full cause marketing glossary at Global Giving.