Study: Consumers Buy Charity-Linked Products but Want Proof of Results

American demand for cause-related products is stronger than ever, according to 20 years of benchmarking data released by Cone Communications. Despite a marketplace saturated with cause-related programs and messages, the U.S. consumer appetite for corporate support of social and environmental issues appears insatiable, according to the 2013 Cone Communications Social Impact Study. However, high consumer demand comes with high expectations for impact — and the study reveals the majority of Americans are uncertain of the extent to which corporate and individual efforts result in meaningful change.