When rescue crews remove the slick black film from wildlife affected by oil spills they use Dawn dishwashing liquid. Apparently they’ve been doing it for 30 years and for almost that long Dawn’s corporate parent, P&G, has been donating money and product to help animals hurt by disaster. But it was only recently that P&G began to involve its consumers. Through its “Dawn Saves Wildlife” campaign, shoppers can go online to activate a $1 donation from P&G with every bottle of Dawn they purchase. A colleague said he recently bought Dawn because he saw the campaign, and he felt really good about himelf.

But why did Dawn take so long to show the public that it is making a difference?

For some companies, it’s a lack of focus. They can’t discipline themselves to focus on a single cause. Instead, their giving program is diluted by opting for a range of charities. Other brands simply fear cause marketing. They think talking about it will transform their good deeds from philanthropic to shallow. But that doesn’t have to be the case. In fact, 2009 PR Week/Barkley PR Cause survey says 91% of women (the lead consumer) say it’s important for companies to support a cause. Moreover, 83% of all consumers want to know exactly where a corporate donation is going and how it’s being used.

Focusing help on a specific area, especially one that is synergistic with your business, and getting your target audience involved in the campaign makes you not just a good marketer but also a good corporate citizen. Those two are not mutually exclusive.