Q & A WITH EDWARD G. MARTIN

Edward G. Martin
Campaign Director & Senior Fellow, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) Council
Director, International Insights & New Methods, The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY)

In market research, will a "cause sample" be a skewed sample?

All sample groups used in market research have some inherent bias. Fewer and fewer people are willing to spend time answering phone or mail surveys, and thus the typical research online panel offers "points" to incentivize members to participate. A group motivated by points is a subset of the population willing to trade their time for prizes and gifts, which is also not fully representative of the total population.

The goal of Pause to Support a Cause is to bring a larger and broader group of people into the research process while also including those communities who have been historically under-represented in market research (such as the African-American, Asian and Hispanic communities).

There is no perfect sample, but we are confident that the Pause to Support a Cause panel will be highly valuable and useful for companies looking to understand how people feel about their products and services.

How will survey participants be compensated for their efforts?

The Pause to Support a Cause model will work based on communities advocating, and participation will grow with supporters telling each other about this innovative way to help fund their non-profit organization. Its real power lies in enabling people do something for a cause which they specifically care about.

Each corporation will design a study, defining who they would like to question and what questions they would like to ask. The type and length of the questionnaire will determine how much is donated to the cause. Survey respondents will know before beginning a survey the estimated time required of them and how much will be donated to the cause, allowing them to decide beforehand if they would like to participate.

What if my community doesn't have enough members for a large study?

The size of the participating community is not an issue. Each corporate partner will leverage the total research panel as they would a traditional research panel, defining their target participants based on age, gender, and product use requirements when they set up their survey. The CMO Council will then be able to scan the entire panel to find the ideal participants for the corporate partner, drawing from a number of communities of all sizes. Each community will be compensated based on how many members complete surveys.

How will community members set up donation payments?

The CMO Council site will keep a running tally of contributions from all communities, allowing community members to track of how much is being made for each cause. Participants will be able to monitor their fundraising progress online through this site. Payments to all charities will be made monthly.

From where will the donation money come?

Corporations spend an enormous amount of money every year trying to understand which products and services people like, as well as how to improve their own products and services in order be a more successful business. Pause to Support a Cause is an innovative approach which allows companies to get this crucial information at a fair price while helping fund important initiatives like combating global poverty and improving healthcare and education.

Shouldn't corporations give money to these causes without wanting anything in return?

Many companies do make donations to important causes which are a good fit for their corporate culture. Pause to Support a Cause is simply a way to facilitate additional giving to important causes by providing a ‘win’ for both the company and the community.

Will people really spend time participating in market research for a cause they care about?

The vast majority of people have some cause or issue that they care about, and many already donate and volunteer in support of these causes. Pause to Support a Cause is an easy way for individuals to support the cause or causes which are closest to their heart. Respondents can choose the same cause or a different cause each time they take a survey.

About Ed Martin
Founder and former CEO of Triple Win International, Ed Martin is a leading global marketing executive highly recognized for his performance and achievement in other Fortune 500 companies including: Kellogg’s, Coca-Cola, Citibank, and Ford Motor Company. His expertise covers markets in The Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Over the last several years he has expanded his marketing and business talents to include partnering with top scientists and political leaders to tackle some of the world’s greatest health issues such as potable water, malaria, HIV/AIDS and global health care distribution to disadvantaged communities all over the world. He has been elected to the advisory boards of organizations such as Medical Institute, Health Store Foundation, Malaria Foundation Business Advisory Board, Health People S. Bronx and International Business Advisory Board of EMU. He is also an associate to the Harvard AIDS Prevention Project and has been an advisor to the Ambassador of Uganda.

About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) is the largest North American manufacturer of quality chocolate and sugar confectionery products. With revenues of nearly $5 billion and almost 13,000 employees worldwide, The Hershey Company markets such iconic brands as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Kit Kat, Twizzlers, and Ice Breakers. Hershey is the leader in the fast-growing dark and premium chocolate segment, with such brands as Hershey's Bliss, Hershey’s Special Dark, Hershey’s Extra Dark and Cacao Reserve by Hershey’s. Hershey’s Ice Breakers franchise delivers refreshment across a variety of mint and gum flavors and formats. Hershey's partnership with Starbucks offers a premium chocolate experience that combines the highest-quality chocolate with Starbucks coffee-house flavors, for a range of delicious and distinct chocolate products. In addition, Artisan Confections Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Hershey Company, markets such premium chocolate offerings as Scharffen Berger, known for its high-cacao dark chocolate products, Joseph Schmidt, recognized for its fine, handcrafted chocolate gifts, and Dagoba, known for its high-quality natural and organic chocolate bars. Visit us at www.hersheynewsroom.com.