Workforce and economic development can and should be positioned as important community causes.  Full Capacity Marketing, Inc. (FCM) used cause-related marketing (CRM) to develop a partnership with local CBS affiliate, KFMB TV 8, to promote the San Diego Workforce Partnership's (SDWP) localized career management Web site.

FCM successfully developed and pitched a CRM proposal that co-branded the career management site, and engaged KFMB as a new media partner to champion the "cause" of workforce development.  FCM trained and organized SDWP career center staff and partners to develop online stories and tips for job seekers and businesses, which were posted on the special 8 At Work co-branded Web page. FCM and KFMB produced a 30 second commercials about the site targeting businesses and the job seekers.

The 15-month initiative resulted in the 8 At Work Web page being the third most visited area of KFMB's site [behind sports and weather], and resulted in aligning with the news team to conduct special stories and a regular weekly news segment.  The value of this partnership resulted in over $1.8 million in free news media stories and commercials, and an increase in brand awareness from 6 percent to 54 percent for the SDWP.