COMM 4304 A Professor: Dr.

Gina Grosenick December 9, 2013

Ilana elfer, !"lie Damaren, #llen Donnell$, an% Gar$ &'i

LETS TALK ABOUT BELL LETS TALK

Formal Research Paper

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Table of Contents...................................................................................................................... 2 Abstract..................................................................................................................................... 1 Background/Rationale............................................................................................................... 1 Functional Framework: Cause Marketing.................................................................................. T!eoretical Framework: Foucault.............................................................................................. " Results and Findings................................................................................................................. # Functional Anal$sis................................................................................................................. 1% Critical Anal$sis....................................................................................................................... 21 Conclusion.............................................................................................................................. 2" References.............................................................................................................................. 2&

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This research paper examines the Bell Lets Talk campaign through an in-depth exploration of public relations strategies. It analyzes through a functional and critical perspective ho Bell is constructing its profile of corporate social responsibility! namely by the strategic implementation of a cause marketing campaign seemingly aiming to raise social a areness! and enhance the understanding of mental illness and its impact on "anadians. #indings are dra n from Bells application of $% in reference to the four pillars of the campaign& anti-stigma! enhanced care and access! ne research and orkplace leadership. #urthermore! our focus of the in'uiry is split into theoretical analysis by dra ing upon #oucaults conceptions of (po er kno ledge) and discourse* our functional analysis is done through the lens of the Bell Lets Talk campaign as cause marketing! addressing the influence of cause marketing on the cause! on the brand! and overall! hether Bell Lets Talk as a successful cause marketing campaign. These t o critical and functional analyses have allo ed us to understand to hat extent the $% practices of the campaign are aligned ith said frame ork! and ideally! helped inform our understandings of the role and practices of public relations in our society.

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Bell! as a "anadian leading telecommunications enterprise! has been engaging itself in the overall improvement of the societys ell-being through enabling economic gro th! connecting social communities and safeguarding the environment +Bell "anada "orporate %esponsibility %eport ,B""%%-! ./0.1. 2rguably its most visible investment in this societal ell-being is the annual Bell Lets Talk campaign. The Bell Lets Talk campaign is an unprecedented multi-year charitable program dedicated to the promotion and support of mental health initiatives across "anada. The largest-ever corporate commitment in "anada supports a ide range of programs to enhance a areness! understanding and treatment of mental illness! as ell as research and access to care across the country +,B""%%-! ./0.1. In ./0/! Bell announced that it ould be contributing 34/ million over five years to mental health related initiatives through Bell Lets Talk +Bell "anada! ./05c1. The Bell 6ental 7ealth initiative supports an extensive range of programs in "anada! including academic research on mental health in the orkplace! community access and care! and anti-stigma in

the discourse surrounding mental health! as it is often perceived as an invisible but pervasive health issue ith profound lasting conse'uences +,B""%%-! ./0.* Bell "anada! ./05d1. This campaign is a perfect example of corporate public relations practice! as it exemplifies Bells attempt at promoting themselves hile competing amongst a complex corporate and political culture for our attention! interest! and actions to ards a matter of public interest hich is in this case! represented by public a areness of mental health. It is fair to say that e live in a (promotional age)! and that it is crucial for us to understand the relations of po er ithin said promotional culture to understand the impact the actors ithin it have on the public ith regards to matters of public interest. Through the in-depth exploration of the $% strategies executed as part of the Bell Lets Talk campaign! our interest lies in a critical analysis of ho B"8 is constructing its profile of corporate social responsibility through the strategic implementation of a cause marketing campaign seemingly aiming to raise the social a areness and enhance the understanding of mental illness and its impact on "anadian life. The scope of the Bell Lets Talk campaign is massive! in part due to Bells po erful standing ithin the "anadian telecommunications landscape. 2s such! the reach of the campaign annually brings discourse surrounding mental health to the forefront of public interest discussion. 2lthough the "anadian public has ackno ledged its philanthropic contribution to the "anadian society in a seemingly positive ay! the practice of the campaign itself is still! in essence! out of an apparent commercial motivation. #rom a critical communications perspective! this begs the 'uestion of hether or not corporate philanthropic practice surrounding a social phenomenon in general! benefits any political! social! and9or cultural interests in our society: Based on this general interest in the purvie of the campaign! our rationale for this research pro;ect ill be to focus on uncovering the corporate reasoning behind Bells apparent philanthropic practice through a strategic analysis of the Bell Lets Talk campaign. <e ill 'uestion hether or not the campaign +as a means1 actually structured or influenced our societal kno ledge and perceptions on issues surrounding mental health! as ell as on the Bell corporation itself! and if so! to hat end. =ur focus of the in'uiry ill be split into theoretical analysis by dra ing upon #oucaults conceptions of (po er kno ledge) and discourse! and our functional analysis ill be done through the lens of the Bell Lets Talk campaign as cause marketing. These t o critical and functional analyses ill allo us to understand to hat extent the $% practices of the campaign are aligned ith said frame ork! and ideally! ill help inform our understandings of the role and practices of public relations in our society. The 'uestions that ill guide us in our research follo the trend of understanding the balance bet een corporate philanthropic activity and bottom line corporate interests! and so e ill first ask

hat the interests of Bell ere in deploying this campaign& ho much as truly corporate philanthropic activity and ho much as commercial promotion9 reputation management of the Bell corporate brand: #urthermore! ho did the Bell Lets Talk campaign structure itself to influence our societal kno ledge! and hich societal kno ledge +aka surrounding issues of mental health or B"8 itself1: =ur guiding research 'uestion is an integration of all of the above& >id the Bell Lets Talk campaign leverage cause marketing specific public relations practices by stimulating discourse surrounding mental health! an issue of public interest! for the primary purpose of improving its brand and ultimately! satisfying its private corporate interests: <e expect to prove this hypothesis to be correct! as ell as discover that hether or not it as intended! the $% practice of cause marketing in the (Bell Lets Talk) campaign had a positive impact on the discourse surrounding mental health.

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In an era of consumerism that covets corporate social responsibility! the practice of associating a corporate brand ith a cause has become increasingly prevalent. 2s a subcategory of corporate social responsibility! cause marketing +"61 can be defined as (the process of formulating and implementing marketing activities that are characterized by an offer from the firm to contribute a specified amount to a designated cause hen customers engage in revenue-providing exchanges that satisfy organizational and individual ob;ectives +?aradara;an and 6enon! 0@AA p. B/1. This section ill analyze cause marketing as a $% tool through three separate lenses& the influence of "6 on the cause! the influence of "6 on the corporate brand! and more generically! hat makes a successful "6 campaign. CA.&# MA,-#(I+G A+D 1A).# *O, (2# CA.&# <hen conceptualizing a "6 relationship! there are t o ays in hich e can analyze ho it as valuable to the cause& increased fundraising and support! and increased ability to change individual behaviors and perceptions in a manner consistent ith the goals of the cause +Courville and %angan! .//D1. Euccessful "6 campaigns provide tremendous amounts of visibility! credibility! and a areness to a cause! and by default! often create more support for the specific cause as ell. Like ise! a successful "6 campaign ill also change consumer behaviors or perceptions surrounding the cause or the issue. 7o ever! it is important to al ays consider that this cause promotion is being done via an already existing for-profit brand& as such! e must ask ourselves ho successful "6 campaigns are for the

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It has been historically accepted that providing evidence of good corporate citizenship can help establish trust and confidence in a brand +2nand! .//.1. The strategic operationalization of cause marketing seeks to form more concrete bonds ith consumers +both current and potential1! ith employees and investors! and ith the general public by differentiating a specific brand from the rest! seeking ultimately to culminate in its long-term market positioning +>avidson! 0@@F* Courville and %angan! .//D1. "ritics of modern capitalism ould argue that corporations ould not engage in "6 if it did not provide some sort of benefit to the brand or give them some sort of competitive advantage in the market. The underlying 'uestion then! is does cause marketing increase positive brand perception: 2 study done by Lafferty and Coldsmith +.//41 found that cause-brand alliances improve overall appraisal of a brand! and that this (confirms the validity of using this strategic marketing tool ,cause marketing- to enhance brand image) +p. D.A1. Eimilarly! 6yers and G on +./0.1 applied 6c"rackens meaning transfer as a theoretical frame ork in attempting to explain the influence of cause marketing on post-brand attitudes! applying the presupposition that (if individuals experience t o ob;ects simultaneously! the ob;ects may become associated in the individuals mind and the meaning of one ob;ect can transfer to the other ob;ect) +p. FB1. <hat they found as that here there is a positive experience of a "6 campaign! there ill be a transfer of positive experiences directly to the brand doing the execution! ultimately strengthening brand perceptions. The significant point then! is that "6 campaigns must be strategically executed in order to maximize effectiveness of the campaign itself and to successfully reinforce positive brand recognition. The follo ing section ill identify strategic methods employed in cause marketing that stimulate success. 02A( MA-#& A &.CC#&&*.) CA.&# MA,-#(I+G CAMPAIG+3 The expectation is that successful "6 campaigns ill achieve t o distinct goals& the first being the improvement of firm performance! the second is supporting a social cause +%obinson et. al.! ./0.1. =ddly enough! this is also the ay consumers perceive "6 campaigns& according to 6yers and G on +./0.1! consumers either perceive corporate motivations in "6 as altruistic + ith the brand trying to help the cause1! or as profit-motivated +simply to increase profits1. They assert that consumers perceiving corporate "6 campaigns as altruistic increases positive attitudes to ards

the campaign and the brand! and thus (demonstrates the importance of creating conditions that persuade consumers to favorably vie the alliance for maximizing the effectiveness of a causeHbrand alliance marketing activity in strengthening the brand) +p. A41. Eimilarly! (individuals hold more favorable campaign attitudes hen messages ,are- positively framedI this effect of framing on attitudes is mediated by their belief that the firm is acting in a socially responsible manner) +Landreth and Carretson! .//F p. .A1. This is consistent ith research suggesting that social causes elicit emotional responses in consumers! and that they think more positively about a brand if it is perceived to be socially responsible +Lafferty and Coldsmith! .//41. 2nother ay a brand can generate success through a "6 campaign is to associate itself ith a cause that has lo -familiarity& "6 can improve evaluations of both a brand and a cause hen a positive brand takes on a cause that is not familiar! because the brand becomes the anchor for the unkno n cause and facilitates an up ard movement in attitudes and perceptions +Lafferty and Coldsmith! .//41. 2ll of the above ill be considered hen analyzing the success of the Bell Lets Talk campaign as a cause marketing campaign! a subcomponent of corporate social responsibility.

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D#*I+I+G -#4 CO+C#P(& The follo ing section ill establish the theoretical frame ork through hich e ill later analyze the Bell Lets Talk campaign& #rench philosopher 6ichel #oucaults theories of discourse and power/knowledge. In accordance ith #oucaults ish that his ork act as a (toolbox hich others can rummage through to find a tool hich they can use ho ever they ish in their o n area) +0@FD! p. 4.5-D1! Judy 6otion and Ehirley Leitch +.//@1 affirm that #oucaults tools make for valuable additions to the public relations tool belt. In their chapter of Public Relations and Social Theory! they argue that by applying #oucaults theories to the field of $%! one can come to understand the practice of $% as a discourse technology! po er effect! and kno ledge system +p. @.1. In a #oucauldian context! discourses can be defined as (systems of thoughts composed of ideas! attitudes! courses of action! beliefs and practices that systematically construct the sub;ects and the orlds of hich they speak) +Lessa!

.//B! p. .A41! as ell as ho the sub;ects understand those orlds. These thought systems are constituted and governed by analyzable rules +#oucault! 0@F.! p. .001 that determine ho can speak! hat can be said! and the interests! stakes and institutions that get represented. They are also sub;ect to transformation +6otion and Leitch! .//@! p. AA1. >iscourse! then! is basically a non-static social boundary! or frame ork! through hich social actors +other ise kno n as humans1 think! communicate! and organize society! as ell as their lives ithin it. #oucault as concerned ith determining the factors that set those social boundaries. Ksing problematization! a techni'ue that poses 'uestions to challenge the uncontested assumptions and commonplace (modes of thought and practices) +#oucault! 0@AA! p.04D1! his research method involved mapping out the production and transformation of discourses to find the points from hich they stemmed or changed. $o er and kno ledge ere at the centre of these investigations because #oucault sa po er as (underly,ing- all aspects of human existence) +6otion and Leitch! .//@! p. AF1. #or #oucault +0@@A1! (po er is every here) +p. B51. 2s he puts is! ($o er is not something that is ac'uired! seized! or shared! something that one holds on to or allo s to slip a ay* po er is exercised from innumerable points! in the interplay of nonegalitarian and mobile relations.L +0@FA! p. @D1. In other ords! po er is not an independent entity that one can possess or ac'uire. %ather it is an action! and is the name for a set of dynamic and une'ual relations. $o er! therefore! is not top-do n from one! central! all-po erful individual. It can be employed at all levels and forms. 2t the same time! one has more po er than another at any given moment and therefore po er is hierarchized in that sense! making it (a more or less organized! hierarchical! co-coordinated cluster of relations) +Cordon! 0@A/! p.0@A1. #oucault used the term (capillary) to describe po er +Cordon! 0@A/! p. 5@1. 6etaphorically speaking! those capillaries filled ith po er ould be distributed throughout the social fabric for use! ith some accessing them more easily than others. 2s an analogy! there are capillaries filled ith blood that run through our bodies! but our veins only rise up hen e incite them to. It is important to note that for #oucault! (po er is not ;ust a negative! coercive or repressive thing that forces us to do things against our ishes. It can also be a necessary! productive and positive force in society!) +Caventa! .//5! p. .1. #oremost! ho ever! #oucault sa po er as inseparable from kno ledge. 2s 6otion and Leitch +.//@1 explain it! he sa kno ledge as a creator and creation of

po er and po er as a creator and creation of kno ledge +p. AF1. #or that reason! he coined the term po er9kno ledge. 2nother ay to vie it is that those ho hold po er are the ones ho can lead discourse in their preferred direction therefore shaping kno ledge and truth. Eince they decide hat kno ledge is! they can then claim to be the most kno ledgeable +#illingham! 0@@51. #or example! the medical systems eve built in society determines that people ith certain kno ledge get classified as doctors! hich puts those people in the position here they can exercise po er upon others and shape medical or health-related discourses. <e accept hat they say as truth! and they are then the most kno ledgeable on those truths! hich reinforces their po er. ,#)A(IO+&2IP #(0##+ DI&CO.,&# A+D PO0#,/-+O0)#DG#

To sum up the relationship bet een po er9kno ledge and discourse! discourse is the vehicle or medium through hich po er9kno ledge circulates. If po er9kno ledge is the capillaries! then discourse is the body through hich they flo . <hen discourses are so pervasive they are perceived as common sense! thats referred to as hegemony. =n a macro level! hegemony is formed by societal configurations of po er9kno ledge relationships. =n a micro level! po er9kno ledge relations operate through the production and acceptance of particular (truths) +6otion and Letich! .//@! p. AA1. 8ach society! on a macro-level! according to #oucault +0@@01! has its o n (regimes of truth!) other ise kno n as hegemonic discourses +p. ./F1. =n a micro-level! (games of truth) is the sub;ectification of those truths and ho individuals come to see them as applying to themselves +6otion and Leitch! .//@! p. AA1. ,#)A(IO+ (O P, $% is a discursive process! meaning it seeks to (influence the concepts and systems of thought that shape ho e think about and understand the orld) +6otion and Leitch! .//@! p. @51. $% practitioners are central discourse actors using $% as a discursive strategy to influence and shape discourses. If discourse is the vehicle for po er9kno ledge! discourse strategies! or operations of po er! are essentially (the means by hich the relations of po er9kno ledge are created! maintained! resisted and transformed) +6otion and Leitch! .//@! p. AA1. This deliberate attempt to (engineer sociocultural

change) is hat Morman #airclough +0@@.1 called (the technologization of discourse) +p. A1. It is important to note that discourses are created and transformed by the (aggregation of actions and statements of many individuals and many organizations) +7ardy! 0@@A! p. 01 ithin that eb! or net! of po er relations over time! and individuals ho are not $% practitioners are also part of that make-up.

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2s previously outlined! to date the Bell Lets Talk campaign +promoting positive conversation around mental health across "anada! increasing support for community care! research and orkplace best practices1 has committed 3B.!/D5!.A@.5/ +Bell "anada ./0. "orporate %esponsibility %eport! p..1. They incorporated multiple public relations strategies into their campaign* the follo ing section ill analyze the results derived from these specific tactics to better determine the connections to cause marketing and corporate brand management. The results ill focus on the ./0.-./05 year of the Bell Lets Talk campaign timeline. The companys overall strategy can be broken do n into hat they refer to as their four pillars& anti-stigma! enhanced care and access! ne research and orkplace leadership +Bell "anada ./0. "orporate %esponsibility %eport! p.0A1. 8ach pillar has employed certain public relations strategies! and each has produced separate results! all of hich ill be outlined belo .
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To begin! Bell highlighted anti-stigma as a main pillar ith the goal of ;oining "anadians coast to coast in a national conversation about mental illness. To accomplish this goal! they employed the public relations tactic of using a celebrity spokesperson& "lara 7ughes. "lara acted as a national ambassador and as accompanied by other spokespeople including 6ichel 6pambara! Etefie Ehock! and Eeamus =%egan! to invite people in communities across "anada to ;oin in on the mental health discussion +Bell "anada ./0. "orporate %esponsibility %eport! p.0@1.

2s a result! the anti-stigma platform of driving positive! long-term change in the ay "anadians perceive mental illness sa "lara 7ughes lead millions in talking about mental illness to end the stigma +Bell "anada! ./05a1. 6ore numerically! @B!.BB!.BB calls and texts by Bell and Bell 2liant customers! t eets using NBellLetsTalk! and #acebook shares of the Bell Lets Talk >ay image ere generated by "anadians on the Bell LetOs Talk >ay* this allotted to an additional 3D!A05!505.5/ for mental health programs +Bell "anada! ./05a1. This offered a .5P increase over last years Bell Lets Talk >ay total +Bell "anada! ./05a1. <hats more! the campaign as largely popular on T itter in the ./05 campaign. T itter generated 0!4B.!DA4 t eets and ret eets* Bell Lets Talk along ith NBellLetsTalk ere top trends in both "anada and the Knited Etates +Bell "anada! ./05a1. It garnered attention from other public "anadian figures such as Covernor Ceneral >avid Johnston! $rime 6inister Etephen 7arper! federal members of $arliament! provincial premiers and ministers! the "anadian 2rmed #orces! sports teams and players! and "anadian entertainers including Justin Bieber and <illiam Ehatner +Bell "anada! ./05a1. Justin Biebers t eet as re-t eeted over 5D million times alone +J. 6ichelis! personal communication! Movember 0D! ./051. In our intervie ith Bell 6edia %elations Jac'ueline 6ichelis! "lara as outlined as (not ;ust the face you see in the pictures! shes actually out there doing a lot of stuff and talking to a lot of people and getting the conversation going! hich is hat this is all about H getting people talking.) <hen e asked more specifically if Bell has analyzed the success of her involvement! in terms of a marketing strategy success for the campaign! Jac'ueline summed it up ith a areness gro th! amount of money contributed! and the results issued on #ebruary 05th& (I think you ;ust need to take a look at the results year over year! from going into our fourth one in JanuaryI it has gone from hat started as a 34/ million campaign here ere already at over 3B. million in over three years. Eo a areness gro th! amount of money! and the results issued on #ebruary 05th* over @B million calls! texts! t eets! and #acebook shares on Bell Lets Talk day. 2 lot of that is the onus thats been created by her. Eo hen you ask about analyzing! e look at the results of the hole campaign but shes the spokesperson and shes the face of the campaign.) It is important to note that Bell measures a areness by looking at the amount of calls! texts! t eets! and #acebook shares that are generated! and by analyzing their

media coverage* for instance every intervie ! story! print story! and broadcast intervie is collected and analyzed each campaign to determine ho the a areness has gro n! and in hat part of the country it has gro n in. Bell has a substantial platform to leverage and disseminate the campaign! therefore they also ackno ledge ho much media is being generated by Bell properties as ell as non-Bell media* ho ever! (a lot of it is Bell 6edia! for sure) +J. 6ichelis! personal communication! Movember 0D! ./051. Jac'ueline provided us ith un-publicized figures from their media analysis from bet een >ecember 0! ./0. and #ebruary 0A! ./05. Ehe disclosed that Bell reached a total audience of A55 million from all sources including print! broadcast! and online* they generated 3A.4 million in ad value from their $% campaign +3D.4 million on Bell Lets Talk >ay1* hats more! @.P of media coverage as broadcast +T? and radio1! and their top ten broadcast outlets came from "T? stations + hich are o ned by Bell1 +J. 6ichelis! personal communication! Movember 04! ./051. %eferencing back to "laras involvement! she! accompanied by Bell Lets Talk! announced a ne initiative in early ./05 to continue "anadians engaging in conversation about mental health& "laras Big %ide for Bell Lets Talk is described as an epic ;ourney around the country by bike! scheduled to begin in 6arch of ./0D and ill span over 0// days! covering 0.!/// km* "lara ill visit hundreds of communities to engage and connect "anadians to build a areness! fight the stigma and drive fundraising for local mental health programs +Bell "anada ./0. "orporate %esponsibility %eport! p.0@1. In our intervie ith Jac'ueline! she confirmed that it as strategically scheduled to conclude on "anada >ay ith "lara finishing her ride in =tta a +personal communication! Movember 0D! ./051. By designing the ride this ay! it not only aligns the Bell Lets Talk campaign! but the Bell brand ith the "anadian brand and patriotism associated ith "anada >ay. #urthermore! there has been much debate over the ireless spectrum bid ith ?erizon trying to enter the "anadian market. This strategic finale offers the notion of identifying Bell as Q"anadas "ommunications "ompany.
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"are and access ere highlighted as the second pillar ith aspirations of increasing "anadians access to mental health care. Bells public relations strategy for adhering to this pillar included initiating mental health partnerships ith grassroots

agencies! local hospitals! and treatment facilities. $rior to the ./05 Bell Lets Talk campaign Bell announced three ne mental health partnerships& +01 La #ondation du "entre hospitalier universitaire de RuSbec +"7KR1! +.1 "oncordia KniversityOs >epartment of $sychology! and +51 Brain "anada +Bell "anada! ./05a1. 2s such! Bell contributed 34//!/// to "7KR to upgrade its acute psychiatric care unit! and another 34//!/// to "oncordia KniversityOs >epartment of $sychology to subsidize therapy and assessment at the universityOs 2pplied $sychology "entre and "entre for "linical %esearch in 7ealth +Bell "anada! ./05a1. Brain "anada received a 34//!/// gift from Bell to help fund the 30 million Bell 6ental 7ealth %esearch Training 2 ards supporting talented young "anadian mental health researchers +Bell "anada! ./05a1. =ther contributions ere made to the %oyal =tta a 7ospital! the >ouglas 6ental 7ealth Kniversity Institute! 7Tpital Louis-7 Lafontaine! the "entre for 2ddiction and 6ental 7ealth +"2671! RueenOs Kniversity! the Kniversity of British "olumbia and other leading institutions and organizations +Bell "anada! ./05a1. 6ore specific to their grassroots engagement! Bell Lets Talk contributed to B/ mental health organizations in communities across the country in ./0. distributing grants ranging from 34!/// to 34/!///* in ./05! Bell announced its extension of supporting grassroots agencies ith the ./05 Bell Lets Talk "ommunity #und! a 30 million annual fund that supports grassroots mental health organizations throughout "anada +Bell "anada! ./05a1. Jac'ueline concluded that the Bell Lets Talk 30 million "ommunity #und (is an amazing part of the program here e get tons of visibility in smaller communities through these partnershipsI , ith- coverage at the local levelI Civing us a good balance bet een supporting big organizations in the large cities and supporting hats going on in the smaller communities.) Bell as able to leverage their donations in the distribution of these funds! further raising a areness and maintaining top-of-mind ith the public. These grants ill result in an event in the community! announcements and presentations that are all relatively easy to organize and garner coverage throughout the year. This has resulted in a larger reach and scope for the Bell brand! and can perhaps even be considered as taking place on a more local and personal level.
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Bell has undoubtedly led by example in accomplishing the third pillar& orkplace best practice. The company has strategically positioned itself as committed to orking ith corporate "anada and the health care community* their aim al ays being to develop and adopt mental health best practices in the orkplace. These are all public relations strategies that Bell has employed to succeed at orkplace best practice. %esulting from the latter commitments! Bell has implemented programs throughout the three years of the Bell Lets Talk campaign. The programs have been designed to help foster a mentally healthy ork environment! build a areness about the stigma of mental illness and e'uip team leaders ith proper tools and resources to support employees +Bell "anada "orporate %esponsibility %eport! ./0.1. 2s a result! Bell has been presented ith a Canada Award for Excellence for outstanding performance in 6ental 7ealth at <ork* suggestively perceptual for brand image. Bell as presented ith the Silver Award for ental !ealth at "or#! described by Bell as (the highest ever a arded by 8xcellence "anada!) +Bell $ress %elease! .A =ct ./051 In a press release about the companys acceptance of the a ard! 6ary >eacon! "hair of Bell Lets Talk said! (Bell is honoured by this national recognition of our efforts to improve mental health at orkI The orkplace plays an essential role in maintaining positive mental health. 2s part of our Bell LetOs Talk commitment! Bell is partnering ith corporate "anada to develop orkplace mental health best practices and implementing them across our organization) +Bell "anada! ./05b1. In other strategic moves! Bell supported the development of a national standard for mental health in the orkplace +Bell "anada "orporate %esponsibility %eport! ./0.1. This further fuses the company image ith mental health improvements and acting on best practices. This development is being integrated into its existing health and safety frame ork as a long-term commitment for psychological health and safety in the orkplace. =verall the public relations strategies employed for this pillar have strengthened public a areness and brand image for Bell. 6aking the public a are that all Bell senior leaders and managers are taking part in ne training and information programs further syndicates the company and orkplace best practices

+Bell "anada "orporate %esponsibility %eport! ./0.1. Leading by example! and fostering an overall culture of mental health support across the "anadian business landscape leads to corporate social entrepreneurialism* ho ever! it does not hinder corporate brand reputation management. They internally engage their o n employees in positive mental health practices. 2s such they on the Excellence a ard for their actions and efforts in improving orkforce standards. In regards to public relations! this ultimately benefits their brand management because good public relations ithin an organization pro;ects positive overall image and brand support.
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Lastly! Bell has publicized that it is supporting research for understanding and treating mental health. Eupporting the fourth pillar! Bell has strategically chosen here to donate funding for groundbreaking research. They strive to select hat is described as (best-in-class research programs at hospitals! universities and other institutions across "anada* in addition to supporting the best researchers ith funding of ne chairs! fello ships and pro;ect grants) +Eupporting best in class! ./051. Eome of the public relations results include Bells donation of 30 million to the Kniversity of British "olumbia to establish the $ell Uouth 6ental 7ealth Impact $ro;ect* this ill provide KB" researchers ith funds to conduct mental health outreach to youth in need across B" +Eupport best in class! ./051. <hats more! Bell is donating 3. million to the >ouglas 6ental 7ealth Kniversity Institute in 6ontrSal for research activities associated ith the >ouglas-$ell "anadian Brain Bank! a orld-class brain centre uni'ue in "anada. Motably! both research funds have been titled to include QBell making it conscious that Bell has been involved and made the research possible. <hen asked ho Bell ensures these endeavors are tied to Bell Jac'ueline said! (<e certainly try to get the Bell name into the actually official name of hatever the pro;ect is to make sure thats captured. Uou do your best to make sure the name and Bell brand is highlighted in the name of the pro;ect!) +personal communication! Movember 0D! ./051. Lastly! Bell "anada and RueenOs Kniversity announced the establishment of a ne 30 million research initiative to help fight the stigma associated ith mental

illness* linking the first and fourth pillars through the means of a public relations strategy +Eupporting best in class! ./051. The official name is the Bell "anada 6ental 7ealth and 2nti-Etigma %esearch "hair. 2s a result! all of the research funding is publicly tied to Bell and the public is made a are of that through name recognition in titles or ne s coverage! in hich it is clearly noted that the research has been made possible by Bell. 2gain! it is socially stimulating but comes back to supporting corporate brand management. Lastly! although Bell publicized that theyve committed 3B. million! theyre not transparent in their corporate annual report or their campaign data on the total amount raised! as ell as total spending for the campaign. Because its a cause marketing campaign! its important to kno ho much theyre committing! but arguably its strategic in keeping the marketing costs undisclosed and using the ords (committed) rather than (amount raised) because it ould take a ay from the social good tied to the campaign.

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Through the follo ing functional analysis! e seek to analyze the use of cause marketing as a strategic $% tool to determine ho much influence the Bell Lets Talk campaign had on the cause! on the corporate brand! and overall! hat makes a successful cause marketing campaign.
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2s has been previously identified in the functional frame ork! there are generally t o ays to determine the influences of cause marketing on the cause& the first being to analyze if there is any increased fundraising and support for the cause! and the second being to analyze if there is any change in individual behaviors and perceptions in a manner consistent ith the goals of the cause +the latter being determined by augmented visibility and a areness to a cause as ell as the establishment of credibility to the campaign.1 8very year on Bell Lets Talk day! Bell donates 4 cents to various mental health initiatives for every text message sent and long distance call placed on the Bell net ork! for every t eet using the official campaign hashtag +NBellLetsTalk1! as ell

as for every #acebook share of the Bell Lets Talk image +B""%%! ./0/1. In its first year +./001! the Bell Lets Talk campaign raised 35.5 million of additional funding to complement the 34/ million Bell had already committed to its five-year mental health initiative +B""%%! ./0/1. =n the second annual Bell Lets Talk day! "anadians participated ith FA!4./!.AD texts! long-distance calls and ret eets - a 0@P increase over the first Bell Lets Talk day in ./00.<ith Bell donating 4 cents for each method of participation! the ./0. campaign raised 35.@ million! a /.B million increase in donations and funds to the cause +B""%%! ./001. This past year +./051 "anadians participated more than @B million times! resulting in an additional 3D.A million added to the Bell Lets Talk commitment +B""%! ./0.1. $articipation thus increased another ..P! hile funding increased by over 0 million dollars from ./0.. The total amount committed no stands at 3B. million +3B.!/D5!.A@.5/1! hich is 30. million more than Bells original commitment +B""%%! ./0.1. 2ll of the above statistics not only demonstrate an annual increase in donation and engagement rates for the Bell Lets Talk campaign! but also perhaps most significantly! illustrates that the cause +6ental 7ealth initiatives in "anada1 is receiving increased fundraising and support. In terms of change in behaviors and attitudes consistent ith the goals of cause! the background section delineated that the Bell Lets Talk campaign aims to eliminate discrimination and stereotype surrounding mental illness through partnerships ith various mental health initiatives nation ide! including the "anadian 6ental 7ealth 2ssociation +"6721. The "672 annually launches multiple mental health recovery campaigns striving to eliminate stigma and reduce discrimination experienced by people ith mental illness +"672! ./051. These campaigns! in part funded by Bell! encourage people to (start the conversation) about mental health ith friends! family and co- orkers! hich significantly helps break do n the stigma associated ith mental health! as ell as allay the pre;udice and discrimination to ards those people ho are suffering from it +"672! ./051. By partnering ith and funding various initiatives such as the "672 recovery program! it is fair to say that Bell Lets Talk initiative also contributes to increasing change in individual behaviors and perceptions in a manner consistent ith the goals of the cause! as these partnerships facilitate the elimination of stereotypes surrounding mental illness and raising a areness of mental health at a micro-level + ithin the communities the initiatives reside1. 2lthough the overarching Bell Lets Talk campaign indeed changes behaviors on a macro-scale +stimulating the discussion

about mental health1! arguably the pervasiveness of local and targeted initiatives have more of a direct impact on behavior and attitude change consistent ith the goals of the cause. The visibility and a areness of the cause catalyzed by Bell Let Talk campaign is undeniable& according to Bell media relations spokesperson Jac'ueline 6ichelis +as as mentioned earlier1! the total audience reach of the Bell Lets Talk campaign is A55 million +from all sources! including print! broadcast and online1. @.P of media coverage as broadcast either on T? or radio. Interestingly +and arguably predictably1 enough! the top ten broadcast outlets ere "T? stations +all o ned by Bell 6edia1. The official campaign hashtag NBellLetsTalk as the top trending topic in "anada and KE on Bell Lets Talk day in ./0.. +J. 6ichelis! personal communication& Movember 0D! ./051. 2s illustrated by this short summary of the results section! the reach and scope of this campaign as massive! and by default! the cause gained much visibility and a areness. <ith regards to the credibility of the campaign! e can validly assert that Bell is considered a reputable and credible brand! given its long-standing history in the "anadian telecommunications market +<inseck! ./0.1. <ith regards to the campaign ho ever! Bell employed various $% strategies to enhance its credibility& as mentioned! the use of a pure! hole! natural and nationalistic spokesperson in "lara 7ughes! the announcement of its commitment amounts and partnerships ith leading research and medical institutions! among others. The campaign also gained massive amounts of credibility by being honored ith a "anada 2 ard for 8xcellence in recognition of its <orkplace 6ental 7ealth program. The Eilver 2 ard for 6ental 7ealth at <ork is the highest ever a arded by 8xcellence "anada follo ing a rigorous evaluation process to finally recognize Bells exemplary commitment to orkplace mental health +Bell "anada! ./05e1. 2s the campaign has only recently received this a ard! it ill be interesting to see ho it is integrated into future $% efforts of the campaign.
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6oving to the second facet of the cause marketing functional frame ork! there are generally three crucial factors determining the influence the cause marketing campaign might have on brand perception& firstly! successful brand promotion is determined by hether or not the corporation can provide evidence of good corporate citizenship to establish +or further1 trust and confidence in its brand. Bells annual

"orporate Eocial %esponsibility %eports from ./0/-./0. emphasize that Bell has maintained a good historical record of corporate citizenship by fulfilling their social commitments to "anadian society through various efforts! ranging from their past campaigns supporting Morthern communities! to their partnership ith (Gids 7elp $hone)! as ell as their role as sponsor of the ("anadian "entre for "hild $rotection) +B""%%! ./0/-./0.1. Bells history of responsible community involvement has helped to build consumer trust and confidence in its brand! and its most recent efforts through the Bell Lets Talk campaign are no exception. Bells annual release of their "ommitment amount to mental health initiatives is an exemplification of its good corporate citizenship to consumers. It is important to note ho ever! that many other corporations engage in corporate social responsibility! so e must ask ourselves hat as different about the Bell Lets Talk campaign that could have possibly aided in improving its brand perception. This brings us to the second crucial factor that can add significant positive value to the perception of the corporate brand& hether or not the strategic execution of the cause-marketing campaign gains competitive market advantage in differentiating the corporate brand from competitors. <e kno from the Bell annual "orporate Eocial %esponsibility %eports that the Bell Lets Talk mental health initiative is characterized by some uni'ue features! including (an unprecedented multi-year charitable program)! (the largest-ever corporate commitment in "anada)! and (supporting an extensively ide range of programs to enhance a areness! understanding and treatment of mental illness as ell as research and access to care across the country) +B""%%! ./0/./0.1. Ues this is (ne ) and (unprecedented)! but ho is that conveyed to consumers: <e can exemplify the differentiation by comparing Bell and %ogers "orporate Eocial %esponsibility %eports in ./0.& in terms of investing in community! %ogers contribution to "anadian charities and non-profit organization is characterized by a one-time in total 30B million cash donation and 345 million individual in-kind donations. +%ogers "orporate Eocial %esponsibility %eport ,%"E%%-! ./0.1. This is a total of 3B@ million annually to various charitable institutions. #rom a financial standpoint! it ould seem as though %ogers is giving more to the community. In %ogers "orporate Eocial %esponsibility %eport ho ever! there is no mention of any strategic public relations efforts to accompany their financial contributions. In comparison! Bells calculated corporate charitable is strategically designed ith multi-faceted $% and communication plans. This gives more competitive advantage to Bell in distinguish its brand image from others because the Bell Lets Talk campaign is operating on a much larger scale across a longer time frame hich makes the campaign itself more difficult to be copied or emulated by other competitors. It is also highly visible to consumers! hereas %ogers activities mostly

happen behind the scenes. The third key factor involved in improving the appraisal of a brand through cause marketing refers back to the idea of (meaning transfer)! hich as previously defined in the functional frame ork section. Its implications are that if consumers have positively experienced the Bell Lets Talk cause marketing campaign! there ill be a transfer of these positive experiences directly to the brand doing the execution +Bell1! ultimately strengthening brand perceptions. =ur media analysis of multiple intervie s both during and after the campaign illustrated ho Bell has become inextricably linked ith the (cause) of mental illness. #or example& Gen <ong! a marketing professor at the Rueens Echool of Business in Gingston has said that if you mention mental health issues for the average "anadian! Bell ould come to their mind sooner or later because (they simply had the isdom to go big! and they are all over this! it ould be very hard for someone else to stake a claim on mental health) +$o ell! ./05! para.F1. The campaign has helped distinguish Bell as a company that cares hen competing for customers in a telecommunications sector ith little players and very little differentiations. (The customer still has to make a choice and if they have no functional basis on hich to make that choice and if prices are more or less e'uivalent! they give the business to a friend.) +$o ell! ./05! para. .@1. 2nd Bell all in all! could be that (friend)! as it has aligned customers personal experiences of the Bell Lets Talk mental health initiatives ith a positive recognition of Bell as a commercial brand in hopes to sell its telecommunication commodities.
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#inally! let us no analyze the Bell Lets Talk campaign through the third facet of the cause marketing functional frame ork& overall! hat makes a successful cause marketing campaign: #irst there is an improvement of firm performance. Table 0 illustrates Bell "anadas revenue and number of subscribers since .//A. It is important to keep in mind that the Bell Lets Talk campaign started in ./0/. Table 1.

4ear

,e=en"e 5in billions6

1&.& 1&.& 1#.1 1(." 1(.#

(o>al Gro?>' &er=ices 5millions of s"bscribers6

11. 11.# 12.% 12.& 1 .1

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Eource& B"8 "orporate 2nnual %eports! .//A-./0.

2rguably! the above table could be used as evidence to Bells increased firm performance& the years prior to the Bell Lets Talk campaign sa a stagnation in revenue! and a minor increase in number of subscribers. 7o ever in the campaigns first year! both revenue and subscriber numbers increased fairly significantly! and have been on the rise ever since. 2lthough it is impetuous to argue that there is a direct causal relationship bet een campaign and increased firm performance! it ould be tenable to assert that the Bell Lets Talk campaign as definitely a factor in the corporations overarching inflation! as e have outlined ho it increased firm visibility and brand perceptions hich ultimately help the bottom-line. The constraints of this paper do not allo for it! but a thorough financial breakdo n of revenue by sector! spikes in timing! types of services bought! comprehensive financial and marketing data from the campaign etc. ould indubitably shed light on ho much of an influence the Bell Lets Talk campaign had on Bells overall firm performance. Eecondly! ith regards to supporting a social cause! the evidence is irrefutable. %esearch has proven that mental health is a very protuberant societal issue that has been remarkably under recognized and under supported. The ide success of the Bell Lets Talk campaign cannot be denied as the epitome of (supporting a social cause)! ho ever this begs the 'uestion of hether or not this support as altruistic or corporately motivated. 2s the functional analyses of cause marketing as a calculated $% tactic has already asserted! cause marketing is a profit driven strategy. The success of the "6 campaign ho ever! is determined by hether or not it is perceived as altruistic. 2lthough the Bell Lets Talk campaign avidly publicizes its (commitment) amounts +to various research programs! institutions! etc.1! hich can be seen as altruistic in and of itself! that is not enough to elicit the emotional response re'uired for consumers to believe they are engaging in the campaign activities for the right reasons. 2s mentioned above! Bells strategic use of "lara 7ughes as a spokesperson for the campaign not only aided in establishing trust and confidence! but as also an

effective method of eliciting an emotional response from consumers and thus solidifying beliefs that Bells campaign is altruistic& as an =lympic athlete! "lara as a symbol already evokes strong emotions of national pride and unity. 7aving her tell her personal stories! and believing in Bells ability to improve conditions for "anadians ;ust like her compels "anadians to believe in the benevolent nature of the campaign. #inally! as mentioned! cause-marketing campaigns can increase their potential for success by associating ith an unfamiliar cause. In .//B! there as a Eenate Etanding "ommittee on (=ut of the Ehado s at Last& Transforming 6ental Illness and 2ddiction Eervices in "anada.) It as one of the first reports on mental health! mental illness! and addiction in "anada! and recognized mental health as being an issue of gro ing prominence and concern in "anadian society +The Eenate! .//B1. The report as a federal recognition of mental illness as a stigmatized issue! and one that (hits "anada hard in the pocketbook. <e lose close to 355 billion in industrial production each year due to mental illness.) +Ruirion! .//B1. The 6ental 7ealth "ommittee of "anada +67""1 as formed as a result of this report! ith the goal of undertaking a ma;or national campaign to reduce and combat stigma! ith the foundational understanding that (only by making it completely acceptable to discuss issues relating to mental illness in public can e ever hope to fully eradicate the scourge of stigma) +Girby! .//A1. It is important to note here that many of the initiatives of the 67"" have been funded and sponsored through the Bell Lets Talk campaign! and that although the 67"" may play a role in combating the stigma surrounding mental health! arguably its efforts have not had the same impact or overall magnitude as the Bell Lets Talk cause marketing efforts have. 2lthough the issue as federally recognized in .//B! mental health a areness stayed out of the corporate social responsibility realm in "anada until the Bell Lets Talk campaign began in ./0/. 2s mentioned in the earlier functional frame ork! "6 can improve evaluations of both a brand and a cause hen a positive brand takes on a cause that is not familiar! because the brand becomes the anchor for the unkno n cause and facilitates and up ard movement in attitudes and perceptions. Because this as initially the task of a federal committee! it is important to ask ourselves the follo ing& given that Bell funds many of the 67""s initiatives! can e argue that they are providing the federal organization ith the leverage it needs to truly be heard +finances! reach of scope! etc.1: This leads into the critical theoretical perspectives on discourse! as it raises an important 'uestion& do e need $% efforts by large! po erful corporations to initiate the discourses society needs to move for ard: The follo ing section ill analyze the Bell Lets Talk through a #oucauldian lens.

C,I(ICA) A+A)4&I&

The follo ing section ill critically analyze the Bell Lets Talk campaign using the theoretical frame ork of 6ichel #oucault! as outlined in the critical perspective section. In our functional analysis! e determined that the Bell Lets Talk campaign as likely a factor that contributed to improving Bells bottom line. 7o ever! hen e analyze the campaign critically! through a #oucauldian lens! e shift our focus from seeing $% as ithin the (discourse domain of business here it is understood as a commercial practice) to a more political discourse domain here it is understood as a (po er effect that produces and circulates certain kinds of truth) +6otion and Leitch! .//@! p. @@1.
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$o er relations! as discussed earlier! are every here. <ithin those relations! ho ever there is a hierarchy. <ithin the discourses of our capitalist society! Bell! as a big and ealthy corporation! is on the higher end of that hierarchy! and is in the position to exercise po er. It is one of "anadas (big three) telecommunications companies! hich together make up @/P of the nations mobile market. In addition to dominating the cell phone sector! Bell provides services in t o other ma;or areas "anadians use to send and receive information& television and Internet. It is also part of the conglomerate that o ns Bell 6edia! hich in itself operates several media outlets. 2s such! it has thousands of (likes) on its #acebook page! and thousands of T itter follo ers. This means it can easily reach a large amount of "anadians +more so than the average "anadian1 in a short amount of time! and that "anadians look to Bell and rely on Bell for important services and information. In an intervie ith the ;ournal !istory of the Present! #oucault explains! (In most societies! organizations are created to freeze the relations of po er! hold those relations in a state of asymmetry! so that a certain number of persons get an advantage! socially! economically! politically! institutionally! etc.) +Bess! 0@AA! p. 01. Bell can be considered one of those organizations. Therefore! in keeping ith the introduction to this section! if Bell is in a position of po er! its $% efforts through the Bell Lets Talk campaign are an effect of that po er! producing and circulating certain kinds of truth. Bells 6edia %elations representative! Jac'ueline 6ichelis! said herself that this is true& the Bell "8= held a meeting and sat do n ith some employees to decide ho they ould use their money! time and resources +in other ords! implement their po er1 to impact a

particular cause +in other ords! to (technologize) a discourse1 +J. 6ichelis! personal communication! Movember 0D! ./051.
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Eince Bells $% practitioners acted as discourse actors employing discursive strategies to circulate truths! this begs the 'uestion& hat truths ere they circulating: <e can determine that Bell aimed to circulate t o main truths& +01 the destigmatization of mental illness and raised a areness for mental health! as explained further in the findings section! and +.1 an association bet een the Bell brand and an image of philanthropy! and social benevolence! as ell as being distinctly and identifiably "anadian! as explained later on in this section. <hile e cannot claim that these truths reached a hegemonic status! Bell managed to successfully bring their attempted truths into the public discourse as kno ledge! hich individuals could then accept or re;ect as truth. <e also cannot claim that there as an 2 to B cause and effect relationship bet een the Bell campaign and the acceptance of these t o truths. 7o ever! e have found that ithin a broader context and orking alongside a multitude of other factors! this campaign likely contributed to improved public perception of Bells brand! and also! at the very least! sparked a positive discussion on mental health.
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It is interesting to note that Bell did not attempt to circulate these truths on its o n. 2s opposed to utilizing its po er9kno ledge via! say! a campaign based solely in television commercials! radio advertisements! flyers or billboards! Bell instead chose an interactive model based mainly in social media hich effectively placed the po er in the hands of individuals to contribute to shaping the discourse by ay of their social media accounts +for example! by t eeting1. 8ssentially! Bell initiated and facilitated the po er9kno ledge of individuals! ho ouldnt normally have enough (s ay) on an individual level to make an impact on the discourse! but ho might on a collective level. The 'uestion then becomes ho does the role of ne media fit into the #oucauldian dynamic: If! as the maxim goes! (its not hat is said! but ho is heard that counts!) does ne media level the playing field and allo everyone e'ual opportunity to be heard V an individual as much as a corporation like Bell: This ould certainly clash ith #oucaults theory because a po er struggle ould not have

been at the forefront of the Bell Lets Talk campaign. 2s e understand it! the ans er is the follo ing& at the end of the day! individuals could participate but only ithin the frame ork Bell had preconceived for them. It created a sort-of discourse ithin a discourse! if you ill. If someone anted to ;oin the conversation! they had to follo a certain protocol& the discussion took place on only one specific day of the year! it had to be on Bells net ork! or! if not! the individual had to t eet or share Bells (official) message in order to get their donation received. #acebook and T itter! in particular! had to be used as opposed to any other ebsites! and the donation rate! set by Bell! as five cents V no more and no less. If one anted his or her t eet to be seen! one had to use the campaign and brand specific hashtag. Kltimately! it as still Bell controlling the conversation to Bells end and! therefore! it as Bells truth that as being circulated. Me media may be a ne medium on hich discourses can take place! but! even on ne media! there are still #oucauldian po er relations at play.
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<hile the fact that a discussion surrounding mental health arose out of this campaign can be considered positive conse'uence of the campaign! it is not the only implication. 7aving Bell at the helm of this mental health discourse also means that certain voices get silenced. #irstly! not everyone can participate in this particular conversation because some people do not kno ho to use social media* for example! a large portion of the senior demographic! and some people cannot easily access a computer or the Internet! as evidenced by an ongoing digital divide in "anada based on income disparity +Etatistics "anada! ./0.1. Eecondly! as 6ason 7anrahan +./051! + ho is recovering from depression1! points out on his blog! the T? commercials promoting the #ebruary ./05 Bell Lets Talk day! featured hite! middle class people! like much of their other promotional materials& Bell has hinted at ho the discussion should be framed ith t o T? spots I Both commercials seek to dispel stigma and myths about mental illness. It is interesting that in order to do so! the examples depict hite! middle-class d ellers of +seemingly1 suburban homes I 2re e to think that its okay to be mentally ill so long as you can hold do n a ;ob! fit in! and be ;ust like

everyone else: <hat about the mentally ill ho line our side alks: =ur prisons: "onsider that mentally ill people ho are homeless or in prison are not likely to be Bells existing or ideal customers. 2lso consider hat this says about the hegemonic societal truths that are engrained in the "anadian discourse at large& its no secret Bell has al ays strived to link their brand to "anadian identity! their old T? commercials featured beavers as the main charactersW <ith the recent possibility of 2merican company ?erizon entering the "anadian market! the theme of linking their brand to the "anadian identity as arguably expanded further& this perhaps demonstrated by "lara 7ughes Terry #ox-es'ue (Big %ide) engaging "anadians nation ide and culminating in the "apital on "anada >ay. Is this notion of a hite! middle-class person portrayed as the average "anadian emblematic of greater "anadian stereotypes or a prevalent trend in "anadian advertising: <hile this 'uestion is certainly one that should be evaluated further! for all intents and purposes of this paper! it is important simply to recognize the $% strategy used by Bell through its campaigning! and ackno ledge that it is a silencing of voices. Lastly! according to 6s. 6ichelis! mental health as a cause as selected because it (affected people in the orkforce!) because it as (unprecedented!) and! arguably! because it could be best leveraged as a cause-marketing tool to benefit Bells corporate interests. This means that it as not selected based on merit or because it as the cause that needs the highest immediate priority in society. 2lthough this campaign means there is one more discourse surrounding mental health! it is also means there is one less corporate discourse surrounding cancer research! the Knited <ay! saving the polar bears! or any other cause Bell chose to ignore.
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This brings us to the 'uestion raised at the end of the functional analysis& >o e need the $% of big po er structures! such as Bell! to initiate the discourses society needs moving for ard: If these companies didnt practice corporate responsibility or cause marketing! ould the issues e need talk about get talked about: 2s mentioned earlier! the 6ental 7ealth "ommittee of "anada +67""1 tried to do many of the things Bell is doing for mental health in terms of decreasing stigma and raising a areness! but the 67"" as arguably not nearly as successful as Bell because they did not have access to the necessary funds. In our societys discourse at large and the po er9kno ledge structures at play! corporations like Bell do have the resources to

operate po er9kno ledge to shape hat gets talked about V or! in other ords! to influence discourse.
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It ould not be possible for us to kno ith complete certainty Bells intentions behind the implementation of the Bell Lets Talk campaign. 7o ever! e can dra several conclusions from our analysis of the campaign. %egardless of hether the campaign as corporately motivated! socially motivated! or both! it as indeed beneficial to Bells bottom line! as suggested in our functional analysis. But! hen examined through a #oucauldian lens! e see that in addition to this! the campaign as a po er effect that empo ered individuals to circulate certain truths. <hile one of those truths as related to Bells brand! the other as the sparking of a public discourse surrounding mental health V something that might not have happened had Bell! as a corporation! not taken up the cause. This discourse as largely positive in the sense that the cause received massive amounts of a areness! visibility! fundraising and increased support. This positive impact on societys mental health discourse by Bell stands true no matter ho much corporate gain as involved! or ho many other voices ere silenced in the process.

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2s proven through the results! and the functional and critical analyses! the Bell Lets Talk campaign as a strategic and successful corporate execution of a cause marketing public relations strategy. It as effective in both improving the bottom line and altering discourses surrounding an issue of public interest& mental health. #unctionally! it as effective in both aiding the Bell brand and the cause of mental health a areness9destigmatization. This as because of its effective execution of the public relations practices of cause marketing and its ability to leverage pre-existing structures +its o n vast and diverse media net ork resources! emotions to ards nationalism and the =lympics! an already established consumer confidence in the brand! social media platforms! etc.1 It has also been successful in altering the discourses surrounding a stigmatized issue! by using its resources as a dominant player in the "anadian telecommunications landscape to foster and stimulate independent discourses ithin the context of its branded campaign. <e have proven that although this campaign is corporately motivated! it has in fact done much good for the cause! both financially and societally. 2lthough our functional analysis proved it to be an excellent execution of a cause marketing campaign! the critical analysis raised

important 'uestions about the sincerity of cause marketing a areness (discourse)! in the sense that hilst it is improving visibility of the cause! it is doing so ithin the corporately framed discourse! and ultimately! improving positive visibility of the brand. The 'uestion then! is can cause marketing public relations practice still be a positive thing if it is +for lack of better terms1 killing t o birds ith one stone and acting doubly as a corporate promotions activity: <e have proven that one cannot be independent of the other! but ill conclude by asserting that bringing a areness to both a cause and a brand is better than having no a areness for an issue that has been scientifically proven to impact the lives of numerous "anadians. 2lthough corporate cause marketing may not be altruistic! the initiatives it supports often are. 2s such! the validity of Bells successful execution of this public relations strategy cannot be denied.

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2nand ?. +.//.1 Building blocks of corporate reputation! social responsibility initiatives. Corp Reputation Revolution % +01! F0-FD. Bell "anada. +./05a1. 2 record-setting Bell LetOs Talk >ay - an unprecedented national conversation about mental health ,$ress %elease-. %etrieved from http&99 .bce.ca9ne s-and-media9releases9sho 9a-record-setting-belllets-talk-day-an-unprecedented-national-conversation-about-mental-health Bell "anada. +./05b1. Bell receives "anada 2 ard for 8xcellence for outstanding performance in 6ental 7ealth at <ork ,$ress %elease-. %etrieved from http&99 .bce.ca9ne s-and-media9releases9sho 9bell-receives-canadaa ard-for-excellence-for-outstanding-performance-in-mental-health-atork:pageX.YperpageX0/YyearXYmonthXYkey ordX Bell "anada. +./05c1. &verview. %etrieved from http&99 .bce.ca9aboutbce9bceovervie 9 Bell "anada. +./05d1. $ell 'nitiatives. %etrieved from http&99letstalk.bell.ca9en9initiatives9 Bell "anada. +./05e1. Bell receives "anada 2 ard for 8xcellence for outstanding performance in 6ental 7ealth. ,$ress %elease-. %etrieved from http&99letstalk.bell.ca9pdf9press9./0590/-.A-./05.pdf Bell "anada "orporate %esponsibility %eport. ./0/. %etrieved Movember .@! ./05 from http&99 .bce.ca9assets9Kploads9>ocuments9archives"%%eports9BellZ./0 /Z"%Z%eportZen.pdf Bell "anada "orporate %esponsibility %eport. ./00. %etrieved Movember .A! ./05 from http&99 .bce.ca9assets9 idgets9%esponsibility98M9BellZ./00Z"%Z%epor tZen.pdf Bell "anada "orporate %esponsibility %eport. ./0.. %etrieved Movember 0/! ./05

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Bess! 6. +Intervie er1 Y #oucault! 6. +Intervie ee1. +0@AA1. $o er! 6oral ?laues! and the Intellectual. !istory of the Present( )*+! +00-051. %etrieved from http&99sitemason.vanderbilt.edu9historydept9michaelbess9#oucault P./Intervie "anadian 6ental 7ealth 2ssociation +"6721. ./05. "672 encourages all "anadians to increase the volume and fre'uency of conversations about mental health in communities across the country on Bells Lets Talk >ay ,$ress %elease-. %etrieved from http&99 .cmha.ca9ne s9bell-lets-talkday9N.KovdR[x%d" #airclough! M. +0@@.1. >iscourse and social change. "ambridge! KG& $olity $ress. #illingham! L. +0@@51. #oucault for Beginners. Me Uork& <riters and %eaders $ublishing! Inc. #oucault! 6. +0@F.1. The archaeology of kno ledge +2. 6. Eheridan Emith! Trans.1. London& %outledge. #oucault! 6. +0@FD1. $risons et asiles dans le mScanisme du pouvoir ,$risons and refuges in the mechanism of po er- +". =#arrell! Trans.1. ,its et Ecrits( +! 4.5H4.D. #oucault! 6. +0@FA1 ,0@FB-! The !istory of Sexuality( )- An 'ntroduction7armonds orth& $enguin. #oucault! 6. +0@A/1. $o er9kno ledge& Eelected intervie s and other ritings 0@F.0@FF +". Cordon! L. 6arshall!! J. 6epham! Y G. Eoper Trans.1. Me Uork& $antheon. #oucault! 6. +0@AA1. Technologies of the self. In L. 6artin! 7. Cutman! Y $. 7utton +8ds.1! Technologies of the self& 2 seminar ith 6ichel #oucault +0B-DA1. 2mherst& Kniversity of 6assachusetts $ress. #oucault! 6. +0@@A1 The !istory of Sexuality. The "ill to /nowledge. London& $enguin +%. 7urley! Trans.1. Caventa! J. +.//51. $o er after Lukes& 2n overvie of theories of po er since Lukes

and their application to development. Brighton& Institute of >evelopment Etudies. %etrieved from http&99 .po ercube.net9 pcontent9uploads9.//@9009po erZafterZlukes.pdf Courville! J. T.! Y %angan! ?. +.//D1. ?aluing the "ause 6arketing %elationship. California anagement Review! 01+01! 5A-4F. 7anrahan! 6. +./051. 2et3s Tal# About $ell. %etrieved >ecember 0! ./05! from http&99masonhanrahan.blogspot.ca9 7ardy! ". +0@@A1. >iscourse as a Etrategic %esource. ,epartment of 6elborne& The Kniversity of 6elborne. %etrieved from http&99citeseerx.ist.psu.edu9vie doc9do nload: doiX0/.0.0.0@4.FF5AYrepXrep0YtypeXpdf anagement.

Girby! 6. +.//A! Jun .A1. "2M2>2OE 68MT2L 782LT7 "%IEIE. The 4lobe and ail 5)678*Current9. %etrieved from http&99search.pro'uest.com9docvie 905F0.454.4:accountidX@A@D Lafferty! 2.! Coldsmith! %. +.//41. "auseHbrand alliances& does the cause help the brand or does the brand help the cause: :ournal of business research( %;+D1! D.5-D.@. Landreth! E.! Carretson #olse! J. 2. +.//F1 "ause-%elated 6arketing +"%61& The Influence of >onation $roximity and 6essage-#raming "ues on the LessInvolved "onsumer. :ournal of Advertising( 78 +D1! 0@-55. Lessa! I. +.//B1. (>iscursive struggles ithin social elfare& %estaging teen motherhood.) $ritish :ournal of Social "or#( 78 5+9( .A5-.@A. doi& 0/.0/@59b;s 9bch.4B 6oosmayer! >. ". +./0/1 "onsumer perceptions of cause related marketing campaigns. The :ournal of consumer mar#eting +1( +B1! 4D5-4D@. 6otion! J.! Y Leitch! E. +.//@1. =n #oucault& 2 Toolbox for $ublic %elations. In =. Ihlen! B. van %uler Y 6. #redriksson +8ds.1! Public Relations and Social Theory. /ey <igures and Concepts +A5-0/.1. Me Uork& %outledge. 6yers! B.! G on! <. E. +./051 2 model of antecedents of consumersO post brand attitude upon exposure to a causeHbrand alliance. 'nternational :ournal of

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$o ell! ". +./05! #ebruary 051. 2 look at Bells Lets Talk $rogram. ar#etingmag.ca. %etrieved Movember .A! ./05! from http&99 .marketingmag.ca9ne s9marketer-ne s9a-look-at-bells-lets-talkprogram-F0AB4 Ruirion! %. +.//B! Mov /.1. "anada must overcome stigma of mental health. Star ? Phoenix. %etrieved from http&99search.pro'uest.com9docvie 95DAAB5FA/: accountidX@A@D %obinson! E.! Irmak! ".! Y Jayachandran! E. +./0.1. "hoice of "ause in "ause %elated 6arketing. :ournal &f ar#eting! 18+D1! 0.B-05@. %ogers "ommunication Inc. "orporate Eocial %esponsibility %eport. ./0.. %etrieved Movember .A! ./05 from http&99about.rogers.com9Libraries9"E%Z%eports9./0.Z%ogersZ"E%Z%eport. sflb.ashx Etatistics "anada. +./0.1. Table7%;*@)%0 * Canadian 'nternet use survey( 'nternet use( by location of use( household income and age group for Canada and regions( occasional 5percent9( "2MEI6 +database1. +accessed& ./05-0./01 Eupporting best in class. +./051. $ell 2etAs Tal#. %etrieved Movember 05! ./05 from http&99letstalk.bell.ca9en9initiatives The Eenate. +.//B1. &ut of the Shadows at 2ast. Transforming ental 'llness and Addiction Services in Canada ? <inal Report- =tta a. 2vailable at http&99books0.scholarsportal.info.proxy.library.carleton.ca9vie doc.html: idX9ebooks9ebooks/9gibsonZcppc9.//@-0.-/09D9./D.5.Ntabvie Xtab0 ?aradara;an %. $.! 6enon! 2. +0@AA1 "ause-related marketing& a co-alignment of marketing strategy and corporate philanthropy. : ar#( %++51! 4AHFD.