Spending Boosts Bottom Line; Community events, charitable giving key to Clif Bar's marketing strategy.(MANAGING FOR SUCCESS)

Byline: MARILYN MUCH

Last month, 300 fans gathered at the Berkeley, Calif., headquarters of Clif Bar to meet 2004 Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist Tyler Hamilton.

The energy and nutrition bar maker sponsored the soiree to raise money for the Tyler Hamilton Foundation, which supports research for multiple sclerosis treatment and sponsors young cyclists.

For $25 a head, fans got to mingle, eat pizza and hear Hamilton talk about his 2004 cycling season.

Clif Bar raised more money by auctioning items such as bikes and accessories. The event raised about $10,000 for Hamilton's cause. It also gave exposure to Clif Bar and boosted the brand's image.

Many successful companies, including Nike and Starbucks, use sponsorships and community programs to link their brands with specific groups of consumers.

While they're sometimes hesitant to acknowledge it, results of those efforts flow to the bottom line.