Creating connections: five campaign moves that made a difference
As a fundraiser, your job is to inspire people to give. That inspiration comes in many forms, with charities regularly employing tools such as direct mail, digital campaigns, advertisements and events to get their message out there and encourage people to give. Last week, we looked at the role virtual reality plays in this, and the way charities like Water Aid, the National Autistic Society and The National Trust have used it to help connect people to their cause.
Connection, in charity fundraising, is key. It is the link, the point of commonality that inspires people to donate. So we wanted to take this chance to remove the VR headset and explore some of the more unusual ways charities and organisations have used to expand their reach, create new connections and make a difference.
1. The RNLI – ‘Give it some wellie’: At the end of April 2019, 181 pairs of yellow wellies appeared outside London’s Tower Bridge. Representing the average number of people rescued by RNLI teams every week, this unusual installation marked the launch of their annual Mayday campaign which aimed to raise £700,000 to fund a life-saving kit.
Our thoughts: We love this project because it’s simple and effective. Those yellow wellies – a colour linked to the RNLI – are quite the eye-catcher. They also do a great job of bringing the numbers to life and showing people the role and impact of their work. Not an isolated event, it’s great to see this installation feeding into the broader campaign, which asks the public to ‘Go yellow’ in May.
2. Greenpeace - Our house is on fire: Standing tall and proud in the centre of Brussels, you don’t have to live there to be familiar with the sight of the European Commission. Imagine the headlines if one side of this iconic building caught fire? You don’t have to. Last year, when five activists hacked the Commission and hung a 30 metre banner revealing Amazon forest fires, the image was all too real. With smoke machines and fake ash bringing an eerie life to the scene, this was one message that was sure to be seen.
Our thoughts: Not everyone agrees with Greenpeace’s tactics. Love them or loathe them, this stunt caught our attention. Replicating the side of the Commission’s building - you almost had to do a double-take. The message is clear and simple, and helps bring a remote issue that people find hard to imagine, home.
3. ASDA - Tickled Pink: Ever walked into an Asda and wondered why everything is well, pink? Launched in 1996, this year’s Tickled Pink campaign celebrates its 25th anniversary and £71,000,000 raised. From pink tea bags to muffins and even Diet Coke, it’s all in support of campaign partners Breast Cancer Awareness and CoppaFeel. Can’t see anything that strikes your fancy? There’s always text to donate and in-store contactless points.
Our thoughts: What a great way to raise awareness and raise money at the same time! Launched in 1996, Tickled Pink is a campaign that’s lasted. We think it’s because it works on every level. In stores, it’s hard to miss. It also creates the opportunity for face-to-face, community fundraising initiatives, social media engagement, corporate partnerships, brand awareness, digital and online giving. What’s not to love?
4. org - The wait for water: Set up in a London hotel, customer’s weren’t exactly happy when they were told that sadly no, they couldn’t have a glass of water. Why? Because there wasn’t any, and the wait time was up to six hours – which is, coincidentally, the average amount of time women in low-income settings can spend collecting water every day. With a team behind the scenes filming their reactions, the resulting video has more than 2.4 million YouTube hits. A great start to a new partnership between Stella Artois and Water.org.
Our thoughts: How many times do we turn on the tap without giving it a second thought? But for millions of people across the world, quick access to clean, drinkable water is not so easy – and that’s the point Water.org wanted to drive home. It’s a powerful and thought-provoking idea, and we love how this experiment put people in someone else’s shoes, even if only for a few minutes. It’s enough to make us think!
5. #CharitySoWhite: When Citizens Advice training materials included concerning stereotypes about communities of colour, #CharitySoWhite went viral – with people across the third sector sharing their experience of racism. The start of a social movement that is now led by a 10-strong organising committee, #CharitySoWhite is an important voice and advocate working to root out racism in the charity sector.
Our thoughts: Social media is a powerful tool, and #CharitySoWhite shows us just how much potential it holds. Uniting people from across the sector – and the world – this viral hashtag gave people a chance to share their stories, connect with each other, talk honestly and openly about their experiences, and in doing so, unmask the division and racism that mars the third sector. Because admitting you have a problem is the first step in solving it.
There you have it. Five different organisations and five different campaign moves that pushed the boundaries to create connections and make a difference. Some were planned, some were spontaneous, but each has helped raise the volume on important messages and causes – expanding campaign reach and creating opportunities for new connections that will drive support and help catalyse change.
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