Campaign Snapshot:
Creative concept and execution of Compassion Australia’s largest annual appeal campaign (June 2016) with a target of $1m. The fully integrated campaign that we developed was ‘The Unacceptable Appeal’ and was delivered across a wide variety of channels.
Campaign Objectives and Strategy:
Compassion is Australia’s fourth largest charity and this is the organisations main annual fundraising appeal aiming to raise $1m.
Strategic Minds were engaged to provide a campaign concept and execute that concept across multiple channels. With the brief around ‘vulnerable children’ a range of concepts were developed to address this serious issue in a way that would both challenge the recipients and also encourage them to take action.
While a significant part of the campaign was always going to be delivered digitally, the core direct mail piece is still a print piece and an innovative concept in message and also format was required to deliver the campaign message.
Strategic Minds developed a strategy around ‘unacceptability, with the concept of using words that are negative, eg ‘unfathomable’, ‘unthinkable’ and removing the first part to leave the words ‘able’ to convey the possibility of changing the children’s difficult situations. This concept led to the name of the appeal becoming know as ‘The Unacceptable Appeal’ and the concept for the whole appeal was for a dark, desaturated photographic treatment to deliver the hard-hitting campaign theme.
Target Audience:
Primary: Encourage current child sponsors with Compassion to give to the annual appeal through DM, EDM and digital channels. Secondary: Encourage non-supporters to give to the appeal through engagement on digital channels.
Campaign Execution:
We developed a strategy around ‘unacceptability’, with the concept of using words that are negative, eg ‘unfathomable’, ‘unthinkable’ and removing the first part to leave the words ‘able’ to convey the possibility of changing the children’s difficult situations. The visual concept for the whole appeal was for a dark, desaturated photographic treatment to deliver the hard-hitting campaign theme.
Media Channels:
Direct mail print item (DL booklet), electronic direct mail (EDM), Website pages and graphics (microsite), social media graphics and banners, infographics, website advertising banners and GIF’s, posters, print advertising, simple videos.
Services Provided by Strategic Minds include:
• Creative Concept, Creative Direction and Graphic Design
• Account Management and Stakeholder Engagement
• Creative Campaign Management and Implementation
• Brand Development and management
• Design, typesetting and proofing
• Production Services (photography, video, animated web banner gif’s)
• Copywriting
• Print Management
Timing:
May and June 2016 (end of financial year).
Outcome and Evaluation:
This appeal delivered over $1.5m, 50% over target (previous 2015 Annual Appeal generated under $1m). A very successful appeal with excellent feedback from a number of sources, incl. supporters, Compassion Australia’s leadership team and Compassion International offices in Europe adopting elements of the campaign for use internationally.
Strategic Minds supported and served the marketing team well during the creation and final delivery of this campaign. We achieved $1,5 million for this appeal, 50% over target!
The creative pieces with rave reviews from both supporters and internal stakeholders throughout our global organisation, and elements from both have now been directly lifted and re-applied in other Compassion partner country’s own marketing efforts throughout Europe.Janine Daly, Executive Director, Compassion Australia