Advertising in the not-for-profit space is incredibly complex and continuously evolving. How can these organisations with such vital social purpose reach consumers in a compelling way? This week we look at a few examples of recent effective concepts in this sector.

1. GET ADVERTISING
SMART
The Evolution of the
Not-For-Profit
Campaign

2. G E T A D V E R T I S I N G S M A R T
The Evolution of the Not-For-Profit Campaign
Advertising in the not-for-profit space is vastly different to most forms of advertising: the
product is often intangible, and arguably will not have a direct impact on the lives of those
who donate. The scope of the market is sizeable with the total fundraising income of
Oxfam in 2016 reaching £304.6 million, an increase of 1% from the previous year,
illustrating the increasing popularity of donating on a global scale
1
. So while the desire to
donate is evident, the strategies used to communicate with consumers are complex.
The key purpose of charity campaigns is to encourage donations through increasing
awareness and demonstrating how donations have an impact. It is common for many
charities to focus on the more serious and distressing aspects of the issues, but
consumers are arguably hardened to shock tactics designed to evoke guilt and lead to
donations. And on top of this, many consumers are skeptical of the not-for-profit sector
as a whole. Recent polls found that in regard to the charity sector, levels of consumer
trust have decreased:
Consumer trust in not-for-profits have dropped: from 54%
trusting the sector in 2013 to 38% in 2016 - down 16
percentage points.2
So how can these organisations with such vital social purpose reach consumers in a
positive way? As we look at some of the more effective concepts in recent not-for-profit
communication strategies, a few distinct themes can be drawn out.
WALKING IN THEIR SHOES
The empathetic connection can be successful. This
connection is usually accomplished through emotional
stories which bring a social issue closer to home and
encourage individuals to feel a sense of urgency to be
involved in the solution.
Great Ormond Street Hospital’s campaign by AMV BBDO
has achieved positive responses by recounting a day in an
1
Oxfam Annual Report 2015/2016
2
YouGov https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/03/22/past-few-years-impact-charitable-sector/ 2016
3
GOSH (2017) Welcome to Ordinary World http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/great-ormond-street-hospital-welcome-
2
YouGov https://yougov.co.uk/news/2016/03/22/past-few-years-impact-charitable-sector/ 2016

3. G E T A D V E R T I S I N G S M A R T
The Evolution of the Not-For-Profit Campaign
‘Ordinary World’
3
; highlighting to the viewer that they may take for granted those
everyday events such as feeding the ducks at a local pond which can be magical for
young children, especially those confined to a hospital. The ad ends in a sharp contrast,
bringing the viewer to the cold reality of a hospital room, which stresses the reality of a
child in a hospital bed dreaming of leading a normal life.
A THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE
Other organisations have chosen to appeal to people’s natural curiosity in order to
connect with consumers. This strategy often involves educating consumers about the
workings of the organisation, the wider issues it addresses and the exact context of any
donation, before asking for consumer assistance in addressing it.
“Meet Graham”
4
, a campaign for the Transport Accident
Commission in Australia by Clemenger BBDO, was created
in order to spotlight the number of traffic injuries and
deaths each year. Part interactive sculpture, part
educational tool and ultimately a catalyst for conversation,
the campaign demonstrates the precise physical effects of a
collision with a vehicle in an interactive format which
considers how evolution could make us immune to these
accidents. ‘Graham,’ a lifelike sculpture, was created as a
human with the necessary adjustments to survive a crash,
including a skull designed to absorb impact to prevent brain
injury. The intriguing visual conjured an element of curiosity which led to 10.4 million
people from across the globe to TAC’s website in a week, helping them to understand the
importance of road safety
5
.
BE INSPIRED
Positivity and hope can be effective tool. More optimistic messages can encourage
individuals to be proactive in helping achieve a solution.
Additionally, with social media becoming a main platform for activism and social
discussion, many not-for-profits are targeting their communication online. Digital
platforms are now a main point of donation with £2.4 billion donated annually in the UK
3
GOSH (2017) Welcome to Ordinary World http://www.campaignlive.co.uk/article/great-ormond-street-hospital-welcome-
ordinary-world-amv-bbdo/1422195
4
Meet Graham http://www.meetgraham.com.au/ 5
http://www.tac.vic.gov.au/about-the-tac/media-room/news-and-events/current-media-releases/graham-reaches-
millions-as-tac-vulnerability-campaign-goes-global

4. G E T A D V E R T I S I N G S M A R T
The Evolution of the Not-For-Profit Campaign
via websites, social media and apps
6
. Consumers are more likely to share uplifting content,
allowing organisations that use empowering communications to spread their message
through viral sharing to reach a wider community.
Children’s charity Barnardo’s is branching out from its
previous hard-hitting campaigns with a 10-year plan
to create more powerful work, starting with the
inspiring “Believe in Me” campaign. Bernardo’s
illustrates how the UK’s children in need have
amazing abilities and how their “future should never
be defined by their past”
7
- a campaign which
balances the grim reality with an optimistic future.
“When a child asks the public directly to ‘believe in me’ it’s
incredibly powerful and allows for the child’s personal story
to be told. We show that incredible things happen when you
believe in children, and we all have the power to make a
difference.”8
The campaign has been highly admired via social media, with responses such as “Literally
the best TV advert I have ever seen. Take my money @Bernardos”.
9
WHAT WE THINK
There will always be those ads which employ shock tactics in an attempt to convey the
severity of a message. However focusing on being relatable, educational and inspirational
can engage the consumer at a deeper level and build stronger brand affinity. In a sector
like not-for-profits, long term interaction and engagement is critical in continuously
raising vital funds. And without a physical product these brands have to work even harder
to make the emotional connection last.
6
ACF Giving Trends 2015 http://www.acf.org.uk/downloads/publications/Foundation_Giving_Trends_2015.pdf
7
Barnardo’s - What We Do http://www.barnardos.org.uk/what_we_do/advertising_campaigns.htm
8
Barnardos- http://www.barnardos.org.uk/what_we_do/advertising_campaigns/advertising_students_faq.htm
9
http://home.bt.com/news/news-extra/the-new-barnardos-advert-is-such-a-tear-jerker-that-the-charity-has-had-to-
apologise-11364101182698

5. G E T A D V E R T I S I N G S M A R T
The Evolution of the Not-For-Profit Campaign
If you are interested in learning more about the subject of this article, please contact
Kelsey Gardner, Senior Strategic Planner, GardnerK@bbdoknows.com.
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