“A lot of people almost helped her…”
“…but almost giving is the same as not giving at all.”
The image of an elderly woman sitting forlornly in an apartment helps the Ad Council's new campaign called “Generous Nation” make a compelling point: when it comes to giving, almost doesn't count.
Another commercial in the series features a man trying to walk up a flight of stairs on crutches. “This is a man who almost learned to walk at a rehab center that almost got built by people who almost gave money. Almost gave.”
The stated purpose of the campaign is to motivate what the Council chairwoman Judy L. Hu calls 'fencesitters' to give in the absence of front page disasters like 9/11 or Hurricane Katrina.
In many ways the strategy behind “Generous Nation” campaign reflects the confluence of trends we've been covering in The Agitator — the increased public focus on on charity and philanthropy springing from the Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina… the massive publicity given to Gates and Buffet… the rise of the Baby Boom generation as a volunteer resource, and the fragmentation of the media marketplace.
Gone are the days when the Ad Council could go on the three major television networks and in one fell swoop launch, for example, designated driver (“Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk”) campaign. To deal with today's fragmentation of the media marketplace the Council has cast a far wider net to include the major cable companies and the internet.
Visitors to the “Generous Nation” campaign website can view the ads, volunteer, post comments, get information on organzations in 10 categories (animals, disaster relief, hunger and homelessness, for example) and then make contributions directly through a link to each organization's website.
Will it work? In the judgement of this Agitator… Almost.
Behavioral Science Q & A
Integrating an individual giving appeal with other communications from a charity can have both positive and negative effects, and the outcome largely depends on how it’s executed. Advantages of Integration Brand Consistency: Maintaining a consistent appearance and messaging across all communications can reinforce the org’s brand identity and strengthen brand recognition and trust among your […]
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I’m not aware of any in-market tests specifically comparing recurring vs. gift frequency language. I suspect the answer might not be the same with all gift frequencies, nor with all people. It sounds like a great opportunity for you to test and find out what works for your audience. Based on the literature, here’s a couple […]
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Based on what we know from existing data, those renewal notices can actually be pretty effective in getting people to donate. They tap into our psychology – creating a sense of urgency, reminding us of past support, and using personalization to make the message hit home. They’re playing on our natural tendencies to feel obligated […]
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Interesting question. I had a quick look at the testing done on this topic. On the positive side, in all cases, over half of donors decide to cover the fee. In some cases, it goes as high as 65%. Not a negligible percentage at all. Here’s another test from iRaiser showing consistent results (see point […]
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There’s just one thing to consider when designing a supporter journey: the supporter. More specifically, you need to take into account: Who the supporter is i.e. their identity, which is the reason they support this cause, and their personality, which describes the way they “see” and process the world. These will determine the kind of […]
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I’m not an expert in this but a quick search surfaced this article on the effect of tax reforms on 2019’s charitable giving. The researchers didn’t find a reduction. Actually, they observed an “increase in charitable contributions in 2019, even with the lower tax rates and the dramatically smaller number of taxpayers who itemize their […]
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