Award Winning Blog - Agitator

Please Submit Something Disruptive That Fits in Our Spreadsheet

“We want creative and innovative ideas.” What self-respecting agency doesn’t like hearing that? The rub is when it’s neutered by also needing to forecast within three percent of plan, survive a board meeting, and resemble something a peer organization has already tested. What I’ve realized is that wanting novelty that behaves like familiarity isn’t hypocrisy, […]

Learn More February 23, 2026

Fundraising At or With?

Does your fundraising start with: “Who should we send this appeal to?” Or with: “What should we say to this person?” That distinction isn’t about creative talent, it’s about which operating system you’re running. The Volume Machine model runs on a presumption that asking is the most important activity and sameness is the efficiency lubricant […]

Learn More February 20, 2026

Salience Over Saturation: Why Timing Outperforms Volume

If you’ve ever sat in a campaign planning meeting staring at last year’s results and this year’s bigger revenue target, you’ve heard what comes next. “Let’s add more touchpoints.” Sometimes it’s delivered with missionary zeal of someone who believes revenue rises in proportion to frequency. Sometimes it comes from the exhausted fundraiser who knows better but […]

Learn More February 18, 2026

Honey.Bunny and the Case for Matching Message to Person

Imagine getting an email from honey.bunny77@hotmail.de. What would you immediately infer about this person? Ok, spam and X-rated content but after that you might infer age, maybe gender, maybe a certain playfulness or lack of seriousness. You formed a view about competence and credibility from a string of characters. That instinct is not random. Researchers […]

Learn More February 13, 2026

What Your Appeals Sound Like When You’re Not in the Room

Every fundraising appeal is written by someone, often many someones. It’s you, your agency, a committee, a boss, or a document that’s been revised so many times nobody remembers who it was originally for. A voice emerges out of that process and not one in the brand guide but instead, the one that survives review, […]

Learn More February 11, 2026

Every Movement Needs a Symbol

Last night, millions watched Bad Bunny deliver a Super Bowl halftime performance that was more than just entertainment. It was a defiant, vibrant display of Puerto Rican pride, punctuated by the flags and cultural symbols that spoke volumes without a single word. His powerful visual declaration reminded us of a fundamental truth: every movement needs […]

Learn More February 9, 2026