The Winning Cartoon Is …
Nick Allen of Donor Digital impartially (his firm wasn't involved) commends this online campaign from the Union of Concerned Scientists. Called Science Idol, the campaign gives activists the chance to vote on a winning editorial cartoon dealing with political interference in government-sponsored research and reporting. 18,000 citizens chose from a dozen finalists. And here's the winner, created by amateur artist and University of Evansville history prof, James MacLeod …
The finalist cartoons have been used to create a 2007 calendar, providing UCS with the perfect on-message premium to support their direct marketing and public education efforts, and for direct sales. We're impressed with the campaign, and we think you will be too.
So we put these questions to campaign impresario Michael Halpern, who wins Agitator's latest “You deserve a raise” citation:
- How did this idea come about?
- What constitutes “success” for the project?
- How/where did you promote the campaign?
- How many folks have voted for a cartoon?
- In hindsight, anything you would have done differently?
- Has there been any key learning from the exercise?
Michael's answers follow …
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer
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 […]
Read Full Answer