Update: Verizon Hits Redial … Damn!
The only thing we like less than a company that screws up big time, is one that has the sense to reverse course before their roof caves in!
Just as we were licking our chops, relishing the spectacle of a few hundred thousand cell phone customers canceling their Verizon Wireless service to protest the idiotic censoring of Naral Pro-Choice America, the company smartly discovers that the original decision was an “incorrect interpretation of a dusty internal policy.” One, we might add, that Verizon is still refusing to publish. [Maybe there's still hope for a public flogging!]
Right now, some poor Verizon bureaucrat is packing his (or her) office for the transfer to Outer Mongolia.
It's important to note that this flare-up was over censorship, not abortion rights.
As Verizon customer Wyn Hoag said to the NYT, “I'm a supporter of abortion rights, but I could be a Christian-right person and still be in favor of free speech. If they think they can censor what's on my phone, they've got another think coming.”
Keep in mind that Naral Pro-Choice's phone campaign involved their supporters asking to receive the text messages from the organization. Not even a spam issue here.
Roger & Tom
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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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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