Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), the UK’s leading sight loss charity, has been working with Kitcatt Nohr Digitas since 2010, when it was appointed to handle its customer acquisition, retention and donor development activity.
The charity provides advice, support and practical products and services to help people live with sight loss. There are almost two million people with sight problems in the UK and that number is predicted to double by 2050.
Fundraising is obviously a crucial part of RNIB’s work. As part of this ongoing strategy, Kitcatt Nohr devised a direct mail campaign relating the story of Kevin, a man who woke one morning to find that he was blind.
Using the line “Kevin can no longer see the world”, the mailing explained how RNIB helped him overcome feelings of isolation, depression and anxiety. The campaign created a strong emotional connection with donors and demonstrated the charity’s vital work with people with sight loss.
When Kevin lost his sight, he thought his life was over and that he would never be able to do the things he loved again, such as gardening. Kevin contacted RNIB and with its help, he began to turn his life around. He went on to study Horticulture and won a Gold Medal at the 2010 Chelsea Flower Show.
The inspirational story formed the basis of the mailpack, showing how the charity replaced darkness and a lack of hope with colour and fulfilment. The dark, stark outer was guaranteed to stand out on the doormat and served to transport the recipient into the world of a blind person. When recipients opened the letter, they found a colourful pack which showed how a life without sight could be transformed with the right advice and support.
Kitcatt Nohr Digitas group business director Nick Burbidge explained: “Our strategy was to build on the typical charity direct mail campaign which offers a free pen, fridge magnet or car sticker. These all increase response rates because they tap into the need for reciprocity. But RNIB needed to go further than that. We wanted a campaign that created a strong emotional bond with donors. The powerful, redemptive story of Kevin inspired people to understand the issues of blindness and to donate out of a sense of compassion.”
The copy described how RNIB works to ensure that no blind person is left alone. It used the gardening metaphor to demonstrate that the charity is there all year round to help blind and partially-sighted people, come rain or shine. This motivating message showed that with just a small donation, people can help turn around the lives of those with sight loss. The pack also included some lavender seeds to tie in with the campaign’s theme and to act as a small surprise element for the recipient.
And, it certainly chimed with recipients, helping to raise £117,174, with one supporter feeling so moved by the campaign that they made a one-off £10,000 cash donation to RNIB.
RNIB head of individual giving Steven Greenberg said: “This has been an incredibly successful campaign for RNIB. Kitcatt Nohr’s work has helped us build a strong campaign resonating with donors along with bringing to life the importance of our activities with a powerful creative campaign.”
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RT @DM_editor: How a @kitcattnohr fundraising mailshot got RNIB donors to dig deep http://t.co/SirUeF7jEK #directmail #data #directmarketing
A good case study for a charity DM piece today from Charlie about the RNIB
http://t.co/fyQMwoxovI