When worlds collide: why relevance matters in fundraising

On May 17^th, the World Health Organisation declared a public health emergency of international concern after an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  On May 22^nd our client, Amref Health Africa, phoned us up. Could we launch an emergency appeal on social media?

By the end of the day we had created a social campaign which brought Amref a significant number of new cash supporters. 

So how did we cut through the digital noise and make Ebola matter… to people living 4,000 miles away?

Firstly, we were agile – working fast and turning the appeal round as the news was fresh. Secondly, we collaborated closely with our client at every stage: a process made possible by mutual trust. But most importantly, we made the cause relevant by connecting it to our audience’s own needs and concerns. 

With Covid-19 still fresh in British memories, two factors about this outbreak were gravely concerning. Firstly, there was no vaccine for this strain of Ebola, caused by the Bundibugyo virus. And secondly, the virus had already crossed the border into Uganda. People were hearing the news on TV and radio. They knew, all too well, what could happen when a deadly disease crossed international borders.

So we told our audience that containing the virus was an urgent challenge. That together we must act fast to stop it crossing more borders. Our best -performing ad led with a graphic execution of the headline ‘EBOLA IS CROSSING BORDERS. WE MUST STOP IT NOW.’ 

We were able to convince people that this cause was relevant to them and that the time to give was now. We could substantiate that Amref were directly involved in containing the epidemic: as well as training frontline responders and improving diagnostics, they were protecting communities with cross-border surveillance.

Relevance makes your cause personal to people

The Ebola emergency appeal is just one example of the importance of relevance – which is all about connecting your cause with your audience’s world. Relevance is one of the ‘five dials’ that 11 London uses to ensure the strength of every fundraising campaign we work on, and in today’s overcrowded, underfunded charity market, it is increasingly pivotal.

For example, our social media campaigns for CPRE (Campaign to Protect Rural England) are increasingly focusing on the need to protect UK farmland from development which could take place on brownfield sites. These campaigns are achieving extraordinarily high results. Why? Because the cost of living crisis, food security concerns and the popularity of shows like Clarkson’s Farm are putting farming high on people’s agenda. They are concerned at an everyday level that relates to their own lives.  And so CPRE has become a cause that everyone, even city-dwellers, can really care about.

Similarly, we helped our client Earthwatch achieve outstanding results by offering resources like ‘The Little Book of Ponds’, that encouraged people to create mini wildlife habitats in their own gardens. In so doing, Earthwatch reframed their cause, turning a big issue – conservation - into something personal and beneficial. 

What can we take from all this? 

We should jump on moments of relevance, when our clients’ causes intersect with our audience’s lives, and use them to maximise fundraising and supporter acquisition. These campaigns are often the most successful of the year, as well as being exciting and rewarding to work on. 

People give when a mission feels personal to them. Right here, right now. 

So let’s strike while the news is hot.