OXFAM Canada, a nonprofit organization dedicated to securing the basic rights of human beings afflicted with poverty, with a strong focus on women, has launched an ingenious campaign named Threads of Change. From the mailing envelope, to the letter from start to finish, the whole thing is just undeniably powerful. What makes their fundraising campaign so emotionally compelling and impactful? Well, there are a bunch of reasons.
Let’s take a look at some of the many things OXFAM Canada did right.
The mailing envelope sets the stage and also initiates a call for action. The front of the envelope is comprised of what appears to be cloth squares, each one bearing a touching message. Then, on the left side reads simple instructions: Write a message of HOPE to people who need it most… This instantly generates interest on the behalf of the reader. Who needs hope most? What’s the purpose of all these cloth squares? What’s inside this envelope?!
OXFAM gave the HIV crisis in Africa a voice through storytelling. This voice takes the form of Duduzile, a young girl afflicted with HIV from birth who is struggling to live her life in the absence of both of her parents. Her story is concise yet packs a serious emotional punch, especially with quotes from her, such as, “Sometimes I feel like giving up on the medication and just die.” As you can see, it’s an honest point of view, free from any sugarcoating. My heart went out to her and I immediately found myself wondering how I could help this poor child with her future.
OXFAM’s call to action is at the service of two types of giving. They ask their readers to return their cloth square after they’ve written an empowering message in order to help build a quilt AND submit a one-time gift OR enroll in their monthly giving program. The physical object included within the mailing has a purpose. The cloth square is closely tied to their mission and their goal of bringing hope to the poor, and is also entwined with their ask.
OXFAM clearly explains to you what your gift can do. There are options of $45, $80, and $144. By themselves, they sound like odd, random figures, until you see what $45, $80, and $144 can actually accomplish for the people who need help the most. Plus, it further fleshes out the case of why you should give: HIV education (for people like Duduzile), food and other essentials, and clean, safe drinking water for three families. Seriously, could those reasons be any more compelling?
The letter truly speaks to the reader. There are countless instances of the words “you” and “your”, and that’s how it should be, because those words are at the heart of communicating effectively with donors. In this case, it’s closely connected to the fact that OXFAM is very much aware that they cannot continue to do what they do without help from their donors.
As soon as I saw this mailing from OXFAM’s campaign, I had no trouble seeing why my friend Rory Green forwarded it on to me. Somehow, I don’t think you’ll have trouble seeing why, either.
View Pamela Grow's profile
I can’t wait to meet with you personally.
Comments on this entry are closed.