The challenge
Regular Givers and Sponsors are a vital source of income for the RSPCA. But with the cost-of-living crisis continuing, we needed to ask these loyal supporters to increase their gift… something the charity hadn’t done in recent years.
The challenge was clear: show genuine appreciation for the support they already give, while giving them a compelling, tangible reason to give more.
Our solution
We anchored the campaign in something supporters could immediately connect to: their local impact.
In the context of the cost-of-living crisis, we knew supporters were more focused on what was happening closer to home, and wanted to see the difference their support was making in their own community.
We translated this into a highly personalised, regionalised approach. Using local statistics and mapping, we showed the scale of animal cruelty and rescue activity in each supporter’s area. This was brought to life through a striking outer envelope, using an oversized window to put the statistic front and centre from the moment it landed.
Alongside this, we built in structured testing to understand how best to motivate an increase. We developed two distinct creative routes:
– A regionalised, data-led approach focused on local scale.
– A story-led approach centred on Marley, a rescued dog, bringing the impact of support to life through a personal journey and handwritten note from his new owner.
This allowed us to balance rational and emotional directions and understand which approach would work hardest for different audiences.
Outcome
The campaign was a huge success – exceeding its income target and achieving something just as important: genuine supporter engagement. Many donors took the time to write back, sharing their own stories and appreciation.
It also delivered clear, actionable learning. The personalised, regional approach outperformed in both response rates and average gift among the most responsive segments, while proving more cost-effective to produce. The story-led approach remained powerful for specific audiences, enabling more targeted creative in future campaigns.
The campaign went on to win Bronze in the Mail category at the DMA Awards.
Related Work
Clients
We’re so proud to work with with a wide range of incredible charities and organisations. Our partnerships cover everything from animal welfare and disability support to humanitarian aid and conservation, showing our dedication to making a real difference across some of the world’s most important causes.
