MISEREOR Mailing Falling Letters

Background

The earthquake catastrophe in Haiti was covered in all media. Misereor wanted to move Germany’s top journalists not just to cover the misery caused by the earthquake, but to get active themselves and help out with a donation.

Idea

To encourage as many of the approx. 500 important journalists and media decision-makers as possible to make a donation, they developed an unusual mailing concept. Instead of writing reams of letters asking for donations, they reduced the copy to a provocative demand: deeds, not words! And underlined the message with an attention-grabbing, formal idea.

With our mailing they managed to approach the target group precisely and clearly. The idea also suited a relief organization well, which always felt it was more important to help than just to talk about helping.

Results

Almost half of the approx. 500 journalists  approached reacted to the mailing. The majority was prepared to help the eathquake victims of Haiti with a donation. The campaign was a great success for Misereor.

Our Thoughts

Yet again this is one of those pieces which is so much more telling in reality than it is here on the pages of Directory. When I opened the envelope, little letters fell out everywhere, like confetti, bringing a moment of drama to the hallway.

You know, asking “How can we make a letter an event?” is an interesting start point for a brief.

I must confess I’m a bit dubious about the results. Most journalists I know are cynical, tightwads and I can’t imagine them donating to anything unless there was something in it for them personally. Perhaps German journalists are nicer people.