Crayon

Background

NSPCC donors receive a lot of appeals for money – not least from the NSPCC themselves. Many people are happy to give more money to the NSPCC, but they need to understand why it is so essential and the impact their small donation can make. In order to succeed, this mailing had to stand out to grab the audience's attention, and then be as persuasive as possible after that.

Idea

People associate crayons with their own children, their childhood. With this campaign, the agency wanted them to make another association, to realise that this inanimate object is capable of do something more dramatic than the obvious. It is a tool by which children can begin to express themselves and finally communicate the torment of their abuse and isolation.

The insight came from a visit to an NSPCC therapeutic centre, where an interview was conducted with a woman who had been abused as a child and had attended counselling sessions. As a result of the interview the woman wrote the letter that is featured in the pack. The heartwrenching letter and tangible example of how every penny donated counts makes for a cohesive and emotive appeal.

Results

The mailing has became the NSPCC’s most responsive cash pack, beating control by 13.48%.

Target audience

Regular donors

Volume/size of campaign

38,000 packs

Our Thoughts

WWAV Rapp Collins, London, has always seemed a bit of a sleeping giant but now with Ian Haworth, a creative, as Chairman and with Jim Thomas back from New Zealand in the creative director’s seat, the work seems more thoughtful. Where many agencies might have dramatised the problems to make us feel bad about the world we live in, here the team has dramatised the solution to make us feel good about how we can help.