Animal Welfare League NSW

Overview

After the utter devastation wrought by the 2022 Floods in northern New South Wales, Animal Welfare League NSW (AWL NSW) was looking for a partner to help them raise critical funds to save injured and vulnerable animals affected by the disaster.

Confident in Marlin’s best practice approaches to fundraising, we were asked to work with the AWL NSW team on their EOFY Tax Appeal for 2022. This appeal would be focused on their Mobile Vet Truck (MVT) and specialist response unit – a fully functioning vet on wheels, created for emergency situations like bushfires and floods.

Together, we built an engaging and emotional campaign which connected donors to the urgency of the disaster at hand. Utilising real pet’s stories, our messaging communicated the vital nature and effect donors’ funds could have on providing life saving care for animals in danger.

As a result, the AWL NSW achieved their most successful Tax Appeal ever, surpassing their fundraising target by a whopping 39%!

Problem

Experiencing year-on-year growth in their Christmas Appeals, AWL NSW aimed to continue to build on this success with their 2022 Tax Appeal.

Solution

Create a plain-spoken, passionate and insightful Direct Mail (DM) pack that elevated the role of the donor at each step.

Results

The final result was an emotional and inspiring appeal. We managed to raise our highest gross income in an appeal – exceeding target by 39%!

The Challenge

Experiencing year on year growth in their Christmas Appeals, AWL NSW aimed to continue to build on this success with their 2022 Tax Appeal. Strategically, this meant finding a creative partner able to tell their story in a new way, without exceeding budget, but exceeding target.

As we would be speaking to an existing donor group, it was critical that we gave them a new offer, and told AWL NSW’s story in a way that motivated a significant increase in support.

Campaign messaging and collateral also needed to connect with the organisation’s grassroots, community-based approach – so ensuring the look and tone of the appeal resonated with organisational values and mission was top of mind.

The Solution

Knowing the audience for AWL NSW cared deeply for the wellbeing of animals, we created a campaign which examined the very real and present experience of families and communities affected by emergencies, and the challenge of looking after animals when the unexpected occurs.

Campaign messaging utilised first-person storytelling to create a plain-spoken, passionate and insightful Direct Mail (DM) pack that elevated the role of the donor at each step. Case studies about real pets affected by the floods were used to help weave first hand accounts with the practical, life-saving effects the MVT had on recovery efforts.

To bring the audience as close to the situation as possible, the design of DM packs – from the envelope to the enclosed forms – appeared to have survived the flood itself. The copy felt approachable and motivating, driven by an urgent, in the moment tone to engage the audience and elevate the importance of their donation.

Together, the appeal engaged, surprised and informed donors – taking them on a journey from the problem to the solution in very literal ways.

The Results

The final result was an emotional and inspiring appeal that beautifully showcased the tangible care that each donation could provide – and reignited the passion and love of existing supporters.

From the same donor group, with the same scale of pack, we managed to raise our highest gross income in an appeal – exceeding target by 39%! Donation amounts and rates of engagement also grew. This equated to:

• An additional $42,000 contribution to AWL NSW’s services.
• Best net income result in 4 years, a +5% increase from 2021.
• Raised average gift from $101.27 in 2021 to $141.14 in 2022.

From an organisational point of view, this initial success has led to a growing understanding of the importance of storytelling, and the role of a powerful value proposition at the heart of a brand narrative.

Wrapping up

We are so proud to have helped AWL NSW’s dedicated team raise vital funds to provide care for hundreds of animals that were injured and displaced during the NSW floods.

If you need help creating your next fundraising appeal, or help assessing the overall health of your fundraising programs, get in touch!