Christian Aid

Survival against the odds

The challenge

In July 2009, Christian Aid launched Poverty Over – a major through-the-line campaign aimed at ‘owning’ the challenge of world poverty. Christian Aid knows that the end of extreme poverty is possible – and they invested in a major brand campaign to tell the world about it. Poverty Over is a big brand idea. Our challenge was to launch a concurrent direct response campaign to raise money and recruit new supporters.

Strategy

To make the most of the Christian Aid’s media spend we recommended an integrated campaign using a common story – the effect of climate change on families in Kenya. We also built a complex testing programme using doordrops, high- and standard-value inserts and direct mail.

Creative

In some parts of Kenya it hasn’t rained for four years. For Monica Kilind this means a desperate struggle to scratch a living out of barren soil. The iconic image of Monica working her scorched patch of land led the campaign. Her immense dignity in the face of crushing circumstances was an inspiration to us all. We then showed how Christian Aid’s innovative programmes can help people grow food even when water is scarce and rainfall nonexistent.

What's good about it?

The time is right for Christian Aid to make a noise – they have the credentials, the brand and the experience. It’s too early for coherent results but we know that one doordop generated a donation of £5,000 – and we’re hoping that, as their biggest recruitment push in years, this campaign produces many new donors. Because only then will people like Monica have a chance.