At the recent International Fundraising Congress in the Netherlands, Ingrid Srinath, secretary general of civil society network Civicus, warned that the fundraising climate would be hard-hitting in 2010, and even more so in 2011. Given the number of organisations and praiseworthy causes already battling for contributions and funding, along with the challenges already presented by the downturn, this is bad news for the non-profit sector.
Non-profit organisations need to be proactive in adapting to endure and prosper in these harsh times. If they don’t they will be left behind by more switched-on competitors, and securing funding will soon become all but impossible. So, how can organisations stand out in a saturated marketplace? What makes individuals, and other organisations, decide to donate to or fund a certain cause? A strong brand has the answer. Think about some of the top UK charities for example: Cancer Research, Oxfam, British Heart Foundation, Barnardos. These are all key names with big notable brands that are easily recognised, and that are designed to clearly communicate the culture of each organisation in order to engage their audience. All of these brands possess significant positive brand equity. Brand equity is measured against factors such as brand loyalty, awareness, association, and perception of quality.
Today donors expect more. They want to interact with a brand and to feel that they belong to a ‘brand community’. Successful brands today are not merely lifeless ‘things’ but are thriving entities. They have identities and personalities that allow customers to express themselves through their engagement with that brand. In order to attract customers and encourage them to actively engage, brands must have and clearly communicate a strong story and/ or set of values which customers can easily identify and relate to.
The value of a superior brand to businesses should not be underestimated. Speaking also at the International Fundraising Congress recently Paul Farthing, high-value relationships director at Cancer Research UK, stated that research showed 83 per cent of consumers in the UK would prefer to purchase products that were associated with a charitable cause. “Companies spend millions persuading the public to switch brands, so charities need to be telling them that they are a way of achieving that,” he said. Needless to say there are huge partnership opportunities for strong non-profit brands.
Developing the right brand for an organisation is certainly no easy task and is usually achieved as the result of a rigorous and all-encompassing audit process. This process is made easier, however, if an organisation chooses to work with a branding specialist with experience in the non-profit sector. New Revolution is a young, dynamic creative studio with a passion for working with non-profit organisations. Over the past 5-years New Revolution has worked with organisations such as LifeLine and Taitt Dance Academy in Essex, and on projects like the Urban Arts initiative – an education programme intended to get young people back into education through offering a range of non-traditional courses, including street dance and graffiti art.
New Revolution has accumulated a wealth of experience over the years, combining graphic design and motion graphics to create striking and original solutions for various non-profit clients. Owner James Ratnarajah believes that New Revolution can help third sector organisations to find their voice in these difficult times; “We’re really passionate about this sector and we fully recognise that it’s not sufficient for a brand and marketing materials to just look ‘good’ anymore. We also understand the non-profit marketplace well. We can help our clients stand out and make the very best of the limited opportunities that are out there.”
