High Tech Bus Stop Ad

We've all seen bus stop ads, and some of us may have even used them in a campaign for our clients. Well, in Germany they have found a way to take this medium to a whole new level. This bus stop ad, recently erected in Hamburg, Germany, changes changes when someone looks at it. Using a built-in camera with eye-tracking technology, it can tell exactly when someone is checking it out.

Amnesty International is behind this anti-domestic abuse message. When no one is looking, it shows a man hitting his wife. But when you look right at it, it changes (after a slight delay) to a picture of the couple looking happy and normal. The slogan reads "It happens when no one is looking."

What a powerful use of technology!

The Orphan Diet

I have to thank Bryna at Streams of Hope for making me aware of this project. The "Orphan Diet" campaign is being run by an organization out of Hamilton ON called Absolute Leadership.

This grass roots fundraising effort is the second part of a a campaign in support of an orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti where 68 children are in desperate need. The focus is simple - raising money to provide these children with medical attention (many of them have never seen a doctor), school supplies and food as well as providing some much needed renovations to their facilities. To raise the funds needed to do this, the organization is encouraging people to give up a meal, or a day of meals in June and to give the money they would spend on food to their cause. There message is on youtube and is being spread through twitter and facebook.

I actually love the simplicity of this video because it is believable. The video is authentic and the message is clear. Sure, the professional fundraiser in me wants to tighten the video, script the copy and capture a wider variety of shots - but this video is real and lends itself well to its target audience. Oh, and this video does something that so many non-profits fail to do...it tells me how the organization spent the funds raised during the first half of the campaign. I know that my money helped provide food, purchase school supplies, build beds and pay the rent. Seeing those children carry bags of food into their facility is enough to make me willing to support the campaign again.

I encourage you to take 6 minutes to watch the video and let me know what you think. And hey, if it moves you, why not make a donation. I know I found 68 good reasons to give.

The 7 Essentials of Fundraising

I recently read the book "Tiny Essentials of Fundraising" by Neil Sloggie. It was a quick and easy read, but really hammered home the basics of fundraising, with 7 essential principles:

1. Always focus fundraising on the work of the organization
2. Concentrate your efforts on the areas of your fundraising programme which produce the best return on investment
3. People give to people
4. Recruit your supporters to automatic payment as soon as possible
5. Make sure you are looking after your existing donors before recruiting new ones
6. Think from the donors' point of view
7. Every fundraiser should be proud of the work they are fundraising for and be proud to ask for money for it

Foreign Aid - Does it Do More Harm than good?

Last week I had the opportunity to attend a debate on the merits and pitfalls of foreign aid. The topic of debate was based on a new book by Dambisa Moyo entitled Dead Aid in which the African-born economist argues that "evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that aid to Africa has made the poor poorer, and the growth slower." Moyo, along with fellow economist Hernando de Soto were quick to point out the poor track record that aid has had, supporting dictators and tyrants, and destroying the entrepreneurial spirit of Africans who could, if we let them, bring themselves out of poverty.

Challenging Moyo and De Soto were author and economist Paul Collier and activist Stephen Lewis. In his opening remarks Lewis stated "What Dambisa's book fails to acknowledge is the huge impact aid has had on the humanitarian imperative. Millions of people living with AIDS alive today, who without aid for antiretral viral drugs would be dead; millions of children immunized against fatal diseases; over 30 million additional African children in school since the year 2000; modest reduction in extreme poverty from 58% to 51% between 1999 and 2997; 12 million orphans with the prospect of food; malaria death rates cut in half in countries like Rwanda and Ethiopia over the course of just two years because of insecticide treated bed nets. I could go on and on ad infinitum. THIS is aid. Aid that gets to the grass roots. Aid that transforms hope in communities. It is no small matter. It is no band aid."

The debate was a fascinating one, with compelling arguments from both sides. However, as someone who has seen the impact of donor dollars being distributed by reputable organizations on the ground in Africa and in other parts of the world, the discussion itself worries me. It is true that aid money has been abused and that it has fallen into the hands of corrupt leaders BUT it has also transformed the lives of millions of people around the world. What we must be careful of is HOW aid money is used, because when used properly it has the potential to make a lasting difference for people, families, communities and entire countries. We can't stop giving, we just have to be aware of where we are giving.

If your interested in viewing the debate all 2.5 hours are available online.

A blog about fundraising...

For the last three years, I've been a fundraiser. I don't really know how it happened - when I was a little girl I certainly didn't dream that this is what I'd be doing when I grew up. Yet here I am, in my mid...ok, late 20's, working as a professional fundraiser. I guess it grew out of a love of marketing and a desire to help make the world a better place.

I spent almost three years working for an agency in Los Angeles, and have recently transitioned to another brilliant agency in Toronto. Both do exceptional work helping non profits to grow, thus impacting the lives of many around the world.

When I entered this job I was pretty sure I knew a lot about direct response marketing but if there is one thing I have learned in the last 4 weeks its how much I still don't know. I decided to develop this blog as a place to post the things I'm seeing in the fundraising world - industry news, brilliant campaigns, and practical lessons in fundraising.

Please feel free to comment, debate, or to post your own insights into the not for profit sector. After all, we are all in this together to make the world a better place. :)