Stand Up For Kids

Creating a Sub-brand to Increase Differentiation and Fundraising Potential

Background
HALO was engaged by Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada (CAFC) to lead the organization through an objective strategic planning process called Zero-based Planning. This structured process led to the organization’s new Vision and Mission which set the Foundation in motion for dynamic revenue growth. (See CAFC case study for more details.) It also uncovered an underlying issue that if not overcome could inhibit CAFC from expanding fundraising beyond its traditional base of major gift donors, preventing the organization from achieving its five-year fundraising goal of $60MM.

Branding Challenge
Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada is often confused with the Children’s Aid Society, the social welfare agency charged with keeping children safe from abuse and neglect. Anecdotal research suggests that many donor prospects in the general public believe child abuse is not something they can influence and therefore they choose to support other non-profits where they can have a greater impact.

Branding Solution
HALO recommended that a new sub-brand be created to stand apart from the work of the Children’s Aid Society and to increase CAFC’s fundraising readiness. CAFC agreed and selected a name for the new sub-brand – Stand Up For Kids. The organization also renamed its five-year $60MM fundraising campaign Stand Up For Kids National Campaign for Child Welfare. 

Branding Strategy
To maximize fundraising potential, HALO recommended that marketing for the new sub-brand focus on a specific group of donor prospects defined as small “a” activists – primarily college and university educated women, many of whom are mothers. These individuals see the bigger picture and look beyond the government to correct social injustices and extend a hand to children and youth living in unimaginable circumstances. HALO’s strategy was to engage these women in a movement called Stand Up For Kids following a sequential three-step process that led to a donation request, rather than starting with an overt ask.

Creative Campaign
The first step was to overcome the public’s misperceptions about the issue. HALO developed online personas to hyper-target small “a” activists through a series of digital videos and static ads. All ads clicked through to a landing page where the target was asked to become a campaign Ally by signing the Stand Up For Kids’ pledge and to share it using their social channels to inspire others to become Allies. This was the second step in the process. Following data capture, prospects were sent a series of communications that provided tangible actions Allies could undertake in their own community. This third step was then followed by a digital donation request made by the President and CEO of CAFC. 

Results
The digital campaign instantly hit a public nerve. The number of people who took the pledge and became campaign Allies was almost three times higher than the initial objective. Thanks to the incredible generosity of donors and volunteers, the Stand Up For Kids National Campaign for Child Welfare surpassed its target and raised $62M over five years and created transformational change for 113,000 children and young people.