Growing the Donkey Sanctuary in a Declining Market
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Growing The Donkey Sanctuary in a declining market DBA Design Effectiveness Awards submission 2017 Client company Design consultancy Industry sector Date The Donkey The Allotment Charity June 2016 Sanctuary FOR PUBLICATION Executive summary The Allotment was commissioned in 2011 by “The Allotment have articulated The Donkey Sanctuary (TDS) to align the Charity’s why The Donkey Sanctuary is such numerous brands, bring a clear, engaging purpose to support all of its work worldwide, and to help grow a loved and caring organisation the Charity in what was a declining market at the into an inspiring brand that speaks height of the recession. consistently across multi-channel touch points.” This submission depicts the effectiveness of a design collaboration between TDS and The Allotment. Mark Cross, Since 2011, this relationship has acted as a catalyst Head of Brand and Design, to achieve +60% growth in the Charity’s income, The Donkey Sanctuary used for the benefit of donkeys worldwide. DBA | Design Effectiveness | Award submission 2017 Executive summary rise in income during a period where giving to animal charities fell by an average of 24% increase in visitors to The Donkey Sanctuary’s main site in Sidmouth return :on investment over the first four years* increase in sales of the adoption packs within the first two months Word count: 180 *External factors must be taken into consideration. DBA | Design Effectiveness | Award submission 2017 Project overview The previous logo and collateral Not The Allotment’s work Outline of the project brief and bring a powerful, emotional purpose In 2011/12, the UK economy was at the height of to the whole organisation. Further cross-channel an economic recession and this resulted in animal campaigns were also highlighted as opportunities charity donations falling by an average of 20%. In an for growth post-rebrand. attempt to bolster their own fortunes, TDS sought an agency to reposition the organisation. The initial Objectives of work scope of the project was to tidy the brand up and • Align a number of brands and touchpoints into bring more structure to it’s brand architecture as one consistent identity. well as to it’s marketing and communications. • Define an emotionally engaging and compelling We were set an ambitious target of 33% revenue purpose for the whole charity. increase over 5 years, it was clear the charity needed much more than a make over. With our client we • Bridge the gap between the brand as a visitor set about convincing the trustees and devoted attraction and as an international charity. supporters that the brand needed to be refreshed if it was to deliver exceptional growth through • Raise income by 33% over five years through connecting with a new and younger generation multi-channel campaigns. of givers. Project launch date Following extensive consultation with TDS it The relationship with TDS began in August was evident that the charity wasn’t connecting 2011 when The Allotment was commissioned its emotional purpose to the world or its people. to help grow the organisation and define the Therefore, a wider, holistic development of the Charity’s purpose. The Allotment is still brand was agreed to reinvigorate the Charity working with TDS today. DBA | Design Effectiveness | Award submission 2017 The Story so far TDS was founded in 1969 by Dr Elisabeth Svendsen MBE, with a sole purpose to provide welfare to all donkeys in need. In 1973, it cared for 38 donkeys but today TDS cares for 1.6 million worldwide and is one of the largest donkey and mule charities in the world. 1.6m donkeys are cared for by The Charity offers: The Donkey Sanctuary • Rehabilitation and healthcare of donkeys today compared to just and education of the communities they 38 way back in 1973 serve in over 50 countries worldwide. • Seven designated sanctuaries and visitor It was with great sadness, that Dr Elisabeth centres in the UK providing a permanent Svendsen MBE passed away during the home for 4,000 donkeys, as well as sanctuaries brand repositioning work in 2011. She was the in Ireland, Spain, Italy and Cyprus. driving force behind the Charity and without her advocacy there was heightened sensitivity • Education and training of vets, students around the entire project. It was Dr Elisabeth’s and animal health assistants. drive, passion and devotion to the Charity that was pivotal in us defining the almost spiritual • Donkey Assisted Therapy for children feeling of ‘care and devotion’. It is this purpose and adults with additional needs. that transcends so successfully across the brand and the multi-channel campaigns. • Leading research in the wellbeing and healthcare of donkeys worldwide. DBA | Design Effectiveness | Award submission 2017 Market overview The charity sector is a highly competitive and The volatile and unpredictable market saw cuts saturated market, with an estimated 164,000 active to funding streams of around 10% (Source: NCVO, charities in the UK alone (Source: House of Commons 2015) following a new spending review in April 2011, Library, 2015). During the recession, the third sector which arguably had a knock-on effect on the income was one of those industries that suffered most with and investment for charities. The outcome was the ongoing uncertainty, funding cuts and lower a decrease in employment in the voluntary sector disposable income. The sector saw an average of around 70,000. decline in individual donations of 20% during 2011/12 or in cash terms, a decrease of around Research also indicated, that those larger charities £1.7bn (Source: Third Sector Journal, 2012). (defined as those with incomes over £100,000) such as TDS, were hit hardest with 79% affected. Decreased giving to charities - and The smallest charities, while continuing to face animal charities more specifically challenges, appeared to be better insulated from the wider economy (Source: NCVO, 2012). - was still evident in 2014 with 7% of individual donations going to animal These external market influences were significant charities from a total spend of £10.6bn challenges to overcome in the first five years of - a decrease of 9% from the £11.6bn working with TDS. Arguably, it was not until 2015 when the market became more stable, that these given in 2010. immense challenges plateaued somewhat. (Source: CAF Online, 2014) Word count: 739 DBA | Design Effectiveness | Award submission 2017 Outline of design solutions The beginning The Allotment created a new brand proposition It was very evident following a visit to the — Selfless Devotion. This was not a make over, Sidmouth Sanctuary that there was a palpable and rather it was a strategy to heighten appeal, improve intense emotional feeling, which was not being engagement of staff and volunteers, and deliver communicated by the existing brand design and consistency for the Charity as a visitor destination brand architecture — the palpable feeling of ‘care and as a worldwide animal charity. Research showed and devotion’ exhibited by the volunteers, vets, that supporters loved the use of illustrative donkeys trustees, supporters and by the founder, and liked the fact that there were two donkeys set Dr Elisabeth Svendsen MBE. in a holding device to signify ‘protection’. Building on the existing identity, we used Dr Svendsen’s first ever donkeys, Naughty Face and Angelina, to form the new brand identity, which created a consistent badge and proposition for the Charity that works internationally and across all media channels — the heart is a recognisable, cross-cultural global icon symbolising ‘love’. DBA | Design Effectiveness | Award submission 2017 Outline of design solutions Emergency rescue vehicle The heart of the sanctuary ran through every part of the donkey sanctuaries visitor attractions Visitor leaflets Love, care and devotion are depicted in everything that is created for TDS and are at the very heart of the Charity and of all its supporters. DBA | Design Effectiveness | Award submission 2017 Outline of design solutions The adoption scheme The story continued focused on a ‘Lifetime of memories’, the new retail The proposition of Selfless Devotion was rolled out and product strategy that brings to life the stories, across new collateral and it was this stirring idea personalities and humour of donkeys, through to that became the foundation for all other projects. In seminal capital campaigns, such as the build of a the years since the rebrand, The Allotment and TDS new hospital that focused on the story of Georgie have developed and transformed a number of areas the donkey, whose life was at risk, but was saved of the business, from the adoption scheme which through the expertise of the vets and the hospital. Product & retail strategy Word count: 323 DBA | Design Effectiveness | Award submission 2017 Summary of results Aim: Increase income by 33% in five years (2016) or 1:36 ROI £1.45m per year on average This ROI is based on an overall TDS has moved from investment over four years totalling reaching 1m donkeys £356,585 with a turnover increase of to 1.6m donkeys Achievement: As of 2015, £13 million. The investment spans - an astonishing one year before the bench- a number of projects including the mark, income was £35m; initial rebrand, the adoption scheme, a major three tier product & retail 60% a £3.25m increase per year strategy and a capital fundraising increase in four years. on average. That’s a whole campaign for a new hospital facility. (directly linked to income) In period 2011-2015, giving to animal charities fell by 24%. The Allotment began working with TDS in 2011 and in that same period, TDS saw its income 124% rise from £22m-£35m; a remarkable 60% increase in just four years and well above the sector average. above the initial target 60% • Increase in number of supporters 2011-2016: • Unique visitors to the website have increased 230k to 330k.