Oxfam America – Acquisition Control Package
The Objective:
When we began our partnership with Oxfam America in 2022, the top priority was to revitalize their acquisition program for engaging new donors and reinstating lapsed donors. Their long-standing control package had been delivering diminishing returns, yet recent tests weren’t moving the needle.
An essential aspect of this challenge was ensuring that the new messaging reflected the refreshed Oxfam brand, which positioned the organization as not only providing direct humanitarian relief but also as a leader in the fight against global inequality.
We needed to create a new package that would seamlessly integrate these dual aspects of Oxfam’s identity, attract mission-focused donors, and re-engage an increasingly disengaged lapsed donor base.
The Strategy
We immersed ourselves in the program by conducting meetings with key stakeholders, thoroughly reviewing all past creative materials, and facilitating multiple brainstorming sessions involving diverse team members from across the organization. This comprehensive approach led to the development of several new package concepts over our first year, including one we named “A Deadly Crisis.”
Oxfam times the release of its annual report on the devastating impacts of global inequality with the World Economic Forum held in Davos, Switzerland. So, the “Deadly Crisis” package utilizes what Oxfam calls its “killer facts” from that report to paint a stark picture of the escalating global crisis of inequality and poverty. Since research has shown that shocking statistics can be overwhelming to potential donors, “Deadly Crisis” engages the recipient in the solution by including petitions to global leaders, demanding they support policies that will create a fairer and more sustainable world.
Finally, the letter also showcases examples of how Oxfam’s direct humanitarian efforts are helping people in 80 countries to combat global poverty. The package, delivered in an oversized 9 x 12 format, was designed to stand out in mailboxes, ensuring high visibility and engagement.
The Impact
Oxfam now has a new control package! Though more costly, response rates for “Deadly Crisis” are more than double those Oxfam has seen with outside lists over the last five years and triple those it has seen when attempting to re-engage lapsed donors. Not only is “Deadly Crisis” successfully bringing in new, mission-focused donors, but it is also attracting high-value donors, including a significant number of mid-level donors.