Oxfam America – In Search of a New Acquisition Control

The Objective:
When we began our partnership with Oxfam America in 2022, the top priority was to revitalize their new donor acquisition program. Years of poor performance by a long-standing control package had resulted in a dramatic drop in donor counts as the organization struggled to both attract much-needed new donors and reinstate lapsed donors.

An essential aspect of this challenge was ensuring that the 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 various departments across the organization. This comprehensive approach led to the development of
several package concepts over our first year, including “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 Switzerland. So we created a package that utilized what Oxfam calls its “killer statistics” to paint a stark picture of the escalating global crisis of inequality and poverty. Since research has shown that shocking statistics can be overwhelming, “Deadly Crisis” engaged the recipient in the solution by including petitions to all seven of the G7 country leaders for them to sign, 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 over 80 countries to combat poverty globally. 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! 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.