Deafblind charity Sense launches first DRTV campaign

LONDON - Sense is turning to DRTV for the first time in order to extend its donor recruitment efforts beyond direct mail and street fundraising.

The national charity's purpose is to help children who are deaf and blind. Direct agency Watson Phillips Norman has created an emotive ad featuring a boy called Elliott that shows the problems the charity helps with.

Gail Cookson, client services director at WPN, said: "Sense has a very compelling and emotive cause, which is perfectly visualised through the TV medium.

"We were enormously pleased to be able to use some very compelling existing footage shot by Red Oka, which not only tells the story perfectly but has also lowered the cost of entry for Sense."

The ad breaks today and will be seen over the next month on satellite and cable channels. Media was planned and bought by Mike Colling & Co.

The soundtrack is the theme tune from Italian film 'Cinema Paradiso', composed by famous Italian musician Ennio Morricone. It is the first time he has allowed the music to be used for a purpose other than the film. The voiceover is by Scottish actor Tom Mannion.

Julie Roberts, head of direct marketing and legacies at Sense, said: "We came to Watson Phillips Norman as it has a great track record of successfully putting charities on TV and opening profitable new channels."

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