There may well be other reasons for advertising - getting politicians to take notice, for example - but, ultimately, any consumer awareness encourages a response in the form of donation. After all, if a charity can't earn sufficient funds to cover its costs, it is finished.
In this respect, charities must be perfect examples of direct-response brands. Advertising can create awareness and build a brand, but to pay its way, it must also get a response.
I had never heard of Refuge, which is perhaps why it felt the need to create awareness. This press ad is well-crafted, with powerful copy - the visual features a page from a child's diary and you really get a sense of the despair felt by families living with the threat of domestic violence.
It does ask for a response; you can text or visit the website. However, if you hadn't read the rest, you wouldn't readily get the idea that you were being asked to do something - yes, you'll donate £1.50 if you text, but surely that won't pay for the ad and anyway, wouldn't it be better to encourage regular, more significant giving? It looks like a missed opportunity for a very worthy cause.
- Creative: McCann-Erickson.
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