The TV activity, which has been created by Touch DDB, will break on Channel 4 on 31 March. Radio, press and online work will also support the campaign and an awareness week is planned for later this year.
The 40-second TV executions are themed around the reading of a will and use a humorous approach for the first time. One opens in a solicitor's office, with the solicitor reading out a will. Rather than read out the deceased's final wish he hands the will to the family. At this point the ad cuts to the funeral where the coffin is decked out as a Harley Davidson, as an organ plays the Meatloaf track ‘Bat out of Hell'.
Another TV ad features a deceased ice-cream van man, whose coffin is transported by an ice-cream truck, rather than a traditional hearse.
The press ads describe the final wishes of famous people such as Humphrey Bogart and Tchaikovsky with the end-line: ‘Make your last wishes something to remember. Remember a charity.'
The campaign comes at a difficult time for charities, which have seen their income fall in-line with the economic downturn, as consumers and businesses rein in their discretionary spending.
In such a climate, the importance of legacies is even greater. They currently account for £1.9bn of charity income, which represents 34% of the income of the top 10 charities, according to the latest Charity Market Monitor report.
However, while the number of legacies left to charities remains stable, their value is declining along with plunging property prices and a weakened stock market.
About 7% of adults over the age of 40 in the UK currently leave legacies to charities, according to the Institute of Fundraising. A boost in this proportion to 11% could generate an additional £1bn.
Remember a Charity unveiled fresh branding at the beginning of the month ahead of their advertising activity.
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