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The charity said it is making a "significant investment" in communications in order to acquire new supporters and bring about change for children.

Save the Children is still working on its media strategy for the year, but head of communications Joe Barrell said it will be looking closely at digital media, and plans to include blogging and other online activity.

Last year, the organisation was responsible for the first mass-market charity campaign to use MMS and user-generated content from mobile users.

The campaign, based around a red plaster with the word 'OUCH' written on it, saw thousands of people text in pictures of themselves sticking the plaster somewhere (Revolution, ±±¾©Èü³µpk10 Study, January, p69).

Save the Children works with a number of agencies on digital campaigns, including Ogilvy, Sandbag and Monkey, as well as developing work in-house.

The renewed focus on comm-unications follows last month's appointment of Wieden & Kennedy, with a brief to raise awareness of Save the Children and reinvigorate its image within the UK charity sector.

The ad agency will be tasked with creating campaigns that inspire an emotional connection with supporters and attract new ones. Activity will focus on the family market, creating opportunities for kids, as well as adults, to get involved in fundraising.

"Save the Children is a great organisation, which has the potential to be even greater. Recently, we haven't sufficiently kept pace with the fast-moving environment and we have not invested in promoting our achievements - some people are still sceptical about aid work," said Barrell.

"We have lost the confidence to be ambitious in what we can achieve for children. It is intolerable that children are being denied basic rights.

"In the past there has been cynicism that things will never change, but now the public is beginning to realise that it is within their power to demand and achieve change."