Published before February 2009
At first glance, children’s charity NSPCC and advertising behemoths Saatchi & Saatchi seem unlikely bedfellows. But despite their differences, the two organisations have worked together successfully for more than 20 years.
For John Grounds, Director of Communications at NSPCC, this relationship is just the tip of the iceberg. Saatchi & Saatchi are responsible for the charity’s above-the-line advertising, such as radio, TV and web advertising, but different agencies are routinely used for its other promotional campaigns, such as direct marketing mail-outs.
Look at skilling-up staff first
This plethora of partners reflects the size and spending power of the UK’s largest children’s charity. But many smaller charitable organisations will also want to produce some form of advertising. So how do they get it right?
“Ask yourself what you’d be commissioning an agency for,” advises John. “You have to be very clear about your needs right at the start. Don’t automatically assume that the answer to a skills lack in your organisation is an agency.”
The best answer, he suggests, could instead be to skill-up your own staff. This can keep down costs and create expertise inside the organisation for the future. But when you really need to call in external help, John says there are some simple guidelines to follow.
Realistic expectations
When choosing the advertising agency route, the first priority is to think about the likely longevity of the relationship. If you’re planning to use an agency for a one-off campaign, it’s perhaps unrealistic to expect them to get to know every single facet of your charity. But whether it’s a short- or long-term arrangement, they should engage with the organisation fully.
“It’s frustrating when agencies tell you stuff that you already know or that demonstrate they’ve not done their research,” he says. “It’s vital that they do their homework properly.”
John compares the relationship with advertising agencies to corporate fundraisers: more fruitful when they’re built up over the longer term. The NSPCC tends to keeps its agencies on retainers, which means they provide a guaranteed amount of time or work every month. Anything extra is costed on top.
Pitch pitfalls
John says the pitch is a crucial time to vet your potential advertising partners. They should complement your existing communications team, and if you are employing more than one agency, they must be happy to work with each other. After all, you don’t want to be putting conflicting messages out into the public domain.
Lip service is another potential pitfall. John warns that professional agencies are experts at giving the right answers at the pitch stage, but you must be convinced they will follow through on their promises should they win the contract. Here, developing a strong personal connection is important.
Once they’re on board, you need to strike a balance between control and freedom. Often the best policy is to offer a broad but rigid framework within which they can operate.
Set a strong framework
“It would be a huge wasted opportunity to retain a creative agency and tell them what you want them to do,” he says. “But you also have to make clear what’s not appropriate. I actually think setting a strong framework allows better creativity as there is no wasted time or money.”
Value for money is critical for all charities. In a typical year, the NSPCC spends several million pounds on its principal advertising campaign (called “FULL STOP”) as well as three additional micro-campaigns.
Justifying spending to donors
This advertising spend has drawn considerable criticism. In 2000, the BBC reported that the NSPCC spent less than half of its budget directly on children. A total of £38 million reportedly went on fundraising, administration and campaigning compared to £28 million on children’s services. The charity argued that money spent raising public awareness of child cruelty is a vital part of its role.
“We do get criticised for spending money [on advertising],” says John. “And that’s why evaluation is hugely important. It is essential to justify to donors and the public why you’re spending it.
“Ultimately, you want your advertising activity to result in change. It doesn’t matter what size your organisation is, you can achieve this with the right approach. When dealing with advertising agencies, the same principles still apply.”
SPRING 2007 MILESTONE INTERAGENCY BRIEF
Single organising thought - Mobilise children and young people to speak out about abuse
Background
Our study ‘Child Maltreatment in the UK: A study of the prevalence of Child Abuse and Neglect’ provides authoritative data on the prevalence and nature of child abuse:
- 7% of children experienced serious physical abuse at the hands of their parents or carers during childhood.
- 1% of children aged under 16 experienced sexual abuse by a parent or carer and a further 3% by another relative during childhood. 11% of children experienced sexual abuse by people known but unrelated to them. 5% of children experienced sexual abuse by an adult stranger or someone they had just met.
- 6% of children experienced serious absence of care at home during childhood. 5% of children experienced serious absence of supervision during childhood.
- 6% of children experienced frequent and severe emotional maltreatment during childhood.
- 43% of children reported being bullied, being discriminated against or being made to feel different.
- At least 32,000 children in the UK are known to be at risk of abuse right now . The Spring 2007 milestone will be the third time since the start of the FULL STOP campaign that NSPCC has run a mass public education campaign specifically targeted at young people
- ChildLine is now part of the NSPCC and is one of its principle listening services for children and young people.
Communication objective
- Empower Children and young people to speak out about abuse.
Key milestone message- You don’t have to hide it any more.
- Think, Feel, Do
- Think: It’s wrong, it’s not my fault and I want it to stop
- Feel: I’m not alone
- Do: Tell my story
Role of Media
Media will be seen both by children who have been abused and those who have not. A child who has been or is being abused should feel that there is something special in this communication for them.
The media route chosen should provide good opportunities for close targeting in an environment where the child feels comfortable, safe and is more likely to be alone. The media should allow us to speak to them in a very personal and non-threatening way. Also, media frequently accessed by c&yp for advice on personal/private issues should be considered.
We know that young people value very highly the support and advice of their peers so the media should maximise opportunities for peer to peer discussion and conversation to take place. The media should allow us to show that they are not alone.
Furthermore, it is vital that the media used provides alternative, less formal ways that young people can begin to ‘tell their story’.
Target Audience
Children and young people aged 11-16. Those who are currently experiencing abuse are the primary audience but those who aren’t should be able learn a considerable amount from the campaign:
Tone
The voices of children and young people seem to be those most likely and credible to the audience. This communication should feel like it comes from someone who has suffered abuse themselves – someone who truly understands what they have been through and who will help them realise that they are not alone in their experience. It must be credible and straight-forward but also warm and supportive.
Timing
Begins 1 May 2007
NSPCC Resources for promotion
- ChildLine
- Worried? Need to talk?
- Donthideit.com