St Mungo’s
Christmas emergency appeal
St Mungo’s is a charity that aims to end homelessness. But they know it takes more than a roof over someone’s head.
Usually, for the Christmas Appeal, the focus is on the fact that homelessness is worse in winter. But with mild weather forecast, a different approach was required.
The brief was to challenge what people think. They think homelessness always starts with drink or drugs. They think the solution is a bed for the night. And they think animal charities are more deserving than human ones. In order to subvert pre-conceptions about homelessness, we developed two campaigns.
The first used real stories to show homelessness starts for many reasons. Divorce, redundancy, bereavement, abuse. Things that could happen to all of us. And ended by explaining that wherever homelessness starts, a donation has the power to end it. By helping people off the streets and on with their lives.
The second campaign used the insight that the British love their pets. The idea was simple. If you think it’s terrible a dog is sleeping rough, think what’s it’s like for the owner. The ads gave the impression that we were talking about the dog only to reveal we were actually talking about the person.
Different executions detailed the appalling treatment the homeless and their dogs face. Such as being set on fire, urinated on and spat at. And ended by asking for a donation that could change both their lives.
The campaign rolled out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Google ads and Gmail. Giving us the chance to test and optimize as we went. Social media is the perfect environment for St Mungo’s to highlight these heart-breaking stories because the contrast our creative brought against most people’s curated, filtered social media activity at this time of year, was so stark.
ROI was a target-busting
2.15 to 1
Average donation beat target by
18%
Facebook donations were up
230%
YouTube videos watched to the end
23%
All in all, the most successful St Mungo’s Christmas Appeal ever raising over £250,000 to help end homelessness.
Great results and a happy client. “This was our first time working with Parkhouse. We were impressed with their creativity and experience and have enjoyed working with the team to bring their ideas to life.” Hayley Creasey, Campaign Manager at St Mungo’s
