Case: Kotimaanapu (‘Charity in Finland’) – Enabling everyone to celebrate Christmas

It has been estimated that in Finland nearly 900,000 people are at risk of poverty or social exclusion each year.

Kotimaanapu (‘Charity in Finland’) is a charity organization that offers concrete assistance to people facing difficulties in their lives. Donations may be used, for example, to buy a new bed for an elderly person, a washing machine for a low-income family, warm winter clothes for children or study supplies for young people.

Background and goals

Kotimaanapu’s annual Christmas fundraiser collects donations to be used for Christmas foods, grocery bags and food gift certificates for those who need them.

The campaign is particularly important, as inequality is often heightened during Christmas and the holiday season, and many underprivileged people feel increasingly detached from society.

Implementation and solutions

In 2021, the Christmas fundraising campaign was carried out with Avalon. The goal was to find new donors and stay in the minds of existing donors, so the campaign was designed as a multichannel collaboration.

Kotimaanapu approached their existing donor register by e-mail with a direct marketing letter. This was supported by a print advertisement in between a print magazine, ‘Kotimaa’.

We handled marketing in digital channels, utilising social media channels and Google advertising that were selected according to the target group. We designed several video and image ads that would appeal to the donors’ feelings by showcasing the everyday lives of those in need.

Results

The fundraising was kicked off during week 43 on the Kotimaanapu website and the marketing campaign was launched in week 48. The goal was to raise €50,000 in funds. The short campaign period, which lasted only one month, created its own challenges, as several other Christmas fundraisers were also running at the same time. Despite this, the campaign was very successful and the collection pot of €51,131.26 exceeded the target. The campaign gained a lot of visibility across channels, with 659,359 views and 10,210 clicks.

Customer quote

"Donating is a small act that makes a big difference. Our cooperation with Avalon went excellently, and we exceeded our collection targets!"

– Eija Kilgast, Head of Fundraising, Kotimaanapu, Kirkkopalvelut ry.

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