Multichannel Campaign of the Year: MSPCA Holiday Tree Campaign

MSPCA

Holiday Tree Campaign

Submitted by DaVinci Direct

✔ The Numbers

Recipients: 76,097 direct mail; 86,917 e-mail

Response rate: 4.2 percent for DM; 12.8 percent open rate for e-mail, 1.14 percent clickthrough rate

Total cost: $43,388

Income generated: $122,215

Average gift: $38.28

While backing up a direct-mail package with an e-mail is technically "multichannel," the best, most aggressive multichannel campaigns use more than two channels. Such was certainly the case with this effort by DaVinci Direct on behalf of MSPCA. In addition to the direct-mail and e-mail components, it also included strategically placed posters, an expandable banner ad on the Boston.com homepage and smaller banner ads on Boston.com's pets page.

But the grabber component was the opportunity for proud pet owners to have their furry friends' photos placed on ornaments to be hung on trees in the Prudential Center and at Nevins Farm Center in Methuen, Mass. The only way to qualify was to donate on MSPCA's website and upload a photo.

Our judges were impressed with the consistency of messaging across all of the channels.

"Our main objective was to drive more donors to the Web … so that MSPCA was able to track all donor information quickly and efficiently," DaVinci's Kate Lysakowski said. "Our secondary objective this year was to maintain consistency in both design and messaging across all promotional channels: a direct-mail piece, poster, e-mail and website promotions. The prior year had a slight disconnect in carrying the look of the direct mail and poster piece over to the Web."

Gold Awards judge Joe Boland says, "This package really strikes the proper tone with animal lovers. People love to show off their pets, and the involvement device of a chance to feature your pet on an ornament really resonates well. Outstanding results with consistent integration."

— Margaret Battistelli Gardner, editor-in-chief of FundRaising Success