Charity organisations often depend on donations as a crucial funding source, and gifts in wills stand out as a powerful means to raise funds. The challenge? Death is a complex and sensitive topic, leading many to quickly scroll past campaigns centred around donations in wills. While the UK and the US are have already started to embrace this funding source, in the Nordics, it’s a mostly unexplored area.
Förbundsarenan, the Helsinki-based common platform for 68 Finland-Swedish associations and central organisations, collectively represents over a million individuals. They took the initiative to address this gap in the Nordics by launching the first Finland-wide campaign in Swedish, titled Framtidsgåvan ("A Gift to the Future").
Our task was to define the core messaging and visual identity for the Framtidsgåvan campaign. To navigate the sensitivity surrounding the topic of will donations, our approach focused on empathy and education. The goal was to empower donors with informed decision-making by simplifying the complex subject into easily digestible information.
During the initial research phase, we gathered key insights about communication strategies related to gifts in wills. These findings were then shared in a series of workshops we facilitated with participating organisations. The workshops were conceptualised to provide practical design and copywriting guidance, aiding the organisations in the creation of effective communication materials for will-based funding.
In crafting the visual identity for the campaign, we aimed for approachable subtlety. The logo captures a sunset with a subtle reference to a wreath, symbolizing an ending and evoking a sense of legacy. The colour palette and typeface were borrowed from Förbundsarenan's brand identity. However, for a distinctive touch, we introduced a serif typeface for headlines. This deliberate design choice created a clear separation between the campaign and Förbundsarenan's other materials.
The primary campaign slogan, "Vad bryr du dig om?" (translated to "What do you care about?" in English) places a spotlight on the donor and encourages individuals to reflect on what legacy they wish to leave behind through their contributions.
We crafted social media content aimed at potential donors, developed content for the campaign landing page (acting as a central hub for individuals seeking detailed information about gifts in wills), and produced a comprehensive downloadable guide about gifts in wills. Additionally, we created digital and print templates for the campaign's thirty-something affiliates to reuse on their own channels.
Feedback from workshop participants was positive, with comments such as "Great! Clear, concise, and inspiring," "Good examples and useful discussion about dos and don'ts," and "The logo turned out really nice."
By prioritising empathy, education, and strategic visual and written communication, we helped Förbundsarenan pave the way for increased awareness and engagement in will-based funding.
