Guest Blog – Hugh Boyle, OgilvyAction

Occasionally we ask friends and clients of Velvet to guest blog for us. This week, Hugh Boyle, global head of digital, Ogilvy Action tells us how the death of a loved one inspired a heartfelt charity initiative that’s been driven by social media.

Using social media to build my dad’s legacy

I’d never really thought about this until a pivotal figure in my life – my dad – died. But in the run up to Christmas that awful thing happened. As a result, my kids, some friends and I put our talents to good use and played an old Irish tune at my old man’s funeral. We subsequently recorded it, and set up a YouTube spot – you can see and hear it here to raise money for a bone cancer charity.

Now playing the emotional card has always been a useful tactic in persuading people to give – charities have used it since time immemorial to raise much-needed funds. But the meteoric rise of all things digital – and our enthusiasm for communicating and conversing online has given charities whole new channels via which to engage Joe Bloggs.

Individual giving is the largest source of income for many not-for-profit organisations, and refers to the many charitable gifts made by the general public – you and me. According to research, you, me and our peers donate around £9.5billion to charity annually, accounting for around one third of fundraising charities’ incomes*.

Now that’s a lot of cash, raised by compelling calls to action that are the main drivers for these donations. And it seems to me that gradually, digital platforms are taking over from the old ‘sponsor me to do something silly’ tactic. Today’s connected generation has digital embedded into the very fabric of life, resulting in givers that are now also creative fundraisers.

Justgiving has massively empowered individuals who don’t want to do something silly but still raise cash for their chosen cause, and made it easier to activate this trend; but channels such as YouTube are adding richness and depth to the ask for cash.

Certainly our intention was to create something beautiful in memory of a grand man who was much loved. To share that with an audience who will give to the cause that is fighting the disease which took him feels as good to those who will give as it does to us. There’s nothing more compelling than a win-win scenario for what I believe is the natural state of humanity – a need for immediate gratification coupled with intrinsic empathy and kindness. So go on: check us out here www.justgiving.com/hugh-boyle, do yourself (and our cause) a favour, and give.

*Charity Market Monitor published by CaritasData