It
takes mere sleight of hand, helped by a diversion or two, to pick
a pocket. Opening a pocket voluntarily is a much more difficult
assignment.
We
consider fundraising the toughest challenge in communications. You either
succeed or you don't. Your goals are clear, your message is well defined,
and your audience is bracing itself, looking for a way to limit the damage
your appeal will inflict on their pocketbook. You can't manipulate them
because they know exactly what you are after.
Our
success at fundraising films proves that our philosophy is right
on target: find the whole truth, and tell it with appropriate emotion,
and your audience will do the appropriate thing: write a big check
because for them at that time, it is the right thing to do.
We've
helped Jewish organizations such as synagogues and Federations raise
money for education, humanitarian causes, buildings, or Israel.
We've helped children's organizations raise funds for their worthwhile
efforts; we've helped schools pass tax levies, colleges raise money
for bricks and mortar or tuition endowments; and we've helped corporations
raise money among their employees for the United Way.
In
every case, our clients have loved the product we created, and have
been proud to show it to their audiences.
The
Campaign for Ohio Wesleyan
Want
to raise a hundred million dollars? OWU did, and did it, with the
help of a Kindig Omnimedia video. With a teaching college like Ohio
Wesleyan, we can count on lots of warm alumni memories of faculty
and "great traditions." But we felt that more was needed
in this case: are the faculty still strong, and do current students
still respond well and achieve much? Through an emphasis on student
interviews, we successfully made that case. Shown at donor events
and one-on-one presentations to generate excitement and accompany
a personal "ask", this video achieved great results: the
full $100M raised ahead of schedule.
Dublin
Arts Council - Enriching our Community
In
an ideal world, what would you define as "the essentials"?
That's the question this video poses: and the answer includes, not
only thriving businesses, community spirit, natural areas and welcoming
neighborhoods, but also a profound commitment to the arts. Like
all Kindig Omnimedia presentations, the truth is in the reality
we portray, and our job is not to embellish the message but simply
to convey it with appropriate force and emotion. Audiences are amazed
that the DAC is doing so much, so well. And we'd like to think that
high level of discernment is also what caused the DAC to select
Kindig Omnimedia to craft their fundraising and image presentation.
Cedarville
- "Student Life Center"
The
most important part of "better results" in fundraising videos is to
understand the audience. We certainly understand Cedarville's audience,
as evidenced by the donor who, after committing $300,000 called back
and committed an additional MILLION DOLLARS after watching the video!
The client directly attributed two separate million-dollar gifts,
as well as numerous smaller ones, to the video alone. It's not the
medium -- "video" in general -- it is because the video medium CAN
be powerful when used with sensitive power and appropriate emotion.
Mount
Vernon Nazarene College
Not
every viewer of a fundraising video is a person with funds. Yet all
viewers have a need to hear the client's message. We accommodated
this reality by splitting the fundraising video into two segments:
an overview of the College, followed by a specific short piece on
the need and uses for funds. Both segments have been enthusiastically
received by all audiences.
Big
Brothers, Big Sisters
This
short piece packs a big emotional wallop. The key is sensitive storytelling,
using the actual dynamics of real relationships to come across on
screen, told in the words of the program participants. Great music,
strong visuals, powerful message in the Annual Meeting and beyond.
Welsh
Hills School
For
Welsh Hills School, we created an idealized image of the school
in the way that a painter captures an idealized portrait of a person
-- by listening with our heart, and looking with our emotions at
the beauty of children in warm growth relationships under the gentle
guidance of adults who care. One of the most effective dual-purpose
admission and fundraising videos we have ever created!
Cedarville
- Dixon Ministry Center
One
of the things we most admire about Cedarville University is that
they carry no debt. The trustees do not break ground on a new building
until most of the financing has already been quietly raised. In
the case of the Dixon Ministry Center, that meant that a public
campaign for nearly $10 Million was needed to complete the project.
Our video was given as a thankyou to major givers, and sent to alumni
and other constituents for the balance of the campaign. Our video
was a success because the client's campaign was a success.
