In our campaign branding efforts, we work with many organizations that boast about being mission-driven. This is admirable, but is it enough?  The post Mission vs Vision: How fundraising campaigns help organizations become vision-driven appeared first on Parisleaf ..read more

Imagine you’re at an important event. You happen to be wearing a campaign-themed enamel pin on your jacket lapel. Someone you are speaking with notices and asks you about it. This is an acorn. The post Acorn to oak: The tell-me-more moments of fundraising appeared first on Parisleaf ..read more

Our agency specializes in creating the verbal and visual identity of fundraising campaigns for nonprofits. We love working in this lane because it means we get to be part of and witness incredible progress made in higher education, healthcare, and other purpose-driven areas like social and environmental causes. But prospective partners often want to know how we navigate a scenario where we might work on a campaign for two different hospitals or two different universities. How can we ensure the brand for each organization’s campaign won’t look and sound the same?   It starts with one ..read more

When it comes to largescale branding efforts, it really boils down to two different approaches: you can have multiple branded houses or a house of brands. An example of a house of brands would be Coca Cola. They have one red house for their iconic soda, with polar bears and whatnot. And all their other products — Powerade, Dasani, VitaminWater — all have their own unique, branded houses. Down the street, you have one big house with a bunch of brands all living together under one roof. Think about Uber, which has several sub-brands like the ride-hailing app we use to get to the airport and Uber ..read more

Campaign brands are like family members, with some resembling identical twins and others distant relatives. At Parisleaf we specialize in companion branding like this, aiming to align our campaigns with an organization’s brand. We begin with the parent brand and collaborate with our client partners to gauge the ideal level of connection between the fundraising campaign and the organization’s brand, envisioning it as a spectrum. From Twin to Distant Relative The Twin As a starting place, we have the ‘Twin.’ Here, the campaign brand is an exact mirror image of the organization’s brand, requiring ..read more

In our latest eBook, we cover the six ingredients that make for a comprehensive and effective Case.  In the fast-paced and crowded world of fundraising, it’s challenge to craft a message that cuts through the noise and resonates with donors. Whether you’re preparing to launch your quiet phase or you’re a couple of years into your campaign, having a strong Case for Support gives you a game plan for success. It provides you with a unifying Source of Truth to make sure your team is on the same page. Yet too often, the Case feels disjointed, uninspiring, passive, or all of the above.  At ..read more

We asked our very own Tom Osborne, VP of Creative, to talk about the importance of Activation – and how Parisleaf’s creative approach articulates the campaign brands we build for our partners. What first drew you to Parisleaf? When I found Parisleaf, I was very intrigued. I remember reading, “We’re a purpose-driven company that works with cause-based organizations that are doing good in the world.” It spoke to me. Now, it’s gratifying to do that work every day. What is Activation when it comes to branding a fundraising campaign? For me, Activation is another word for production. In the campaig ..read more

In the world of branding and strategy, there’s a sacred buzzword that pops up in countless creative briefs and gets thrown around in meetings more than the phrases “circle back” and “touch base”. Differentiation.  This mouthful of a word refers to the process of distinguishing a brand or product from other orgs. How are you positioning your institution in your core messaging? The goal of differentiation is to make your brand more memorable to target audiences by highlighting unique qualities, characteristics, or features that set you apart from the pack. Done well, this approach can help ..read more

When branding your next fundraising campaign, there are 12 important things to keep in mind. These factors play a crucial role in shaping your campaign’s success, engagement, and overall impact. From defining your campaign’s purpose to measuring its effectiveness, each element contributes to building a strong and compelling brand that resonates with your target audience. Clearly define your campaign’s purpose.Determine the specific goals and objectives of your fundraising campaign. Is it to raise funds for a specific project, create awareness for a cause, or support a particular group of peop ..read more

Running a successful fundraising campaign requires more than just executing strategies and raising funds — it also requires careful measurement and evaluation of your campaign’s impact.  Set measurable goals. To effectively measure the impact of your campaign, it is crucial to establish specific and measurable goals. Determine the metrics that align with your campaign objectives, such as the number of funds to be raised, the number of donors or supporters to engage, or the increase in website traffic. Measurable goals provide clarity and serve as benchmarks to track your progress through ..read more