Email and marketing automation platform is calling on people to dig deep and donate to their unsung local heroes with the charmingly animated .
The worst of the pandemic might be behind us, but that doesn’t mean its effects aren’t still being felt. One of the areas still feeling the impact of pandemic-driven financial disruptions is the small nonprofit sector, which recorded lower donations than usual over the last couple of years.
To help reverse this trend and to take advantage of donations season – the time of year when people are statistically more likely to give money away – Mailchimp has teamed up with award-winning young creative agency to engage the public in supporting local nonprofits.
The Concept
It’s often said that people overlook amazing things because they’re right on their doorstep. How often have you jetted off on holiday to visit amazing attractions while equally impressive sights go overlooked at home? It’s the same with local community projects, which often go unappreciated.
If only people had a map and a resource that could point them in the right direction and show them the best nonprofits under their noses. That’s where Give Where You Live, which was first devised in 2020, comes in.
Starting in six US cities, namely Atlanta, Buffalo, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, the movement shines a light on community players to get more love, help, and donations. Brought to life with a delightful animation that snakes its way through the cities to uncover these nonprofits, Give Where You Live is supported by a website which gives back to these small organisations.
“At a time when local communities are enduring significant hardships, recovering from the pandemic and a recession, it’s important to amplify our efforts, show our empathy to local communities and provide support to small local world-changers,” says Sophie Ozoux, co-founder of Kin.
“At Kin, our priority is lasting social impact, so we play the long game here. We’re really proud that, in just three years, Kin and Mailchimp have built multiple platforms for ongoing social change. It’s our hope that Give Where You Live will become another long-lasting movement.”
The Partnership
Mailchimp is well-placed to help Kin realise its ambitions. The company is a strong believer in the power of small local nonprofits. According to Lain Shakespeare, Mailchimp’s Director of Corporate Citizenship, it has invested more than $15 million and sponsored more than 200 organisations in Atlanta alone during the last ten years.
“But we’re only getting started,” she adds. “Small organisations know their communities the best, so their efforts have a much bigger and lasting impact on the people around them. The problem is they are often denied the resources, trust and freedom they need to build their big ideas. When it is donation season, most of us think of the big national and international charities and not the awesome nonprofits in our backyards.”
Kin and Mailchimp have also already established a good working relationship, having previously collaborated on its citizenship strategy, Big Change Starts Small, in 2021. And just as that initiative was based around the idea that nonprofits are essential to communities on a political level, Give Where You Live broadens that scope out and invites the general public to join in and make that change.
Give Where You Live’s multi-platform activation was strategised and conceived by Kin and promoted with an animation produced by global creative company .
Designed to spark curiosity and attention, it originated from discussions with the local nonprofits that Mailchimp works with. They felt it reflected their lack of visibility in the community and acted as an effective City Guide to local heroes, such as community farms, local STEM programs, art collectives and environmental groups.
“Give Where You Live is a proud moment for Kin, demonstrating how brands and agencies can work together to strengthen communities whilst building a brand,” concludes Kwame Taylor-Hayford, Kin co-founder. “We shouldn’t be putting our creativity and energy into advertising. We should be creating cultural platforms for change.”
On top of the animation, the launch campaign for Give Where You Live is supported by Giving Tuesday, social assets, an influencer program, as well as the NFL, with players like Stefon Diggs and Cordarrelle Patterson supporting the cause.
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