Give Like Gary
| Date: | Fall 2021 |
| Department: | Advancement |
| Project Type: | Integrated Marketing Campaign |
| UCM Services: | Concept, Writing, Design, Video, Web |
The Give Like Gary campaign highlights the inspiring story of Ohio University’s longest-running annual donor,1960 graduate Gary Clark, who (at the time of the campaign launch) had given to OHIO every year for 59 years running. Gary’s story and message served as the storytelling fulcrum of OHIO’s Annual Giving efforts throughout Fall 2021.
The goal: to reignite their alumni’s interest and passion for giving quickly, to avoid the risk of permanently losing donors whose giving lapsed throughout the pandemic. By leveraging the unique and innately inspiring story of Gary Clark, OHIO was able to turn around its annual giving rate and revenue in just one semester.
The multi-channel campaign culminated in a single mailed appeal that netted more than $202,000 from nearly 1,100 donors, nearly one-third of whom were renewed from lapsed status. To date, OHIO has seen a 10.7% increase in cash gifts and a 12.7% increase in donors during FY22 when compared to FY21 thanks to the Give Like Gary campaign.