Jenny Ramage explores the 3 inspirational storytelling techniques that won support for MSF UK, Save the Children and the Everyone IF coalition

Last month we explored 4 brilliantly inspiring storytelling techniques that helped win support for charities. In this second instalment, we evaluate three different techniques that have underpinned some equally powerful campaigns.

Big, bold and colourful

In part one we looked at how animation can help bring historical events to life in a way that resonates with contemporary audiences. But as this Everyone IF campaign video shows, it can also be used to communicate complex socio-political, global issues.

The video, which received over 250,000 hits in its first week, is informative and inspirational, using simple language and imagery to help people understand the issues at hand while also showing them how they can be part of the solution.

Matt Cook, a freelance writer and one half of the creative team behind the campaign video, said that tackling an issue of such enormous scope in such a short piece was a challenge – but that simplicity was the order of the day. “With so much to fit in, we just went big, bold and colourful. We used very short, punchy phrases delivered in a conversational way.

Matt says that for him, “simplicity is the key in any kind of fundraising story, of any length. Your stall needs to be laid out very clearly, very quickly and the call to action needs to be clear and simple too.”

Unfiltered truths

MSF UK has had great success with a very different form of storytelling. The charity’s service providers and beneficiaries contribute to a field blog, which enables them to record and share their experiences, thoughts and feelings while dealing with medical situations on the frontline.

For Ben Holt, UK digital lead and international strategic adviser at the charity, the blog stands out for its honesty and transparency. “It communicates the challenges, the failures, and the impossible choices that people have to make, as well as the special moments when people get to make a difference. This warts-and-all approach challenges the prevailing charity narrative that things are perfect and work well all of the time.”

The main aim of the blog is to build long-term relationships with supporters, says Ben. “While slick, glossy fundraising that uses emotionally manipulative images may draw people in initially, I don't believe it is the way to build long-term relationships.

“We make only the lightest of edits in case of security concerns. The blogs are otherwise real people's voices that do not go through a filter.”

And it works. "The blogs get a really good response from people who write them as well as people who read them”, says Ben. “A recent study showed that TB patients who blogged through their treatment had more positive outcomes. Our staff also often report that they get great support from the community of readers who can post encouraging comments at the bottom of their blogs.”

The heart of the matter

In communicating a need, sometimes the facts can speak for themselves. However, as many great storytellers have commented, often fiction does a better job of getting to the truth.

In the case of Save the Children’s ‘A Second A Day’ video, the charity took an interesting counterfactual approach to getting its message across.

The powerful video, seen through the eyes of a young British girl, sees civil war breaking out as if Britain were Syria, and the girl’s happiness, security and health crumbles around her.

Released three years after the start of the conflict in Syria, which had claimed the lives of over 10,000 children and displaced millions, it’s aim was “to bring the issues to life in a fresh way”, according to Helena Wiltshire, deputy director of media at the charity.

“We hoped the video would resonate with members of the public, particularly those who don’t know much about the situation in Syria, so they can really understand the plight of innocent Syrian children.  

“The message to the public is just because it’s not happening here, doesn’t mean it’s not happening.”

And with the video receiving over 50 million views, it certainly helped bring the truth home.

Jenny Ramage is editor of The Fundraiser