The Bruce Barton letters: 22 classic direct mail appeals
The 22 letters in this series written between 1944 and 1960 reputedly raised over US$2 million, enough money to secure the future for an important American private school. They have been described as ‘some of the best examples of fundraising in history’. Great fundraising letters are rare and are always worth studying. Bruce Barton was an exceptional copywriter (see SOFII’s exhibit on the mailing that drew 100 per cent response, here) and there’s no doubt that his letters are among the most instructive examples available to fundraisers today. Serious direct mail copywriters will study these letters carefully and will profit accordingly.
- Written by
- Ken Burnett
- Added
- June 26, 2010
If you are new to SOFII, or an old hand, please have a look at these fundraising letters you’ll love. Written by Bruce Barton over many years, they are priceless examples of the craft of writing fundraising letters.
- Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters for Deerfield Academy, from the 1940s
- Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters for Deerfield Academy: From 1945, letters three, four and five
- Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters for Deerfield Academy: from 1946/47, letters six, seven and eight
- Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters for Deerfield Academy continue with letters nine, 10 and 11, from 1948 and 1949
- Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters for Deerfield Academy: from the turn of the 1950s, letters 12, 13 and 14
- Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters for Deerfield Academy: from 1951, letter 15
- Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters for Deerfield Academy: from 1955 and 1956, letters 16 and 17
- Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters for Deerfield Academy: from 1956 and 1957, letters 18 and 19
- Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters for Deerfield Academy: from 1957 and 1958, letters 20 and 21
- Bruce Barton’s fundraising letters for Deerfield Academy: from 1960, letter 22
