Creator / originator

Harold Sumption.

Summary / objectives

In 2005, following on from Make Poverty History, Oxfam launched its 'most ambitious campaign for support ever' – aiming to recruit a million new supporters in a hundred days. This campaign was called 'I'm in' and members of the public were asked to pledge their support – and hold the leaders of G8 countries to the promises they'd made to fight poverty. See advert here. In fact, it took a little longer than a hundred days to gather the million pledges, but I think it was achieved within the year.

Forty-two years earlier, Oxfam marked its twenty-first anniversary with another groundbreaking campaign, which aimed to raise a million pounds in the three months before Christmas.

Background

Mark Phillips has found a series of nine press adverts that show the development of the Hunger £ Million Campaign. The first advert is an introduction to the campaign (October 1963). The last is a thank you (you guessed it – thanks a million) placed on 15 January 1964 announcing that the fundraising target had been met.

Special characteristics

This campaign demonstrates Oxfam's ambitious fundraising. Each advert is different as the story of the campaign unfolds. Take advert two, for example. 'Wanted £1,000,000 – we ask the whole country to back the biggest drive against hunger we have ever launched' – pretty bold.

As time goes by, the fundraising target drops (£959,304 by advert three), but the eye-catching adverts continue. Number seven is a hardworking Christmas advert – contrasting our time of plenty with hunger around the world. And it all ends with a thank you.

Influence / impact

This campaign looks like it inspired the later Million Names in a Hundred Days Campaign in 2005.

Results

The million pounds was raised.

Merits

On its own, one of these adverts would have been of passing interest, but as a whole collection they make for an ambitious and presumably innovative campaign.

Other relevant information

Is this the complete set of adverts? Does anyone know?

You can see other related exhibits here: Oxfam's press ads from the 1950s and 60s.