Don’t take research findings at face value

by Andrew Papworth

You are always being encouraged to know your donors, who they are and why they give. Research is a good way to learn this. But, warns Andrew Papworth, you should be suspicious if, like the findings here, full methodology isn’t given.

Working with suppliers: building partnerships based on value for money

by Mark Astarita

Click here to find out why Britain’s No 1 fundraiser thinks the relationship between client and supplier is so important. And why a few training sessions on how to be a good client (and supplier) would be a welcome addition to any fundraising conference.

The ad that trivialises tragedy

by Jeff Brooks

Jeff Brooks has some more severe words for ad agencies and their questionable campaign creations for charities.

Be womankind?

by Andrew Papworth

SOFII is all about celebrating and sharing great fundraising ideas so that we can all become a little more successful ourselves. But here Andrew Papworth, author of fundraising newsletter, Harvest, suggests that an Oxfam advert unveiled for International Women’s Day isn’t exactly top of the list to take fundraising notes from. What do you think?

Nothing is stupid about this

by Jeff Brooks

SOFII regular, Jeff Brooks has identified yet another stupid nonprofit advert. In this example he claims that what could have been an unusual, quirky and ultimately successful fundraising product was de-railed by the self-indulgence of its creators. Do you agree?

Violent video explodes nonprofit’s reputation

by Jeff Brooks

Jeff Brooks identifies not just a bad advert but, in his view, an evil one. He argues that this aberration has done lasting damage to the charity’s cause and reputation. Agree or disagree – what do you think?

A number of people have asked if I planned to feature this short film produced for climate change charity 10:10 in this bad nonprofit ad showcase.

Disaster fundraising at its worst

by Jeff Brooks

After the earthquake in Haiti, it didn’t take long for the bad fundraising messages to crawl out of the woodwork. Here's an example of run-amok abstractionism, from the People of The United Methodist Church. I’m guessing that they had some help from an ad agency on this one. Who else could have screwed up such a simple and compelling message?

An ad that unplugs a flood of nonprofit stupidity

by Jeff Brooks

This effort from the Canadian Red Cross shows how an ad writer can get things hopelessly wrong.

This ad accuses repressive governments of absent-mindedness

by Jeff Brooks

As with other bad nonprofit ads, the question is this: why resort to abstraction when the truth itself is so powerful?

Garbage in, garbage out

by Jeff Brooks

Oh dear, oh dear, here’s an award-winning ad that has lost the point entirely. The young people featured make it seem they think fundraising is a bigger enemy than poverty. I’m sure they didn’t mean it – or did they?

Stupid misconception about the inner lives of children

by Jeff Brooks

According to Jeff Brooks the slogan ‘it’s easy to convince children that killing is a game’ is breathtakingly false and the premise of this ad is an insanely ill-conceived visual metaphor.

Asking the biggest questions of all

by Andrew Papworth

Do you agree when Andrew Papworth says that the British Humanist Association ad here shows muddled thinking and poor execution?