How to galvanise volunteers to fundraising action

Adding an original twist to a 20-year campaign

The client

Genetic Disorders UK

The challenge

Genetic Disorders UK have been running their ‘Jeans for Genes’ campaign for over 20 years, raising funds for initiatives that improve the lives of children affected by genetic disorders in the UK. The rise of fundraising days coupled with a troubled economic climate meant the 2016 campaign needed greater cut through to achieve their primary objective – increasing participation and raising more funds. Working with brand agency OPX we needed to come up with a campaign concept to solve this problem.

The solution

we came up with ‘Overdo it in Denim’. It encourages people to overdo the denim in any way they can: double denim, denim jackets, denim hats, even denim bow ties. The campaign also balances the ‘J’ and the ‘G’: the Jeans-led fun, celebrities and fashion with the Genes-led focus on the affected individuals and their families. An important aim of the campaign is also to educate about the wide range of genetic disorders, so that nurseries, schools and workplaces can understand who they are fundraising for and why.