Non profit marketing has often used outdoor advertising to morph a quaint budget into big results.

Non profit marketing billboard gained online traffic almost instantly

Mobile Loaves and Fishes is a company we have mentioned in previous blogs, specifically concerning their 2011 campaign featuring a homeless man on billboard advertisement. The bulletin ad had a man on the billboard platform waving to those who passed by. He held a large cardboard sign reading “I am Danny, I am homeless, I AM HERE”. People who saw the board were encouraged to text “Danny” to the number provided as a way to donate $10 to the organization. The advertisement caught on and helped the company feed a large portion of the homeless community.

A unique approach to outdoor provided big results for non profit

The Rainforest Foundation is an organization that was founded by Sting and Trudie Styler in 1989. After seeing the destruction of the rainforest and the negative impact it had on the indigenous people who resided there, Sting and Trudie set out to create a foundation that would protect the lands of the Amazon.

The Rainforest Foundation’s outdoor campaign consisted of real trees, pieces of wood, cardboard, a sharpie, and probably a little bit of tape. The ads included trees holding cardboard signs that read: “Need money for my family in the rainforest.”  The ads were translated in multiple languages in 20 different countries. This campaign is just one example of how non-profits are getting creative in their outreach.

Highly innovative non profit marketing campaign targets children with secret message

Recently, the Aid to Children and Adolescents at Risk Foundation used lenticular images to target children with a secret message. By using the hight of the viewer they could provide different ad messages based on the viewing angle.

Have you seen or been part of resonating campaigns utilizing outdoor in the non-profit sector? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below!