Sarah Marsh, senior product marketing manager and Martin Wilson, innovation project manager, RNLI

1. RNLI: Content Marketing
The Big Christmas Rescue
Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson

2. The RNLI is a registered charity that saves lives at sea
It provides a 24/7 on-call service to provide search and rescue requirements
up to 100 nautical miles from the coast of the UK and Republic of Ireland
as well as a seasonal lifeguard service on over 200 beaches, a Flood response
team and an International development agency
In addition, the RNLI has a much broader impact with its Coastal Safety
initiatives, ranging from educational activities with schoolchildren to free
safety checks offered to pleasure craft users and safety advice for fishermen
The RNLI is independent from Government and it’s annual running costs of
£144.6M are entirely from voluntary contributions and legacies
RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms

3. AIM: To ensure our messages are aligned & our communications are
consistent, clear, bold and relevant in order to connect with more people and
motivate them to get involved in our mission
RNLI One Voice
RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms

4. Strategy
(organisational
objectives)
Impact and
influence
(outcomes in line
with org,
objectives)
Brand
(vision, mission,
values)
Integration
(In communications and
organisational structure/
culture)
Purpose
RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms

5. More people understand who
we are and what we do
All messages are linked,
focussed, clear and consistent
More support, income and
impact
Internally – everyone is driven
by the same aim – they are
working for the cause, not their
department or individual targets
More connections with target
communities and audiences
Communications are audience
focused and data driven
Charity Comms
RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Benefits

6. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
Theme: Innovation that lives on
We want people to:
Think: That the RNLI are ready to response immediately 24/7 with the latest
equipment and training designed to get people home safely if they ever need us
Feel: Protected and assured that an expert, well equipped rescue team is ready to
respond
Do: Support us, trust us, recognise our expertise, listen to our prevention
messages and feel assured

8. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
The Brief & Insight
‘Develop a family Christmas fundraising product for 30-40 and 65-74 year olds’
Capitalise on current trend for unique, personalised gifts
Build on the tradition of ‘Saving Christmas’ – best-selling RNLI Christmas card
Budget:
£5,000 development costs
(Ended up spending around £8k)

9. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
The Product
The product will encompass a personalised story that depicts the child saving Christmas,
through helping the RNLI lifeboat crew rescue Santa on Christmas Eve, when his sleigh
breaks over the North Sea.
The product will be an investment / keep sake item for cherishing and sharing in years to
come. The content of the book will be targeted at 5-8 year olds, to be read to the child, with
the child, and for older children, alone by the child.
There could be a channel-link through to digital content (video, animation, activity sheets)
providing more activities for over the festive season.
There is the opportunity to build the offering, with options including linked product, an
animated eStory (sent by email) and a letter. There is also the potential to introduce
personalised birthday cards and other personalised items for other times in the year.

10. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
The Big Christmas Rescue
Personalised children's story book
Written by in house editor
Illustrated by Hannah Cumming –children's book illustrator

11. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
Entertain & Educate
Identify Key Messages:
Crews are on call 24 /7; reinforce the reality that crew get shouts on Christmas Day/Eve
95% of RNLI people are volunteers
Build relevance - start the journey – provide ways to find out more & get involved

12. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
Raise Funds
Product cross sell-accidental!
What next? How can you get involved
100% profit goes toward saving lives at sea
On-going supporter journey, keep sending relevant content &
product

13. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
PR
Owned channels
Earned channels
Personalised books sent to celebrities and bloggers
Strong local media push-using local crews as a hook

14. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
PR

15. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
PR
0
1
2
3
4
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
VolumeofMediaposts
NoofSales/Views
Date
Big Christmas Rescue Timetable of Media Activity
Book
Sales
Online
Views
Print /
Radio
Online
Coverage
Tweets
Blogs
YouTube
Video
Emma
YouTube Live
event
Mumsnet
Tweet

16. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
Video

17. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
Marketing Activity
£55k marketing spend
Mix of RNLI channels; DM, membership communications, branches,
community, social, email etc…

18. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
Results
Target KPI Actual KPI
Sales of 10,284 books 14,930
Target audiences (40-50 & 65-74 year old) 10.9% customers were aged 40-
50 & 33.3% were aged 65-74
Potential reactivation tool-targeted relevant content
Potential acquisition tool

19. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
Challenges
Securing celebrity support-no national media hook
Development requirements to support fulfilment
Targeting the right audiences-broad reach
Agility-year 1 of learning

20. RNLI: Sarah Marsh & Martin Wilson
Charity Comms
Future Plans
Expand key messages-what else do we want people to know-Lifeguards, Flood
Rescue, International
Cross-sell (on purpose!)
Product development
Expand our reach
Learn from these Supporters, what do they do next?

21. Content marketing:
planning, creating and
distributing content that adds
value
Conference
16 April 2015
London
#CharityContent
Sponsored by

22. Visit the CharityComms website to view
slides from past events, see what
events we have coming up and to
check out what else we do.
www.charitycomms.org.uk