The Giving Scotland campaign was launched in 2003 in response to intense negative media scrutiny of charities in Scotland following several fundraising scandals. The campaign's objectives were to (1) engage media to understand the sector's impact, (2) run an advertising campaign to inspire public support, and (3) involve lawmakers to advance legislative reform. Through partnerships with multiple agencies donating services, the low-cost campaign generated over £500,000 in press coverage and increased public support for charities, leading to a draft charities bill being passed into law. The campaign is now seen as a model for how the sector can collectively respond to crises.

1. 1. INSPIRATION & EFFECTIVENESS
2. THE MAIN AREAS OF FUNDRAISING
3. MULTI-MEDIA
Giving Scotland: crisis campaign
EXHIBITED BY
Fiona Duncan.
ADDED
June 11, 2014
MEDIUM OF COMMUNICATION
Broadcast and television, press advertising
TARGET AUDIENCE
Awareness
TYPE OF CHARITY
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN
Scotland
DATE OF FIRST APPEARANCE
December, 2003
SOFII’s view
What do you do when there’s a scandal, or even several, and public opinion starts to run
against you? Keep your head down and hope it’ll all blow over? Or do you make a bold stand
to explain what you do and show its true value? The Giving Scotland campaign was launched
in the face of intense scrutiny of charities in Scotland and critical analysis of charity
practices, which were having a very negative impact on giving in the country. But this
courageous campaign changed everything.
Creator / originator
Fiona Duncan.
Summary / objectives
To establish a charitable coalition of leaders in Scotland’s voluntary, representative of its
scale and diversity, which would work together to make best use of contacts and collective
leverage to raise funds over the festive period to:
 Engage the media
and make them
understand the
impact of the sector
on all aspects of
Scottish life. To
reverse the media
attacks and secure
positive coverage.

2.  Run an advertising
campaign that
would capture the
imagination of the
public and in itself
create a story.
 Involve decision
makers and MSPs
and move
legislative reform
forward
The overall aim was to rebuild public confidence in the charitable sector in Scotland.
Background
The charitable sector in Scotland was experiencing an enormous amount of negative media
coverage as a result of a number of ‘fundraising scandals’ and weak legislation. The first was
in May 2003 when a commercial fundraising organisation’s bank accounts were frozen
because the money it had raised (£8 million) had not been passed onto the relevant charity.
This was swiftly followed by two further scandals. Then journalists took every opportunity to
condemn and undermine the sector. By December, a poll commissioned by a national
newspaper indicated that over half of the Scottish population would no longer be giving to
charity.
Special characteristics
It was untested; it was unorthodox and therefore it was difficult to sell to colleagues in the
sector. It was further complicated by the Institute of Fundraising’s position during the
scandals. It involved multiple agencies – all working for free and with their own agenda. It
required funds at an awkward time of year. It didn’t run to plan – at all. Yet it succeeded.
Influence / impact
The campaign generated:
 £300,000 worth of
advertising
(purchased for
£92k).
 Over £500,000 of
press activity.
 When the poll was
replicated, a
quarter of the
Scottish population
reported recalling
the advert and that
it had made them
think positively
about the
importance of
giving to charity.

3.  Anecdotally,
organisations saw
an impact during
the campaign:
higher returns in
public collections,
good results in
Christmas appeals,
and increased
number of requests
for annual reports.
 At the Giving
Scotland reception
to close the
campaign the
turnout was
astounding and
unprecedented with
over a third of
Scotland’s
Members of
Parliament
attending and the
Ministers
introducing the
evening.
Costs
£111,000 – all met from sponsorship or gifts (campaign value £860k).
Results
 A draft charities
bill was introduced
that was
subsequently
passed as an Act of
the Scottish
Parliament.
 Charities have
reported a
stabilising of
income.
 The campaign has
been talked about
at conferences in
Holland and
Sweden as a model
of how to cope

4. with charity
scandals.
 The national press
still refers to the
campaign in
general articles
about giving.
Merits
This campaign is considered a model of how to work together as a sector to achieve
collective benefit.
Giving Scotland crisis campaign