Our latest research carried out with a nationally representative sample of the public in October shows how people are more aware of charities at Christmas, but no charities are gaining awareness through advertising at Christmas. Some highlights are: • 86% of the population don’t remember any ads in which charities featured. Almost no charity ads are remembered at Christmas, and even the best remembered ads are in low single figures.. This must be a massive opportunity for a charity to dominate the charity ad market. • 60% of the public say they hear more about charities at Christmas, and 31% are more likely to give at Christmas. • The most common ways of giving are through charity Christmas Cards. These tend to bought by older women (65% for women 55+ vs 48% overall) and products which contain an element of donation (40% overall). • A minority volunteer at Xmas (18%) and a minority turn are more likely to turn to charities for help at Xmas (19%) • For about 43% of people its harder to give simply because its Christmas, with all the other demands that brings.

1. Attitudes towards
charities at Christmas
Public awareness research from
1000 people representative of the
UK public
December 2016 – (from research in October
2016)

2. 2
Summary of findings
• People hear more about charities, and are more likely to give to them, at
Christmas.
• The most common ways of giving are through charity Christmas cards.
These tend to bought by older women (65% for women 55+ vs 48%
overall). Also popular were products which contain an element of donation
(40% overall).
• A minority volunteer at Christmas (18%) and a minority are more likely to
turn to charities for help at Christmas (19%).
• For about 43% of people, the demands that Christmas brings means that it
is harder to give.
• 86% of the population don’t remember any charity ads. No charity ads are
remembered at Christmas, and even the best remembered ads are in low
single figures. This must be a massive opportunity for a charity to dominate
the charity ad market.

3. 3
Chart 1: Charity partnership Christmas ads
Base: 1,000 adults 16+, Britain | Source: CAM, Oct 2016, nfpSynergy
“In recent years some companies have teamed up with charities at Christmas for their big Christmas TV advert. Can you list any of the adverts
you remember from previous years?”
4%
2%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
1%
86%
John Lewis
Sainsbury's
M&S
British Red Cross
Salvation Army
Oxfam
Tesco
Cancer Research (unspec)
Age UK
Asda
Coca Cola
NSPCC
Save The Children
Shelter
Can't think of any/None

4. 4Base: 1,000 adults 16+, Britain | Source: CAM, Oct 2016, nfpSynergy
“Thinking about charities at Christmas, to what extent do you agree with the statements below?”
13%
14%
24%
19%
17%
31%
31%
32%
43%
5%
5%
7%
7%
7%
9%
12%
16%
17%
-31%
-27%
-20%
-24%
-26%
-13%
-12%
-14%
-8%
-22%
-20%
-10%
-11%
-14%
-8%
-5%
-9%
-4%
I often volunteer for a charity during the Christmas period
I am more likely to look for help from a charity at Christmas
I tend to give more to charities at Christmas
I am more likely to visit a charity shop at Christmas
I buy charity gifts for family and friends at Christmas (e.g.
adopt an animal/send a goat)
I am more likely to buy a product that makes a donation to
charity at Christmas
Christmas makes it harder to find the money to support
charities
I usually buy charity Christmas cards
I hear more about charities at Christmas
Strongly disagree Disagree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Strongly agree
Chart 2: People’s interactions with charities at
Christmas

5. 5Base: 1,000 adults 16+, Britain | Source: CAM, Oct 2016, nfpSynergy
“Thinking about charities at Christmas, to what extent do you agree with the statements below? - I usually buy charity Christmas cards”
Strongly Agree + Agree
42%
52%
65%
47%
36%
46%
Women 16-34
Women 35-54
Women 55+
Men 16-34
Men 35-54
Male 55+
Chart 3: “I usually buy charity Christmas cards”
43%
53%
61%
41%
49%
45%
44%
44%
43%
45%
51%
60%
M
F
AB
C1
C2
DE
16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+

6. 6Base: 1,000 adults 16+, Britain | Source: CAM, Oct 2016, nfpSynergy
“Thinking about charities at Christmas, to what extent do you agree with the statements below? - Christmas makes it harder to find the
money to support charities” Strongly Agree + Agree
51%
47%
36%
52%
42%
33%
Women 16-34
Women 35-54
Women 55+
Men 16-34
Men 35-54
Male 55+
Chart 4: “Christmas makes it harder to find the
money to support charities”
41%
44%
42%
34%
49%
49%
55%
48%
43%
46%
41%
30%
M
F
AB
C1
C2
DE
16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+

7. 7Base: 1,000 adults 16+, Britain | Source: CAM, Oct 2016, nfpSynergy
“Thinking about charities at Christmas, to what extent do you agree with the statements below? - I am more likely to look for help from a
charity at Christmas” Strongly Agree + Agree
Chart 5: “I am more likely to look for help from
a charity at Christmas”
20%
17%
24%
13%
21%
19%
38%
28%
25%
12%
9%
6%
M
F
AB
C1
C2
DE
16-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-64
65+
23%
12%
21%
18%
29%
15%
14%
18%
NW
Yorkshire / Humberside North East
Mids
East
Lond
SE
SW/ Wales
Scot

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