My work for Comic Relief spanned eight campaigns: Red Nose Day 2011, 13, 15 & 17 and Sport Relief 2012, 14, 16 & 18. I wrote most of their digital collateral (from powerful appeal pieces to content that engaged and secured fundraisers) and provided copy in myriad styles, across an incredibly varied mixture of formats.
Each campaign and celebrity challenge had behind it a document that formed the backbone for how we, our partners, and our celebrities talked about our work. These ensured everyone was on-message, and that this message was emotive and effective, be it on TV, online or in the press. I wrote these documents.
I produced scripts for celebs (radio ads, sketches and PTCs, with end-boards and CTAs), interactive CD-ROMs for schools, press releases, apps, fundraising packs, DMs and almost all campaign emails. I was also, for four years, the online voice of the PG Tips Monkey, building his social media profile, plus writing his ‘personal’ website and many of the lines, quips and quotations on his products (calendars, greetings cards, plush merchandise etc). These generated significant operational income for Comic Relief, which owns the rights to the character.
Overall, this role required me to deliver effective, personable and powerful copy for a range of audiences, to tight budgets and deadlines, and across many simultaneous projects involving multiple stakeholders.
This DM was a re-engagement piece, for people who'd fundraised/donated in the past, to get them to order a fundraising kit.
Specsavers corporate partnership pitch
Comic Relief had been attempting to court Specsavers as a corporate partner for a years but, despite numerous approaches, nothing had cut through. I was asked to write a pitch that would get their attention. A few days after this was sent out we got a call. Soon after that, Specsavers were on board as a new official partner for Red Nose Day 2015, in a deal worth over £75,000.
Red Nose Day 2017 website
Myself and the digital designers were given nigh on free rein with the Red Nose Day 2017 website. It led to fun, lively, clean design and entertaining, engaging copy. And impressive results. After landing on the homepage, visitors were over 400% more likely to leave with a fundraising kit, compared to Red Nose Day 2015.
Homepage
Fundraising page
Individual fundraising category pages
'The difference you make' page
Subject line: Re: Your face
Written for Red Nose Day 2015's 'Make Your Face Funny For Money' campaign, this had one of the highest open rates (and comparative click-through rates) of any email in Comic Relief's history.
For this Sport Relief January DM, I decided to do a take on those ubiquitous 'New Year, new you' promotions you get just after Christmas, hence the deliberately low-rent 'flash' and OTT Fern Britton shot.
When ITV Digital folded, in 2002, there was a dispute about who owned the rights to Monkey, between the beleaguered broadcaster and the agency, Mother, who created him. As a settlement, the rights were donated to Comic Relief. After joining, in 2010, I became his online voice, writing his social media posts, website and much of the copy on his merchandising, such as mugs, plush toys and these calendars.
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NB: The process for these was peculiar. Rather than have a hand in concepting them, all the images were decided upon, art-worked, then given to me to caption. So, there wasn't much room for sculpting the direction, but I'm pleased with some of the lines, and they sold well.
Monkey 2015 Official Calendar
Monkey 2016 Official Calendar
Subject line: Don't let cats hamper your fundraising
This email was sent out two weeks prior to Red Nose Day 2017, as a nudge for people who'd been sent a fundraising kit, but might have forgotten about it. I thought there was good chance their kit might be under a cat. We all know what they're like.
One of my first briefs upon joining Comic Relief was to write some children's jokes to go with that year's monster-themed Red Noses. The final panel isn't a joke, they really were a choking hazard for small children.
This DM was sent to high-value fundraisers, ahead of their Red Nose Day 2015 Fundraising Kits. We wanted to let each and every one of them know how much of a legend they are.
Red Nose Day 2015 Legends Fundraising Kit
This fundraising kit was sent to our highest-value fundraisers for Red Nose Day 2015
Front
First fold
Second fold
Inside
Event poster
Promotional poster
Red Nose Day 2015 homepage
Sport Relief 2016 website
Sport Relief 2016 event pack
The Sainsbury's Sport Relief Games were a collection of running, swimming and cycling fundraising events. These event packs were crucial to encouraging participants to get sponsored for their efforts.
Letter
I'm particularly pleased with the letter, from Davina. A lot of copywriters misstep when it comes to ghost-writing endorsements; be it from a celebrity ambassador (as here), a 'satisfied customer' or a service user. The most important concern, overriding all others, is that it needs to sound genuine. As soon as you shatter the illusion that it's written by the person in question, with genuine intent, all your other precious messages are considered disingenuous and, therefore, might as well not even be there.
Pack (first reveal)
Second reveal
Sport Relief 2014 website
