Challenge: A major nonprofit organization for children and its ad agency created a direct response TV campaign to boost awareness of its efforts and encourage monthly donations. As a follow up, it wanted to explore the key messages that best drove and increased interest in donating, for guiding future TV spots.

Objectives: To evaluate both the creative approach and specific television executions of the organization’s current advertising campaign.

Solution: A Phase 1 dial-testing methodology was incorporated into a series of online, individual interviews, that included recording real-time reactions to the spots and an in-depth discussion of their results. Phase 2 included a dial-test with follow up survey among potential donors to obtain a statistically reliably assessment of “moment-by-moment” reactions to the two TV spots.

Results: Learning and insights were used to make refinements to future messaging, and Plan-it made recommendations for future tv spot concepts for the campaign that would motivate giving and optimize understanding of the organization’s mission and work.