How NGOs and Charities Can Use Video To Capture the Public Imagination

It’s a big dilemma for NGOs, charities and foundations worldwide. How is it possible to move the conversation beyond individuals or organisations that have already backed your cause? Many of these agencies are already producing stunning video content that successfully commands the attention of their target audience and entices existing supporters to connect and participate. Video is a powerful approach here; emotional material has been proven by researchers to appeal to viewers’ empathy to the extent that they can be persuaded to donate greater sums.

Nevertheless, with competition for the attention economy more aggressive than ever before, non-profits are feeling the pressure to engage audiences who don’t already care. The top video production agency will typically use a blend of different content types, delivered in the most suitable context. The starting point for an NGO content strategy isn’t always obvious, but Google’s Hero, Hub, Help formula is a helpful system to devise a sophisticated content plan for the various stages of the supporter journey – awareness, knowledge-building, decision-making and advocacy.

The big-ticket content is impact-driven and emotionally charged. Hero videos mark the beginning of the supporter journey, aimed at a mass audience and often supported via paid activation. Hero content directs fresh audiences to your charity or NGO as well as strengthening brand values with individuals who already know you. A good recent example is the Girl Effect video, which generates awareness about opportunities for young women worldwide. The animation kicks off with a ticking clock demonstrating how time is running out to improve lives, which brings urgency to the cause.

The video is emotionally appealing in the way it applies disturbing statistics related to poverty, education and child marriage – but it also presents solutions so that viewers can grasp how precisely their involvement or donation could make a difference. Alternatively, hub content represents a lower budget, more regular and always-on approach. This type of video develops a community of followers for your organisation and aims to build brand loyalty. An excellent example here is the seven-part series from Charity: water, which relays a story and pulls viewers back to see more.

To create an engrossing video, correctly pinpointing the emotional drivers of your audience is crucial. What will motivate them to watch your video and get involved? These drivers can include happy, cynical, surprised, anxious, empathic or generous. However, they can also be more complex; vanity, the desire to be seen as an early adopter, career progression, laziness or even distrust of others. Write down all the emotional drivers you can think of, as honestly as possible. This will give you a really strong foundation to build from.

Believe it or not, influencers can also be an effective way of evangelising your cause to relevant people and creating improved brand awareness while remaining true to your values. Be honest if it’s a paid-for arrangement. To avoid a PR faux pas, be sure to follow good practice and due diligence to make sure they’re the right choice for the role. They don’t need to have a massive following – a loyal fan base could be more useful. For instance, the charity Refuge used a video from a beauty blogger to create a conversation around domestic abuse, based on her own experiences.

About Us

The Cassette Group is the UK’s full service video production company. We create content with impact – ranging from documentaries, to promos, animations, event films and more. Trusted by clients across the arts, heritage, corporate, medical, education, charity and public sectors, we deliver video that helps you reach your objectives.

We operate the most up-to-date equipment and a wide selection of cameras, from Canon and Sony cinema cameras to long-term time lapse cameras. Our lighting kits can illuminate small studios or giant warehouses. The Cassette has access to everything from drones to gimbals, which means we’re primed and ready to capture stunning moving footage from any environment.