Fundraising Campaign Case Study

Commissioned to deliver a fresh approach and create a new look, the Upper Makefield Fire Company hired Adam Garlinger to redesign their annual fundraising campaign to raise needed funds for the fire company. With a concept executed into a completely new look and feel, with a compelling message reflected in bold design, this multi-platform campaign was developed for print, online, and social media platforms.


Instead of making over-the-top inflated claims or or guilting the reader into donating, the developed concept was based on truths, facts, and essential information that communicated the importance of the fire company to the community, delivered through powerful messaging and visuals. Reflected and conveyed in the visuals and the feel of the design, the message was spoken in a bold tone and was woven into copywriting that emphasized the importance of the fire company and what they provide to the community.


Avoiding puffed-up, inflated claims and avoiding using guilt in the concept, “Response time” as in “Response” was the developed theme, with the writing focused on what response time equates to, and how the reader can ensure the continuance of response time through donations that secured needed equipment, education, training, etc.. Because the statement of “Response” was essential, the statement became an important visual element, executed through a typographical design approach, with strong imagery.


With messaging and writing developed from the “Response” concept, the messaging was then developed into graphic elements through a typographical design approach to ensure the graphic statements were a central visual element. Using strong imagery, a layout was developed for the campaign. Incorporating the developed look and feel and additional messaging elements, multiple layouts were developed for offline and online platforms. The campaign color palette was a black & white scheme, working with with the colors in the photo. The creative development also included a logo like badge that used fire company initials, and fire company wordmark.


With the concept applied to the message, the writing, and the visual creative, the created layout was developed into a two-sided letter folded in three and mailed, with additional campaign components developed for print, web and social media. A follow-up reminder was mailed out, using an upcoming event as the reasoning for the reminder.


Instead of guilting the reader or making inflated claims that were over-the-top, the Response Time campaign was based on facts, straightforward and based on what the fire company provides, the continuance of normalcy and continuance of everyday life, using message and design to deliver impact.

In developing the creative for various platforms with multiple size requirements, a design guideline was developed, to ensure the look and feel was kept consistent to ensure continuity across multiple platforms and multiple mediums, including print, the web, and social media.