Help The Aged stroke appeal case study

The majority of strokes affect the over-65s, which is why charity Help The Aged ran a classic direct mail fund-raising campaign last Christmas to help boost research in this area.

The brief to agency Joshua-G2 was to increase awareness and understanding of the condition while asking for donations to continue development of effective treatments.

The envelope flap stated: 'Try opening this envelope with just one hand'. The letter inside went on to describe the debilitating physical and mental fall-out from a stroke which was then balanced with details of research being carried out on the condition.

Help The Aged saw a response rate of 6.86% with an average donation of over £15, which proves that well-targeted campaigns can still open wallets and purses, even in a recession.