Marketing Strategy

Sigma Delta Tau Foundation
One Hope Fund

During our first brand strategy session in Fall 2019, the Executive Director of the Sigma Delta Tau Foundation voiced a wish for a hardship fund that could benefit every member of the sorority through any season of their lives. This would be the first fund of its kind at the organization.

When families were beginning to feel the economic impact of COVID-19 in March 2020, we pushed the timeline to begin fundraising for the One Hope Fund from Summer to Fall. Though the immediate need for this giving initiative was clear, timing for asking for donations was both crucial and delicate.

Our aggressive goal was to have the fund subsidized before the end of 2020.

One Hope Fund Logo

The water drop is pulled from the symbolism of the sorority’s crest. The water colors and typefaces are elements of the Foundation’s recent brand refresh.

print collateral

September

Due to the financial implications the pandemic has had on families, we knew the hardship fund was coming at a complicated time: it could help a number of members, but it’s tricky to ask for donations when so many families were dealing with hardship. So we waited.

The first mention of the fund was included in the annual Fall newsletter, The Flame, that goes to those who donated within the previous year.

A few weeks following, a broader list received a mailer appeal for the One Hope Fund that educated, set expectations, and asked for help in making the fund a reality to help all members.

social media & Email Campaigns

October

As the vast majority of the mailer recipients were of an older demographic, the first round of social media campaigns was focused on Facebook. Keeping a lighter touch in mind, five social media posts and one email campaign were executed within a three-week timeframe.

November/December

Making the decision to promote the One Hope Fund for #GivingTuesday, a wider net was cast to the collegiate and young alumnae membership on Instagram, in addition to continued promotion on Facebook. As an incentive, the Sigma Delta Tau Foundation had a promotion to give away free face masks. Lead-up posts were published the days leading up to Giving Tuesday, with numerous posts and Instagram stories throughout the day, in addition to five email campaigns across three days with adapted email lists. The Sigma Delta Tau Foundation saw the largest number of donors of a #GivingTuesday campaign.

The One Hope Fund was successfully subsidized in December 2020.