The Royal British Legion - Poppyman, bringing The Poppy Appeal to life
The Poppy Appeal had long been seen as a remembrance campaign and, as a result, did not resonate with many younger people. We wanted to demonstrate how buying a poppy makes a difference to people alive today. Brand Illumination lead us to the brand idea – a visual representation of the collective power of these donations. And so the Poppyman was born.
The Royal British Legion felt that the Poppyman so captured the essence of the charity's work that the traditional celebrity launch was not required. The Poppyman became a celebrity in his own right, starring in press photocalls and attracting a strong following through his own facebook page.
The Poppyman even attracted celebrity friends; in his column in The Spectator, journalist Matthew Parris stated, "I hate badges and ribbons but this year I have decided to wear a poppy... the Royal British Legion's poster campaign this year was so moving".
A two week campaign generated 99% awareness and broke the fundraising target of £27.5m.
- Elemental Truth:
- Poppy Appeal donations provide valuable support for ex-servicemen and their families
- Insight:
- Donors don't know where their £1 donation goes, or if such a small gift can make a difference
- Brand idea:
- The Poppyman