The RSPCA, the UK’s leading animal welfare charity, has a big heart but not an unlimited budget. Like most charities, they are feeling the squeeze: fundraising costs are rising, donor retention is a constant battle, and traditional media buys often miss the mark.
The reality? UK charity income fell by 7% in 2023, while the demand for services soared. And with 54% of donors saying they have cut back on charitable giving due to the cost of living crisis, every marketing pound needs to work twice as hard.
That is why the RSPCA, alongside its media agency Join the Dots, turned to Herdify, using behavioural science to unlock new donor opportunities. The result? A 23% increase in donations by targeting the communities where giving was already spreading.
"Herdify has helped us uncover hidden pockets of potential supporters, the places that weren’t on our radar before. The early results are looking fantastic, and we’re excited to see where this journey takes us!" ~ Megan Baker, Marketing Manager, RSPCA
RSPCA Unlocking New Opportunities:
For years, charity fundraising has been about targeting the same loyal donors. The RSPCA, like many charities, knows its regular supporters inside out. But what about the people who never make it into the data?
The reality is, giving is not just about individual donors. It is about communities, word of mouth, and social influence. The people who do not donate immediately but pass fundraising materials to friends, talk about a cause over coffee, or nudge a family member to chip in.
RSPCA wanted to:
- Find new supporters in the right places by uncovering communities that looked like its best donors but had never been reached before
- Go beyond direct response data and consider the hidden impact of social influence
- Spend smarter by focusing its budget where it would make the biggest impact
- Make its messaging more personal by tapping into local identity and community ties
- Build long term relationships, not just short term wins
The problem? Traditional targeting is great at tracking clicks and conversions but terrible at spotting the bigger picture. It does not tell you where giving is already contagious or where your message is quietly spreading.
That is where Herdify came in. By mapping out the hidden networks of influence, we helped the RSPCA reach new donors without wasting budget.
Cracking the Code on Smarter Audience Targeting
In just twenty four hours BESeen™ worked its magic on RSPCA’s first party data. The result? A bespoke audience map pinpointing areas where offline social influence was already nudging people towards the RSPCA’s mission. With this insight, Join the Dots fine tuned the media plan, making sure every pound was spent where it would have the biggest impact.
The Test
To see if this approach really made a difference, the campaign was designed as a split test. The aim was to compare traditional targeting with Herdify’s behavioural segmentation to see which approach would drive the greatest donor engagement.
- Test group: Areas flagged by Herdify as having strong RSPCA community influence
- Control group: Areas that fit the usual targeting criteria but without Herdify’s influence spotting
The Results So Far
The numbers are in, and they speak for themselves:
- 24% increase in response rates in the test segment compared to the control group
- 11% boost in cash donations, meaning not only more donors but also more generous ones
- 23% increase in overall donations, proving that targeting communities with strong social influence drives real fundraising results
Even in its early days, the campaign is proving that understanding social influence leads to smarter donor engagement. By reaching the right people in the right places, the RSPCA is seeing better returns on its marketing efforts while strengthening long term donor relationships.
"At Join the Dots, we love finding new ways to shake up traditional media planning. Working with Herdify has let us get more bang for our buck pinpointing the right people at the right time so RSPCA’s budget stretches further and works harder." ~ Ben Briggs, Managing Partner, Join the Dots
Future for RSPCA
This test is just the start. With behavioural science in their toolkit, the RSPCA is now exploring how to scale this approach, ensuring every campaign builds a stronger, more engaged donor base.
- More targeted marketing
- Less wasted budget
- Bigger impact for animals in need
And if you are a charity looking to do the same, one thing is clear: following the herd might just be the smartest move you make.
Watch this space!
