The Background
Bake for Heroes had been part of Help for Heroes' fundraising programme since 2008 and had become one of the charity's flagship mass participation events.
But by 2018, the fundraising landscape had changed. Every charity seemed to have a bake sale. Supporter numbers and income were falling, and the product had lost the cut-through it once had.
With the charity celebrating its 10th anniversary, there was an opportunity to breathe new life into the campaign and remind people why Help for Heroes mattered.
The Brief
The challenge was simple. Make people excited about baking for Help for Heroes again.
The existing product needed a stronger proposition, a fresh creative platform and a campaign that could reconnect with loyal supporters while bringing entirely new audiences into the charity.
It also needed to work across schools, workplaces, community groups and corporate partners without losing the military heritage at its heart.
The Work
Rather than reinvent the event, I reinvented how people thought about it.
I repositioned Bake for Heroes as The Nation's Bake Sale, giving it a much bigger role than simply another charity bake sale. The new proposition tapped into the warmth people already felt towards Help for Heroes and invited everyone to play their part.
I led the strategy, proposition and creative direction, developing a playful campaign that balanced fun with purpose while staying true to the charity's military roots.
Alongside the campaign, I also developed a supporter journey to improve stewardship and retention, ensuring participants enjoyed a consistent experience regardless of when they signed up.
Working with a trusted network of designers, artworkers and developers, we created a campaign that felt fresh, engaging and unmistakably Help for Heroes.
The Results
The campaign more than doubled participation in its first year.
1,100 sign-ups, up from 510 the previous year.
50% of participants were completely new to the charity.
50% remittance rate.
Average gift: £153.
Total raised: £84,150.