Marketing that Moves: Nonprofit Storytelling Examples & Fundamentals
Figures and stats are fine, but what people really remember are stories — powerful, evocative narratives that are replete with protagonists, conflict, setbacks, as well as triumphs. For nonprofit or social marketing to cut through the content tsunami and thrive, storytelling is key.
According to Harvard Business Review, customers that are more emotionally connected to a brand are 52% more valuable than those that fare well on traditional customer metrics. When it comes to nonprofits, storytelling becomes all the more important. For most people, the decision to give to a nonprofit isn’t just financial, it’s emotional—their connection to your cause and mission, and their belief in your nonprofit to advance it.
But nonprofit storytelling can be extremely tricky, especially when catering to vulnerable populations and dealing with sensitive topics. So that you have someplace to look to for inspiration and guidance, we’ve handpicked four cases of nonprofit storytelling that make us want to act immediately.
What is nonprofit storytelling?
Nonprofit storytelling refers to stories told by nonprofit organizations in order to communicate an issue or cause using a narrative framework with familiar story elements. This can be an incredibly effective approach to social marketing, helping nonprofits to raise funds, build awareness, mobilize volunteers, and enhance brand trust.
Nonprofit storytelling can be seen as an aspect of brand storytelling. Successful brand storytellers will consistently make their brand and products part of a larger narrative that is relevant to their customers. Understanding one’s audience, and seeing the world from their eyes is of paramount importance for doing this right.
What makes for great nonprofit storytelling?
Despite the differences, most examples of powerful nonprofit storytelling have common denominators.
The best nonprofit stories (1) have a central character that (2) embarks on a journey, (3) is supported by the organization, (4) emerges triumphant, and (5) includes ways for the audience to participate.
Additionally, nonprofits must take extra care to consider the ethics of the stories they’re telling. They must prioritize the interests of the people and communities they serve and ensure consensual usage of any photos or videos, while ensuring that the stories do not play into stereotypes or cultural stigma.
Great examples of nonprofit storytelling in Southeast Asia
Here are some inspiring websites, videos, and social media channels of nonprofits based in Southeast Asia that embody these principles thoroughly:
1. Soi Dog Foundation
The Soi Dog Foundation is one of Southeast Asia’s largest rescue organizations. Featuring high-quality visuals, the nonprofit’s Instagram account really strikes an emotional chord with followers. Its marketing team employs a variety of features and content types to reach a wide audience.
Its Reel series “Dog of the Week” features dogs that were mistreated, but are now living healthier, happier lives and are ready to be adopted. The videos are beautifully shot, with captions that recite a compelling story. Then there are “Behind the Scenes” Stories that give followers a sneak peek into Soi Dog’s daily operations including both struggles and successes.
This post’s caption reads, “During the festive season or otherwise, there’s no greater gift you can give a dog like Tripod than a home.”
Page visitors also get to see the areas that benefit from their ongoing support and feel a connection to the cause in a more tangible way.
2. Child’s Dream Foundation
The problem of inaccessibility to education and learning poverty is very real in the Mekong Sub-region. PAPER & PAGE worked with Child’s Dream Foundation to produce this video.
It doesn’t take an expert to notice that the video is in stark contrast with Soi Dog’s approach which embraces the use of real images and footage. However, animation-style videos come in handy when there are consent-related concerns. In this particular case, we’re talking privacy rights of children, which is a sensitive issue.
The animation features a single child, making it easy to follow the plight of hundreds of thousands of disadvantaged children from the Mekong Sub-region. Using speech bubbles, timelines, and graphs, the video conveys hoards of information about a complex problem, while stressing the urgency of the cause. Catering to its main donor base, the video has also been translated into German to eliminate language barriers.
Finally, the video concludes with a simple, yet powerful call to action, seeking your support in “creating an educated and healthy world for generations to come.”
3. Dao Ethical Gifts
Dao Ethical Gifts is a social enterprise initiated by nonprofit organization Baan Dek Foundation. Its social business model is to empower marginalized women in Southeast Asia by providing them with vocational and soft skills. They are then eligible to become partners in producing Dao’s fair-trade custom merchandise.
While these are important details to convey to its B2B partners, Dao Ethical Gifts goes one step further: the social enterprise takes its name from Duan and Dao, two sisters from a small and impoverished village in Thailand’s northern province of Chiang Mai. Baan Dek had been able to support the sisters to build a better future, and their success ignited the concept of Dao Ethical Gifts.
By sharing a specific story of the heroes that started it all, clients have a much more tangible understanding of how their partnership with Dao Ethical Gifts is supporting social impact in Thailand and Southeast Asia.
4. Solar Chapter
Solar Chapter works to holistically aid the development of Indonesia—one remote area at a time. Because obtaining consent is a lot more viable in this case, the organization has created a series of videos that feature real people.
For instance, this video portrays how the nonprofit made clean water accessible to Desa Nibaaf—a remote area where little children walked for hours to obtain water for their families. The video puts those impacted in the spotlight and is extremely candid. The use of background music also contributes to a sense of triumph.
Most of Solar Chapter’s videos feature a main character, one of the many common denominators we mentioned earlier, giving viewers a protagonist to root for. There are also videos that share the organization’s year-on-year progress, showing viewers that the organization is creating a lasting difference.
5. Scholars of Sustenance
Scholars of Sustenance (SOS) is an international food rescue foundation that operates in Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Its website is a powerful example of a platform used to mobilize action around hunger and food waste.
As soon as users land on the homepage, they are drawn into the CEO’s journey and the moments that fueled his resolution to rescue food in third-world countries. Using the founder’s story makes it more personal to the audience, helping them to understand the “why” behind the nonprofit.
Also powerful is the use of the first-person perspective in the organization’s web copy. Phrases such as “The problem that drives us” or “Act with us!!” reinforce the tone that you’re communicating with real people and not a faceless organization.
Key Takeaways
While some of these examples have great graphics, impressive figures, and storybook-like endings, this isn’t the only path to successful social marketing.
More often than not, readers and viewers just want their hearts touched, and emotions stirred. Needless to say, there are a gazillion ways to achieve that.
With just a bit of creativity and thought, your nonprofit can tell captivating stories, and bring the audience to become emotionally invested in your cause.
