Many leading corporates have reached out to their customers and given them a chance to experience the joy in giving first hand! They do it, not only out of a sense of duty but also because it deepens customer loyalty and creates goodwill for their brand in the community.
Watch how corporates have given millions of customers the experience of the joy in giving .
For any queries or more ideas on how to organise an event for customers, get in touch!
Reach out here:
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Why should corporates engage their customers in celebrating #DaanUtsav?
Businesses are not just for profit; it is also imperative for businesses to do something for society. This helps create a better brand image and reputation among customers. It also increases customer loyalty because the buyer tends to see the meaning and purpose when a particular brand promotes a social cause. This leads the customer to believe that the brand is more responsible and empathetic towards society as compared to competing brands. For the brand, this becomes more important as it leads to increased sales. Sometimes, when a brand is promoting a cause, the customer is happy to buy the product for self-consumption as well for a beneficiary of the campaign.
What kind of campaign ideas work for brands?
Here are some ideas that work for brands.
What is the best way to pitch the concept of #DaanUtsav to customers?
The best message to relay to customers is that it’s all about being compassionate towards the needy; so while you shop for yourself, buy a little something to help someone else and make a difference in their life. For example, if you are buying groceries for yourself, picking up an extra 250 grams of rice would go a long way in feeding 10 other people.
How can brands get buy-in from all their internal stakeholders?
By showing them the benefits as far as business is concerned. It is a good idea to show them how this will lead to an increase in sales and positive brand recall along with building of customer loyalty with opportunities for media interest.
Internal stakeholders need to know that here is one more festival which can be leveraged to encourage customers to buy extra goods for others, thereby leading to an increase in sales.
How can brands reach their customers or create awareness about their #DaanUtsav initiative?
This can be done in multiple ways — through banners and posters at point of sales; video, radio, and print ads; and social media ads and posts. The brand can create various collaterals and disseminate them through various paid and unpaid channels.
How much time does it take to plan a campaign? Offline and online campaigns?
Usually, from the point of inception, it might take about 60 days to plan and execute the entire campaign. Offline campaigns might take a little more time depending on the scale and supply chain of the campaign.
How can #DaanUtsav volunteers support a brand in planning and/or executing its event?
Does #DaanUtsav coinciding with the festive season come as an advantage or a barrier to engaging customers?
Even if there’s a festival, there is scope to tell the customer that while they buy for their own families, why not buy a little more for somebody else to bring a smile on his or her face? If the messaging is correct, then it doesn’t really matter.
Do brands get any pushback from internal teams? How can one tackle it?
There are usually no pushbacks, except operational issues, which can be tackled by planning the campaigns well in advance (2-3 months earlier), keeping internal teams in the loop.
What are some other tips and suggestions to plan an event better?
Planning a #DaanUtsav event better and working towards it as a festival, just like you approach Diwali, Republic Day, or Eid, could serve the corporate very well in getting additional sales and profit, along with brand awareness and promotion. Brands should not be afraid to go all out when planning their events.
Here is a YouTube playlist which you can use to get more ideas and examples for organising your #DaanUtsav activity.
Click onicon to browse the playlist.
Cart of kindness
Invite customers to add Rs10 (or Rs5 or Re1 depending on the ticket size) to their bill at checkout, to be donated to a charity chosen by the brand. The other idea could be to add a BOGO / Buy One Give One option while checking out.
Influencer diaries
Rope in an influencer and organise a fundraiser. Customers bid for a virtual coffee date with the celebrity. It can also be a contest (share an act of kindness using the product, story sharing contest, art, music, etc).
Bank on kindness
Set up donations campaigns on ATM machines and online donation campaigns on websites.
Kind-a-aware
Organisations raise awareness of #DaanUtsav through communication channels such as e-mails, SMS notifications, bank account statements, e-purchase receipts, etc.
Special Charity Packs
Online groceries can sell special charity packs that contain a full hygiene kit at a deep discount, to be donated to a local orphanage or elder care home.
The Good Merch
Merchandise with branding of NGOs (keychains, clothes, mugs) along with #DaanUtsav are sold on e-commerce websites, and the proceeds are donated to a charity.
Circle of change
For every purchase, the total bill is rounded off to the nearest Rs. 10/100, and the collected change is donated to a charity during #DaanUtsav.
Discount for a gain
Select products offered at deep discount to be bought by customers and donated to charitable organisations that the store partners with.
Win-win situation
Customers donate a set amount (say, Rs. 10) into a raffle, and the winner shops online for free for 20 minutes on the online store, with the money raised given to charity.
Ad the goodness
Brands run campaigns designed around the brand’s values, e.g., Tata Salt/Tea around progressive values, Surf around “daag achhe hain”, aashirvaad atta around their beliefs, etc., encouraging viewers to celebrate #DaanUtsav through their own acts of giving.
Engage to action
Companies launch organic social media campaigns around #DaanUtsav awareness and offer to make a donation for every user engagement on the campaign.
A fine tune
Mobile service providers promote the #DaanUtsav anthem song created by famous composer Ram Sampath, as a caller tune, with the proceeds of the tune purchase going to charity.
A kind reminder
Telcos use messaging/notifications to promote #DaanUtsav. They can also promote specific campaigns or run their own giving campaign.
QR Code to kindness
Banks enable users to donate to all NGOs using QR codes generated by the Bank and shared with the various NGOs who hold accounts with the Bank
IDEAS FOR BANKS
ATM donation campaign
ATMs can display #DaanUtsav awareness messages, and also enable donation to charity via the ATM itself.
Swipe for a cause
During #DaanUtsav banks and wallets make a small donation (say Rs5 for a midday meal), every time a user swipes their card.
UPI for a cause
During #DaanUtsav banks and wallets make a small donation (say Rs5 for a midday meal), every time a user makes a UPI transaction.
E-donation campaigns
Banks enable users to donate to chosen charity through their website and payment apps, by sending out mailers, messages and notifications.
Awareness
Banks raise awareness of #DaanUtsav through e-mails, SMS notifications, and account statements.
QR Ya Paar
Banks enable users to donate to all NGOs using QR codes generated by the Bank and shared with the various NGOs who hold accounts with the Bank
Where There’s a Will
Banks conduct free online seminars on the importance of wills and how to donate to a charity through a will, during #DaanUtsav. The seminars will also talk about the #LivingMyPromise initiative.
Give It Away!
Corporates provide products/services they offer, as gifts/prizes for various #DaanUtsav events across India.
IDEAS FOR TELCOS
Campaigns
Telcos use messaging/notifications to promote #DaanUtsav. They can also promote specific campaigns or run their own giving campaign.
Caller Tune for a Cause
Mobile service providers promote the #DaanUtsav anthem song created by famous composer Ram Sampath, as a caller tune, with the proceeds of the tune purchase going to charity.
IDEAS FOR FMCGs
Like to Give
Companies launch organic social media campaigns and offer to make a donation for every user engagement on the campaign.
Brand value campaigns
Brands run campaigns designed around the brand’s values, e.g., Tata Salt/Tea around progressive values, Surf around “daag achhe hain”, aashirvaad atta around their beliefs, etc., encouraging viewers to celebrate #DaanUtsav through their own acts of giving.
IDEAS FOR BANKS
Where There’s a Will
Banks conduct free online seminars on the importance of wills and how to donate to a charity through a will, during #DaanUtsav. The seminars will also talk about the #LivingMyPromise initiative.
Swipe for a cause
During #DaanUtsav, banks and wallets make a small donation (say Rs5 for a midday meal), every time a user swipes their card.
ATM Charity
Customers have the option of donating money to various causes through the ATM machine
IDEAS FOR AIRLINES
Inflight donation
Airlines enable inflight donation to preferred charity during #DaanUtsav. Messaging on #DaanUtsav can also be done through inflight magazine and boarding passes, etc.
IDEAS FOR FMCGs
Buy & Donate
FMCGs create special charity packs that customers can buy and donate. For instance, a hygiene pack can contain soap, oil, detergent, toothpaste, toothbrush, shampoo, talcum powder and menstrual pads. The products are offered at substantial discount to MRP and packed differently.
IDEAS FOR HOTELS
In Room Campaigns
Hotels place tent cards in their rooms to encourage guests to donate to a list of charities suggested by the Hotel.
IDEAS FOR GYMS
Pound for a Pound
Gyms donate Rs 100 (approx 1 pound) for every pound that a member loses during #DaanUtsav, to charity.
IDEAS FOR RETAIL
Shop For Free!
Customers donate a set amount (say, Rs. 10) into a raffle, and the winner shops for free for 20 minutes in the store, with the money raised given to charity.
B1G1- Buy 1 Give 1
For every product bought by the customer at MRP, the store donates 1 item to a charitable cause.
Shop For a Cause
Select products offered at deep discount to be bought by customers and donated to charitable organisations that the store partners with.
Round ‘Em Up
For every purchase, the total bill is rounded off to the nearest Rs. 10/100, and the change is donated to a charity during #DaanUtsav.
Power of Ten (Dus Ka Dam)
Invite customers to add Rs10 (or Rs5 or Re1 depending on the ticket size) to their bill at checkout, to be donated to a charity chosen by the store.
One for the Wall
Restaurants, cafes, bakeries, single-product stores allow customers to “buy forward”, i.e., pay for an extra coffee/patty and get a coupon which can be shared with someone in need to claim.
Charity Merchandise
Merchandise with branding of NGOs (keychains, clothes, mugs) along with #DaanUtsav are sold at retail stores, and the proceeds donated.
Special Charity Packs
Groceries can sell special charity packs that contain a full hygiene kit at a deep discount, to be donated to a local orphanage or elder care home.
Donate old, Buy new
Retail shops provide a space for customers to drop off their old clothes, accessories, phones, etc. and offer them significant discounts in exchange.
IDEAS FOR MALLS/AIRPORT
Stall ’em
At malls or airports, special stalls for NGOs are set up, as also digital interactive screens to promote and enable giving.
Activate ’em
At malls or airports, NGOs conduct interesting events to engage patrons and generate leads for volunteering/ donation.
What’s In Store?
Each store in a mall/airport donates items to a common pool, which become gifts for winners of a “selfie contest”. All “selfie contest” participants donate to a charity chosen by the mall.
IDEAS FOR RESTAURANTS
Signature Dish
Restaurants dedicate the proceeds from the orders a special dish (created for #DaanUtsav where possible) to charity.
The High Table
A special “high” table set up prominently in the restaurant for the week, where customers receive special attention and treatment and the finest 7 course meal available. Table is auctioned for charity
IDEAS FOR THEATRES & CINEMA HALLS
Charity shows on weekday mornings
Theatres screen a weekday morning show for beneficiaries of NGOs, for free. Attending children/elderly “give back” in turn by making and gifting something simple (bookmarks, paper bags, etc.)