Red Kettles, Panda Bears and Mission Statements.

Or, what the heck is salience and why does it matter?

Ask someone what The Salvation Army does.

Most people couldn't recite its mission statement. They probably couldn't describe its history or explain the programs it offers. They may recall the red shield on the Salvation Army stores.  What they likely remember is the Red Kettle sitting outside the grocery store and the volunteer ringing a bell in December. When they hear that bell and see that kettle, many instinctively reach for a few dollars to put into the red kettle to help someone they will likely never meet. 

A similar dynamic is true for WWF - World Wildlife Federation. Most people couldn't explain its conservation strategy or list the species it protects, but many know its iconic Panda Bear logo. Similarly, if you walked up to any adult and sang “1-877”, there’s a good chance they’ll continue “Kars 4 Kids.  K-A-R-S, Kars 4 Kids.”

None of these organizations became memorable because they explained themselves better. They became memorable because they became easy to recognize and easy to remember.

That brings us to one of the simplest, but important ideas in marketing today, and one that is surprisingly absent from many nonprofit marketing and fundraising conversations: salience.

Salience is simply how easily your nonprofit comes to mind when someone has a moment to give, volunteer or advocate. Often referred to as distinctive assets, shortcuts are created by images (the WWF panda), names (Make-A-Wish), lines ("A mind is a terrible thing to waste."), sounds (the Salvation Army's hand bells at Christmas), or even colors. It less about whether someone agrees with you or admires your work. It's about whether your organization even comes to mind in the first place.

Many nonprofits still approach marketing as a persuasion exercise, investing enormous resources and effort refining our mission statement, telling deeper stories and explaining our impact more clearly. It's understandable. We live our mission every day, so it's natural to believe that explaining it more often or with more depth will inspire more support.

Research from the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute and others have consistently shown that organizations grow by increasing penetration through mental and physical availability. Put simply, growth comes from becoming known to more people, becoming easier to think of when the opportunity arises and making it easy to participate. We've shared before that nonprofits are roughly 14 times more likely to be unknown than actively rejected. For most organizations, the biggest obstacle to growth isn't convincing people to support their mission.  Rather, it’s just being remembered that’s the challenge.

One of the things I've come to appreciate working with nonprofits is how often we assume people make careful, considered decisions about which organizations (yes, plural, with the typical donor giving to 3 to 5) to support. We imagine someone comparing mission statements, evaluating impact reports, reviewing Form 990s or Google-ing Candid, to toggle between one nonprofit or another’s rating before making a gift. Occasionally that happens, particularly with major philanthropy, grants or foundation giving. But for most individual giving, that's not how it works.

Life is complicated.  Priorities change.  Financial situations are dynamic.  So, they may give after seeing your organization at a community program. A friend mentioned it. They volunteered there years ago. They recognize your logo or a signature event. Or, they've heard your name enough times that it feels familiar and trustworthy.

Before someone can evaluate your mission, they first must remember you exist.

That's why the Red Kettle and the WWF Panda work. They are a memory shortcut, allowing people to recognize the organization and connect it with a need or opportunity without having to process paragraphs of explanation.

Your mission statement is important. It guides your organization, aligns your staff and communicates your purpose. It keeps you focused on impact.  However, mission statements rarely build memory. Distinctive assets do. Showing up consistently over time and garnering attention does.

The next time your team sits down to develop your annual marketing or fundraising plan, start by reading your mission statement and set it aside for a moment. Then, ask the question:

When someone has a moment to care about the work we do, what will make them think of us?

If you’re interested to learn more, contact us!