WRVS is a large national charity that supports older people, helping them to live well, maintain their independence and play a part in their local community.

The charity has a strong network of volunteers, but needed to diversify this base by age and location. A national campaign was therefore devised to achieve this goal.

WRVS engaged Creative Jar to work on its ‘Give Us A Lift’ campaign; to recruit volunteer drivers throughout the UK and to raise awareness of the charity, along with hitting donation targets.

Creative Jar held a series of workshops with WRVS stakeholders to develop a deep understanding of what the charity needed to achieve and to formulate a strategy to deliver the organisation’s goals.

WRVS had in the past relied upon very traditional marketing channels. However, with the 'Give Us A Lift' campaign they were interested in exploring the potential of digital to reach and engage a broader audience. Working hand-in-hand with the client, Creative Jar devised an integrated campaign that brought together social media, PR, rich media and traditional marketing to really raise the profile of the charity and the cause.

To drive the campaign, and to distinguish it from the corporate WRVS site message, a standalone microsite was developed. The microsite had its own identity and campaign message; ‘hitchhiking’ a tongue-in-cheek concept, showed older individuals hitchhiking down a busy road - not a typical sight for any driver!

It shows that these individuals are not frail and weak; they just want to get to their appointments and activities, all they need is a little help.

Social networking links such as, Twitter and Facebook, sat on the 'Give Us A Lift' homepage, allowing visitors to read up-to-date information about weekly competitions, watch videos and see how far the volunteer meter had gone up by.

A weekly competition give-away was co-ordinated through Twitter, and communicated using collateral such as email, banner advertising, press adverts and flyers.

To really highlight the main theme two video pieces were produced and virally seeded. These expanded the story behind the supporting material, giving the campaign a human dimension.