La Trobe University launched the Golden Lanyard Staff Giving Program in 2013. The innovative program allows La Trobe staff to fund vital, life-changing student scholarships, and sends a powerful message to our communities that we care. As a visual symbol of the golden opportunity they’ve helped to give students, staff donors wear a sparkling (and stylish!) golden lanyard, to which they can attach their staff pass. The lanyard acts as a day-to-day reminder of the uptake and value of staff giving across La Trobe’s metropolitan and regional Victorian campuses. In order to continue to inspire La Trobe staff to give in 2019, we created a content-led, cross-channel communications campaign to generate greater buzz in the lead up to staff giving month (October), improve awareness among staff of the different ways they can give to the program, and show them first-hand the life-changing impact their donation has for students and their families.
From the Judges
Moving away from factually based reasons toward emotionally based reasons for giving was the key to the success of this communication improvement. This is clearly displayed in the student video, as it captures the emotional outcomes of the scholarship for both student and parent(s). This is very effective messaging, as it will resonate with the parental responsibilities and emotions of the target audience, allowing them to feel the true impact of their giving. The evidence-based approach to communication improvement based on psychographic analysis of their audience’s needs, wants, and motivations for giving proved very effective.
