What kind of philanthropist are you? That’s what McGill University’s annual giving team invited its community to discover through its “Philanthropic Persona Quiz.” The Montreal, Canada, university crafted the fun, Buzzfeed-style quiz for Giving Tuesday 2023. It aimed to show alumni, parents, and supporters how giving has real impact, says Tarek ElChaarani, Senior Director of Engagement Analytics and Annual Giving.
ADVANCE WORK:
- Wanted: Moore Bassoonists
- A Philanthropy Quiz, Powered by Nostalgia
- Transforming Lives
“We came up with the concept of giving through, rather than to, McGill. We needed to show people that if you want to give to cancer research, for instance, you can do it through McGill. If you want to help the community, you can do it through McGill,” says ElChaarani.
The quiz’s first four questions cover Montreal- and campus-specific topics like food and landmarks, and were designed to evoke a nostalgic connection for McGill’s audiences, he said.
“We know through our surveys and from our community that pride is a top emotion—pride in McGill, pride in being from Montreal or coming to Monteal,” he explains.
The quiz culminates in a fifth question that asks, “If you could be the superhero of one global cause, what would it be?” When participants complete the quiz, they receive one of four “personas” highlighting McGill causes they could support.
The quiz, which won a gold Circle of Excellence Award for annual giving, exceeded the team’s expectations for engagement, drawing 1,800+ quiz takers and helping McGill expand its Giving Tuesday donor base by 60%.
Take this quiz to learn more about the project.
1. McGill’s quiz invited participants to discover their “philanthropic persona.” Which of these was *not* a persona in the quiz?
A. Science Enthusiast
B. Health & Wellness Guru
C. Sports Booster
D. Lifelong Learner
Answer: C. In addition to science, health, and learning personas, the fourth persona was “Change Agent.”
2. For a quiz to resonate with audiences, “the first question has to capture people’s attention right away,” says ElChaarani. What did McGill use as the topic of its first quiz question?
A. “Which of these on-campus activities did you participate in?”
B. “Montreal weather can be a little extreme. What’s your favourite season on campus?”
C. “Which type of Montreal bagel is your favourite?”
D. “Which of these four iconic campus buildings did you spend the most time in?”
Answer: B. The first question featured four scenic campus photos.
3. Which of these famous Canadians is a McGill graduate and appears in the quiz?
A. Star Trek actor William Shatner
B. Author Margaret Atwood
C. Prime Minster Justin Trudeau
D. Olympic hockey player Hayley Wickenheiser
Answer: A. Shatner. He graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
4. True or false: McGill’s quiz involved complex coding to build.
Answer: False. ElChaarani’s team developed the quiz entirely in house. Though it may be tempting to try complicated coding or logic for quiz questions, “don’t complicate your lives too much,” he advises fellow advancement professionals. Five questions were doable and reasonable, he says.
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January - February 2025 Issue of Currents
SKY'S THE LIMIT: Dynamic marketing and communications can help institutions today reach for the stars and achieve crucial outcomes. In this issue, meet some of the 2024 Circle of Excellence winners in the field—and explore CASE’s new framework to measure the impact of this vital, increasingly sophisticated work in advancement.