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Challenge
Beyond the threat to our health, COVID-19 had an enormous impact on the Dutch cultural sector. Many cultural institutions rely on funding to survive. As cultural events were forced to be suspended or canceled due to the Coronavirus, a lot of institutions are afraid to lose funding and to not be able to open their doors again. A pensioner couple from Bussem started a citizen’s initiative to support the sector that has given them so much joy. They wanted to call upon all Dutch pensioners to donate their holiday state pension to the cultural sector. They asked Fronteer to join a partnership with the Dutch Prins Bernhard Culture Fund to help build a national fundraiser. The goal: gathering 1 million euros within one month.
A partnership with the Prins Bernhard Culture Fund was the starting point of this project. We built a detailed media plan to spread the initiators’ story on the right channels. With this media plan and the help of a well-known Dutch actor as ambassador, we gathered 100 signatories across the country to carry the project before the fundraiser started.
Approach
A creative concept had to be created to visually support the media plan and guide supporters to the donation page. The identity that we created highlights the diversity of the Dutch cultural sector and the connection that everyone can find to it. Based on this identity, we developed a website (doemeemetjeaow.nl), advertisements, and social posts.
Result
Together with the Fund, initiators, the ambassador, and signatories we launched the campaign and supported the fundraising from beginning to end. The story was picked up by several big national media stations and programs. Within four weeks, over 1 million euros in donations were received for the Dutch cultural sector. The Dutch Minister of Education, Culture and Science even doubled this sum to celebrate the fundraisers’ success.
We are very proud of raising 2,2 million euros for the cultural sector and we hope to enjoy the performances of our artists again soon!
