The visual marketing experts at 4Site Implementation – one of the leading design and manufacturing firms for a range of signage, window graphics, posters and vinyls – were asked by the Lennox Children’s Cancer Fund to come up with some designs for their latest fundraising campaign. Often engaged with professional work for commercial clients, 4Site’s team set about producing an eye-catching set of visual marketing products for the charity.
The difference when working for a charity? Well, in this case, the Lennox Children’s Cancer Fund is close to the hearts of many at 4Site Implementation. Not only does that charity’s 30-year mission to stop families with children diagnosed with cancer not feel as though they are standing alone strike a chord with the team, but the business actually shares office space with the charitable fund. In other words, you couldn’t get much closer than the way 4Site and Lennox interact with one another.
The campaign that 4Site Implementation’s designers were charged with promoting formed part of childhood cancer awareness month. Those taking part were encouraged to Go Gold by making a donation in return for a golden ribbon which could be worn. A series of events throughout the Southeast of England had already been organised by the charity under the heading Star for a Star. In partnership with CIBC, the charity’s exhibitions have already begun running at busy shopping centres. Those involved include Bluewater in Kent, Culver Square in Colchester and High Chelmer in Chelmsford, among others. 4Site’s signage would be crucial in grabbing the attention of passers-by.
The idea was not simply to offer something as a way of saying thanks for any donations received but also to promote wider awareness of how cancer – particularly when it is diagnosed in children – can be so impactful on families. Under the strapline Make a donation Make a difference 4Site’s visual marketing helped to spread the word. Indeed, the team’s imagery included QR codes, too. This made it easy for people to notice the images and get involved with nothing more than their smartphones.
The family-focussed nature of the campaign was also supported by 4Site’s visual marketing. For example, several of the fund’s vinyl designs included information on their Build a Backpack campaign. The idea here was to encourage people to choose items to go into a backpack that the charity would then donate to a family with a childhood cancer diagnosis. Again featuring QR codes, these laminated posters also offered straightforward links to the Lennox Children’s Cancer Fund’s various social media feeds.
In short, everything about 4Site Implementation’s design work was in support of the wider campaign’s priorities. The overarching approach was to promote greater involvement and interest in the campaign among the public. The simplicity of the designs, the use of QR technology and the ability to handle contactless payments all helped in this regard. According to the Lennox Children’s Cancer Fund, over 1,800 children are diagnosed with cancer every year in the UK. For each family, this can be devastating news so anything that promotes awareness and helps those families through a difficult time is undoubtedly worth it.
Certainly, that’s how 4Site Implementation’s managing director, Stuart, sees it. He not only oversaw the visual marketing project for the ‘Star for a Star‘ campaign but also ensured that 4Site supported it with a substantial donation, as well. The campaign will continue to run alongside childhood cancer awareness month throughout September in various shopping centres in Suffolk, Essex and Kent.