Creative consultancy: Lessons learned from a pro-bono campaign for a charity

In our evolving world of creative operations and marketing, the power of community and the spirit of giving back can lead to some extraordinary outcomes. Managing pro bono campaigns comes with its unique set of challenges and lessons. Here’s an inside look at our experience with managing such a campaign and the multitude of takeaways for marketing and brand professionals.

The heart of creative consultancy: From ideation to execution

When LOOP Agencies made a promise to support a charity for our fifth client venture, we were stepping into unknown territory. Our partnership with Happy Times Activities and The Open Door Charity was more than a project; it was a mission imbued with purpose. The aim was clear — to challenge perceptions and open eyes to the lives of individuals with disabilities and their support networks.

The LENS project was a marriage of bold creativity and heartfelt storytelling. It was important for us to not just deliver a message, but to truly represent the individuals behind the stories — celebrating their uniqueness far beyond the scope of ‘disabled people’.

Managing expectations and overcoming hurdles

What initially seemed straightforward unfolded into a complex venture with 20 creative commissions, tight schedules, and the daunting prospect of creating authentically impactful art. Our pivot to robust project management using technology was not just a rescue plan, but a monumental lesson in treating pro bono clients with the same rigour and dedication as paying clients.

Despite extensive experience in financial services and in-house agency consultancy, we undershot the scope and encountered the steep learning curve that comes with managing creative commissions. Authentically representing the voices of those with disabilities became our guiding star, shaping our approach and investment in the project.

A symphony of talent and expertise

Our outreach to the artist community and partnership with neuro-diversity experts shaped an exhibition that celebrated the human condition. We were interpreting profound emotions and shared experiences through powerful visuals that resonated not only with the charity but with societal preconceptions at large.

We wanted to make people see those with disabilities as individuals, not just lumped together as 'disabled people.'

We worked closely with a community of different artists, including two other talented illustrators to create the commissions. Along with a neuro-diversity expert who helped us scope out the project from the start.

Using focus groups run by young adults with diagnoses of Learning Disabilities and Autism – we gained ideas on the topics to showcase. These ideas were based on truth, as they were the perceptions from the people with the diagnosis.

We always checked back in with the original focus group, taking their feedback and making changes where necessary.

The three standout commissions were:

Happiness comes first

For this, we need to interpret a parent’s point of view. It shows some prejudices from society that we assume activities are ‘age appropriate’ rather than focussing on the happiness it is bringing the child, regardless of their age. This creative was the most emotional for several parents.

Parents passion

For this, we needed to show the strength of love and passion a parent feels for their child, which is super strong. Parents at the exhibition loved the penguin and how it represented the love a parent has for their child. Other professionals interpreted this as keeping their child small. So it was great to spark conversations – and ultimately challenge perceptions as we’d originally set out to do.

Too much

For this, we wanted to demonstrate how a person can be overwhelmed when there is too much sensory information for them to input. People living with sensory differences described this feeling as ‘overload’. Viewing this represented as fruit was the most fun. People not immediately seeing the SOS and others tell them to stand back to view it.

A community collaboration

Overall, the project hit the brief of challenging perceptions in a positive way and got lots of people thinking differently. The project’s success wasn't ours alone. It was bolstered by the support from companies like Eastern and Standard Life UK for their backing in print and production. It’s a testament to what can be achieved when community, creativity, and corporate social responsibility unite. Check out the result.

From concept to creation, our LENS project serves as a valuable case study in managing pro bono campaigns, engaging communities, and leveraging the collective power of in-house agency expertise. For every marketing professional, such a campaign isn't a side task; it's a hallmark mission that clarifies why we do what we do — create to make a difference. We’re proud to have been a part of this project and to have made a positive impact in our community.

Read more on our blog including the campaign we developed for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on Fill Yer Boots.