Robin Toal, Digital Coordinator, at MAG Visit the CharityComms website to view slides from past events, see what events we have coming up and to check out what else we do: www.charitycomms.org.uk

1. APOPO
WE TRAIN RATS TO SAVE LIVES

2. Who I am
Robin Toal is Digital Coordinator
at the Mines Advisory Group
and former Head of Public
Fundraising at APOPO.
An International Advisory
Panelist for Rogare, Trustee at
Lifeshare and a Member of the
Institute of Fundraising.
He has spent more than a decade in
fundraising and communications working
for non-profits in the UK and
internationally.
Twitter: @RobinToal

3. Overview
• Why rats?
• Finding our influencer
• Managing the relationship
• Examples from the campaign
• Results and evaluation
• Top tips

4. What do you think of rats?
▶ What words come to mind?
▶ What do you associate rats with?

5. APOPO is a Belgian NGO that has developed
an innovative system deploying African giant
pouched rats (nicknamed HeroRATs) to detect
landmines or tuberculosis using their
extraordinary sense of smell.
APOPO has its headquarters in Tanzania and
there are programs in four countries.
About APOPO
APOPO IS A NON-PROFIT
ORGANISATION BASED IN
TANZANIA THAT TRAINS AFRICAN
GIANT POUCHED RATS TO SAVE
LIVES BY DETECTING
LANDMINES AND TUBERCULOSIS
BY USING THEIR AMAZING SENSE
OF SMELL. THEY TRAIN RATS TO
SAVE LIVES.

6. Finding our influencer
▶No budget and no expertise
▶Identified a range of influencer types
with brand synergy from wildlife TV
presenters to scientists
▶Tried to leverage APOPO’s strong
USPs and extensive media
coverage
▶Reached out 20+ big celebrities
through Twitter and agents – barely
a response
▶Found our influencer through online
rat communities

7. Minae Noji
▶Actor and voice-over artist
▶Starred in TMNT, Spin City
and General Hospital
▶Fun and quirky personality
▶Cult following
▶Multi-talented
▶Kept pet rats
▶Facebook community page
all about rats

8. Tailoring approach to your influencer
▶ Exploit niche – rats; social media
engagement
▶ Utilise skills – presenting and script
writing
▶ Lean in to their style – fun and
offbeat
▶ Ownership – influence over content
and delivery
▶ Leverage existing following –
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
Facebook groups and tumblr

9. Campaign objectives
▶ Achieve significant reach into new
audiences
▶ Generate income through a
number of income streams
▶ Capture new supporters through
email and social

10. Campaign assets
▶ DEDICATED LANDING PAGE
▶ CAMPAIGN VIDEO
▶ TOP TEN FACTS THAT WILL MAKE
YOU RETHINK RATS
▶ IT’S TIME TO RETHINK RATS ARTICLE
▶ SOCIAL MEDIA GRAPHICS
▶ FAVOURITE RAT STORY CONTEST
▶ LIMITED EDITION TEE
▶ NEWSLETTER

11. Techniques: Changing perceptions

12. ▶ Best time to plant a tree is today
▶ Requires investment over time
▶ Pick channels that are right for your org
▶ Leverage volunteers
▶ Focus on engagement
▶ Listen
▶ Identify bite size, sharable content that is amusing, insightful or surprising
▶ Mix in APOPO key messages with entertaining content
▶ Integrate simple calls-to-action to share, learn more and support
Techniques: Content marketing

13. Two-way content
▶ CREATE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR INTERACTION AND
ENGAGEMENT
▶ ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION
▶ LIVE Q&A’S
▶ COMPETITIONS
▶ GIVEAWAYS
▶ MERCHANDISE

14. Techniques: Working in partnership
▶ Media partner was crucial to delivering
reach
▶ Targeted online viral news sites like
Buzzfeed and Upworthy
▶ Offer of exclusive content in return for
coverage on newsletter, social and website
▶ Content designed for sharing
▶ Established relationship with editor which
maximised coverage

15. WATCH: Rethink Rats with Minae Noji

16. ▶Organic reach through own channels of 2m
▶Upworthy reach through newsletter, website
and social of 22m
▶1,600% increase in social activity over
campaign period
▶Adoptions and donations totaling more than
$60,000
▶3,000+ newsletter sign-ups
▶26,000+ shares on Facebook
Results

17. ▶ Zero budget
▶ Conducted entirely remotely
▶ Time zones
▶ Cultural knowledge
▶ Limited resources
▶ Managing relationships
▶ Managing expectations
▶ Securing media partner
Challenges

18. Things I might do differently
▶ Invest budget to maximise
donations through paid ads
▶ Defer campaign until Minae
site visit to APOPO HQ
▶ Create separate fact videos
and gifs
▶ Minae led donor and
supporter journeys
▶ Capitalise on connections
▶ Build on successful campaign
with Rethink Rats v2
▶ Hold launch event

19. Top Tips
▶Exploit your niche
▶Lean into your influencer’s
strengths and style
▶Work in partnership
▶Find the right person
▶Take your time
▶Bitesize content
▶Build content around
influencer
▶Content marketing

20. MAG and Rosamund Pike
▶ MAG secured a mutually relationship
with actor Rosamund Pike
▶ Recognise what value your org can
provide – Rosamund wanted
exposure to post-conflict work and to
be seen as knowledgeable about the
issue
▶ Visit to Lebanon ahead of filming A
Private War
▶ Significantly enhanced our
relationship with one of our largest
donors and partners, DFID
▶ Appearance on Andrew Marr show
was watched by the nation’s
politicians and journalists
▶ WATCH: Rosamund Pike on the
value of mine clearance -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q
EK3BLin2cI

21. Links
APOPO
www.apopo.org
Mines Advisory Group
www.maginternational.org
Lifeshare
www.lifeshare.org
Rogare
www.rogare.net
Twitter
www.twitter.com/robintoal

22. Q&A

23. Influencer marketing:
what could it do for
your charity?
North West Networking Group
11 September 2019
Manchester
#CCNorthWest
WiFi:
Password:

24. Visit the CharityComms website to view
slides from past events, see what events
we have coming up and to check out
what else we do:
www.charitycomms.org.uk