What legacy fundraisers can learn from the John Lewis Xmas Ad

Damn - I love the John Lewis Christmas ad. Not only did it take me back to my vinyl collection, house music, stumbling out of The Ministry of Sound on a sunday morning, but also the power of giving, family, and connection😂 .

I imagine the people behind the ad didn’t start with “what can we sell?” They started with people. 

They got under the skin of the target audience digging into the human truths by studying the stories people tell to uncover the deeper themes and meanings that shape thoughts, feelings and behaviours. 

In a nutshell, it's about understanding the 'why' behind the giving. 

And as legacy fundraisers, we don't need a six figure budget to reveal it. 

Make it a habit to carve out time each month to speak with and listen actively to a few legacy supporters. Capture their stories, share them with your colleagues and note the key themes that emerge. 

Over time, those stories will shape how you communicate legacy giving not from a place of need, but from a place of meaning.