Tongue-in-Cheek Naming Campaign Pays Off for N.C. Charity

A Durham, N.C., social-service charity has struck fundraising success with a campaign that gives donors naming rights to a range of items large and small that their gifts provide for poor families and the homeless, The New York Times writes.

The online Names for Change drive was developed pro bono by Durham advertising agency McKinney for Urban Ministries of Durham, with which it has worked since 2009. Launched in late 2013, the effort has brought in more than $41,000, and the charity has raised its initial target of $50,000 to $100,000.

While the campaign offers naming rights for large items like food pantries and family rooms, it also immortalizes those who give a few dollars to buy needs like light bulbs, bandages, and canned food. Contributors get tongue-in-cheek certificates and posters recognizing, for example, “The (insert name) fruit cocktail of tasty delights.”

“It’s a goof, making a can of corn a big deal. But it is a big deal if you’re hungry,” said Jenny Nicholson, associate creative director at McKinney. “That forces people to look at these things in a new light.”