Debate on whether #GivingTuesday will work in Australia
I woke up this morning to a dozen emails from US charities celebrating the fact they exceeded their goal for #GivingTuesday. One nonprofit organisation, Dana Farber set a goal of $1 million and raised $1.165 million in the single day.
After enjoying the Fundraising Institute Australia NSW end of year celebration last evening, I went with a group of people to a nearby hotel to enjoy an additional glass of wine. A supplier in this group suggested to me #GivingTuesday will never work in Australia. I pressed her as to why.
The supplier suggested the reason #GivingTuesday will never work in Australia is the fact that “Australians take care of themselves”. This did not make sense to me. Sure, I understand Australia, as a country, takes care of its people. The government provides a lot for its people in this country. Australians are a very caring society. So, why would #GivingTuesday not work here? She went on to describe the fact Americans have Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, etc. I understand all of that. She then suggested because Australia have none of those milestone days on the calendar (I would argue many Australians take full advantage of Cyber Monday), #GivingTuesday does not have a lead up to it and, therefore, it cannot possibly work here.
#GivingTuesday can and does work in countries outside of the US. I believe we will see an increase in the numbers of donors and dollars raised worldwide this year. I also believe Australians can adopt a marketing campaign which has several years of success under its belt. With an open mind and with a focused campaign, we, too, can join the ranks of Dana Farber and the thousands of other charities raising millions in a single day. Why not give it a try?
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