Date of Publication

3-15-2024

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Marketing Communications

Subject Categories

Business | Marketing

College

Ramon V. Del Rosario College of Business

Department/Unit

Marketing and Advertising

Thesis Advisor

Dr. Dave Vincent Mangilet, CPM, PMP

Defense Panel Chair

Dr. Luz Suplico Jeong

Defense Panel Member

Mr. Warren Go

Abstract/Summary

In the heart of community upliftment lies the soul-stirring narrative of SPECS Foundation Inc. Born from a vision to ignite change in the poverty landscape and sow seeds of empowerment among our high-risk youth, SPECS embarks on a voyage marked by determination and transformative change.

According to the World Bank (2022), poverty is characterized as a state of well-being deprivation, involving low incomes and the incapacity to access essential needs and services crucial for survival with dignity. Poverty encompasses diminished levels of health and education, limited representation, inadequate physical security, restricted access to clean water and sanitation, and a lack of capacity and opportunities for improving one's life.

Since 1987, this Philippines-based non-governmental organization has been changing the lives of impoverished children and families in the streets of Pasay, Paranaque, Cavite, and most recently, Angono, Rizal. To eradicate poverty in their own methods, SPECS extends their help through their Residential Care Program, Community and Outreach Program, Educational Sponsorship Program and Crisis Response Program. In their three decades of charitable endeavors, the organization is now at its maturity stage, (Gartner, 2020) seeking for sustainability and loyalty among its mission-partners as a well-established nonprofit organization. In pursuit of this however, it is inevitable that donor fatigue poses a significant challenge for nonprofit organizations, impacting fundraising efforts and institutional resilience.

Given this perspective, this integrated marketing communications campaign aims to develop and market a membership program for SPECS Foundation that is backed by research and comprehensive, creative marketing strategies. This program will help the organization stand stronger and unfalteringly with tenacity against donor fatigue, competition, and other external challenges.

Among its four revenue streams, this campaign will specifically target donors and volunteers who are Filipino advocates aged 22 to 55 years old sharing the mission of poverty and abuse alleviation among our youth. Through a mixed-methods research approach, utilizing a quantitative study with 200 respondents fitting the organization’s target demographics and a qualitative study among 11 focus group discussion participants, preferences and perspectives on intent to join a nonprofit organization’s membership program were meticulously investigated. Social Exchange Theory by Homans and Blau was used as a foundation in designing the research instruments in the attempt to identify the influence of trust and reciprocity of intrinsic and extrinsic benefits to donors and volunteers’ contributions to nonprofits, as mediated by communication effectiveness. These insights were analyzed using regression analysis for the survey and thematic analysis for the focus group discussion results.

Remarkably, quantitative and qualitative findings show that intrinsic and extrinsic benefits, with higher preference on intrinsic benefits, are major determinants of donors and volunteers in engaging with nonprofit organizations. Trust in these organizations is also crucial in their decision- making. Additionally, effective communication is pivotal in order to not only see through the organization’s mission and initiatives, but also to create a collaborative relationship with the organization. Relatability to the beneficiaries and the organization’s causes resonate significantly to contributors as well, given our immense love for family and the community as Filipinos. Weighing in on social contributions nonetheless, it is still preferred by donors and volunteers if there is a systematic structure in the organization’s processes, enabling for a smoother donation and volunteering operations.

In response, the "It takes One" campaign was developed, leveraging the power of individual action and collective impact to address poverty and abuse in the Philippines. This initiative seeks to address the complex challenges of poverty and abuse in the Philippines in a straightforward manner, without diminishing the seriousness of the crisis. It aims to showcase practical yet effective approaches to instigate meaningful change. By emphasizing the idea that each person has the ability to make a difference, the campaign inspires a sense of empowerment and purpose among potential donors and volunteers. The symbol of "One" represents a beacon of hope, signifying both individuality within a large population and the potential for significant change through small acts of kindness.

Through this campaign, a streamlined membership program named “One with SPECS” is designed, with benefits to be enjoyed by full and associate partners. Among these perks are programs developed to tap into their inclination to intrinsic and extrinsic benefits like the P1SO Program, Ka1sa Volunteer Packages, Donation Packages, and Post-project Engagement clause for the Kuya Program. Additionally, the campaign leverages the organizations strength in personal selling strategies with integrated ATL and BTL executions with a total budget allocation of P30,750.

An increase in annual revenue from membership fees and donations by 20%, 30 new donors and volunteers joining in on the program, converting existing donors and volunteers to members, and a positive ROI of at least 3:1 are the financial objectives of this program while a 30% increase in social media followers, 50% increase in website traffic, 25% improvement on donor and volunteer retention rates and a cultivation of a sense of community and engagement among members are the non-financial objectives. Positioned as a data-driven and evidence-based organization, SPECS aims to monitor the success of this campaign through audience growth, post interactions, website traffic, number of members, retention rate and revenue-tracking.

United under the hope banner of the “It Takes One” campaign, this paper endeavors to confront one of the most pressing challenges in the Philippines. Through a comprehensive marketing approach, it seeks to amplify the rallying cry of the SPECS community, inspiring collective action and fostering a sense of empowerment among stakeholders. By harnessing the collective strength of individuals, this campaign veers away from the “pity party” approach, and charges through poverty and abuse with self-sustaining, long-term solutions. With unwavering determination and a vision for transformative change, the campaign places SPECS at the forefront of a journey towards a bright, more equitable future for the underprivileged Filipinos.

Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Keywords

Nonprofit organizations—Philippines; Fund raising—Philippines

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Embargo Period

4-22-2024

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