Cancer Research UK has launched its first opt-in marketing campaign asking current supporters how they would like to be contacted in the future. 

The charity has set itself a deadline of 1 July and after that date will only contact supporters who have given their unambiguous and explicit permission to be contacted.

CRUK said that this was the next step in a process of moving to opt-in only communications which begun in April 2016, when the charity began asking all new supporters to opt-in. It has now set itself a deadline of 1 July for when it extend opt-in communications to all existing supporters. 

In a statement, the charity said it “knows it will be communicating with fewer people and this will impact on the amount of money it is able to raise. However, by putting its supporter’s wishes at the heart of fundraising communication, CRUK hopes to achieve a greater level of engagement, loyalty and value in the long term”. 

‘Your tick beats cancer sooner' 

CRUK rolled out its new opt-in marketing campaign with press adverts, paid and organic social media, YouTube videos as well as conventional PR. 

The campaign features the strapline: “Your Tick Beats Cancer Sooner” which, according to the charity highlights “the simplicity of opting in to hear the charity’s fundraising activity and how important it is to its life-saving work”. 

The campaign will target current supporters; new supporters, and the general public. 

Graham White, director of individual giving at Cancer Research UK said: “The move for us to become an opt-in charity was driven by our desire to provide the best possible supporter experience. 

“Our supporters are at the heart of everything we do, so it’s really important that they understand what they’re opting in to, and actively choose to hear from us about all the things we are doing, the events we are running, our fundraising activities, and how they can be involved.

 “Whilst we are very aware that we may lose touch with some of our supporters through this change, which we know will affect our fundraising income in the short term, we believe putting our supporters first will help us protect the future income of Cancer Research UK and safeguard our ambition to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.”

Ed Aspel, executive director of fundraising and marketing at Cancer Research UK, wrote about the organisation’s move to opt-in for the March issue of Fundraising Magazine. Subscribers can read the piece here.