If you’re an Elder Millennial or Gen Zer, you probably noticed that American Girl recently released their original dolls from the 80s.*
*For those of us old enough, the original dolls were Kirsten, Molly, and Samantha. But for everyone else, it’s like 6 or 8 dolls. Whatever.
It’s a genius strategy. “We know you wanted this and you probably didn’t get it when you were a kid. Now you can use your adult money and buy the doll of your dreams.”*
*I’m considering purchasing Kirsten. Of course I already have Molly and Samantha too.
Anyway. Here’s what you need to pay attention to.
Most nonprofit marketing sounds like this:
- “Here’s what we do.”
- “Here’s who we serve.”
- “Here’s how you can help.”
It’s informational, fine, but unless someone is really locked into what you do, it’s also forgettable. It’s not emotional.
Meanwhile, American Girl is doing this:
They’re tapping into identity, memory, childhoods. They’re not asking, “Do you want a doll?” They’re saying, “Do you remember who you were when you wanted this?”
Here’s where this matters for your nonprofit marketing efforts
People don’t give, volunteer, or engage because they fully understand your programs, but because something clicks. Your message reminds them of:
- A time in their life
- A value they care about
- A version of themselves they want to be
That’s the emotional tie-in
What this could look like in practice
Instead of: “We provide transportation assistance for individuals in recovery.”
Switch it to: “Missing one ride shouldn’t cost someone their second chance.”
Same thing, but the second feels completely different, right?
The summary
People aren’t sitting around waiting to be educated by your marketing, but they will stop scrolling if they have a connection, if it’s interesting, if there’s something personal – which American Girl has clearly understood.
mkw+co is a boutique consulting firm specializing in strategy, marketing, education, and coaching for nonprofits. Schedule a complementary consult today to talk about getting your nonprofit on the right track again.