Iconic Dimensional Mail Pack Gets a Generosity Glow-Up: The Trócaire Lent Box

Printing at the near-million mark each Lent, the annual Trócaire Box has been woven into the generous culture of people across the island of Ireland. And the Lent campaign itself is a year-long effort with the iconic coin Box and its supporting elements comprising just one part of an overall fundraising plan that crosses every channel: direct mail, email, social media, parish posters, cards, digital, radio, TV, and more. But in this particular year, the organization wanted to return to direct response, fundraising storytelling roots – and feature not one child as they typically have, but three. All in a pack with a Lent Box that featured just four main panels, and would need to engage audiences young and old. Designer Sandie and I decided to include a first-ever Lenten giving guide that would include not only a calendar but an invitation for readers to send back a message to families being helped. The pack struck an island-wide chord: by Week 4, fundraising revenue had already rocketed past initial projections, and positive feedback was pouring in from schoolteachers to priests and parishioners… proving the power of emotional storytelling.