Executive Summary:

HPIC is Canada’s unique channel for medical relief. They have a great story and mission: serving the poorest of the poor by equipping Canadian volunteers and humanitarian organizations to provide much-needed medicines and healthcare. Each year, hundreds of volunteers and donors take part in our mission and make it possible for us to reach over 1 million people in need around the world.

Through this project, they aim to engage current and potential donors in a new way that will better connect them to the field and bring them closer to HPIC’s mission than ever before. With funding from Stronger Together 2017, they will create a virtual reality (VR) experience that will transport their donors into the lives of the world’s most vulnerable people and enable them to witness HPIC’s life-saving work in action.

In Canada, a recent study showed that the average human attention span has fallen to eight seconds, down from 12 in the year 2000. Implementing effective communication and marketing strategies to capture the attention of donors and keep them engaged can be extremely costly, especially for a medium-sized charity like HPIC that spends 98% of its donations on programs.

Most importantly, HPIC has recently done market research to understand and evaluate donor perceptions and satisfaction with their giving experience. The results show that despite HPIC’s efforts to engage donors, most want to have a greater connection with the mission they are supporting and the people they are helping. They want to see and feel the real difference they are making in other people’s lives through HPIC.

VR is a new, creative tool that presents the opportunity for HPIC to break through the content and information clutter and grab the attention of donors. A VR video provides an immersive experience and creates connections and understanding beyond what is possible with photos, statistics or traditional videos. Through the power of VR, our donors will be transported to the field where they can learn about families struggling to access healthcare, meet with inspiring healthcare providers, and experience first-hand the challenges they face.

This will not be just a video project- it will be a chance for HPIC to meet donors on-site at their places of work and worship, and provide them with an engaging, first-person experience that will deepen their connection to the people who need help and encourage them to support HPIC’s mission. The video will be presented first as part of an exclusive tour and then through a social media campaign.

Measurable Outcomes:

• By March 2018, they will have produced a 4-minute virtual reality video filmed in the field (location to be determined) with a digital creative agency.
• By September 2018, they will have completed an outreach campaign using the virtual reality video to engage current and potential supporters, ranging from churches, service clubs, corporations, foundations and other donors in Montreal and the Greater Toronto Area. (Target is 20-25 engagement events with an average of 75-100 attendees per event). A specific call to action will be developed for each target audience, and social media strategies will be incorporated to reach a wider audience.
• By the end of the project (December 2018), they will have increased donor engagement, and broadened their donor base by 10-15%. Additionally, over the mid and long term, they anticipate a significant increase in HPIC’s brand awareness and a robust growth in financial and in-kind donations (up to 10% increase).