Background 

LifeFlight had a long-standing regular giving program that had remained resilient despite several changes in name, strategy and messaging (including a tiered program and a premium-driven program). Growth and strong retention were primarily delivered through ongoing investment in telemarketing and supporter care. The program had no name or custom branding in use. 

The client wanted to refresh the program to build a stronger relationship with regular givers and show these core supporters that they are more than just donors to LifeFlight. The goal was to make regular donors truly feel like part of the team, emphasising the lasting impact they make to their communities and how deeply they are appreciated by LifeFlight. The work included developing the program name and sub-brand, and collateral for a DM acquisition campaign and a 12-month multi-channel welcome journey. 

Strategy

Our goal was to develop a highly engaging and distinctive regular giving brand that builds on LifeFlight’s recognisable identity while carving out its own space. One that is fresh, meaningful, and distinct – as well as welcoming, warm, and active, with a human touch. 

We began with a deep dive into LifeFlight’s donor motivations, identifying key insights about the organisation and its supporters. From here, we developed three territories and identity options, grounded in the shared values and purpose that make LifeFlight so special: community, reliability, and saving lives. 

Together with our design partners, we developed a comprehensive sub-brand including visual identity, tone of voice and messaging. 

From there, we created a compelling DM acquisition pack and a highly engaging, welcome journey using DM, digital and SMS touch points. 

Creative 

The chosen identity, Crew Mates, captures the meaningful relationship between staff and supporters, many of whom have a strong personal connection with the organisation. 

At LifeFlight, everyone plays their part — in the air, on the ground, and behind the scenes. Crew Mates reflects that unity, recognising regular donors as vital members of the crew who help keep air crews rescue-ready. 

The sub-brand embodies the warmth, pride, and community spirit at the heart of LifeFlight. It is visually aligned with the master brand while expressing a distinct, people-focused tone. Warm, candid imagery of crew and supporters captures this spirit, showing people in action, ready 24/7 to save lives and support one another. 

Together, these elements create a sub-brand that feels welcoming, authentic, active, and full of pride – a true reflection of the people who help LifeFlight keep people in every corner of Queensland connected to critical medical care. 

Outcome

Crew Mates was launched in January 2026 and made an immediate impact. Within two weeks of mailing, 27 new regular givers had signed up, growing to 56 new RGs in the first month with an average gift of $34. This significantly outperformed the organisation’s typical acquisition rate of around 10 new regular givers per month at an average gift of $21.

Even more encouragingly, the campaign was initially targeted to a small cohort of lapsed regular givers and highly engaged single givers, with packs mailed in late January and a small amount of follow-up telemarketing commencing shortly after.

Existing regular givers responded with overwhelming positivity about the new identity, especially appreciating the Crew Mates cloth patch premium.

In addition to regular giving conversions, the campaign also generated $5,328 in unsolicited single gifts, demonstrating strong donor engagement even without a direct single-gift ask.

Given the strength of the early results and the flexibility of the evergreen creative, the campaign will be rolled out to additional data segments throughout the year.

Partner

Tone Studio