Amnesty International: the letter in the pen pack

(Women’s letter page one)

The writer warns that the story is going to be upsetting, but explains that there is a purpose.

(Women’s letter page two and three)

By now you should be angry, maybe even bewildered at how inhuman humans can be.

(Women’s letter page 4 - left)
But we can do something. And when we do, good things happen.

(Amnesty leaflet page 4 - right)
It would be difficult to ignore this challenging quote.

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SOFII's view

It is just so great to now have one of the letters that went out in the legendary Amnesty pen pack. It is hard to do justice to this incredible letter, so SOFII just urges you to go to it, read it and and you will surely be inspired.

Medium of communication:

Direct mail.

Type of charity:

Human rights & civil liberties.

Target audience:

Awareness, individuals, regular gift.

Country of origin:

UK.

Creator/originator:

Concept and copy by Karin Weatherup at Burnett Associates Limited. Karin is co-author with Ken Burnett of ‘Inspiring Annual Reports’.

Name of exhibitor:

Ken Burnett.

Date of first appearance:

unknown.

Summary/objectives:

To recruit new donors.

Background:

Amnesty needed a powerful and effective means of recruiting new donors to their great cause. This was it. Creator of the pack Karin Weatherup remembers a letter from the time which said: ‘This pack has saved Amnesty's bacon.’ It was probably no exaggeration.

Special Characteristics:

The letter takes the simple phrase that everyone knows ‘women and children first’ and actually manages to give it an entirely new meaning. This version was only sent to women and the stories in it are entirely from a female perspective: mothers, wives, grandmothers.

The challenge in the quote from Pastor Niemoeller, a victim of the Holocaust.

Influence/Impact:

The Amnesty pen pack is talked about in conference halls and seminars the world over. Most importantly it raised awareness of Amnesty and the brutality forced on the innocent people all over the world that it seeks to protect. It raised a lot of money.