Got any spare change, guv'nor?(branding for charitable organizations)(Brief Article)

Those few people who give to charity are influenced by brand-building

Time was when charities thought they could live without brands. No longer. Some, such as NSPCC, Barnado's, Oxfam and the Salvation Army have taken with gusto to brand-building; they express a view, and clearly state the core values that bind them to supporters.

Strong brands are a must in business, and charitable giving is no different. Donations are at a 20-year low, making philanthropy fiercely competitive.

Donors are more sophisticated, more choosy, less inclined to give regularly and generously. They have a huge choice of apparently similar begging bowls. Over 90 million items of charity direct mail fell …