Overview
In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Santa Shoebox Project set an ambitious goal: to reach its millionth child since its inception in 2006.
Supporters were being asked to pledge and donate over 40,000 Santa Shoeboxes filled with personalised essential items and treats for children across South Africa and Namibia — at a time when many households were facing financial strain.
Sustaining engagement and motivating new and repeat donors across an 11-month period required consistent, focused digital communication.
Strategic Approach
Working closely with the CEO, I developed and delivered a structured monthly content calendar designed to educate, inform, and inspire pledges toward the millionth-child milestone.
Together, we aligned content to campaign objectives and key milestones. Within that framework, I structured the calendar around three pillars:
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Mission-Driven Content: Messaging aligned to campaign goals and milestone moments
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Emotive Visual Storytelling: Visuals designed to strengthen emotional connection
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Consistent Presence: Regular content to maintain engagement without overwhelming audiences
This approach ensured sustained visibility and steady momentum throughout the campaign period.
Execution
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Translated agreed campaign direction into a structured monthly content plan
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Wrote all social media copy
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Designed supporting visual assets
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Delivered content aligned to campaign milestones
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Adjusted messaging based on CEO feedback throughout the campaign period
Outcomes
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60,444 Santa Shoeboxes pledged and donated
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Campaign milestone achieved: the millionth child reached
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Target exceeded by 7% (17,741 additional boxes)
The campaign maintained consistent digital engagement across the year, supporting steady donor participation despite the economic pressures of 2020.
In 2020 Karen generously offered her pro-bono Social Media Content Strategy services to the Santa Shoebox Project, a children’s charity with a social following at the time of around 100,000. Karen was a huge asset to the Team, bringing fresh, creative and original thinking and design. She always adhered to a strict timeline, while maintaining a light and positive approach. Karen has a gift for understanding a brand, for quickly adapting to the lexicon and to the design ethos. She works equally well on her own — delivering quality content on time — and in a team, graciously accepting and maturely responding to input and direction. I would not hesitate to recommend Karen to prospective employers and clients as a true asset to any organisation.
Let’s Work Together
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