Just keep it simple: a field experiment on fundraising letters

This paper studies how the use of a colour picture in fundraising letters affect response rates and the amount donated in a fundraising campaign. Envelopes, with a full colour picture were tested against envelopes, without a picture in a controlled field experiment at a national religious charity in the Netherlands. Letters (89 937) were sent out to planned as well as incidental donors in four experimental groups. Results show that packages with more graphics yield lower donations, because both response rates are lower and the amount donated per letter is lower. We interpret this finding from donor aversion against high fundraising costs. Copyright (C) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.