Premier Fundraising Award for aftersocks™ Campaign

Rural Women New Zealand’s innovative aftersocks™ fundraiser for Canterbury earthquake victims has achieved the highest accolade at the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand’s (FINZ) annual awards.

At the ceremony held in Auckland on Friday evening, aftersocks™ was first announced as the winner of the FINZ Online Campaign category.

But the highlight of the evening came with the announcement of the night’s top award.

Aftersocks™ was named as the joint winner, along with Ronald McDonald House, South Island, of the Premier Fundraising Award for Excellence 2012.

FINZ CEO, James Austin, said the Premier award is only made if in the opinion of the judges it is truly merited.

He said, “[aftersocks™] was one of those rare campaigns – and award entries – that has ‘winner’ written all over it from go-to-whoa.”

The inventiveness and ability to think laterally were winning aspects of both aftersocks™ and the Ronald McDonald ‘Supper Club @ Home’ event.

“Both organisations are thoroughly deserving of jointly receiving the Premier Award for Fundraising Excellence for two extraordinary but very different campaigns.”

Rural Women NZ’s national president, Liz Evans, says she is thrilled with the wins, which recognise the efforts of Rural Women NZ members and office staff in marketing and selling the socks.

The reach of social media played a large part in the sales success of the funky red and black striped socks, which incorporate the seismograph graphic of the 22nd February 2010 quake.

“Our national office was transformed into a packaging and dispatch centre, with thousands of courier bags sent out all over the world.

“We aimed to sell 1,000 pairs, but through social networking aftersocks™ caught people’s imaginations and sales rocketed. We’ve now sold close to 19,000 pairs.”

The socks are manufactured in Ashburton by the NZ Sock Company, and are made from a New Zealand merino wool blend.

Over $110,000 has so far been raised for the Christchurch Mayoral Fund, with a final wash up payment to be made once remaining stocks are sold.

Socks can be purchased at www.aftersocks.co.nz

Photo: Belinda Coyle and Emma Barker from RWNZ’s national office with the FINZ Awards. Belinda is RWNZ’s office administrator who packaged and couriered the 19,000 pairs of aftersocks. Emma Barker is RWNZ’s marketing officer, who promoted the socks through social media and other promotional events.