In 2010, Procter & Gamble had a dilemma.

The massive consumer products company based in Cincinnati, Ohio had just signed a major sponsorship deal with the Olympics.

It was bold. And risky.

That’s because P&G didn’t make running shoes or sports drinks.

They made deodorant. Diapers. Dish soap.

The connection to the world’s preeminent sporting event wasn’t obvious.

Which is what made their strategy so brilliant.

Every Olympic athlete has a mom. And every mom — every day — is a decision-maker in the household. She’s often the one buying the toothpaste, the laundry detergent, the shampoo.

So instead of centering their message on world-class athletes or gold medal moments …

P&G turned the spotlight over to this overlooked group, where it really belonged: on the women who made those moments possible.

Maybe you remember the global campaign, “Thank You, Mom.” It was a love letter to P&G’s customers, and not their products.

(They kicked off the campaign at the Vancouver games of 2010 and finally concluded after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Here are two of their highlights: the “Best Job,” from London 2012, and “Strong,” from Rio 2016.)

The commercials showed athletes as children, stumbling through practices, falling down, getting back up. They were always with a mom in the background, supporting, believing, sacrificing.

The tagline said it all: “P&G. Proud sponsor of Moms.”

Heart-warming, right?

But they didn’t stop there.

They built the P&G Family Home at the Olympics, a space where the mothers of Team USA athletes could gather, rest, and be honored.

They created a mobile app that let anyone send a personalized thank-you message to their own mom.

They unified 34 separate brands under one narrative voice. (Very tough to do, if you know Jack Trout and Al Ries’ work on the Law of Line Extension.)

And the whole time, their customers were the heroes, not them.

Guess what? It worked.

The campaign generated a whopping $500 million in new sales. It earned over 76 billion global media impressions, 74 million video views, 370 million Twitter interactions.

And it earned trust. Loyalty. Affection.

All because P&G understood the core principle of customer-centered storytelling: make it about them, not you.

And this is the exact same insight that can transform your approach to fundraising.

Enter: Donor-Centrism.

Fundraising experts like Jeff Brooks and Greg Warner have written about what happens when you go from a me-me-me approach to focusing on your donors instead. 

When external messages focus on your organization — on “our programs,” “our staff,” “our incredible impact” — they fell flat.

But when the story gets flipped — when the donor became the protagonist — everything changes: 

Retention improves. Revenue increases. Newsletters perform as well as direct mail appeals.

Why?

Because the donor finally sees themselves in the narrative.

That’s the heart of donor-centric fundraising.

And you don’t have to be revenues like P&G to start putting this into practice.

For your key takeaway, let’s start with a simple application of this key concept.

The “You” Test

• Take your next appeal, email, thank-you letter, or newsletter.
• Circle every “you” or “your” in green.
• Circle every “we,” “our,” or your organization’s name in red.

This is an old, simple trick from communications expert Tom Ahern. You want a 2:1 green-to-red ratio — minimum.

Your donor should feel like the one standing on the podium.

You’re just the coach handing them water bottles.

That’s what P&G got right. They made their customers the star of the story. And the result wasn’t just better marketing, but a real connection with their base.

You can do the same.

Not by shouting louder about your greatness, but by showing donors their own.

Now, maybe you’re already convinced – but let’s take the time to address one very important objection. 

I recently spent time discussing this very subject with a client that was looking to level up their copywriting.

One of their staff challenged the use of emotional, “feel-good” appeals like these, especially in the commercial world.

Isn’t it a little manipulative to try to pull on people’s heartstrings, to sell something as mundane as Febreze or dish soap?

No.

Part of what makes P&G’s “Thank You, Mom” campaign so effective is that it’s true. What you see is real. Where would you be without your mom, if you were lucky enough to have one growing up?

“The most powerful element in advertising is the truth,” advised the great Bill Bernbach.

And let’s not discount the real emotional connections we all have to consumer goods.

We grew up with these products.

The soothing relief of Vicks. The refreshing taste of Oral-B. And everyone knows someone who looks exactly like Mr. Clean.

These commercial products form an important part of our shared identity, what we talk about at the water cooler, our childhoods and fond memories of simpler times.

Lean into it. Who are we to tell our audience what they can and can’t relate to?

That’s the power of customer-centrism. And the same goes for your donors.

Kevin Gentry is a seasoned fundraiser, political strategist, and podcaster passionate about helping great causes 10x their fundraising and effectiveness. In July 2024, he launched TenX Strategies to equip organizations with tools and insights to elevate their impact. With over 40 years of experience, Kevin has built fundraising and marketing capabilities for numerous organizations, including roles as Vice President at Stand Together and Koch, plus leadership positions at the Mercatus Center, Leadership Institute, and Institute for Humane Studies. Through TenX Strategies and his Going Big! podcast, he shares insights on donor engagement and interviews top leaders on their success strategies.

Related Resources:

• How Nostalgia Drives Giving and Why Donors Open Up When They Tell Their Story
• 6 Reasons Why Major Donor Prospects Ignore Your Outreach Efforts
• A Good Problem – What to Do If You Have Too Many Pre-qualified Major Donor Prospects
• The Smarter Way to Prioritize Your Major Donor Outreach: Let Prospects Reveal Themselves to You