The challenge
Wear A Hat Day is one of Brain Tumour Research’s most important fundraising moments, but the campaign needed to work harder to convert awareness into real action. While the cause is widely recognised, the journey from seeing the campaign to taking part was not always clear or compelling.
The charity wanted to increase registrations, drive donations, and make it easier for schools, businesses and communities to understand how to get involved. At the same time, they needed a modern approach to reach new audiences and stand out during a busy awareness period.
Alongside this, the launch event at the famous Lock & Co hatter in London, presented an opportunity to capture powerful content, but it needed to do more than document the day. The content had to drive the wider campaign, support paid media, and bring the story of Wear A Hat Day to life in a way that felt human, engaging and actionable.
Our solution
We developed a joined-up approach that combined programmatic advertising with high-impact content captured at the Wear A Hat Day launch event. The aim was to create a campaign that not only reached the right audiences, but clearly showed them how to take part.
Our programmatic strategy focused on precision targeting, using audience data, behavioural insights and geo-fencing to reach people most likely to engage. This included targeting event organisers, supporters and high-intent audiences, as well as capturing attention at other fundraising events in real time and retargeting users who had already shown interest.
At the same time, we produced a suite of campaign content designed to work across paid, owned and earned channels. From a hero event film to short-form ads and social clips, every asset was built to drive action. Clear calls to action such as registering, downloading fundraising packs and taking part in Wear A Hat Day were embedded throughout.
The launch event became the engine for the campaign. We captured authentic stories, real participants and moments of energy that could be repurposed across channels. This allowed us to create content that felt genuine and relatable, while also delivering the clarity needed to guide audiences from awareness through to participation.
The results
The campaign delivered strong engagement across digital channels, successfully driving high volumes of traffic to the Wear A Hat Day landing page. The combination of targeted programmatic activity and clear, action-led creative helped increase registrations and encourage more people to take part.
Content from the launch event played a key role in maintaining momentum throughout the campaign, providing a steady stream of assets that supported both paid and organic activity.
The impact
The campaign created a step change in how Wear A Hat Day is communicated.
We brought real stories to life, helping audiences connect with the cause on a human level while clearly showing the difference their involvement could make. The content captured the energy of the event and translated it into a wider campaign that felt accessible and engaging.
We also simplified the journey to take part. By clearly explaining how Wear A Hat Day works and what people need to do, we removed barriers that had previously limited participation.
As a result, the campaign not only reached more people, but made it easier for them to get involved, support the charity and play a part in funding vital research.