Elevating ROAS for a UK-based charity client | Case Study

The challenge

Our client, a Muslim faith-based charity, came to Impression with a clear objective.

To increase ROAS and revenue to further their impact and raise awareness of their cause.

For the charity, every pound matters, so maximising the return on ad spend (ROAS) directly fuels their ability to respond to appeals and deliver meaningful aid where it’s needed the most.

Having recently switched agencies, there had been a short pause in their display activity. That meant we needed to rebuild momentum fast, reaching the right audiences with engaging creative and working towards a key target: a 3x ROAS.

Notably, this goal was even more challenging than in previous years, as it represented a step up from their historical benchmarks, making it a true test of performance from day one.

Another key challenge was the scale and complexity of the campaign. With over 30 active appeals and more than 200 creative assets in play, it was essential to implement a streamlined approach. We needed to ensure that every appeal received appropriate attention, particularly urgent emergency appeals, which required rapid activation and prioritised coverage to maximise visibility and impact.

The strategy

With Ramadan on the horizon, a time of generosity, reflection, and spiritual growth in the Muslim community, our campaign was strategically timed to align with this key giving season. Central to Ramadan is the practice of Zakat, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, which obliges Muslims to donate a portion of their wealth (typically 2.5% of qualifying savings) to those in need.

Muslim faith-based charities often see a sharp increase in donations during this period, particularly in the final ten nights, when spiritual rewards are believed to be at their peak. For the charity, this presented a powerful opportunity to align with a cultural moment that closely aligned with their mission to support vulnerable communities around the world.

We planned and launched a large-scale Ramadan campaign, featuring over 30 emergency appeals across areas like Syria, Gaza, and Yemen. The UK-wide campaign was designed to drive donations, boost visibility, and spark engagement at a time when giving is top of mind.

Our strategy was built around three key pillars:

1

Conversion-driving display campaigns

To support our ROAS target, we prioritised conversion-led campaigns, with a clear focus on driving users directly to appeal pages and encouraging immediate donations. A key part of this approach was retargeting previous donors using postcode-level data via our Display and Video partner, StackAdapt. We honed in on users who had donated during the previous Ramadan, combining postcode targeting and geofencing to deliver ads to warm audiences based on their location and past engagement. In parallel, we re-engaged previously engaged audiences - those who had visited appeal pages but hadn’t yet completed a donation, ensuring they remained front-of-mind throughout the campaign journey.

2

Introduction of Prospecting audiences

To expand the charity's reach, we launched new prospecting activities focused on attracting relevant new audiences. This included the use of third-party data and geo-targeting for strategic Display campaigns, along with direct partnerships with trusted publishers like Reach PLC and CityAM. Through these collaborations, we ran a mix of standard banners, page takeovers, and email newsletters. These premium placements gave us access to high-quality inventory beyond the open web, helping to drive awareness and connect the charity with fresh, highly relevant audiences.

3

Improve credibility and place the client as a trustworthy charity

To further extend our reach, we activated campaigns across Connected TV (CTV), targeting the postcodes of previous donors. This approach allowed us to re-engage warm audiences while introducing the charity to new viewers in a highly trusted, brand-safe environment. Leveraging premium CTV placements helped reinforce the charity’s credibility and position as a reliable, impactful organisation among key demographics.