We've been working with the RSPB for five years now, producing regular warm appeals for this conservation charity with over 1 million members. Often the focus is on land purchase, since a key part of their strategy is to acquire and manage critically important wildlife habitats - the best way of securing their preservation for future generations. In October 2006 we produced a breathtaking appeal pack for Sutton Fen, which went on to win a prestigious IOF award.

Successful as such land purchase campaigns can be, there's a need to ring the changes. Chris Madden, our client, is always on the hunt for the right RSPB project to fundraise for. Recently, we turned our attention to issues relating to the marine environment.

The RSPB has been involved in marine conservation for many years - the UK's seas and coastline are of international importance to seabirds which use them for nesting, over-wintering and feeding. Over half the UK's total bird population depend on our seas.

Whitewater was asked to produce a quick-turn around appeal mailing, mailing in July, based on the need for a Marine Bill to be included in this autumn's Queen's speech. Such a Bill has been promised but, as we all know, politicians sometimes need to be held to their promises. This was also an opportunity to communicate with members about RSPB's campaigning work, to help them understand the link between membership subscriptions, ad-hoc donations and other areas of RSPB's work.

The problem with an appeal based on such a vast habitat and range of wildlife is the likely lack of focus. Too large an objective can lack the tangibility that we know donors want. The appeal needed a recognisable and iconic species to give it emotional leverage. We know that the puffin is one of the UK's top three ‘most-loved’ birds. So the puffin it was – to act as a kind of spokesperson for its own kind.

The pack had a joint fundraising and campaigning ask (send a campaign card to PM Gordon Brown) and even offered a cute puffin pin badge as an (optional) reply incentive – which increased response by 15% across segments.

We've had many successes now on campaigning asks for a range of clients (a route that, just three or four years ago, many clients were reluctant to test). This was another. At the last count, income is 30% up on target and rising, average donation is 20% higher than usual and over 2,000 lapsed donors have been reactivated - whoopee! Clearly we're not the only ones who find the puffin's clown face truly engaging. Now lets just keep an eye on Gordon - and that he remembers his promise in the Queen's speech.

Helen Hamilton