ALS is a rapidly progressing disease with no cure, making investment in research essential to improving outcomes for people living with the disease. To help advance this work, ALS Canada launched United in ALS—a national integrated campaign designed to build public support for Canada's first National ALS Research Strategy while strengthening the organization's community of advocates and donors.
The National ALS Research Strategy represented an opportunity to unite researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and Canadians affected by ALS around a shared vision for the future of ALS research. Rather than treating advocacy and fundraising as separate initiatives, ALS Canada partnered with Principles to create a unified supporter journey that connected awareness, advocacy, stewardship, and fundraising. By leading with authentic stories from people living with ALS, caregivers, and families, the campaign sought to inspire Canadians to take meaningful action while building relationships with supporters.
Specifically, the campaign aimed to:
By uniting thousands of Canadians behind one shared call to action, United in ALS sought to demonstrate that advocacy and fundraising are most powerful when they work together to accelerate research and improve the future for everyone affected by ALS.
Rather than approaching advocacy, stewardship, and fundraising as separate initiatives, ALS Canada and Principles designed United in ALS as a connected supporter journey. The campaign engaged Canadians at every stage—from raising awareness of Canada's first National ALS Research Strategy to inspiring advocacy action, nurturing new supporters, and ultimately encouraging charitable giving.
The solution was built using an insight-led, integrated approach that combined audience research, authentic storytelling, digital engagement, and continuous optimization. Launched in September 2025, the advocacy campaign intentionally flowed into #GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising, ensuring momentum generated through advocacy translated into long-term supporter engagement and revenue.
Phase 1) Discover
The campaign began by examining historical performance, audience insights, and the lived experiences of people affected by ALS. Research consistently showed that authentic, personal stories generated stronger engagement than institutional messaging, while advocacy-focused calls to action attracted highly engaged supporters.
These insights shaped the campaign's creative strategy. People living with ALS, caregivers, and families became the voices behind every communication, transforming the need for a National ALS Research Strategy into a deeply personal and urgent call for action. A refreshed United in ALS creative platform unified messaging, photography, and design across every campaign touchpoint.
Phase 2) Mobilize
The advocacy campaign launched through an integrated digital strategy spanning paid Meta advertising, email marketing, social media, ALS Canada's website, and organic communications. Canadians were invited to sign a petition supporting Canada's first National ALS Research Strategy while opting into future communications, creating an intentional bridge between advocacy and long-term engagement.
Campaign storytelling remained central throughout. Authentic participant stories demonstrated both the urgency of accelerating research and the hope that collective action could create meaningful change. Real-time optimization of creative, messaging, and audience targeting ensured campaign performance continuously improved throughout the advocacy period.
Phase 3) Steward and Grow
Rather than concluding with the petition campaign, ALS Canada transitioned newly acquired supporters into a carefully designed stewardship journey that reinforced the impact of their advocacy before inviting them to participate in #GivingTuesday and year-end giving. Consistent storytelling connected every advocacy action and donation to the same shared goal: advancing ALS research and improving the lives of people affected by the disease.
By integrating advocacy, stewardship, and fundraising within one campaign ecosystem, ALS Canada transformed a single petition into an ongoing supporter relationship that strengthened both engagement and fundraising outcomes.
Overcoming Challenges
Creating a campaign rooted in lived experience required balancing urgency with hope while ensuring every story was shared with compassion and authenticity. The team worked closely with campaign participants, adapting production and communications to meet their needs while thoughtfully incorporating existing campaign assets to honour the broader ALS community. Continuous collaboration between advocacy, fundraising, marketing, and communications teams ensured every campaign touchpoint contributed to one unified objective.
The result was more than an advocacy campaign—it was a sustainable engagement strategy that connected awareness, advocacy, stewardship, and fundraising to build lasting support for ALS Canada's mission and Canada's first National ALS Research Strategy.
United in ALS exceeded every major campaign objective, demonstrating that an integrated advocacy, stewardship, and fundraising strategy can build lasting supporter engagement while advancing meaningful public health action.
The campaign generated 7,416 advocacy actions in support of Canada's first National ALS Research Strategy—nearly five times its original goal of 1,500. This overwhelming public response strengthened ALS Canada's advocacy efforts by demonstrating widespread support for increased investment in ALS research and helping amplify the organization's voice with policymakers.
The campaign also significantly expanded ALS Canada's supporter community, acquiring 4,687 new contacts—more than double the original target. An exceptional 99% CASL-compliant opt-in rate reflected the strength of the campaign's storytelling and supporters' willingness to remain engaged beyond a single advocacy action.
The integrated supporter journey successfully translated advocacy into long-term engagement. Through a strategic stewardship series, newly acquired supporters were nurtured into #GivingTuesday and year-end fundraising, generating more than $23,000 CAD in donations while reinforcing the connection between advocacy and charitable giving.
Beyond campaign performance, United in ALS established a sustainable engagement model that united advocacy, stewardship, and fundraising under one cohesive strategy. By combining authentic lived experiences with an integrated digital journey, ALS Canada transformed a single advocacy campaign into lasting relationships with thousands of Canadians—strengthening support for ALS research today while building momentum for the future.
