Raising the profile of a national charity with a truly local impact
Canal & River Trust is the charity responsible for 2,000 miles of historic waterways across England and Wales – free, accessible spaces enjoyed by millions. Yet, only half of the public realise the Trust is a charity at all.
Red Stone was appointed to develop a cross-platform awareness campaign that could reset that perception and build recognition, relevance and favourability for the Trust’s vital work. The challenge was to shift public thinking, drive emotional connection, and deliver clear proof that awareness leads to engagement.
Engagement
– Engaged and managed input from stakeholders throughout project
Strategy
– Campaign strategy and audience research
Creative
– Campaign messaging
– OOH campaign assets
– Paid and organic social campaign
– Short film
Testing
– Quantitative and qualitative testing
Delivery
– Multiple OOH sites across the UK
– Digital ads and social assets
51-55%
Brand awareness grew from 51-55% (vs. 54% target)
65-69%
Among those living within 1km of a canal, awareness rose from 65% to 69%
29-35%
Understanding that Canal & River Trust is a charity increased from 29% to 35%
32-38%
Recognition of the Trust’s role in managing canals jumped from 32% to 38%
19% uplift
Sky CTV delivered a 19% uplift in traffic from key postcodes
50% stronger
Podcast placements achieved a 50% stronger visit rate than the industry benchmark.
A charity worth caring about
Our brief was to deliver a ‘top of the funnel’ brand campaign – helping more people understand that the Trust is not a government body, but a charity in need of support,. While 10 million people enjoy the benefits of the waterways each year, only 26% correctly identified the Trust as a charity. That left a large segment who either didn’t know or assumed canal upkeep was the responsibility of the state.
We built the campaign around a simple but powerful message: ‘We’re the charity for…’, designed to connect emotionally with real-life stories from those who use and value the canals – from dog walkers and paddle boarders to families and wildlife lovers.
Strategic storytelling across every channel
Working closely with the Trust’s internal team, we shaped and developed the core creative idea, supported by messaging that blended awareness goals with subtle behavioural prompts. This meant creating flexible assets that could work across everything from broadcast and out-of-home to social, digital and audio.
We produced a suite of campaign assets designed to work seamlessly across channels and formats. These included a 30-second ad for YouTube and TV, a full set of static and animated social content for Meta and digital and print out-of-home executions.
We also developed outputs for use across the Northern and West Midlands rail networks, alongside animated display GIFs and adaptable print formats. A consistent cross-platform identity ensured all messaging felt unified and instantly recognisable wherever it appeared.
The campaign also trialled new formats for the Trust, including TikTok and podcast advertising, successfully engaging younger audiences and providing valuable benchmarks for future activity.
Positive impact across the board
The campaign ran from April to June 2025, with potential extensions in late summer. Despite media budget constraints, results were strong across all key metrics.
All campaign KPIs were surpassed, with significant increases in both awareness and comprehension:
– Brand awareness grew from 51% to 55% (vs. 54% target)
– Among those living within 1km of a canal, awareness rose from 65% to 69%
– Understanding that Canal & River Trust is a charity increased from 29% to 35%
– Recognition of the Trust’s role in managing canals jumped from 32% to 38%
Crucially, the campaign proved that brand activity drives action: Sky CTV delivered a 19% uplift in traffic from key postcodes. TikTok exceeded expectations – reaching younger audiences with the highest click-through rates and lowest CPC of any platform. Podcast placements achieved a 50% stronger visit rate than the industry benchmark.
By combining strategy, storytelling and standout creative, the campaign shifted perceptions, drove meaningful engagement, and laid the foundations for future giving, volunteering and advocacy. We helped people see the canals differently – and the Trust behind them, too.
