From the eyes of SPC

Marketers and nonprofit fundraisers from around the country came together in National Harbor, Maryland, for the 2026 Bridge to Integrated Marketing & Fundraising Conference. The theme this year was “Stronger Than the Moment,” focusing on emerging technology, ethical fundraising, and data-driven marketing. The conference was framed as a community where professionals should give away what they know generously.

Here’s our full recap from two of SPC attendees, Eric Kuhn and Mims Stewart.

Opening Keynote Speaker

The session centered around trust becoming the competitive advantage in a world where information is becoming a commodity. With AI making information easier to access, companies will have to differentiate themselves based on the emotional relationships they create with people…that can’t be replicated. Identity creates loyalty.

Trust → Identity → Advocacy → Generosity → Legacy

From our creative perspective, this is where identity becomes especially powerful. The strongest direct mail doesn’t simply tell a donor what an organization needs; it creates a personal connection and reinforces why that donor sees themselves as part of the mission. It comes through in storytelling, imagery, format, personalization, premium strategy and even the physical experience of opening the mailpiece.

The opportunity is to build creative that makes the donor feel recognized, valued and connected to something bigger than the transaction. And that creative idea shouldn’t stop with the mailpiece. The strongest campaigns can extend into other channels and experiences, giving the idea a life beyond the mailbox while keeping the core identity and story consistent. Beyond that, test concepts, learn from what works and use those insights to continue strengthening the creative.

Our recent Chopin format in this Double Take Video is a great example of how a non-profit campaign can be brought to life for the mailbox. 

SPC Learnings

Eric Kuhn’s Bridge journey also took him to a few sessions. One highlighting the importance of omnichannel marketing. This is no secret to Eric and the SPC team that today’s consumers don’t rely on a single channel in their buying journey. They move seamlessly between physical and digital spaces. To hold consumers’ attention and drive conversions, marketers need to think beyond the “either/or” mentality and embrace omnichannel marketing. Read more about SPC’s perspective in our previous blog, The Power of Omnichannel.

The notion from the Bridge session hosted by City of Hope was that one campaign does not mean every channel should do the same thing. That different channels can do different jobs. How does this relate to the world of direct response mail?  

An innovative format still needs a clear response objective. For nonprofits especially, adding inserts, cards, stickers, tear-offs, secondary reply devices, and engagement components is a great start, but marketers should start by clarifying what exactly they want the recipient to do. To strategize, what role is this going to play in the complete donor journey?
Key takeaway: Make the story clear. Make the ask clear. Make the desired action easy.

SPC’s Strategic Account Support Manager, Mims Stewart, attended a session specifically on maximizing vendor relationships. One main takeaway for her was the importance of having clear alignment when it comes to goals, while also continuing to bring creativity to the relationship.  A strong vendor partnership shouldn’t feel transactional. It should be an ongoing collaboration where both sides are working toward the same goals and finding new ways to create value.

“My biggest takeaway from the conference was the importance of building strong relationships and trust in nonprofit marketing. It can be easy to think of a vendor relationship as simply providing a service, but the best partnerships go much further than that. Taking the time to understand a client’s goals, communicate openly, and build trust can make a huge difference.” – Mims Stewart

SPC’s Innovation Exhibit