National Multiple Sclerosis Society Signs Merkle as Marketing Agency

Merkle signed a five-year, multimillion dollar contract to provide a full range of marketing services to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Merkle, which is based in Lanham, MD, made the announcement on August 8.

Under the agreement, Merkle|Domain, Merkle's full-service fund-raising agency, will provide overall strategy, data analytics, creative and direct mail production services and media placement, to support the Society's direct mail campaigns. The goal is to increase the number of donors, donor loyalty and amount of money raised.

Merkle was one of six companies bidding for the contract. It beat out the others after a thorough agency evaluation process.

Founded in 1946, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is one of the 10 largest voluntary health agencies in the United States, based on fund-raising revenue. Each year, the organization reaches out to millions of donors and potential donors to raise funds and awareness of multiple sclerosis, a disease that affects more than 400,000 Americans.

By working with Merkle|Domain, the Society expects to increase the number of renewed donors and direct donations.

Work under the contract is just beginning as Merkle|Domain prepares to manage several direct mail fund-raising campaigns on behalf of the Society's 58 chapters across the country. Merkle also will develop the direct marketing strategy and production services that will centralize past participant recruitment for the MS Walk, one of the Society's most recognized fund-raising programs.