Birmingham Hospice needed a fresh take on their beloved mascot, Hettie the Hedgehog, for a Readathon campaign aimed at inspiring young readers. With much of their funding coming from voluntary donations, the budget for this project was limited – meaning traditional illustration wasn’t an option. But artificial intelligence (AI) provided the perfect solution. Using cutting-edge AI technology, we brought Hettie to life in a way that was engaging, brand-aligned, and cost-effective, resulting in a vibrant fundraising pack that captured imaginations.

Background

Birmingham Hospice is a specialist end-of-life care charity that was formed following the merger of Birmingham St Mary’s and John Taylor Hospices. Making every moment matter for patients and their loved ones is at the heart of everything they do, and Hettie the Hospice Hedgehog embodies this message at their community fundraising events, shops and school assemblies.

The challenge

To encourage young readers to engage with books while raising vital funds, Birmingham Hospice launched The Big Birmingham Readathon. The campaign invited children to join Hettie the Hedgehog in a fun reading challenge, and in return, they would receive a fundraising pack containing a sponsorship form, progress chart, stickers, bookmark, and more.

A key part of this fundraising pack was a fun, illustrated version of Hettie the Hedgehog, designed to appeal to young readers and bring the campaign to life. However, the cost of creating a character using traditional illustration methods was too high.

We needed to find an innovative way to deliver high-quality illustrations that resembled their existing mascot – without exceeding the budget.

Our idea

Stock images weren’t the right fit, and traditional illustration was beyond budget, so we turned to AI. Using an AI programme, we created a unique character that not only stayed true to the original mascot but also matched the campaign’s tone and purpose.

To bring the Readathon campaign to life, we developed an illustration of Hettie engrossed in a book, set against a magical woodland backdrop. The result was a high-quality, custom-designed character that captivated young readers while keeping the project cost-effective.

The result

The Readathon campaign and fundraising pack, featuring AI-generated Hettie the Hedgehog illustrations, was a huge success. Children and families loved the storybook-like designs, which encouraged participation and made the fundraising experience more enjoyable for young readers. The campaign generated such excitement that additional materials had to be reprinted due to demand – clear proof that AI-powered creativity delivers results.