Challenge:
In winter, emergency shelters are overcrowded across Europe. Lots of homeless people have to sleep outside and run the risk of freezing to death. During the cold season, we want to raise awareness with an advanced communication idea and invite people to donate. With these donations we should be able to assured the financing of emergency shelters, kitchens and a supply of clothes for our client Diakonie Frankfurt and their social partners all across Europe.
Strategy:
The homeless call attention to their critical situation themselves through a pan-European campaign by anchoring the weather forecast on TV instead of the usual presenters, reporting about the icy conditions.
Solution:
Across Europe the homeless anchor the weather forecast on TV, reporting about the icy conditions in their own region instead of the usual presenters. This is followed by an emotive message with an appeal for donations.
Launch and Execution:
Under the claim „DAYS OF HOPE“, we turn the standard “weather forecast” format for both TV and radio into a platform for homeless people for a duration of 8 weeks. Instead of presenters the homeless anchor the weather forecast by displaying the icy conditions followed by an emotive message with an appeal for donations.
The charity appeal links to a website for each of the respective charities organizations, where people can make an easy one-click donation. In addition online report from individual homeless people allow an authentic insight into life out on the streets.
The website offers background information and shows a personal profile for each homeless person. Additionally online banners link to the website.
The integrated campaign is implemented across Europe in Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Russia, Romania and Serbia and other countries through national TV stations. And through social media its influence is felt across the globe.
Within our agency-network, we spread the idea all over Europe.
Results:
“DAYS OF HOPE” has raised much greater awareness for the hardships faced by the homeless particularly during winter.
The integrated campaign strengthened the image and created significant visibility for all participating charity organizations across Europe – far exceeding any coverage achieved before and achieved truly global coverage, appearing in traditional and social media in over 60 countries. Influential tweeters like Pete Cashmore (with over 3.2 million followers) or The Huffington Post (with over 2.7 million followers) created buzz online.
350 million media impressions in total, generating an equivalent media value of 7 million Euros. Up to 2 million viewers per day watched the live weather broadcasts. Total viewing numbers across the whole Europe were as follows:
- Germany 6.5 million viewers
- Russia over 4 million viewers
- Romania over 5.2 million viewers
- Switzerland 160.800 viewers
- Serbia 750.000 viewers in the first 3 days
- Poland 230.000 viewers