RSL SA /Returned & Services League of Australia South Australia: MINUTE OF SILENCE [alternative]

Credits & Description:

Type of entry: Direct Marketing: Digital & Social
Category: Use of Mobile Marketing
Advertiser: RSL AUSTRALIA
Product/Service: ANZAC APPEAL
Agency: DDB GROUP MELBOURNE , AUSTRALIA
Client: RSL AUSTRALIA
Product: ANZAC APPEAL
Entrant: DDB GROUP MELBOURNE , AUSTRALIA
Type of Entry: Direct Marketing: Digital & Social
Category: Use of Mobile Marketing
Entrant Company : DDB GROUP MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Advertising Agency : DDB GROUP MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA
Production Company : EXIT FILMS Melbourne, VIC, AUSTRALIA

Executive Creative Director: Darren Spiller (DDB Group Melbourne)
Creative Director: Ant Hatton (DDB Group Melbourne)
Creative: Chris Andrews (DDB Group Melbourne)
Agency Producer: Tuesday Picken (DDB Group Melbourne)
Online Content Editor: Marissa Brain (DDB Group Melbourne)
Online Content Dop: Jordy Molloy (DDB Group Melbourne)
Digital Creative Director: Steve Skrekovski (DDB Group Melbourne)
Digital Design: Pascal Van Der Haar (DDB Group Melbourne)
Digital Producer: Genevieve O’shea (DDB Tribal Worldwide)
Account Director: Stephanie Luxmoore (DDB Group Melbourne)
Account Manager: Kristen Mahler (DDB Group Melbourne)
Planning Director: Tom Hyde (DDB Group Melbourne)
Pr Team: Sophie Beckingham/Samantha Vassos/Cass Stafford (DDB Mango)
Producer: Martin Box (Exit Films)
Director: Mark Molloy (Exit Films)
Dop: Ryley Brown (Freelance)
Editing Company: The Butchery/The Refinery ()
Sound Design: Colin Simkins (Gusto Music)
Photographer: Christopher Tovo (Freelance)
Creative Services Director: Diana Czechowska (DDB Group Melbourne)

Describe the brief from the client:
ANZAC Day, a day Australians pay their respects to the brave men and women that have served their country. They take a minute of silence to remember the fallen and make a donation to help those who came home.

Traditionally the ANZAC Appeal has relied on veterans selling badges on the street to raise funds. Trouble is today people rarely carry cash. We needed to find a new way for them to donate.

The ANZAC Appeal has always enjoyed support from the older generation. We had to reinvigorate and broaden its appeal making it relevant to a wider younger audience.

Creative Execution:
A Minute of Silence to remember our fallen veterans is synonymous with Anzac Day. Linking this tradition with the latest mobile technology made paying your respects and donating more moving and simpler than ever.

Social media made sharing just as easy. Both the oddness of paying to listen to silence and people’s goodwill fuelled Facebook shares, while a growing Twitter buzz helped build the campaign momentum we wanted, especially among our target.

Creative Solution to the Brief/Objective:
Fewer people carry cash but everyone carries a mobile phone – our younger target are on them constantly.

So we set up a phone line where people could pay to listen to a Minute of Silence. You simply called the number and listened to the silence. There’s no credit cards, no apps and no downloads – your donation goes straight onto your phone bill.

Our objective was to reinvigorate the appeal getting both the younger generation and the media talking about the campaign. This would not only modernise the brand but also drive donations.

Results:
Paying to silence? Such an innovative approach from a charity certainly got fingers dialing and tongues wagging. Especially among our younger target. Results included:
-10,000 website hits on the first night
-Three days after launch our campaign went ‘global’ as the 3rd highest trending topic in the world on Twitter topic
-Massive PR coverage with over $2 million of earned media
-But most importantly, so far this year’s Anzac Appeal raised over $3 million for veterans and their families. And it’s still going.