Shanti-House: When the margins become the media

Credits & Description:

Advertiser: SHANTI HOUSE
Agency: ACW GREY TEL AVIV
Category: Bars, Restaurants & Stores, etc.
Advertising campaign: WHEN THE MARGINS BECOME THE MEDIA
Online Editor: Ariela Bogod (Snowball - Post Production)
Media Company: (MediaCom)
Narrator: Bobby Lax (Bobby Lax)
Artdirector: Karin Gross (ACW Grey Tel Aviv)
Special Projects Producers: Galit Siman Tov (ACW Grey Tel Aviv)
Digital Producer: Ofer Klein (ACW Grey Tel Aviv)
Special Projects Producers: Yael Hermesh (ACW Grey Tel Aviv)
Producer: Galit Hershco (Snowball - Post Production)
Creative Manager: Itamar Barak (Snowball - Post Production)
Copywriter: Kobi Cohen (ACW Grey Tel Aviv)
Producer: Merav Dekel (Signal Music & Sound Ideas)
Chief Creative Officer: Tal Riven (ACW Grey Tel Aviv)
Original Music: Tomer Biran (Tomer Biran Music)
Art: Tomi Kirchenzbaig (Snowball - Post Production)
Post Production Producer: Roni Brand (ACW Grey Tel Aviv)
Sound Editor: Roy Dotan (Signal Music & Sound Ideas)

Outcome
In less than six months, we received free media exposure valued at $350,000! Growing awareness levels have already led to a 15% increase in donations and a 25% increase in calls to the shelter. More and more advertisers have joined and the campaign is still going strong.

Execution
The message in the margins of each ad read:The Shanti House for homeless teens is serving dozens of youngsters living on the margins of society 24/7. For information/donations please call 03-510-3339This idea quickly engaged our clients including the leading telecom; largest bank; largest retailer; top mobile provider; global auto brands and others. In fact, our clients were so excited that they directly called on their colleagues, other advertisers (not necessarily clients of ours…), to join. Reaction from journalists and the general public was overwhelming, many finding this creative solution “an engaging execution which intelligent readers appreciate”.

Implementation
We contemplated different ideas that could generate earned/viral exposure when we realized that as one of the top advertising/media agencies in the country we have direct access to leading advertisers and if we could bring them on board our cause we might be able to gain not only financial support but also the institutional backup of some of the most influential stakeholders in the market. The idea - donate the margins to the marginalized! Recruit advertisers to donate the unused margins of their ads as media space for homeless youth living on the margins of society.

Client Brief Or Objective
The Shanti House serves as a shelter for homeless teens, a growing social phenomenon. We needed to let youth in need know that we exist as well as gain broader public and stakeholders’ awareness in order to be able to increase donation monies to help establish additional centers. All with no advertising budget…Thousands of NPOs are competing for public attention; most rely on some form of philanthropy for survival, with advertising seen as a non-affordable luxury. When Shanti House approached us it was not different, an important social cause and service but no means to generate awareness to it.