Category: Best non-fiction program, series or film where a client has successfully created a reality, documentary or light entertainment show around a product(s) or brand(s)
Advertiser: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Product/Service: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Agency: MOTHER
Agency: CONTROL ROOM
Agency: LIVE UNION
Creative Director/Executive Producer: Al Maccuish (Mother)
Executive Producer: Kit Hawkins (Mother)
Project Director: Sarah Byrne (Mother)
Agency Producer: Lindsey Stopp (Mother)
Agency Digital Producer: Peter Hadden (Mother)
Creative: Rich Tahmasabi (Mother)
Creative: Pilar Santos (Mother)
: Samuel Payne (Mother)
Creative Director: Mark Waites (Mother)
Creative Director: Stephen Butler (Mother)
Live Event Production Company: (Control Room)
Executive Producer: Lily Sobhani (N/A)
Live Event Production Company: (Live Union)
UK PR Agency: (Splendid Communications)
USA PR Agency: (Minassian Media)
Content Production: (The Mill)
Animation: Mcbess (The Mill)
Producer: Carl Phillips (The Mill)
Executive Producer: Aaron Grosky (Control Room)
Executive Producer: Beth Earl (N/A)
Media placement: TV Broadcast - Channel 4, UK - 10 March 2012
Campaign Description
This campaign was aired in both the US & UK. Branded content is an established sector in the UK, but interest in co-funded content creation has increased since the relaxation of product placement rules for scheduled broadcasting in 2011. For the first time in March 2011, brands were allowed to benefit from valuable paid product placement in addition to funding entertainment broadcast programmes, subject to Ofcom guidelines and clarifications to protect the integrity of commercial broadcast programming and the advertising business.
The integration of brand messaging and product is also carefully reviewed and assessed by the broadcaster’s editorial team. In the UK, it must be made clear to the viewers when a brand has funded a programme, and the presence of product placement must be identified with an on-air graphic.
Effectiveness
Challenge:
Our objective was to use the momentum of Amnesty International’s 50th Birthday to raise awareness and a greater understanding of the work it does, amongst a previously hard to reach audience who find it difficult to relate to the issues at the heart of human rights.
Strategy:
Our strategy was to find a positive way to frame the work Amnesty undertake. Amnesty stands up for our fundamental freedoms, and 1 of the most expressive of those freedoms we regularly take for granted is freedom of speech - the same freedom that affords us the luxury of comedy, in all its glorious forms.
Execution:
Our brief was to re-invigorate the infamous Secret Policeman's Ball, first staged in London in 1976, with a stellar line up of the best current comedy and music talent from the US & the UK and to stage a live show of comedy and music, on a scale never seen before, and bring it to the masses via TV & Online broadcast deals.
The performance itself delivered the messaging couched in entertainment. Ahead of broadcast on Channel 4 and Epix, we created a popular campaign on social platforms where we made tickets to the ball available to win and offered the chance for the comedy community to get in on the act; a 15-second spot in the ball itself was up for grabs and won by the very funny (and soon to be huge) 'Piff the Magic Dragon'. The 2 and a half hour live show took place in Radio City Music Hall on Sunday 4th March, 2012, attended by 5,500 people. It was streamed live on EPIX across the USA and broadcast on Channel 4 a week later in the UK.
Implementation
Just as Amnesty relies on the support of their members, this campaign relied on the propagation of content through our audience.
We ensured that competition mechanics, social content ideas and extensive PR coverage attracted our audience: we integrated content across Facebook and YouTube and this system quickly became self-perpetuating, with the comments and sharing behaviour of our audience (and talent) driving distribution.
Tickets went on sale with a week's exclusive pre-sale for Amex customers, promoted online and in press advertising across NYC. EPIX and Channel 4 both launched advertising campaigns to promote the live streaming and TV broadcast respectively.
Outcome
This campaign captured a diverse audience with cross platform media engagement. The event itself was watched live by an audience of 5,500. More than 1.5m viewers watched the show on Channel 4 and live on EPIX.
Our PR campaign delivered just over 1bn opportunities to see the campaign in the UK and the US and sparked positive conversation about Amnesty International.
It secured more than 500 hundred pieces of coverage across TV, Print & Online media in the US & the UK, including; coverage on MTV, VH-1, ABC News, CBS News & the BBC; 11 of the 20 top US national press titles; 3 of the top 5 US news sites; every major entertainment title in the UK & US; a 7-minute branded slot with Jack Whitehall on BBC Breakfast (TV); a Page 3 column in The Sun featuring Russell Brand; and an op-ed from Salil Sheety in The Huffington Post.
69% of all coverage and 55% of TV listings & previews included the free speech message and 62% of coverage included a link to the Facebook page or details of the Channel 4 broadcast. There was a Facebook engagement rate of 17% (compared a 5% norm).