Asociatia Pro Democratia: Come And Vote!

Credits & Description:

Client: Asociatia Pro Democratia
Product: Pro Voting Campaign
Entrant: Leo Burnett Bucharest, Romania
Title: Come And Vote!
Product/Service: Pro Voting Campaign
Entrant Company: Leo Burnett Bucharest, Romania
Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett Bucharest, Romania
Media Agency: Starcom Mediavest Group Bucharest, Romania
Pr Agency: Mslgroup The Practice Bucharest, Romania
Production Company: Multimedia Est Bucharest, Romania
Worldwide Chief Creative Officer: Mark Tutssel (Leo Burnett Worldwide)
Chief Creative Officer: Razvan Capanescu (Leo Burnett Romania)
Copywriter: Razvan Capanescu (Leo Burnett Romania)
Art Director: Cosmin Ezaru (Leo Burnett Romania)
Copywriter: Radu Olteanu (Leo Burnett Romania)
Media Director: Alexandra Iavorschi (Starcom Mediavest Group)
Media Manager: Roxana Buha (Starcom Mediavest Group)
Managing Director: Lorand Balint (Leo Burnett Romania)
Digital Strategy Director: Mugur Patrascu (Leo Burnett Romania)
Pr Director: Oana Bulexa (MSL Group The Practice)
Account Director: Diana Alexa (Leo Burnett Romania)
Planning Director: Victor Stroe (Leo Burnett Romania)
Social Media: Marian Ionescu (Leo Burnett Romania)
Social Media: Matei Psatta (Leo Burnett Romania)
Pr Manager: Anca Pantus (Leo Burnett Romania)
Director: Andrei Amarfoaie (Multimedia Est)
Dop Lighting Cameraman: Toma Velio (Multimedia Est)
Post Production: Ruxandra Stanescu (Multimedia Est)
Editor: Maria Zaharia (Multimedia Est)
Executive Producer: Dragos Valcu (Multimedia Est)
The Campaign
Two months before the presidential elections in Romania an overwhelming majority was too apathetic to care about politics. 67,6% of the population declared it had no intention to vote.
In our creative PR campaign we wanted to underline the importance of going to vote by showing what can happen if the faith of the nation is left to indifference.
We started the PR campaign with strong video content placed online and pitched to a few key TV stations for pro-bono broadcasting.
'What if our ancestors didn't show up for the crucial moments in our history?' – this was the main message. The videos showed two of our most beloved kings alone on the battlefield, learning that their brave men didn't show up due to ridiculous excuses - we used actual quotes of contemporary people who decline going to vote.
The videos went viral and more TV stations asked to broadcast them.
We did an outdoor stunt, changing the names of a few main streets in Bucharest, from Romanian heroes' names to Ottoman rulers' names.
We involved A-lister journalists and online influencers, pitching them the idea, leading to public debates and talk shows based on this topic.
With 15 Romanian TV channels asking to broadcast the campaign (a total of 9 hours broadcast, all earned) and all the online actions, we've achieved 18 million impressions, which represents almost the entire population of Romania.
But most of all, we helped overturn the percentage – 62% of the population showed up and voted!
The Brief
Our goal was to make people go and vote!
All data showed that an overwhelming majority was too apathetic to care about politics. 67,6% of the population declared it had no intention to vote.
Analyzing the target audience with in depth-interviews and more qualitative research, we discovered that the only time Romanians were proud of their leaders were in the history.
Execution
We started the campaign with strong video content placed online and pitched to a few key TV stations for pro-bono broadcasting. 'What if our ancestors didn't show up for the crucial moments in our history?' – this was the main message.
We co-opted the most famous radio host and he started talking Turkish in his show, thus making a
point about losing Romanian identity.
We changed the names of a few main streets in Bucharest to the names of Ottoman rulers.
We involved content creators, pitching them the idea and encourage spoof executions.
We did Facebook profiles for the two kings and entered online debates.
We reached out and convinced A-listers of the Romanian online to close their blogs and websites, promoting the message 'No excuses. I'm out voting'.
On the voting day we prompted people to change their profile on Facebook with the proof of voting – the stamp.
Facebook global headquarters chose this campaign as the first one ever to represent Romania in their Best Practices showcase;
• Almost all Romanian TV channels asked to broadcast the campaign;
• We've achieved 18 million impressions - a number as big as almost the entire population of Romania;
• We've got a total of 9 hours of broadcasting for the videos (870 insertions) - all earned media and not paid;
• But most of all, we helped overturn the percentage – 62% of the population showed up and voted!
The Strategy
Push the national pride button by depicting a different course of history for the country if the ancestors didn't show up in the crucial moments (like contemporary people do when it comes to voting).
Bring back Romanian heroes of the past to maximize the impact and wake up the civil spirit of contemporary Romanians by using the figure of two of our most beloved kings, as if they were left alone on battlefields by their brave men – who'll use the ridiculous excuses fellow citizen use today when civic duty calls.