UNICEF (United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund): PUT IT RIGHT - AKLIMA

Credits & Description:

Category: Direct Response Broadcast: TV, Radio & Infomercials

Advertiser: UNICEF UK

Product/Service: ANTI-CHILD LABOUR

Agency: RAPP UK

Date of First Appearance: Feb 22 2010 12:00AM

Entrant Company: RAPP UK, London, UNITED KINGDOM

Director: Adrian Moat (RSA)

Art Director: Michael Jones (Rapp UK)

Writer: Robbie Rae (Rapp UK)

Producer: Debbie Garvey (RSA)

Agency Producer: Melissa Beeson (Rapp UK)

VFX Producer: Chris Batten (Zoo)

Editor: James Rossen (Final Cut)

Director of Photography: Mark Pattern (RSA)

Post Production: (The Mill)

Executive Creative Director: Barney Cockerell (Rapp UK)

Creative Director: Chad Warner (Rapp UK)

Art Director: John Bjergfeldt (Rapp UK)

Media placement: DRTV Campaign - 60" And 10" Tail - Channel 4 North - 22 February 2010

Media placement: DRTV Campaign - 60" And 10" Tail - Channel 4 Scotland - 22 February 2020

Media placement: DRTV Campaign - 60" And 10" Tail - Film 24 - 22 February 2010

Media placement: DRTV Campaign - 60" And 10" Tail - True Movies - 22 February 2010

Media placement: DRTV Campaign - 60" And 10" Tail - Wedding Channel - 22 February 2010

Media placement: DRTV Campaign - 60" And 10" Tail - Alibi - 22 February 2010

Media placement: DRTV Campaign - 60" And 10" Tail - Blighty - 22 February 2010

Media placement: DRTV Campaign - 60" And 10" Tail - Gold - 22 February 2010

Media placement: DRTV Campaign - 60" And 10" Tail - Good Food - 22 February 2010

Media placement: DRTV Campaign - 60" And 10" Tail - HOME - 22 February 2010



Describe the brief/objective of the direct campaign.

In 2010, UNICEF repositioned itself as a protector of children's rights - as outlined by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).

The CRC is a foundation for objectivity. What a child 'needs' is subjective. The violation of child rights, however, is objectively wrong. And UNICEF wants to put it right.

The objective of this ad, therefore, was to recruit new supporters to UNICEF under this banner at £3 a month. But of equal importance was showing the objective reality of child rights violations. We wanted to take the viewer as close to the action as possible.



Explain why the creative execution was relevant to the product or service.

'Aklima' is a 60 second DRTV ad that tells the story of one girl, Aklima, in two parts - her life picking through toxic waste, and her UNICEF-supported schooling.

The experiential style of the ads brings home the unspeakable reality of the situation. The direction is up-close-and-personal. The editing is fast-paced and hectic. The soundscape is visceral.

The ad helps redefine a genre. There is no artifice. No emotional blackmail. No begging. This is an objective film that treats the children as real people with rights rather than fundraising objects.

This a dignified, rights-based approach to global development charity DRTV.



Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective with reference to the projected response rates and desired outcome.

To bring the reality of the situation to living rooms in the UK, the ad was shot on location on rubbish dumps in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Here we filmed Aklima, the waste she wades through, and the dogs and vultures she scavenges alongside. We captured the chaos of the city she lives in. And we captured the moment of calm she enjoys at a UNICEF-funded school.

The ad is unprecedented for the sector inasmuch as they focus on context as much as the child. The situation Aklima finds herself in is wrong. And UNICEF is determined to put it right.



Describe the results in as much detail as possible with particular reference to the RESPONSE of the target audience including deliverability statistics, response rates, click throughs, sales cost per response, relationships built and overall return on investment.

It's too early for the results to give any indication of success financially. We have had a preliminary look at the TV results just to tick this box - but 18 pledges at an average £56.08 doesn't tell us anything. The timing of the ad has made it impossible to get statistics for anything more than the first few days.


The ad helped make UNICEF front of mind during the Haiti appeal which coincided with the campaign and where approximately £5 million was raised in the UK alone.