Fond B92: BATTLE FOR THE BABIES

Credits & Description:

Category: Best Use of Media Relations

Advertiser: FOND B92

Product/Service: FUNDRAISING

Agency: SAATCHI & SAATCHI

Agency: DIRECT MEDIA

Creative Director: Veljko Golubovic (Saatchi & Saatchi Belgrade)

Managing Director: Sonja Milovic (Saatchi & Saatchi Belgrade)

Account Director: Ivana Minovic (Saatchi & Saatchi Belgrade)

Client Service Director: Veronika Paunovic (Direct Media PR)

Senior Art Director: Ivana Zekovic (Saatchi & Saatchi Belgrade)

Senior Graphic Designer: Svetlana Dukic (Saatchi & Saatchi Belgrade)

Senior Copywriter: Zarko Veljkovic (Saatchi & Saatchi Belgrade)

Copywriter: Nikola Zmajevic (Saatchi & Saatchi Belgrade)

Senior Graphic Designer: Viktor Mijatovic (Saatchi & Saatchi Belgrade)

Media placement: Press Conference - Press Release Published In All National And Local Newspapers And Magazines - August 31st, 2011

Media placement: Print Media - All The Most Important Daily And Weekly Magazines, Nationaly Covered - September 1st, 2011

Media placement: Electronic Media - All National And Local TV And Radio Stations - September 1st, 2011

Media placement: Internet - Over 150 Web Sites Covered This Action - September 1st, 2011



Summary of the Campaign

Incubators in Serbia are insufficient and 40-years-old. The death-rate for prematurely born babies exceeds 60%. Our challenge was to raise awareness and create public pressure on companies with capacity to help. The goal was to receive donations for 100 incubators.



The strategy was to mobilise Serbians behind the humanitarian movement called, 'Battle for the Babies'. People became our voice. We made them as an integral part of the battle. They chose their military branch on-line and joined the fight by spreading message on-line, voting, sharing stories and organising events.



1m people joined this heroic battle and put pressure on more than 700 companies. Every newspaper, TV and radio station in Serbia engaged in the fight. The campaign raised funds for 195 incubators. Media reach exceeded 85% of the total population. The campaign generated €420,000 worth of free media and €1,700,000eur of PR. The total media budget was €0. The President of Serbia declared 2012 the Year of Babies.



The Situation

Serbian hospitals were poorly equipped to provide adequate neonatal care for Serbia’s youngest and most vulnerable citizens. The 1960s incubators found in Serbian hospitals were severely outdated, resulting in the death rate for Serbian babies born below 1000 grams to reach 65%. Despite these startling figures, incubators were not being upgraded by the government and the Serbian public remained unaware of the problem.



Humanitarian fund B92 decided to initiate an action to protect the basic human right to life. They have always been known for socially consciousness actions, the loud spokesperson for many local and regional humanitarian causes.



The Goal

To ensure that more babies would not die as a result of dated technology, we had to collect donations for 100 incubators. In order to do this, we had to bring issue to the forefront of people’s minds.



Our target: people of Serbia. It was urgent to raise awareness and create pressure through public opinion to ensure that those who can help change the situation - authorities and companies - will hear us and start solving the problem.



We spent time in hospitals with prematurely born babies and their doctors. We spoke to parents and people who were in incubators. Their true stories and experiences helped us create an idea with a vested emotional interest.



The Strategy

Although this is a problem that affects all layers of society, people are used to perceiving community problems from the perspective of an individual. We decided to rely on the truth: One man can’t make a difference, but together we can solve any problem.



Our challenge was to motivate Serbians into collective action and putting pressure on companies with the capacity to help. But, rather than asking individuals to donate to the cause, we mobilised people behind a humanitarian movement, 'Battle for the Babies'. The babies were framed as the nation’s youngest and most heroic fighters embroiled in a battle where living is the final victory.



Execution

Our weapon was the voice of people. We made people part of the battle, not just a means to an end.



We created a website where they could chose roles for themselves within the ‘army’.



Recruiters created pressure by voting for companies they felt should donate to the cause; veterans (people who were premature themselves) shared their stories; medics (members of the medical community) highlighted needs of premature babies; and guerrilla squads spread the word.



Every day more and more people, organisations, hospitals, clubs, schools, faculties, and institutions joined this heroic movement. Volunteers from all Serbia distributed materials, organised events to promote the cause and created voting spots on the streets. The army created a phenomenal buzz which motivated more people to join the battle!



Independent media networks and all national media joined the battle by donating free media. The image of a baby’s raised fist, drawing on the well-known image of resistance, became an iconic symbol for the campaign, sweeping across the country.



Documented Results

Public awareness, engagement of media and number of donated incubators were the main criteria for evaluation.



1m people joined this heroic battle and put pressure on more than 700 companies. The campaign raised funds for 195 incubators, totalling €2,600,000, covering needs of the entire country.



Every newspaper, TV and radio station in Serbia engaged in the battle. Media reach was over 85% of the total population. The campaign generated €420,000 worth of free media and €1,700,000 in PR. The total media budget was €0.



All contributing companies and individuals were rewarded with a medal of honour, signifying the invaluable contribution they made to the lives of others. The event was broadcast live on national television. The President of Serbia declared 2012 the Year of Babies.