Challenge

For ‘giving season’, World Vision Canada aimed to get Canadians to help children in the world’s most fragile areas. Admist the growing global food crisis and escalating food costs, food insecurity was staring us straight in the face. With the holidays serving as a stark reminder of what we have that others don’t, and food demand rapidly outpacing supply, we focused our efforts on feeding kids fast.

In a competitive donation period, we needed to assure donors that their contributions actually help feed hungry children.  We also needed to approach it differently from previous efforts and distinguish ourselves from other charities to break through the noise.

Situation

While people feel a sense of duty to help, they are overwhelmed by the world’s increasing needs. They are inuated with requests for money and are emotionally and financially fatigued as they struggle themselves with rising living costs. The daunting global child hunger issue makes them question the impact of their donations. So, as they tighten up on giving, they support causes they believe will affect their immediate world. To stand out and drive action in this challenging environment, we needed to find a more effective and meaningful way to connect.

Insight

People, often made to feel guilty about their choices, resist being shamed into action by charitable organizations aiming for change. They seek hope, progress and positive motivation, not guilt.

Solution

After years of serious advertising, World Vision needed of turn the issue of child hunger around. Rooted in the strategy of defying reality with child-like power and wonder, we took a playful approach to this serious issue. Instead of emphasizing the negative, we focused on the positive outcomes enabled by us and our donors. Hunger is a grown-up problem, which means when a child is hungry, they can't act like a kid. So, we set out to show that when kids get the food they need, they're able to be kids again.

Idea

Feed a child. Feed a childhood.

Category Transformation

From a desperate, guilt-inducing ‘flies-in-their-eyes’ approach to making people feel good about feeding as many kids as possible.

Execution

The :30s hero spot, “Burp”, is a tonal departure from typical non-profit advertising. Adopting a lighthearted approach to the serious food insecurity issue, it shows several kids the organization has helped as they belch and the hilarity that ensues. While many people find burps gross, kids find them hilarious. To WV, a burp symbolizes the success of a food delivery – one less child going hungry and the essence of a carefree, fun childhood. It's music to our ears. The spot ends with “Feed a child, feed a childhood”, highlighting the 2.8 million people fed annually.

Intentionally deviating from expectations linked to a religious organization, “Burp” aimed to dispel the exclusively-Christian perception hindering donor pool expansion. Airing in OLV across English and French Canada, it was supported by :15s, :06s, programmatic and display ads and social.

Results

The campaign captured attention, boosting website traffic +60% YOY. Trust in WV doubled, tripling donation likelihood, with a significant +150% rise in perceived contribution impact.