C Stands for Childhood in UNICEF UK's Relaunch of Award-Winning Campaign

The UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) has again partnered with Accomplice London to launch phase two of its award-winning ‘The C Stands for Children’ integrated marketing campaign, to continue to raise awareness of the charity’s mission to put children at the heart of everything it does, creating a better world for every child.

The updated campaign explores a new theme of ‘childhood’ – from sleepovers to bath times and best friends forever – emphasising that no matter where in the world it is, UNICEF is there to protect it. UNICEF works in more than 190 countries around the world to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children, providing child friendly spaces, education, water and sanitation and vaccinations, which all help to provide those childhood moments every child has the right to.

Mike Flynn, deputy executive director for public engagement, UNICEF UK said: “Protecting children’s rights and raising children’s voices is our top priority at UNICEF UK and every day we’re supporting millions of children worldwide to make sure they have the childhoods and futures they deserve. All around the world, we see children faced with adversity, yet still finding those moments of play and curiosity – it’s a universal feeling and UNICEF is here to make sure that stays. By raising awareness, we want everyone to know that the money they so generously donate to us here at UNICEF UK will go directly to help the most disadvantaged children.”

‘The C Stands for Children’ campaign creative continues to use UNICEF’s household name, replacing the ‘C’ with heart-warming images of children around the world who have been supported by the charity. The new campaign advert features montage footage collected by UNICEF in its programmatic work around the world, showing touching and powerful real-life examples of the childhood moments the charity is striving to protect.

One little boy helped by UNICEF and featured in the new film is Nirob, from Bangladesh. Like many children, Nirob used to sleep rough at Dhaka’s Kamalapur station, but thanks to support from UNICEF, he now attends a child protection street hub and has a safe space to sleep, learn, play and create childhood memories.

Nirob’s story will also be featured as part of a separate ‘satellite film’ series which will run on social media. In the video, Nirob says: “I’m happy here. I can sleep peacefully, hugging my friends like brothers. I love to sing, draw and play football. Ronaldo is my favourite player.”

Mark Hunter, Co-Founder and Creative Director at Accomplice London, said: “We are very proud of this new ‘The C Stands for Children’ campaign, which builds on last year’s message that children are at the very heart of everything UNICEF does. This year we use universal stories of childhood to remind the world that children are children, wherever they find themselves. Their circumstances may be very different but their spirit, their energy and their dreams are not.”

The campaign will launch and run across digital channels including video-on-demand and YouTube, as well as social media and display advertising, from September to December 2023. The film will then take pride of place and be showcased at Outernet London on the Now Vista Building screen in London’s West End for one weekend in October and on World Children’s Day (Monday 20 November).

Accomplice and UNICEF UK won ‘Best ‘Not For Profit’ Campaign for ‘The C Stands for Children’ at the Alliance of Independent Agency awards in 2023.