[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkvaKtQirCk[/youtube]
This interesting and somewhat controversial online campaign by Ogilvy Cape Town aims to rally support for Forever Wild, a rhino protection initiative, by hijacking Youtube videos. Here are the hows and whys, the updated results and a new case study above:
Brief:
Rhinos will be extinct within 10 years if they continue to be killed for their horns. The non-profit Forever Wild initiative, with zero budget, briefed us to raise awareness of the poaching issue and get people to sign an online petition that will be presented to the US Congress.
Insight:
People don’t seem to have even a minute for serious messages, yet they spend hours on frivolous online distractions.
Solution:
For two weeks we created dozens of YouTube clips, remixed versions of each day’s most frivolous trending videos (and some all time classics). By piggybacking on the ‘viral-ness’ of the original, these Trojan Horses forced people who actively searched for these silly videos to confront the stark reality of how they were spending their time.
Results:
We knew we’d reach the conscience of some people, and piss off others. But the idea certainly touched a nerve. With $0 spent, We gained over 300 000 YouTube views, over 11 000 Facebook likes, and petition signatures increased by almost 400%, more than enough to present a strong case to Congress later in 2012.
Credits:
Campaign Name: YouTube Interventions
Advertised brand: Forever Wild
Advertising Agency: Ogilvy Cape Town
Creative Director: Chris Gotz
Art Director: Prabashan G. Pather
Copywriter: Sanjiv Mistry
Agency Producer: Iris Vinnicombe
Editor: Ric Shields / Craig Glenday
IT: Nicky van der Walt
Music and Sound: TheWorkRoom
Social Media Manager: Chris Rawlinson
Production company: Platypus Productions
Voice Artist: Adam Behr
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CE3tJ6VHDnw[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34qnuQ_O5Oo[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vlkTJ4mEKw[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eycSLD_XWkg[/youtube]
While I sympathise with the plight of Rhinos and agree that poaching is an issue I have a couple of problems with this campaign.
1) Ogilvy claims there was no budget, bullshit. There was no MEDIA budget – money still had to change hands for the work (editing & posting of videos) for this to happen. Unless Ogilvy were doing this pro bone – if this is the case they should say so.
2) The insight that people are not paying attention to this issue (don’t have time for serious stuff) is just pain ridiculous – just have a look at the number of horrific photos of Rhinos affected by poaching that are posted to Facebook each day. People are MORE than aware of this issue and definitely seem to have time for it.
3) I find the idea of hijacking videos very invasive and a little off putting – If I have come across one of these videos I would have been more than a little irritated since I am bombarded with gruesome photos of suffering Rhinos everyday on FB to begin with. I don’t need this shoved in my face even more ESPECIALLY when I am in a place where I don’t expect or want to find this stuff. People watch ‘stupid’ videos to escape for a while – do you really think they will like you for chasing them into a space where they thought they could escape this kind of thing?
3) Lastly in all seriousness what good will come of taking this issue to the US congress? There is sweet bugger all they can do about the problem apart from say they don’t like it. This makes the CTA pointless and thus the whole campaign even more irritating…
Nice idea on the surface – once you go deeper though I feel it lacks quite a bit.