Background: The campaign addresses the pressing issue of child online safety in Finland, where young children gain access to smartphones as early as age four.

Situation: Parents are often unaware of their children's online activities, particularly during nighttime hours, when kids are most vulnerable to harmful digital content.

Brief: To raise awareness among parents about this issue, prompt discussions on child online safety, promote the digital safety program of MLL and get more fundings for the organization.

Objectives: The campaign aimed to increase brand engagement, improve brand perception, and drive changes in behavior among parents to actively protect their children online.

Media Insight: The insight driving this work was the strategic use of digital billboards during nighttime hours when children are most likely to be online without adult supervision. This timing maximized the campaign's impact and relevance.

The campaign's creative idea was strategically conceived with the primary goal of garnering earned media attention. Understanding the significance of child online safety, the campaign aimed to create a narrative that would naturally attract media coverage.

The central element of the campaign was the use of digital billboards during nighttime hours to display real-time, animated content illustrating the dangers children face online. This concept was designed to be inherently newsworthy, provoking a strong emotional response from the target audience – parents and guardians.

By showcasing these emotionally charged scenarios, the campaign effectively earned media attention, generating widespread coverage in news outlets. The shocking and compelling content naturally piqued the interest of journalists and the public alike, aligning perfectly with PR's objective of driving media discussions and raising awareness about the critical issue of child online safety.

Insight:

The PR strategy hinged on a potent insight: by concealing billboards, then revealing shocking, real-time content, the campaign could ignite an irresistible conversation, inherently attracting earned media attention.

Key Message:

The campaign's message was clear: children face online risks, especially at night. It resonated with both media outlets and concerned individuals, evoking empathy and highlighting the unique approach.

Target Audience:

The strategy engaged parents, guardians, and individuals concerned about child online safety. This aligned with the campaign's global reach and earned media objectives, captivating the concerned public and media worldwide.

Creation and Distribution:

Creative assets, featuring real-time, provocative content on concealed billboards, were designed for newsworthiness. Dissemination through diverse channels, including social media, news outlets, and earned media, leveraged the billboards' provocative nature. This strategic approach effectively garnered earned media attention, fueling extensive discussions and news coverage on child online safety.

Implementation: We mapped and identified the top 20 dreadful content topics being consumed in each area at that moment. Since each and every digital billboard is equipped with its own IP address and internet connection, we streamed the content live onto the respective area's billboards.

Media Channels and Integration: The primary media channel was digital billboards. Each billboard had its IP address to stream content selectively, ensuring the right content reached the intended audience. The shocking content integrated seamlessly with the campaign's message.

Timeline: The campaign ran during specific nighttime hours, from 12:00 am to 2:00 am, aligning with when children are most likely to be online without supervision.

Scale: The campaign achieved international awerness, capturing the attention of the entire nation and beyond. Its impact extended beyond the digital billboards, sparking conversations across various media platforms and communities.

Time Spent with Brand: The campaign generated 12 hours of branded content exposure.

Proof of Engagement: The campaign saw significant engagement, with interactions, downloads, and comments increasing by 460%.

Earned Media Results: Impressively, the campaign reached over 11.9 million people globally, gaining coverage in 103 countries and earning over 300 news articles. Remarkably, this extensive exposure was achieved without any media expenditures.

Consumer Loyalty: Concerned parents actively joined an educational program to safeguard their children from digital risks, demonstrating heightened consumer loyalty.

Brand Perception: The campaign significantly elevated brand perception, positioning the MLL as a leader in child welfare and online safety. Furthermore, it spurred an almost 300% increase in funding for the organization compared to last year, emphasizing its influence on both awareness and financial support within a concise budget.