The UN has previously used petition signatures to show member governments their citizens supported a UN cause. But we knew that faces and voices would exert more influence than signatures. So the core of our idea was built around enabling global citizens to voice stories of real civilians in conflict zones. We first drew the public’s attention to the cause by using harrowing photos and footage that journalists had captured in conflict zones to create OOH ads. Then, transforming Facebook’s Live Camera Effect filter into an immersive teleprompter, we got people to share stories of civilians in need, live, with their Facebook community and beyond. The resulting head-on calls to action urged even more users to join the campaign and lend their own voice to the cause. Finally, select user-generated filter videos were then streamed to billboards in Times Square, amplifying the voices of citizens to the world.

The billboards and digital placements went live a week WHD. Over the course of the week, we gathered and amplified earned buzz and PR coverage, building momentum toward Aug. 19 — the critical day. On Aug. 18, the Facebook filter was released publicly. The UN officially kicked off the initiative by posting a video of then-UN Under-Secretary General Stephen O’Brien reading a story of conflict via the teleprompter. The Facebook video urged users to create their own message and retargeted those who did with a direct link to sign a petition. The largest campaign push was on WHD and the following day, where we optimized posts for engagement. Finally, UGC videos that were posted publicly were amplified by the UN on billboards in Times Square to reinforce the urgency to global citizens on the ground.

The campaign collectively generated 2.5 million total social media engagements in just one week, with 222,000 conversations about the cause and how critical it is for the UN to effect change. Lastly, while the Live Camera Effect filter focused on new video generation and not on petition signatures, the UN still gathered close to 27,000 petition signatures from global citizens to present to UN stakeholders. And finally, without any paid influencers, the campaign saw posts of support from Richard Branson, Sheryl Sandberg, David Beckham and a host of other highly influential individuals, successfully helping the UN’s important message reach 166 million people worldwide.