Also if it was broadcasted only in one medium we were present in a lot more. Other TV channels took to the footage to show it in their news program. The radio stations reported it and even two of them did in depth reportage about women on the run. In total we had a PR return of investment of 350%. The radio listeners increased by 200% during that period. During six days and five nights, three DJ’s played your favourite song in exchange for a donation. In six days time, 3.5 million Euros was raised.

The yearly Belgian charity event ‘music for life’, organised by radio station Studio Brussels and the Red Cross, was all about mothers on the run. Today, millions of mothers and children need to escape due to violence and war. They are left homeless without care and help. We needed to do something more impactful than just showing these terrible images in a TV spot, since they no longer touch western people. There is a certain fatigue, and it is so far away. We needed to bring this subject home, and infiltrate in people’s daily lives.

That we took quite literally, we decided to do something with Belgium’s most watched TV series ‘Thuis’ (= Dutch for ‘home’). The original series starts with the opening credits showing all the actors, and a song that is all about ‘home sweet home’. We took the same graphics and the song but the images were taken from footage that we shot in Oeganda, we created five different opening credits, where people could follow five mothers on the run. We also created an online platform where we aired in depth reportage; showing how they lived and trying to survive.

“Thuis” is a series like ‘Neighbours’ and it’s all about families and their households. It is watched by a million viewers every day. It is part of life. When the viewers of ‘Thuis’ were all set to watch their favorite show, instead of seeing the normal credits, the viewers saw our opening credits. What makes this a relevant idea is that instead of showing misery you just show what means “home” for them. You bring the subject home and closer to target audience.