Bigger concept:

Let's connect the topic of clearing mines/UXO with the world of football. Urging fans to help #ClearThePitch.

Because:

1. Football is arguably the world's biggest sport. It's a huge industry, a huge popular culture topic and also a hugely loved hobby.

2. There is a quite shocking connection: in countries affected, it's extremely dangerous for kids to just go outside and play some ball.

3. One of the most evil remnants of wars are cluster bomblets that actually look like balls - making them difficult to spot and easy to mistake for kids.

Core creative piece:

Let's make a film that comes across like a highly stylized big football brand ad - hijacking the iconography and music of football -, that takes a disturbing turn with an actual mine victim pointing out just how difficult it is to spot cluster-munitions/mines.

The main film uses an iconic song of the football/soccer world with a very strong emotional connection to the fans. We hijacked and tweaked it for the purpose, feeling ambiguous at the start: could be an anthem or something serious... We considered a 12 man choir, a single adult or child, or to move the lyric through a group of people that slowly join to sing together. In the end, we landed on a distinctive voice building in layers with natural emotion and passion. Subtle sound design helps to misdirect with the fans chanting and cheering. This sets up the story. The sonic palette feels passionate for the sport and positive until the moment we see the boy: the music drops to acknowledge this horrible outcome for an innocent victim. It picks back up to glorify the call-to-action. Indeed: if we are all in "you'll never walk alone".

This film went live on April 4th, the International Day of Mine Awareness. It received instant global coverage, media and audience attention.

In the DCA-home-market Denmark the Foreign Minister as well as 6 major-league football teams instantly pledged full support, while many media outlets ran interviews, including live coverage in then national morning-show.

Further afield it continued. The film received ovations from countless media outlets and was placed on their channels for free. Coverage about the surprising angle of the DCA-campaign took place in such distant places as Brazil, Mexico, Southeast Asia. Almost all other NGO active in the field of mine-clearing/cluster-munitions pledged support and amplified the campaign.

In one week this lead to over 8.000 unique articles and mentions, more than 500k active shares via FB and Twitter, free media coverage worth millions and DCA dominating the topic of mine clearance with a new angle reaching new audiences.

Because this longer form film is all about the song. It is a song that, for reasons unknown, in the past 30 years has been adopted by football/soccer fans around the world. Sung in support of their team even when it has lost. This campaign uses this highly emotional piece of music to reach football fans and involve them in a pressing cause: clearing fields and pitches of landmines in over 60 countries around the world. Juts like the lyrics go: "You'll never walk alone!"

Of course: DCA doesn't just clear football pitches - DCA creates safer communities for families and looks after all mine victims. But: with #ClearThePitch DCA can reach a global mass audience by tapping into a topic they care about more: their love of a sport.

This meant: the DCA message and mission needed to be enveloped into a story using iconography and elements that are relevant to a football fan. Not the typical infographics about the issue or documentary content about the actual projects. We needed a disrupting, easy to share, highly surprising and meaningful trigger. A trigger that would get global media and press to cover DCA, engage opinion leaders and also thrill the average fan.

A powerful, music-driven video was identified as the core tool - not as the only element of what will be a long running campaign, but as the kick-starter to generate awareness.

The topic of mine clearing, the issue of over 60 countries being inundated by millions of mines and unexploded ammunition/ordnance (UXO), the fact that 4 of 10 victims are innocent children: all this is no longer getting a lot of attention.

Making it difficult for DanChurchAid (DCA) Mine Action to raise donations.

The topic needed to be taken out of its humanitarian niche and reframed to connect with popular culture. In a meaningful, impactful and activating way.

The objective: to re-ignite awareness and help DCA own a relevant part of the coverage around the International Day of Mine Awareness on April 4th, as well as the campaign and concept lasting for a longer time as platform for multiple DCA activities in a highly cost effective way.

While Denmark is the home market for DCA and does need special attention, the campaign is essentially global - just like DCA's activities.