The Marathon Walker was a low budget campaign helping create awareness about the water crisis in Africa and of Water for Africa, a non-profit that build sustainable water sources in Africa. Our targets were runners, the media and the entire world. People are more prone to donate when they are moved and inspired. Our unique insight was not just shock people but to inspire them with Siabatou’s powerful act. People were directed to our platform where they could donate. The shocking image of Siabatou was so moving, that people made her image the number 1 trending topic around the world.

One hour after Siabatou started her symbolic race, we collected enough funds to build the first borehole in her village. In just 3 weeks, the campaign has allowed us to start the construction of 4 more boreholes, and change the lives of thousands of African people. The campaign got over 25 million impressions and 4 million euros in earned media with a budget of next to nothing. And this is just the beginning. We are finishing a documentary that will continue to raise funds throughout the upcoming year.

The Marathon Walker’s goal was to help Water for Africa raise funds to build sustainable water sources. Our target: people willing to aid the cause; specifically runners and spectators. People familiar with the grueling race have a better understanding of the distances women in Africa must walk. We asked Siabatou, a woman who walks long distances to collect water to walk in the Paris Marathon with a sign that read: “In Africa, women walk this distance every day for clean water.” People were directed to “Help shorten the distance.” on our platform where they could donate and discover her story.

Our target were both runners/spectators at the marathon, media and the entire world. Our objective was to create awareness and to drive donations. To connect people to Siabatou and Water for Africa, people were directed to our platform. There they were encouraged to share her story on social platforms and to donate meters. The shocking image of Siabatou was so moving to our target audience and the media, that they engaged with our message and our platform, making her image the number 1 trending topic around the world and helped people discover the brand and what they do.