Cyclone Nargis hit Burma on May 3, 2008, dramatically increasing the suffering of more than 55 million people already living under the unjust rule of a notorious military government. News of the peaceful 2007 protests of hundreds of thousands of Burmese citizens reached the world over the internet, inciting executives from MTV and Ogilvy and Mather into action. Together, these groups enrolled many key players in creating, distributing and promoting a poignant, dramatic short film, targeted to MTV viewers and influential passionistas worldwide, all to urge the global community to support the people of Burma and donate to relief efforts.
As images of the cyclone’s devastation filled global media channels, MTV broadcast the film internationally on selected networks, showed the film on its Times Square Jumbotron, and spearheaded a global PR effort uniting numerous agencies in spreading the film and message… urging the global community to donate to the ongoing relief efforts and visit a campaign website (www.noneofusarefree.org). Facets leveraging global broadcast, Times Square outdoor and worldwide online seeding placements — plus coordinated worldwide direct and syndicated story distribution — resulted in exposure reaching millions of targeted viewers worldwide and driving tens of thousands of website visits over its first week. What follows below is a case study on this project. For those interested in the ongoing struggles of the people of Burma, please visit the project’s Facebook Group.
Situation
With its brands seen globally in 560 million households in 162 countries and 33 languages via 156 locally programmed and operated TV channels and more than 320 digital media properties, MTV International has a great history of creatively embracing, and proactively addressing, key social issues. With human rights violations mounting in Burma, a plan was made to create a powerful film with a provocative message of support for its citizens, and use the combined powers of MTV and Ogilvy and Mather to deliver it through the media. When Cyclone Nargis hit, the goal quickly became mobilizing aid and rescue efforts.
Goal
Centered around a compelling short film creatively honoring the peaceful protests of the Burmese people, this project used MTV’s broadcast reach, its Times Square billboard and internal/partner PR resources to raise awareness for the plight of Burma’s citizens, and drive traffic to aid organizations and its campaign website. MTV viewers and influential passionistas worldwide were targeted. Deep research went into all facets of life in modern Burma, as production partner Shilo went to all lengths to tell the right story cinematically — and media/PR partners pooled resources to coordinate global outreach via viral, world-of-mouth, social and traditional media relations activities.
Strategy
The talents who combined their heart-felt efforts to create this remarkable short film made something that’s meant to be experienced, thought about, and reacted to. After telling its story, the film artistically shares a profound message and invites visitors to a website. Rallying around the goal of distributing the film and its message as widely as possible, the communications strategy first involved defining the contributed media opportunities, and then finding ways to maximize them through the group’s collected efforts. Stories were written to detail the campaign’s objectives and its creation for consumer and creative audiences respectively, then slated for distribution via targeted one-to-one and syndicated media outreach, while OgilvyPR London created a custom online Word-Of-Mouth campaign. After Cyclone Nargis struck, the film, campaign materials and communications strategies were aligned to connect viewers/recipients with the Red Cross Emergency Relief fund to benefit relief efforts.
Shilo’s Burma Sketchbook from Jose Gomez on Vimeo.
Execution
On “launch day,” some 48 hours after Cyclone Nargis first hit, the film aired on selected MTV networks and on the Times Square Jumbotron, and media outreach to targeted individual influencers and journalists commenced. However, a decision was soon made to halt distribution, as the film’s original message of “support” was reexamined in light of the disaster. Less than 10 days later, the film itself, the campaign website and all related materials were amended to address the aid issue, and all partner efforts were reengaged to distribute these assets. The “Emergency” version of the film appeared on selected MTV networks and on the Times Square Jumbotron, and PR partners handled story and asset distribution to targets. Among the many sites, networks and platforms used in the viral and social media efforts were YouTube, Fanista, Revver, Vimeo, Facebook, BoingBoing, Mashable, FutureLab, Coolhunter, The Hub and the Human Rights Action Center.
Results
As a result of these efforts, this film and its message touched millions of MTV viewers via television and in Times Square, and it drove tens of thousands of hits on the campaign’s official website and a new site launched by MTV in concert with Burma Campaign UK. After more than 80,000 online viewings and coverage in news, entertainment and creative industry publications across North and South America, Europe and Asia Pacific, the film and its message has been fully embraced by the public, human rights activists, rock stars, broadcasters and even the Elders. Recently, a personal endorsement from respected Elder Archbishop Desmond Tutu was incorporated into the film in English, Italian and Burmese, and the Oslo-based Democratic Voice of Burma broadcast it directly into Burma every day for two months, bringing “Burma Viral’s” show of support and solidarity from MTV International and its partners directly to the Burmese people.
Most excellent — thank you RedCrossPDX! Sincerely — Roger D.
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