WALK FOR LIFE

TitleWALK FOR LIFE
BrandAIDS-HILFE FRANKFURT
Product/ServiceWALK FOR LIFE CHARITY RUN
Category A11. Charities & Non-profit
Entrant McCANN Frankfurt, GERMANY
Idea Creation McCANN Frankfurt, GERMANY
Idea Creation 2 MRM//McCANN Frankfurt, GERMANY
Media Placement McCANN Frankfurt, GERMANY
Media Placement 2 MRM//McCANN Frankfurt, GERMANY
PR McCANN Frankfurt, GERMANY
PR 2 MRM//McCANN Frankfurt, GERMANY
Production MRM//McCANN Frankfurt, GERMANY
Production 2 DROPOUT-FILMS Mainz, GERMANY
Additional Company AIDS-HILFE FRANKFURT E.V., GERMANY
Credits
Name Company Position
Sebastian Hardieck McCANN Worldgroup Germany Chief Creative Officer
Martin Biela MRM//McCANN Executive Creative Director
Thomas Dempewolf MRM//McCANN Group Creative Director
Thomas Auerswald McCANN Worldgroup Germany Creative Director
Olaf Haarsma MRM//McCANN Creative Director
Sandra Schaus MRM//McCANN Art Director
Jan-David Winter MRM//McCANN Apprentice Creative
Jan Portz MRM//McCANN Creative Director
Danijel Beljan MRM//McCANN Creative Technologist
Thomas Kochwasser MRM//McCANN Senior Social Media Strategist
Katharina Potgieter MRM//McCANN Social Media Manager
Jerome Cholet McCANN Worldgroup Germany PR & Communications Director
Steffen Pferr McCANN Worldgroup Germany Event Manager
Farina Bubert MRM//McCANN Account Manager
Timo Hormel McCANN Worldgroup Germany Project Manager
Rebecca Schuster McCANN Worldgroup Germany Trainee PR & Communications
Leonie Schliesske McCANN Worldgroup Germany Trainee PR & Communications
Uwe Pieper McCANN Worldgroup Germany Booth Builder
Dirk Doerrhoefer McCANN Worldgroup Germany Booth Builder
Vincent Brod Vincent Brod Photography Photographer
Daniel Seideneder dropout-films Director
Wolf-Tassilo Sack dropout-films Executive Producer
Justin Peach dropout-films DOP Lighting Cameraman
Maren Rudolph dropout-films DOP Lighting Cameraman
Anika Auerswald dropout-films Editor
Michelle Meier dropout-films Editor

The Campaign

The Insight: Young people are interested in sneakers and sports. So before starting this year’s “Lauf für mehr Zeit” (Walk for Life) charity run in Germany, the AIDS foundation came up with the idea of opening up a shoe store in one of Europe’s biggest malls. But this store never sold a single shoe. Instead it presented shoes that were old and worn, and each pair told a story about people affected by HIV or AIDS. These personal tales were unlocked via the visitors’ mobile phones, and were gathered together on the Walk for Life website. This became a powerful storytelling medium that compelled people to engage with an uncomfortable topic and motivated them to participate in the “Lauf für mehr Zeit”.

Creative Execution

We executed in two phases: Informing influencers and journalists about the mysterious new shoe store in Europe’s biggest mall to create some buzz upfront. And then opening that store in the middle of well-known fashion and food stores, drawing foot traffic. Timeline: The shop remained open 10 am to 8 pm from August 31 to September 12, which was the day after the charity run. The teaser communication started August 20. The shop was a real urban pop-up store in downtown Frankfurt and one of Europe’s biggest malls. 92 m2, rent 0 €. During this period, numerous events took place – from TV interviews via Facebook live events to expert panels.

Results

The business impact was amazing. We started at 1800 signed participants and ended with 4602 people participating in the “Lauf für mehr Zeit” (Walk for Life). This equated to a donation value of 122.000 €. The visitors in the store (tracked by a donated professional reader at the door): 4600 people in 12 days averaging a retention period of more than 18 minutes. Online: The site click rates averaged 250 a day. Additionally: 1.800.000 social media impressions, 687.000 Instagram story views. The total reach adds up to 3 mio. Inside the store, the public and press were surprised, impressed, and engaged in topics that challenged and changed their notions of health, sex, infection and disease.

With awareness decreasing of HIV and AIDS, the risk is that one of human history’s most significant causes of death and illness will continue to spread in the 21st century. But you won’t raise awareness using old-fashioned shock campaigns. Particularly with younger generations, we must capture their mobile attention and imaginations by telling stories that put them directly into the shoes of those affected by HIV. This is exactly what our “Walk for Life” idea achieved. Direct communication happening right on your personal mobile device.

Supporting data: In Germany approximately 85.000 people are infected by HIV. New infections: 3.200. But: Every sixth person doesn’t know about his/her infection – and so the danger of further infections grows. Last year approximately 7.000.000 sneakers were sold in Germany. The total target audience includes everybody with a sex life. The main target audience for this campaign are young people who are interested in running and sneakers (and sex). Approach: Creating awareness with a mysterious new shoe store. If people come into the store to look for sneakers – they suddenly find themselves directly in the shoes of people affected by HIV. The idea combines offline to online engagement. Calls to action: Run in the race or donate to the cause. Motivate visitors to support the AIDS foundation and give them an opportunity to sign up directly in the store.