2018 Brand Experience & Activation

#UNWANTED

Short List
Title#UNWANTED
BrandNGO WOMANS RIGHT CENTER
Product/ServiceHUMAN RIGHTS AND GENDER EQUALITY
Category C02. Live Shows / Concerts / Festivals
Entrant McCANN BELGRADE, SERBIA
Idea Creation McCANN PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO
Idea Creation 2 McCANN BELGRADE, SERBIA
Media Placement McCANN PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO
PR McCANN PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO
PR 2 McCANN BELGRADE, SERBIA
Production McCANN PODGORICA, MONTENEGRO
Production 2 McCANN BELGRADE, SERBIA
Credits
Name Company Position
Jana Savić Rastovac McCann Beograd Creative Director
Sandra Vujović McCann Podgorica Creative Director
Vladimir Ćosić McCann Beograd Digital Creative Director
Lidija Milovanović McCann Beograd Associate Creative Director
Jelena Grahovac McCann Beograd Senior Art Director
Saša Jovićević McCann Podgorica Art Director
Kristina Jovanović McCann Beograd Senior Art Director
Zdravko Kevrešan McCann Beograd Innovation Excellence Art Director
Dubravka Petrović McCann Beograd Associate Creative Director
Sandra Stojanović McCann Beograd Copywriter
Bojan Čude McCann Podgorica Designer
Emina Azizi McCann Beograd Regional Account Director
Dunja Šoškić McCann Podgorica Account Executive
Jelena Roganović UM Podgorica Media Supervisor
Jelica Jauković McCann Podgorica Managing Director
Ivan Čelebić UM Podgorica Managing Director
Olivera Perković I&F McCann Grupa Deputy CEO
Vladimir Dimovski McCANN ADRIATIC CEO
Marija Vićić McCann Beograd Communications Director for Creative Excellence Adriatic & Nordic
Erik Messori CAPTA Photographer
Katarina Bogićević Singer Singer
Aleksandra Milutinović Composer Composer
Darko Dimitrov Song producer Song producer
Chris Cartwright McCann London Executive Producer
Vučić Popović McCann Podgorica Digital Media Planner
Dubravka Perišić McCann Beograd Creative Traffic
Srđan Šaper I&F McCann Grupa Chairman
Adrian Botan McCann WORLDGROUP Global ECD, President Creative Europe
Paul Jenkinson McCann London Senior Editor
Dom Butler McCann London Creative Writer

Why is this work relevant for Brand Experience & Activation ?

Campaign #Unwanted tackled the issue of selective abortions in Montenegro by hacking local Eurovision contest in Montenegro. #Unwanted song was created to voice out a sensitive subject to widest audience and optimize communication channels using Eurovision as a platform. Eurovision local finals traditionally create buzz across the social channels and engages people in voting. Live voting for the song became a spontaneous support for the campaign. Experience of a song resulted in petition to change the law and prevent abuse of prenatal tests that was Presented to Government of Montenegro and got supported.

Background

UN population fund reports that Montenegro, one of the least populated countries in Europe, is one of the top 5 countries in the world with gender disparity. Due to strong traditional and patriarchal society, women are pressured into having sons over daughters. With the increasing availability and access to genetic pre-natal tests, rates of selective abortions of female fetuses are rising. This is a wide spread practice and open secret in society. Implications are obvious: Girls are unwanted in Montenegro. Women’s Right Center, NGO in Montenegro, dedicated to promotion of women’s rights and gender equality, kicked of a campaign called #Unwanted, to confront traditional society, influence a change of legislature and prevent abusing of genetic prenatal tests that are causing sex-selective abortions. We wanted to start a change in the Montenegrin society. And we did. With #Unwanted song.

Describe the creative idea

To give the voice to #Unwanted girls of Montenegro and confront traditional society we have created the #Unwanted song. For their voices to be heard, we have used Eurovision as a platform and put #Unwanted song to compete for the representative of Montenegro at Montevizija, official national finals of Euronsong 2018. and one of the most watched and loved TV programs in the country. The lyrics of #Unwanted song portray the unspoken words of Unwanted girls and their rights to belong to this world. The core of our idea was to steer the conversation about the issue of selective abortions in a manner least expected and to serve the topic on the table of conservative country in the form everyone is so fond of: music. We wanted to start a change in the society and we did. With one song.

Describe the strategy

Women’s Right Center wanted to make revel open secret, confront traditional society and make an impact with right event, right message and right person. Our strategy was to capture the Eurovision as a platform. To use Eurovision national contest, as one of the most watched TV programs to set a light on a subject of #unwanted girls in unexpected way and torch the social conversation by creating an #Unwanted song as tool that will speak to the our target audience - the whole nation. The subject of #unwanted directed the conversation with subject of sex selective abortions covered in all media for the first time openly, as well as engaging the public figures and influencers to support the cause, resulting in opening the subject in public as well as igniting people to react and action by signing the petition to change the law.

Describe the execution

To give our message different kind of voice WRC partnered with famous young pop singer Katarina Bogicevic and hit maker and songwriter Aleksandra Milutinovic to create a song for national Eurovision song contest. #Unwanted was not just a pop song it gave voice to the #unwanted girls rising the issue in traditional society. When the song entered the final competition, 30 second song teaser was released to the public followed by series of interviews talking about the issue, which created the interest of all media covering the issue of selective abortions and the petition to change the law for the first time openly. Major public figures, ranging from music stars, actors to football players as well as influencers on the night of national Eurovision contest, FEB 17th, showed open support and invited people to vote for the song as well as sign the petition to change the law.

List the results

Online petition demanding to change the legislature gathered more than 6000 signatures in record time, leading the Government of Montenegro to support the change of law. More than 80% of total population reached through earned media More than 70% of 18+ population reached through digital channels More than 50% of total population reached via social influencers’ pages More than 1,5 million Twitter impressions Over 2.700.000 impressions in digital Earned vs Paid media - 104 times higher Major public figures and influencers supported the #Uwanted by sharing the song and petition link including Eurovision winner Marija Serifovic sharing and supporting the song. #Unwanted song became the hit on radio stations and unofficial anthem of girls in Montenegro. #Unwanted campaign reached not only Montenegro, but also more than 20 countries International media coverage from regional and international press covering the campaign.