B04. Business Citizenship / Corporate Responsibility & Environmental
Entrant
180HEARTBEATS+JUNG V MATT Warsaw, POLAND
Idea Creation
180HEARTBEATS+JUNG V MATT Warsaw, POLAND
PR
180HEARTBEATS+JUNG V MATT Warsaw, POLAND
Production
180HEARTBEATS+JUNG V MATT Warsaw, POLAND
Additional Company
BEN & JERRY'S Warsaw, POLAND
Credits
Name
Company
Position
Mikołaj Sadowski
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Chief Creative Officer
Martin Winther
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Creative Director
Pablo Dominguez Agregan
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Art Director
Mateusz Gaca
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Copywriter
Marek Kaleta
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Designer
Łukasz Deoniziak
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Experience Director
Jacek Karolak
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Strategy Director
Adam Kręgielewski
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Digital Strategist
Michał Kaliściak
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Community Manager
Magdalena Łukasiuk
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
PR Manager
Aleksandra Kobyłecka
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Junior PR Manager
Michał Murawski
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Digital Studio Director
Angelika Puczyńska
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Senior Account Executive
Marcin Gaworski
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Chief Executive Officer
Magdalena Kozanowska
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Managing Director
Martyna Kaczmarek
Ben&Jerry's (Unilever)
Brand Manager
Jan Wachowski
180hearbeats + Jung v Matt
Motion Designer
Why is this work relevant for PR?
For Ben&Jerry's, a socially responsible company that supports LGBT communities for 40 years, we organised an unprecedented event of restoring the rainbow installation that aroused numerous controversies of right-wing and nationalist circles. The original one was set on fire and rebuilt seven times. This time we made it unbreakable - as a water-light hologram on the square in the centre of Warsaw.
The number of publications has exceeded 65,600 and the majority are positive. The total reach of the publication is 47.5 million, and the number of love reactions in social media - 355k.
Background
In 2012 a giant rainbow sculpture appeared in Saviour Square in Warsaw. It triggered hate among opponents of LGBT rights despite its joyful purpose. Set on fire and rebuilt seven times it raised nationwide controversies until it was removed permanently in 2015, only to become a tragic reminder of Poland’s homophobic issues. Ben & Jerry’s and NGO partners decided to reinstall it. This time as a water-light hologram, making it an unbreakable symbol of love.
Describe the creative idea
Poland is the 2nd most homophobic country in the EU. The goal of the event organized the day before the Equality Parade in Warsaw was to support the LGBT community and to increase interest in the subject of marital equality. Ben&Jerry's and NGOs strive to ensure an equal right to marry for everyone until 2025. We encouraged participants to share their support together with the photos taken under the unbreakable rainbow.
The rainbow event’s tagline was Love is love - every love is equal and just as important. Similarly, the rainbow is simply a rainbow, not a tool of provocation or propaganda. We wanted the restored rainbow to be indestructible this time. In reference to previous arsons, we decided to use water to make it fireproof. This is how we came up with the idea of a hologram rainbow on a water curtain.
Describe the strategy
We aimed our event for LGBT supporters as well as Warsaw residents who miss the old rainbow installation. Moreover, we wanted to raise awareness for the equal marital rights for everyone.
We used social media (fb and instagram) and PR for communication. We invited influencers, politicians and artists sympathetic to the LGBT community to participate. Despite a large number of people involved, the event had been kept secret until almost the last moment - we wanted to avoid the repercussions of national environments.
Describe the execution
In social media we informed about being a Partner of the Equality Parade, and in the week preceding the projection we teased the rainbow event, not revealing its form.
The day before the screening, we organized a press breakfast for selected journalists to present the brand's cooperation with NGOs and present the design of the installation.
On the day of the event, we published a public invitation in social media, reported live streaming and encouraged participants to share their photos.
We have restored the rainbow in the original place and the original size. This time in an unbreakable version - as a water-light hologram. Ben&Jerry’s decided not to brand the rainbow. Throughout the evening, participants were treated to Ben&Jerry's ice cream though, but the cups had the logos of all the organizers of the event: Love Does Not Exclude Association, Parada Równosci (Equality Parade) Foundation and Ben&Jerry's.
List the results
The return of the rainbow was reported not only by local media, but also by international ones, among others: The Washington Post, The Telegraph, China Post, The Guardian, Campaign, Attitude, Indy100.com, Metro UK, Fox News, MS NBC. British actor and comedian James Corden and German deputy to European Parliament Terry Reintke also mentioned it in their social media.
The discussion about equal martial rights flared up, Wysokie Obcasy, a weekly influential magazine broadcasted an issue with NGOs’ and brand’s representatives on its rainbow cover.
The number of publications in the media and social networks has exceeded 65,600 (most of them are posts by individual users in social media) and the majority are positive. The total reach of the publication is 47.5 million, and the number of love reactions in social media - 355k.