CARDS OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Short List
TitleCARDS OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
BrandMISCARRIAGE ASSOCIATION
Product/ServiceMISCARRIAGE ASSOCIATION CARDS OF ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Category G05. Breakthrough on a Budget
Entrant MRM//McCANN London, UNITED KINGDOM
Idea Creation MRM//McCANN London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production MRM//McCANN London, UNITED KINGDOM
Credits
Name Company Position
Nicky Bullard MRM McCann Chairwoman & Chief Creative Officer
Matt Conner MRM McCann MD
Paul Skeffington MRM McCann Associate Creative Director
Johnny Kirkham MRM McCann Junior Copywriter
David Hunt MRM McCann Artworker
Sarah Tille MRM McCann Account Director
Mark Janson-Smith Postmark Retailer
James Thorley MRM McCann Creative Director
Jon Wells MRM McCann Associate Creative Director
John Warwick MRM McCann Associate Creative Director

Why is this work relevant for Direct?

Our data tells us that 1 in 4 pregnancies end in miscarriage. It's a horrible and intensely lonely experience. Friends and family often can't find the right words. Or worse, they can't find any at all. This activity was all about acknowledgment - for a brief life lost, and for the Miscarriage Association itself. We reached our audience directly, and in a completely new way. Putting help and support in the hands of those who needed it, at the exact time they needed it. And the work worked.

Background

1 in 4 pregnant women will later find out they have lost their baby. It's a horrible, horrible experience. It's also a lonely one. Lonely because those around you often don't know how to acknowledge what's happened - they can't find the right words or worse still, any words. This can make the woman feel like this important life event, however brief, has gone unnoticed and will be forgotten. The Miscarriage Association also has an acknowledgement issue in the UK - yet is here to offer support and advice to those going through this tough time.

Describe the creative idea (30% of vote)

In the UK, our greeting cards stores have large display shelves. On those shelves sit cards that recognize every important life event, including Birth, Driving test, New Home, Engagement, even divorce. But there's one important event that happens to millions of women which is not acknowledged - Miscarriage. People find it difficult to find the right words to acknowledge baby loss. They often say the wrong thing. Or say nothing at all. Making the experience even more lonely for the woman. So we created Cards of Acknowledgement - beautiful simple cards designed for women who have suffered miscarriage. Every message was screened by a panel of women who've been through it. Every bit of typography is the handwriting of women who've been through it. Importantly - inside every card were details of the Miscarriage Association, putting help into the hands of women at the exact time they needed it.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

Miscarriage is a huge life event. Our data showed that more than 250,000 women in the UK are reported to miscarry every year. We wanted to put help into the hands of women at the exact time they needed it. Give words to those who can't find them. Get Miscarriage acknowledged as an important life event. Raise awareness of the Miscarriage Association. And give a lasting memento that would acknowledge a life that was briefly here.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

It was very, very important that Cards of Acknowledgement carried messages that were absolutely spot on. So every line was screened by a panel of women who have had miscarriages, and the typography was the handwriting of women who'd been through the experience themselves. All of whom said these were the words they wish they'd heard. The cards were launched in four PostMark retail stores throughout London.

List the results (30% of vote)

With a total production cost of just £841.57 (print, envelopes and cellophane bags) we got the acknowledgement we wanted. 870k people read about our campaign. Website traffic increased from an average monthly number of 72,419 to 157,107 at campaign launch. More than double. Organic searches increased from 58,806 to 135,551 at campaign launch. Facebook sessions increased from 901 to 6,390 at campaign launch. But most importantly, loved ones found the words they couldn't find before. And we got help into the hands of women who needed it, at the exact time they needed it.