Title	#SPREADFACTSNOTFEAR
Brand	INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT SOCIETIES
Product/Service	COVID-19 FACT AWARENESS
Category	B02. Breakthrough on a Budget
Entrant	IFRC Geneva, SWITZERLAND
Idea Creation	IFRC Geneva, SWITZERLAND
Idea Creation 2	BILLION DOLLAR BOY UK London, UNITED KINGDOM
Media Placement	BILLION DOLLAR BOY UK London, UNITED KINGDOM
Production	BILLION DOLLAR BOY UK London, UNITED KINGDOM

Name	Company	Position
Melis Figanmese	International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies	Senior Campaigns Officer
Nichola Jones	International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies	Manager, X-Media Team
Ann Vaessen	International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies	Senior Media and Advocacy Officer
Edward East	Billion Dollar Boy	CEO
Amie Holloway	Billino Dollar Boy	Senior Account Manager

Why is this work relevant for Creative Strategy?

#SpreadFactsNotFear was born out of the fake news that was circulating the internet about COVID-19. IFRC needed to find a way to reach individuals with factual information coming from people they trust. We know that influencers have a way weaving themselves into our daily lives to make us feel as if we know them personally. We watch them make breakfast, walk their dog... we trust the information influencers give us. The strategic thinking behind this campaign was essential. Big organisations and brands are saying the same things but people don't trust what they say like they trust influencers.

Background

Situation: Almost immediately after the pandemic began spreading globally, equally dangerous in-home remedies and information about the virus spreading online. Example: drinking hand sanitiser to kill the virus Brief: IFRC came to us for help to counter this fake news. IFRC has a presence in 192 countries around the world and really has the ability to hear what the conversation is on the ground. They have 14 million volunteers on the ground to spread factual information door-to-door but needed a way to do the same thing online at scale. Objectives: 1) Target specific fake news trends 2) Reach local populations 3) Find new ways to deliver the same message

Interpretation (30% of vote)

The business challenge the brand was facing: The population that IFRC needed to reach didn't necessarily follow credible news sources like IFRC, WHO or BBC. They needed to find a way to communicate life-saving information in a way that the individual would actually listen. Interpretation of the client needs and brand values: The Red Cross / Red Crescent is one of the most trusted and recognisable brands in the world. BDB sought to create communication streams that relied on their brand trust but expanded beyond their usual audience. Industry / target market: In the midst of a pandemic - everyone needs the facts. Their target market is, by definition, global, and, in particular for those most vulnerable to fake news. The desired outcome: Make influencers suppliers of credible news during a global pandemic.

Insight / Breakthrough Thinking (30% of vote)

Strategic process: IFRC is very well positioned to provide local insight on the types of rumours that are being spread and where. IFRC has people on the ground listening to communities daily. We arrived at a process where IFRC would provide bi-weekly insights and strategic messaging based on what they've learned from the field and online. BDB would then create a creative brief for influencers so they could approach the issue in their own unique way, but maintaining the integrity of the message Internal/external challenges faced and how they were overcome: The approval process of each local Red Cross or Red Crescent was a hurdle. We had to get each local influencer approved by their host country. The breakthrough moment: By working with influencers, you are able to reach people of all geographical and eco-social backgrounds and speak the language of their audience - culturally.

Creative Idea (20% of vote)

To help the IFRC combat the sharing of fake news around Coronavirus, every two weeks we asked influencers to create and share content about a certain topic inspired by a new creative brief. All the posts contained #SpreadFactsNotFear, which was the umbrella creative. Our briefs crossed different languages, cultures and backgrounds around the world. Here is one example brief: To help encourage kindness and solidarity we created The Heart Shape Challenge. A heart shape is the universal symbol of kindness and compassion and it’s easy to create at home. Influencers used their creativity to make special heart shapes at home. Whether through baking, drawing, designing, arranging toys or even food, we unleashed our influencer’s powerful imaginations to create this truly homemade but powerful symbol. In the caption influencers announced IFRC’s initiative along with tagging and asking friends, loved-ones and followers to create

Outcome / Results (20% of vote)

In measuring the impact of the campaign, we assessed the qualitative results. The conversations that happened in the comments section of each influencer's posts were success in their own rights. In a post about how to wear a mask, people expressed genuine gratitude as this simple, important, measure was a mystery to some. (blue side goes outside) #SpreadFactsNotFear was the most essential behaviour change campaign in 2020. Influencer assets were shown 5.4 million times to people all around the world which resulted in 49K engagements. Working with influencers was a groundbreaking insight for IFRC as they have 14 million volunteers on the ground but no formal ambassadors online. The most notable outcome is that BDB and IFRC plan to extend #SpreadFactsNotFear into 2021 but expand the topics past COVID-19.