Charities, Public Health, Safety & Awareness Messages
Entrant Company
J. WALTER THOMPSON BEIRUT, LEBANON
Advertising Agency
J. WALTER THOMPSON BEIRUT, LEBANON
Brief Explanation
While the majority of street children beg to survive, some were exploited by gangs profiteering from the money given to the children. Unsure of where their money was going, the Lebanese stopped giving, leaving the majority of street children without basic necessities. Bou Khalil supermarket wanted to help. We introduced a new note to be handed out to street children. The Good Note, worth about $1, can only be spent at Bou Khalil supermarket branches and its affiliated pharmacy (with restrictions on alcohol and Tobacco). A cross-platform communication campaign lead people to buy the new note and hand it out instead of cash. As word spread, local business partnered with Bou Khalil to sell the Good Note to their customers. We got the Lebanese to give again, turning a supermarket chain into a social service network.
Creative Execution
All cross-platform communication led the people to buy the Good Note and hand it to street children instead of money. In-store communication informed shoppers of the Good Note and its availability at all Bou Khalil branches. Outdoor and print communication shed awareness on giving responsibly with visuals of illicit items handcrafted from Lebanese currency. An online film depicted Lebanon having lost faith in its children, calling for change. The Good Note engaged on social media with real-time stories from the street via its Instagram account. All initiative information and Good Note points of purchase were made available on thegoodnote.com.
Results
The Good Note initiative resonated across Lebanon and the world, covered by local media and international media including Voice of America, Sky News Arabia, Al Jazeera and Yahoo News. Public interest generated $4.2 million in earned media and PR, and reached 20 million estimated social media users. The buzz led local partners to pour in. Local cafes, bookstores, chocolatiers and even renowned jewelers are selling Good Notes to their customers. Less than a month into the campaign, we are ready for a reprint, and there are more than 25 million Lebanese pounds worth of Good Notes circulating around the country.