Activating worldwide charitable purpose in the UK
UN Women is the United Nations organisation working at every level to achieve true progress towards gender equality - from grassroots programmes to advocating with Government.
Created in 2010, only 2% of its costs are covered by the UN system, and none of this reaches the UK office, so donations are absolutely critical to the achievement of their mission.
UN Women UK approached us to explore how they might scale their charitable support. We identified two opportunities.
#sameboat
We worked with activists Anna and Cameron McLean (The Seablings) in their mission to highlight gender inequality by being the first brother and sister team to undertake the gruelling Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Rowing Challenge. We honed their comms messaging and media appearances under the #sameboat moniker.
And yes, they completed the 3000 nautical miles and set a Guinness World Record!
Countdown to end FGM
For this fundraising campaign, we focussed on a single urgent issue from UN Women’s portfolio of programmes to end violence against women and girls – End FGM.
From data supplied by the UN, we identified a truly alarming insight. Every ten seconds, somewhere in the world, a little girl has her genitals mutilated. Yes, it shocked us too. We created a hard-hitting campaign with celebrity activists and UN Women UK ambassadors who had an authentic voice in the fight to end this child abuse.
The campaign ran across cinema, press, DOOH, radio, social and digital advertising. Donations were over 6 times higher than the previous year, with an ROI of 1.4, giving the organisation a robust practical example of how they could scale their operations.
Cinema and digital film
“The Firehaus campaign really brought to life an issue that affects millions of women and girls, but can be stigmatised and often forgotten. Their sensitive treatment created a powerful piece of work inspiring global change”.
Claire Barnett, Executive Director, UN Women UK
Film Production: Hurricane
Photography: Paul Whitfield