Covid-19

Agency: dentsu LAB | Market: Poland

The COVID-19 pandemic caused huge demand for personal protective equipment (PPE). This included the protective plastic helmets used in many health facilities – and these products were soon in short supply.

Our team at dentsu LAB in Poland volunteered their time and skills, adapting a 3D printer to produce up to 20 of these protective helmets per day. The activity was carried out pro bono.

Any regional health or care facility struggling with a shortage of equipment, was able to apply for support. Within two weeks, nearly 250 pieces of much needed equipment in total were delivered to hospitals and care homes in Ełk, Radom and Warsaw.

Agency: dentsu health | Market: US

We worked with the Ad Council in the US on a national communications effort to increase confidence in vaccination against COVID-19. Special attention was given to developing content tailored to reach and resonate with the Black and Hispanic communities, in light of systemic inequities that contribute to mistrust of vaccines among communities of colour.

Our integrated health practice, dentsu health, worked pro bono on the campaign to develop consumer insights and a national media strategy, informing creative development and providing a comprehensive placement framework for the creative assets.

Agency: Merdeka LHS | Markets: Malaysia, Global
Client: Coca-Cola

When the pandemic began, Coca-Cola halted its normal advertising in most world markets, and redeployed funds to support local community relief programmes and promote public health messaging. 

But as a brand that prides itself on optimism, Coca-Cola also wanted to remind the world of the light within us all, even in these dark times. We helped Coca-Cola highlight the achievements of real people during the pandemic, to celebrate the human spirit.

Our Malaysian agency, Merdeka LHS, worked with Coca-Cola to create a campaign that would bring this message to the world. This needed to send a sincere message that had nothing to do with sales or brand recognition. Instead, its sole purpose was to inspire hope and positivity.

We decided to shine a light on the many unsung heroes who have stepped up for humanity during the pandemic.

“For The Human Race” celebrates resilience and optimism, by showcasing true stories of real people bringing hope to humanity during the COVID-19 crisis. These were real stories from across the globe, with people from all walks of life, each going above and beyond for mankind. The message was clear – by celebrating resilience and positivity, we let the light of humanity shine.

Despite zero media investment, Coca-Cola made organic waves across the globe with its message of hope. The campaign received coverage on traditional media, trade media, digital media, PR articles and more. It was also featured on news portals and publications worldwide, such as the New York Times. Major TV stations also volunteered to air our global film for free across Asia Pacific. The global film created a 419 million reach and 167 million views, while our mini stories of unsung heroes earned a 53 million reach and 26 million views. Overall, the campaign created an 85%+ positive sentiment for the inspiring human stories.

Pratik Thakar, Integrated Marketing Communications Director, Coca-Cola commented: “Every day, we are inspired and uplifted by countless acts of selflessness, kindness and courage from people around the world. Through this short global film, we wanted to recognise and pay tribute to positivity, togetherness and the generosity of the human spirit.”

Agency: dentsu international | Market: Global
Client: UN Consortium for Street Children

During the COVID-19 crisis, homeless street children have been at higher risk of being exposed to the virus, alongside the many other risks that they already face.

Volunteers from dentsu’s Legal and Compliance team have been helping the UN Consortium for Street Children with the Legal Atlas for Street Children.

More than 20 team members from nearly a dozen dentsu offices worldwide have contributed pro bono to develop the Legal Atlas. It provides homeless children and their advocates with information about laws that affect these children.

Our legal experts have been writing content for nine countries of the digital atlas, to map the legal contexts facing homeless children. They have also been researching and analysing each country’s progress towards the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, specifically with regard to the treatment of street children.

Agency: dentsu InDeed | Market: India

At the start of the pandemic in India, the country had only an estimated five to eight ventilators per 100 hospital beds. There was also a massive shortage of isolation centres, with only seven isolation hospital beds per 10,000 Indians. State governments urgently needed support for PPE kits, N95 masks, ventilators, pumps, beds and medicines in large volumes.

Through dentsu’s Indian social impact platform InDeed, we focused our resources and connections to help the situation. This included supporting frontline workers with materials and supplies, aiding vulnerable sections of society – and highlighting donation opportunities for brands that could have a real impact in communities.

To date we have implemented more than 30 social impact projects in multiple regions across India.

We sourced logistics partners to help overcome the hurdle of the “last mile” for delivery of supplies to locations where aid was desperately needed.

Through building up strong relationships with the governments of Maharashtra, Gujurat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Haryana, and the police forces of Maharashtra and Karnataka, we coordinated and connected organisations to support many NGOs and hospitals.

We worked with partner brands to help supply PPE kits and N95 masks to frontline healthworkers and police – including MG Motors, HSBC, Vivo Communication Technology and L&T.

We also set up an online community awareness programme in partnership with auto and truck parts maker Bridgestone. Experts from different sectors provided helpful insight and advice on dealing with the pandemic challenges.

Agency: Isobar Moscow | Market: Russia
Client: #МЕНЯКАСАЕТСЯ

In Russia, we supported #МЕНЯКАСАЕТСЯ (“It Concerns Me”) – a national fundraising campaign designed to help everyone left without a livelihood during the pandemic. It has provided vital support for those in need of the most basic things, such as food and medicine.

The campaign’s creative concept was developed by dentsu’s Isobar Moscow agency. It reached an estimated 45 million people thanks to RUB30 million worth of pro bono media inventory, generously contributed by media partners.

As a result of the campaign, RUB10 million was collected to provide food packages, clothes and medicines. These were distributed to 3,663 families in crisis, 203 families with terminally ill children, 582 families with disabled children and people with mental disabilities and 919 elderly people – across 41 regions of Russia. 

Another 222 families received stationery kits to help with their children’s home schooling.