SUB CATEGORY :

EFFECTIVE LOTUS - SMALL BUDGET

COMPANY ENTERING :

MCCANN MELBOURNE, MELBOURNE

TITLE :

A TABLE TO END HUNGER

BRAND :

THE HUNGER PROJECT

ADVERTISER :

THE HUNGER PROJECT

AGENCY :

MCCANN SYDNEY, SYDNEY

EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR :

JERKER FAGERSTROM/DEJAN RASIC

COPYWRITER :

MARTIN SVANE/DAVID O'SULLIVAN

ART DIRECTOR :

FELIX HALVE

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR :

SARA SHIELDS

ACCOUNT MANAGER :

JODIE ALLEN

STRATEGIC PLANNING DIRECTOR :

IAN MACDONALD/ROSHNI HEGERNAN

AGENCY PRODUCER :

COLIN TUOHY

EDITOR :

MATTHEW FLINN

CAMPAIGN SUMMARY :

FOR MOST CHARITIES THE PROBLEM IS HOW TO RAISE MORE DONATIONS. BUT WITH THE HUNGER PROJECT’S REVENUE COMING FROM LESS THAN 30 PEOPLE, THE NEED WAS FOR MORE DONORS. BUT HOW TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF DONORS IN A CLUTTERED CATEGORY AND WITH A LOW PROFILE? MOST CHARITIES AIM TO GET PEOPLE TO CARE ENOUGH ABOUT A CAUSE THAT THEY WANT TO DONATE. HOWEVER, FOR MOST AUSTRALIANS IT’S NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO IMAGINE WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE HUNGRY. THE KIND OF HUNGER THAT 805 MILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE STRUGGLE WITH EVERY DAY. WE NEEDED TO FIND A DIFFERENT WAY TO GET PEOPLE TO CARE. WE RECOGNIZED THAT WE COULD CREATE EMPATHY BY HIGHLIGHTING THE GAP BETWEEN THE CHALLENGE OF GETTING A TABLE AT A TOP RESTAURANT, AND THE REAL-WORLD PROBLEM MANY FACE OF GETTING FOOD TO PUT ON THE TABLE. AND SO,
WE CREATED A TABLE TO END HUNGER. WE WORKED WITH 125 TOP RESTAURANTS IN SIX COUNTRIES TO AUCTION OFF THE MOST HARD-TO-GET TABLES ON THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER DAY - VALENTINES DAY.
WE RAISED MONEY, AT THE SAME TIME AS BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE CHALLENGES FACED EVERYDAY BY THOSE LESS FORTUNATE.
THE CAMPAIGN IS IN ITS THIRD YEAR AND HAS DOUBLED IN SIZE EACH YEAR. IT HAS RAISED DONATIONS THAT WILL HELP TO IMPACT MORE THAN 200,000 LIVES IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES AT AN ROI OF $5.75 FOR EVERY DOLLAR SPENT. IT HAS HELPED THE HUNGER PROJECT CUT-THROUGH A SUPER COMPETITIVE MARKET GENERATING $9,600,000 OF MEDIA VALUE.
AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, IT HAS INCREASED THE BASE OF DONORS BY 70%, SETTING IT UP FOR A STRONG AND STABLE FUTURE. THIS IS A STORY OF HOW WE CREATED A NEW ECONOMY WHERE TABLES ARE THE CURRENCY – AND TOOK THE HUNGER PROJECT FROM THE FEW TO THE MANY.

THE BRIEF :

BACKGROUND THE HUNGER PROJECT IS A SMALL ORGANISATION WITH A BIG AIM – TO END WORLD HUNGER BY 2030 BY EMPOWERING PEOPLE
IN RURAL VILLAGES ACROSS DEVELOPING COUNTRIES TO BE SELF-RELIANT. WHILE MANY CHARITIES PROVIDE AID, THE HUNGER PROJECT PROVIDES PEOPLE WITH THE TOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES TO BE SELF-RELIANT, TRANSFORMING LIVES AND ENTIRE COMMUNITIES.
THE CHALLENGE THE HUNGER PROJECT COMPETES IN A VERY CROWDED CHARITY CATEGORY; AUSTRALIA TOPS MOST LISTS FOR THE BEING ONE OF THE MOST CHARITABLE COUNTIES [CHARITIES AID FOUNDATION, 2011]. AS A RESULT, THERE ARE MORE THAN 56,000 REGISTERED CHARITIES – ONE FOR EVERY 320 AUSTRALIAN ADULTS [AUSTRALIAN CHARITIES COMMISSION, 2018]. THE HUNGER PROJECT COMPETES FOR ATTENTION WITH MANY MUCH LARGER CHARITIES; FOR INSTANCE, WORLD VISION ALONE IS 55 TIMES LARGER, RAISING MORE THAN $270 MILLION COMPARED TO AROUND JUST $5 MILLION [PARETO FUNDRAISING 2014]. ONE OF THE SUCCESSES OF THE HUNGER PROJECT IS ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH CORE DONORS; MORE THAN 75% OF ITS ANNUAL REVENUE COMES FROM A GROUP OF JUST 27 PEOPLE [INTERNAL DONOR DATA]. HOWEVER,
THIS STRENGTH IS ALSO A POTENTIAL WEAKNESS; BEING RELIANT ON A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE MAKES IT OVERLY- DEPENDENT AND FINANCIALLY INSECURE. THE HUNGER PROJECT’S CHALLENGE IS TO CUT-THROUGH IN THIS HYPER-COMPETITIVE MARKET RECRUIT NEW DONORS. AUDIENCE YOUNG PROFESSIONALS IN THEIR 20’S/30’S, WHO ARE GROWING IN THEIR CAREERS AND WEALTH. THEY UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE THAT THEY’RE FORTUNATE AND ARE INCREASINGLY MINDFUL OF GIVING BACK. THEY ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT FOOD AND STAY ON TOP OF ALL THE BEST NEW RESTAURANTS AS THEY OPEN IN THEIR CITY. THEY VALUE EXPERIENCES OVER MATERIAL THINGS, AND FOOD FOR THEM IS A SOURCE OF DISCOVERY AND OPENNESS. 2018 OBJECTIVES: PR AWARENESS: 10,000,000 MEDIA IMPRESSIONS DONATED MEDIA: $100,000 OF MEDIA VALUE WEBSITE VISITS: 1000 UNIQUE VISITORS TO THE WEBSITE DONATIONS: $35,000 NEW DONORS: 100

THE STRATEGY :

PEOPLE SUPPORT CAUSES THEY CAN CONNECT WITH. EVERYONE KNOWS SOMEONE BATTLING CANCER. HOMELESSNESS IS A CHALLENGE IN MOST CITIES. WE HEAR ABOUT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EVERY DAY IN THE NEWS. BUT WHAT ABOUT HUNGER? NOT THE MID-AFTERNOON-REACH-FOR-A-SNACK HUNGER. REAL HUNGER. THE I-DON’T-KNOW-WHERE-MY NEXT-MEAL-IS-COMING-FROM HUNGER. OR I-NEED-TO-CHOOSE-BETWEEN-MY-KIDS HUNGER. THE KIND OF HUNGER THAT 805 MILLION PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD STRUGGLE WITH EACH DAY. AUSTRALIA – LIKE MANY COUNTRIES – HAS AN ABUNDANCE OF FOOD, SO THE NEXT MEAL IS TAKEN FOR GRANTED. IT’S NOT THAT PEOPLE DON’T CARE; IT'S JUST SO FAR FROM THEIR EVERYDAY, IT'S HARD TO RELATE. WE HAD TO FIND A WAY TO GET THEM TO APPRECIATE THE STRUGGLE WITH FOOD AND HUNGER.
WE UNDERTOOK RESEARCH INTO HOW AUSTRALIANS ENGAGE WITH FOOD, BOTH IN HOME AND OUT. THE LAST DECADE HAS SEEN A RISE IN FOODIE CULTURE WITH CULINARY INFLUENCES FROM MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD, AND THROUGH PROGRAMMES SUCH AS MASTERCHEF,
MY KITCHEN RULES AND THE GREAT AUSTRALIAN BAKE OFF. THIS PASSION FOR FOOD HAS CARRIED OVER INTO THE CHALLENGE IN GETTING A RESERVATION IN SOME OF AUSTRALIA’S BEST RESTAURANTS. “IS THIS WHAT IT TAKES TO GET A BOOKING AT NOMA”, GOOD FOOD MAGAZINE,
19 JANUARY 2016 “QUEUING FOR RESTAURANTS: AS LIFE GETS BUSIER, SYDNEY DINERS DRAW THE LINE”, SYDNEY MORNING HERALD,
27 NOVEMBER 2016 “9 RESTAURANTS THAT ARE HARD TO GET INTO
(AND TIPS TO MAKE IT EASIER”, CNN TRAVEL, 16TH MARCH 2017 TO GET PEOPLE TO CARE WE WANTED TO CONTRAST THE FORTUNE SOME PEOPLE HAVE; BEING ABLE TO EAT AT PRESTIGIOUS RESTAURANTS WHERE
THE GREATEST STRUGGLE IS TO GET A TABLE, WITH THOSE WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE AND STRUGGLE TO GET FOOD ON THEIR TABLE. WE CREATED A TABLE TO END HUNGER. WORKING WITH 125 TOP RESTAURANTS IN SIX COUNTRIES TO AUCTION OFF THE MOST HARD-TO-GET TABLES ON THE MOST SOUGHT-AFTER DAY - VALENTINES DAY.
WE RAISED MONEY, AT THE SAME TIME AS BRINGING ATTENTION TO THE CHALLENGES FACED EVERYDAY BY THOSE LESS FORTUNATE.

THE EXECUTION :

THE CAMPAIGN - A TABLE TO END HUNGER - BEGAN IN 2016 AND HAS GROWN EACH YEAR SINCE. RECRUITMENT WE RECRUITED THE MOST HARD-TO-BOOK RESTAURANTS IN AUSTRALIA AND AROUND THE WORLD. FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE FIRST YEAR WE PARTNERED WITH RENE REDZEPI’S 'NOMA AUSTRALIA' – A TEN-WEEK POP-UP RESTAURANT THAT SOLD OUT
IN SECONDS. WEBSITE AND AUCTION WE PARTNERED WITH EBAY TO ENABLE AUCTIONS OF THE RESTAURANT TABLES IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS. IN 2018 WE BROUGHT THE AUCTION PAGE WITHIN THE HUNGER PROJECT AUSTRALIA WEBSITE TO PROVIDE GREATER CONTROL AND INTEGRATION WITH EXISTING CONTENT LEVERAGING A NEW PARTNER; GIVERGY. AWARENESS RESTAURANTS – EACH RESTAURANT TAKING PART IN THE CAMPAIGN PROMOTED IT THROUGH SOCIAL CHANNELS AND THEIR INSTAGRAM FEEDS USING A TOOLKIT WE SUPPLIED. PARTNERS –
WE CREATED AWARENESS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH AMERICAN EXPRESS, TRIP ADVISOR AND DIMMI WHO PROMOTED THE CAMPAIGN TO THEIR MEMBERS THROUGH SOLUS EDM’S. MEDIA - MEDIA PARTNERS SUCH AS URBAN LIST, BUSINESS CHICKS AND SOCIAL DIARY ALSO PROMOTED TO THEIR READERS THROUGH THEIR MAILINGS. SBS FOOD, MAMAMIA, PACIFIC MAGAZINES, TORCH MEDIA, YAHOO7 AND AUSTRALIAN RADIO NETWORK DONATED MEDIA SPACE TO CREATE AWARENESS.

THE RESULT :

PR AWARENESS: TARGET 10,000,000 MEDIA IMPRESSIONS.
PUBLIC RELATIONS HAS CREATED AWARENESS WITH 15,316,322 MEDIA IMPRESSIONS IN 2018 ($1,683,689 VALUE), AND MORE THAN 70,000,000 IMPRESSIONS OVER THE THREE YEARS, ($9,608,236 VALUE)[1] DONATED MEDIA: TARGET $100,000 OF MEDIA VALUE. MEDIA PUBLISHERS DONATED $182,915 OF MEDIA INVENTORY IN 2018 - UP 81% ON THE YEAR BEFORE[1]. WEBSITE VISITS: TARGET 1000 UNIQUE VISITORS TO THE WEBSITE
THE CAMPAIGN IS THE HIGHEST ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY THAT THE HUNGER PROJECT AUSTRALIA HAS EVER RUN. IN 2018 THERE WERE 13,620 UNIQUE WEBSITE VISITORS COMPARED TO AN AVERAGE FOR THE SAME PERIOD OF 3,654[2]. EIGHT OF THE TOP TEN DAYS EVER FOR WEBSITE TRAFFIC WAS DURING THE 2018 CAMPAIGN[2]. DONATIONS: TARGET $35,000 – MORE THAN DOUBLE ACHIEVED IN 2017. THE CAMPAIGN RAISED $35,644 IN DONATIONS IN 2018, AN INCREASE OF 279% SINCE 2016[1].
THE CAMPAIGN HAS RAISED $187,076 SINCE YEAR ONE[1]. NEW DONORS: TARGET 100 NEW DONORS 83% OF WINNING BIDDERS IN WERE NEW AND HAD NOT DONATED BEFORE; 104 NEW DONORS IN 2018 AND 184 OVER THE THREE YEARS[1]. OTHER FACTORS CHARITABLE GIVING IN AUSTRALIA SINCE 2016 HAS BEEN FLAT AND BELOW INFLATION, AND CANNOT EXPLAIN THE CAMPAIGN’S EFFECTS[3]. [1]CAMPAIGN WRAP REPORT [2]GOOGLE-ANALYTICS [3]ACNC-2018