case study
Leveraging storytelling to build empathy.
The challenge:
Tell the story of global maternal health in a new way, and build audience commitment ahead of fundraising season.
The result:
An intimate film series and interactive email campaign that took donors around the world.
the challenge
Growing a dedicated audience that takes action consistently
Shot immediately prior to the pandemic’s global shutdown, this series centers individual stories to educate the general public on the issue, the work, and the people who dedicate their lives and livelihoods to saving mothers’ and babies’ lives. The direct-to-camera series pulls back the focus to show each hero as a dynamic human being inside and outside of the birth world.
Role included:
- Developing the creative brief and strategy;
- Hiring filmmaking partners;
- Conducting hero screenings and pre-interviews with nonprofit partners around the globe;
- Casting, directing, and running story and editorial processes.
- Full marketing and engagement strategies.
The Creative Process
step 1
Finding our heroes
After conducing WhatsApp and Zoom interviews with groups in Guatemala, India and Bangladesh, we were able to hone focus on 3 – 4 possible heroes per country.
Once on the ground, we got to know each hero organically, and decide how to approach the interviews, filling the series with unique and powerful standalone stories.
step 2
Focusing the POV
While shooting, we captured everyday life, painting a picture of each person’s story from their own perspective.
step 3
Shaping the story
Each episode was to be able to stand alone while also telling a larger story on the issue as a series.
This meant every interview and resultant film required a laser focus; each had to showcase a unique angle of the global picture and not be duplicate or overly condensed.
Across the process, creative and editorial partnered closely to ensure content met the highest ethical and informational standards, while also advancing global policy goals of the nonprofit.
PROCESS SPOTLIGHT
Pre& Post Story-running
Pre-production story work includes briefs for every interview, and content goals for each episode in the series.
Post (editorial) production story work includes detailed direction to ensure the story and narrative remain strong and strategic for content goals.
The Marketing Strategy
marketing strategy
Leveraging storytelling to drive engagement
The marketing strategy for the film series helped ensure that the storytelling drove nonprofit action.
We designed a marketing strategy premiering each episode in a “global journey”, and invited featured local experts to host IG Live conversations each week to educate and connect directly with social media followers.
Viewers of the films were asked to contribute to the cause, and did so with a higher rate than any other entry point in 2021.
results
Praise & Awards
On top of being a major driver of donations the films were recognized during awards season, including being shortlisted in 3 categories (Cinematography, Not-for-profit/Government, and Issues & Crisis) for the 2021 Brand Film Awards by PR Weekly, and winning Gold in Best Use of Cinematography and Silver in Best Use of Direction at the Art Directors’ Club of Canada Awards.
for your viewing
Watch the series
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