New campaign is a big part of the Plan

20 October 2010

 

Plan Ireland, the children’s overseas charity, has just launched its most ambitious campaign yet to encourage new sponsors.  Entitled “Do Something Wonderful”, the campaign is being promoted across several traditional media and makes particular use of online and social media activity.

The central focus of the “Do Something Wonderful” campaign is a special one off animation created by Oscar nominated studio Cartoon Saloon and voiced by comedian Colin Murphy, with two versions created (TV and online).  The print campaign also features broadcaster Bláthnaid Ni Chofaigh and rugby legend Malcolm O’Kelly, both of whom are Plan ambassadors and sponsors of children through the Plan programme.

The ad has generated much attention and already been feature on the international Ads of the World website and won the coveted Ad of the Week on Ireland’s AdWorld site.  The idea behind “Do Something Wonderful” was created by Irish advertising and creative agency Bloom and while the thinking process began many months ago the actual creative was turned around in 6 weeks. 

David Quinn of Bloom explains: “Plan is a great charity that does great work with children in the developing world so we wanted to give them a distinctive identity and voice of their own. We wanted to differentiate them from the other big charities in this area.  We also wanted to communicate with the public in a different way. Rather than show pictures of children from the developing world to create a sense of guilt in the public, we wanted to positively encourage them to do something. And so we came up with the "Do Something Wonderful" concept.”

The media reach comprises TV, outdoor and press advertising with a large effort to promote it online via Facebook, twitter and YouTube in order to drive traffic to the Plan website (www.plan.ie).  Another strand of the “Do Something Wonderful” campaign is a radio advert voiced by legendary broadcaster Bibi Baskin.  Plan was delighted to be approached by Bibi, who spends a lot of time in India and is very familiar with the work that the children’s charity undertakes there.  While no longer involved in the media world she agreed to assist Plan with this very special campaign and lend her smooth voice for its good cause.

According to Jessica Majekodunmi, Plan’s Marketing Manager: “We believe the “Do Something Wonderful” campaign is a positive move away from the stereotyping of people in developing countries. By investing in children and communities you can help them to help themselves, and this is the focus of Plan’s work.  The campaign is a fresh, positive statement, highlighted by well known Plan supporters, that everyone can play a personal role in the development of children and their communities.  By sponsoring a child with Plan Ireland every person can have a direct, personal interest in improving the lives of children.”

To sponsor a child call freephone 1800 829 829 or visit www.plan.ie