Challenge: To run a cross-platform campaign to alert people to slavery in our world – and show them how we can fight it, together
CNN wanted to raise awareness of slavery and its landmark anti-slavery initiative, the Freedom Project. However, audience feedback had indicated that people felt helpless about slavery and didn’t know what they could do to help.
The team came up with the “Fly to Freedom” initiative, which asked people to make a paper airplane, write an anti-slavery pledge on it and share a photo or video of it on social media.
A promotion campaign pushed “Fly to Freedom” across CNN, CNN International, HLN and Turner social media, complemented by on-air and on-site promotion. The callout was led by prominent CNN anchors including Anderson Cooper and Christiane Amanpour.
There are over 20 million slaves in the world. You can help change that: https://t.co/aRo4zzeT27 #FlyToFreedom pic.twitter.com/4U6mlTxtkS
— CNN Freedom Project (@CNNFreedom) 30 November 2015
The team partnered with anti-slavery organizations and educational establishments, who took part and promoted the initiative to their networks.
These organisations have pledged to help end modern-day slavery. Has yours? https://t.co/aRo4zzeT27 #FlyToFreedom pic.twitter.com/Up5FPJKCmA
— CNN Freedom Project (@CNNFreedom) 1 December 2015
Contributions were received from all over the world, including from large group events and professional-standard films. The initiative reached millions of people through social media, television promotion, PR and partners. Most importantly, it showed people how simple choices and actions could help the fight against modern-day slavery.
Have you made your #FlyToFreedom pledge yet? It’s not too late to join us https://t.co/aRo4zzeT27 #mondaymotivation pic.twitter.com/FA9MmAdS4w
— CNN Freedom Project (@CNNFreedom) 7 December 2015
Key highlights:
- Campaign ran across CNN, CNN International, CNN Arabic, CNN Espanol, HLN and Turner Entertainment
- Coordinated mutilingual push across TV and digital platforms
- CNN anchors including Christiane Amanpour, Anderson Cooper, Wolf Blitzer and Richard Quest participated
- Celebrities including actress Mira Sorvino, Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, footballer Samuel Eto’o, artist Anish Kapoor and campaigner Livia Firth took part
- 60 NGOs and charities participated
- 2.4m social impressions and 33k engagement instances
- Over 1m uniques and 2m page views at the height of the campaign
Linnie Rawlinson was CNN International’s Executive Producer for Specials and Features. With teams in London and Hong Kong, she led CNN’s international features team, delivering engaging, shareable content to millions of users each day that generated millions of dollars in advertising revenue each year.
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