Systemic racism exists, even in Quebec. In search of employment or housing, racialized people see their applications refused for discriminatory reasons. Our objective was to raise awareness among the population about this phenomenon.
Media as a vehicle of persuasion
Without an impactful mass medium, you cannot educate and change a population’s perception in a short amount of time. The main challenge to this offensive was a minimal media budget at our disposal to reach the entire population on its territory in a relatively short period of time.
A unique solution
In collaboration with the agency TAXI, we focused on a creative use of digital media, such as YouTube and Instagram. Through the use of emotion, the message was given natural traction, and viewers were more inclined to the act of sharing. The compelling creatives enabled victims of systemic racism to identify themselves with specific situations, and the rest of the population to experience a strong sense of empathy.
Through skippable ads on YouTube, and by using some of Facebook’s and Instagram’s features to our advantage, we created a moment of introspection by confronting the audience with their ignorance and internalized racial biases.
Results
Our disruptive tactic on YouTube was fundamental to ensure a snowball effect in synergy with other media. With minimal investment on YouTube, we generated significant traction, which made a real difference in raising awareness about systemic racism. This campaign is an excellent example that media creativity is a powerful ingredient in a behaviour change offensive.
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Total number of impressions in 10 days
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Number of video views
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Media value vs initial investment
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Increase in search volume for “systemic racism” on Google
