2013 Gold Charity

Client Harrison's Fund

How did the campaign make a difference? Only by getting noticed could this campaign raise awareness of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), and thus raise money for vital research. The ad hit the headlines and really took off online. Website visits rose by 17,000%. Facebook reach increased by 800%. Donations are up by over 200% to £65,000.

What details of the strategy make this a winning entry? With no budget and just one 25x4 black and white press ad, this strategy succeeded in getting people talking all over the world. Harrison's Fund is named after a cheeky six-year-old boy, Harrison Smith. He lives with the fatal disease, DMD, and will probably die from it before he turns 20. There's no treatment, no cure and little hope for DMD sufferers. Harrison's father, Alex Smith, gave up his job in 2012 to start Harrison's Fund. He had one aim: to raise as much money as possible for research. Not easy when no-one's heard of it and you've got no budget. Up against high-profile charities with big budgets, it seemed an impossible task. But it was key to raise awareness of the plight of children with DMD. The Evening Standard offered a 25x4 black and white press ad, which was a start. But the campaign had to get people talking online to really drive donations.

How did creativity bring the strategy to life? Alex told the agency something shocking while they were chatting. That sometimes, he wished his son had cancer instead. A disease people knew of, that was treatable and, possibly, survivable. This made a powerful story with viral potential, but it broke the unwritten rule of charity advertising: you don't compete. But when you're the father of a dying child, you don't care about the rules. Like the strategy, the creative execution was simple. An honest plea from a father in anguish, contemplating a future without his son. Brought to life with a black and white shot of Alex holding, loving and wanting desperately to protect Harrison. It definitely got noticed.

Results Newspapers covered the story as far away as Brazil. Alex landed appearances on ITV and the BBC. And things really took off online. Website visits went up by 17,000%. Facebook reach increased by 800%: 99% was viral reach beyond the existing community. And people debated and donated from around the world. Major businesses, like Barclays Capital, pledged support. A documentary about Harrison and DMD is in the pipeline. And direct donations are up by over 200% to £65,000. There's now more hope for Harrison. Not bad for a 25x4 black and white press ad.