Anzac Day (April 25), a day when Australians pay their respects to the brave men and women who served our country. The nation bows it heads for a minute of silence to remember those who never came home and make a donation to help those who returned.

To make it easier and more convenient for people to pay their respects and make a donation, we set up a phone line where people could pay to listen to a minute of silence.

A selection of five, 60-second films were also shot for the website. These were designed to put a human face to the campaign. Each film featured individual veterans reflecting on their own personal Minute of Silence. Far from being an empty silence, these moving portraits offered a unique insight into our veterans’ experiences and memories. They reminded us of their enormous personal sacrifice and showed just how important and meaningful a minute of silence can be.

A Minute of Silence to remember our fallen veterans is synonymous with Anzac Day. Linking this tradition with the latest mobile technology made paying your respects and donating more moving and simpler than ever.

Social media made sharing just as easy. Both the oddness of paying to listen to silence and people’s goodwill fuelled Facebook shares, while a growing Twitter buzz helped build the campaign momentum we wanted, especially among our target.

Paying to listen to silence? Such an innovative approach from a charity certainly got fingers dialling and tongues wagging. Especially among our younger target. Results included:

o 10,000 website hits on the first night

o 3 days after launch it became the world’s 3rd highest trending Twitter topic

o Massive PR coverage with over $2 million of earned media

o But most importantly, so far this year’s Anzac Appeal raised over $3 million for veterans and their families. And it’s still going.