Human trafficking is a problem in Finland, but people didn’t want to believe it existed. On the 2011 European Anti-Trafficking Day, the objective was to make the officials, media and citizens see the problem.But, with a media space of 1 print ad, how do you make people see a problem they don’t want to see?By deceiving them.

On the Anti-Trafficking Day, human trafficking was put in the form of fake recruitment ads, in 1 newspaper. Based on real human trafficking cases from Finland, the ads caused both sensation and action.The campaign got tons of free ad space and the press from over 40 media raised human trafficking to the centre of attention on the same week as the European Anti-Trafficking Day.Most importantly, the campaign activated the officials: After the campaign the police quadrupled its human trafficking investigations. Finland is also preparing new, improved Anti-Trafficking legislation.

The campaign relied heavily on the reaction of the media. The goals were to get both free ad space and good press coverage. As both outcomes were very unreliable as to amount or channel, the campaign strategy was, after the launch, very much adopted by the minute.The communication concept was finally adopted to outdoor, radio, online and radio medias to deliver a unified message (free ad space). Also, representatives of the client and the campaign were covered in over 40 different medias in TV, radio, online and print (press coverage).

Results to initial goals:1) To get more ad space for the campaign:With the gained free ad space, the campaign grew its contacts from the initial 600,000 contact in one media to 15m contact in over 25 media.

2) To get the press interested in the campaign and the issue of human trafficking.In the same week as the European Anti-Trafficking Day, the campaign and the signs of trafficking were reported in more than 40 media in TV, radio, online and print media.3) To activate the anti-trafficking fight among the officials (police & legislation).The month after the campaign, the police quadrupled its human trafficking investigations and stated that it was due the activation of the police forces in Finland on the matter. Also, after the campaign, Finland has started preparing new, improved Anti-Trafficking legislation.