Every year 60,000,000 women are forced to marry. The United Nations Association of Germany wants to make this invisible crime visible. On a bridge full of “love padlocks” we put up 3,500 padlocks representing women trapped in a forced marriage. Via QR code on each lock people donated on our mobile-site and received a number code to open the lock – and to free a woman. We involved the press and used social media channels to reach as much people as possible.

We produced 3.500 branded padlocks, each one with an individual QR code. Under cover of night our team fixed the locks on the bridge – right between the “love padlocks”. Each of our locks stood for a woman in Germany who had become trapped in a forced marriage. By scanning the QR code with their mobile phone, people could donate, they then received a number code to open a lock and symbolically free a victim.

Over the course of the three days, almost all of the blue padlocks had been unlocked.

• During the campaign, approximately 470,000 people visited Hohenzollern Bridge which is located right beside the famous Cathedral of Cologne and the central railway station

• In three days more than 570,000 unique visitors talked about Free the Forced and shared pictures of the bridge on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Flickr

• Activity on the United Nations Association of Germany Facebook page increased by 400%

• The traditional media were also very interested in the campaign. Campaign media reach came to a total of 5.3 million people, in the first three days alone.