We partnered RB with Lions Health and Save the Children to create the RB Innovation Hack - the first ever R&D led hackathon. We would assemble and challenge teams made up of RB’s R&D and marketing talent and leading external creatives to tackle the world’s largest environmental health risk – air pollution – in an innovation challenge like no other. Teams would have just 24 hours to pioneer blockbuster innovations that could protect children’s lungs from the devastating effects of air pollution exposure in India, where levels are among the highest in the world.

We choose a high profile, prestigious healthcare setting that would create a dramatic event to host the hackathon and engage key media and stakeholders who would feel excited about innovation in action. The innovations would be presented on stage at the Lions Health festival to a panel of industry judges and a live audience.

We developed a suite of media materials and collateral for execution in the UK and created a global toolkit for the markets to implement. A social media content calendar was shared with key stakeholders to amplify messages across owned channels. Enlisting a top respiratory media doctor from Imperial College to attend the hack, be on the jury panel and contribute to media materials, added expertise and credibility to the campaign.

High profile media attended the Innovation Hack to interview key RB spokespeople exclusively and obtain ‘behind the scenes’ content of the hack in action resulting in key message rich coverage.

Leveraging Cannes Lions platforms to reach a global audience, the hack appeared on their website, in their newsletter, the programme guide, across all social channels and featured as top content on the festival programme board.

100% of RB employees felt proud to be involved with the hack

Three potentially life-saving product innovations were developed at the hack

o AIRbrush-It antipollution paint that traps air pollutants and particulate matter

o A baby pacifier with a filter to minimise the inhalation of pollutants

o The winning innovation was a musical instrument that could strengthen children’s lungs by introducing them to a new, healthy habit, with its campaign call for “The Sound of Healthy Lungs”.

RB’s R&D team is researching “The sound of healthy lungs” further and exploring how to potentially bring it to market to improve the lung health of the next generation

Achieved 34 pieces of media coverage with an OTS of 222 million

100% of coverage contained at least one campaign key message, 87% at least two and 74% at least three

Cannes Lions Marketing campaign reached >168,000

Social media buzz reach over 684,000