Traditional fundraising communication is often conducted by portraying people in desperate situations as helpless symbols of a crisis, inviting the Western world to help.

The problem? It raises a lot of money, at the expense of their dignity.

Our brief was as simple as it was complex: Try to match the efficiency of the «traditional» Save the Children campaigns, but do so while portraying children with the integrity and dignity they deserve.

This campaign portrays how children living i areas affected by war and conflict uses their imagination as a way to cope and escape the harsh reality. The story is based on real stories from children, collected by Save the Children workers.

Basing the communication on real stories, we’re retelling their experiences with the respect they deserve and portraying them as what they really are: So much more than children in need.

«Save the Imagination» features an adapted version of Gene Wilder’s «Pure Imagination» from 1971, re-imagined by Norwegian artist Frida Ånnevik. The melody and the lyrics brings the viewer along for a journey into the world of imagination; emphasizing what the sister does for her little brother in the film.

As a substitute for the voice-over used in traditional fundraising communication, the music track aims to elaborate and deepen the overarching story to the viewer, but do so while leaving room for interpretation and individual emotional response. Using carefully selected verses from a song most people connect to a hit children’s film, the work underlines the heart-wrenching differences, but also the perhaps surprising similarities between children living in a safe environment and children growing up surrounded by war and conflict.

The campaign is still ongoing so all the numbers are not yet in, but initial results look good.

The change in behavior we want is the same as «always» for Save the Children: We still want people to donate. But we want them to do so while not selling the dignity of children in need. Doing it this way also communicates the fact that a little help from you (and therefore Save the Children) really goes a long way. Although the circumstances might be, these are not helpless individuals.

Previous campaigns had a liking as low as 6%, so brand perception is an important part of the revised communication. By re-telling real stories that show how resourceful and resilient they are, Save the Children proves that after more than a 100 years of field work, they not only know what children are living through, but how best to help.