Young people are less and less involved in the issues directly affecting them (access to housing, instability in the workplace, inequality, etc), which is why the Spanish Youth Council launched a campaign to fight against the apathy in young people towards social issues, and promote active participation.On a limited budget, we looked for a different way to raise awareness in young people, being:Innovative enough to become newsExplosive enough to create controversy that would make its way through the mediaCharismatic enough to relate to young peopleEffective enough to get young people involved

We created a sarcastic “character” that attacks those who don’t get involved in social issues, called WARREN, THE WART.We spoke to young people in a direct and novel way: “WATCH OUT FOR WARREN. AN URBAN LEGEND SAYS THAT IF YOU DON’T GET INVOLVED HE CAN SHOW UP”.

The campaign included: buzz generating mailing, web for viral effect, mailing to opinion leaders, PR, street marketing, TV and print. The TV spot humorously tells the testimony of a boy and girl affected by Warren. They can’t go about their lives because of his constant intrusions, comments and jokes.

The campaign made the news (of no cost to us) in practically every national media (TV, radio, print, and Internet). It was mentioned on every news broadcast in the days following its launch.

The next day, there were already over 200 websites created by individuals, as well as blogs, supporting, criticizing, or making parodies of Warren, the Wart.We tallied:Over 78,000 links to sites for youth associations in the nine months following Warren’s debutOver 150,000 hits to www.eshoradetomarparte.orgOver 50,000 downloadsOver 25,000 views on YoutubeOver 54.000 mailings from MGM