In China, everyone was required by law to wear masks. This covered 1.4 billion smiles during a time when everyone desperately needed some cheering up.

With zero budget – an idea using a simple photographic treatment that started with employees, then neighbors, then brands – snowballed into a national-turned-global feel good movement during one of the worst years in recorded history.

Our strategy was to make China smile and then the world, with no agenda during an incredibly difficult time. With an idea this simple and an altruistic attitude, the idea spread like crazy.

With zero budget – an idea using a simple photographic treatment that started with employees, then neighbors, then brands – snowballed into a national-turned-global feel good movement during one of the worst years in recorded history.

With the participation of 89 employees, 18 neighbors, 3 celebrities, 5 big brands and 3 mega-platforms we amassed over 500 million impressions spreading smiles across China and around the world with a budget of $0.