1. Marketing Challenge

China has one of the world’s most fast-changing Internet market. QQ, an instant messenger launched 18 years ago, has been considered relatively “old and outdated” by many consumers. It’s no longer in the focus of many young consumers, media and the industry.

2. The Creative Work

We want to change this with a nationwide corporate social responsibility campaign. Each year, tens of thousands of children went missing in China. QQ, with 860 million users, turns the social network into a missing children alert, so everyone can be a rescuer in Golden 72 Hours.

Once a child went missing, QQ operation team will receive the child’s information from police. We use the latest Location-Based Services (LBS) technology to identify tens of millions QQ users located in the same city. QQ users located within the radius of 120 kilometres will receive a high-level push message on their smartphones, asking for help.

3. Objectives

Communications Objectives: Boost reputation, raise awareness, change public attitude and behaviour

Marketing Objectives: Increase penetration

Commercial Objectives: Attract new users, increase Peak Concurrent Users (PCU) and commercial gains when users surged

4. Strategy

Trigger Concern by Spreading 80 Missing Children Cases Nationwide

Emblaze Public Enthusiasm with 21 Children Found by QQ Alert

Reach Climax by Launching China’s First ‘Missing Children’s Day’

Establish Firm Foothold as China’s Top Missing Children Alert

5. Creative Effectiveness

a. Raise Public Awareness, Change Behaviour

It turns an entire social network of 860 million users into a missing children alert, more than 390 million QQ users have joined our campaign since 2014.

* 390 million users joined the campaign

* Found 21 missing children

* QQ Alert messages’ average hit rates reach 700,000 to 1 million each

* 20% users forward or share our messages

Inspired by QQ Alert, China set up first national missing children alert in mid-2016, rescued 611 children by partnered with QQ and other instant messengers.

b. 21 Missing Children Enjoyed Family Reunion

We have used QQ Alert to search for 180 missing children across China, 21 of them had long-awaited family reunions.

c. Boost Reputation and Public Image

More than 300 Chinese media outlets, including official Xinhua news agency, China news service, national TV, newspapers, websites and social media have reported QQ Alert, the first of its kind in China.

* More than 300 media outlets reported 1,000 stories

* 95% stories with positive or neutral attitude

* 93% online comments with positive attitude

d. Win In Intensive Market Competition

QQ has attracted 53.5 million new registered users and increased Peak Concurrent Users (PCU) to 243.7 million after the campaign. By joining the QQ Alert, users also spent more time on QQ.

* Attract 53.5 million new registered users, up 6%

* Increase Peak Concurrent Users (PCU) to 243.7 million, up 12.3%

* Company revenue, profit, shareholder value, and share price increase 48 to 92.5%