YouTube unboxers receive new technology to review on their shows every day. However, these influencers and their millions of tech-savvy millennial fans don’t know that many of these devices are made in parts of the world ravaged by conflict. We sent three YouTube unboxers a package which, through the process of unboxing, told them a story about the materials inside the devices they review. They learned about the conflict associated with these materials and what Intel is doing to lead the Conflict Free movement.

We partnered with three unboxers: Unbox Therapy, Linus Tech Tips, and Joanne Tech Lover, asking them to film an unboxing video and post it on their YouTube channels. None of them knew what was inside the box we sent before they opened it. The box was full of dirt, sand, examples of conflict minerals, and messaging about where the materials in our devices come from. Their surprise and reactions to this message were authentic and unscripted as they learned about the issue and Intel’s Conflict Free mission in real time.

Following the unboxing videos, we released content across media channels educating people on Intel’s mission to create a conflict-free supply chain. We extended our campaign to music festivals and college campuses, sharing stories behind the technology that people had never seen before, and created a symbol for the Conflict Free cause to help aid consumers in purchasing conflict-free in the

Our initial benchmark was against the average video views of the influencers with whom we worked. Our campaign outperformed their numbers by 58% total. We performed higher than the average views of Unbox Therapy by 70%, Linus Tech Tips by 29%, and Joanne Tech Lover by 220%. It also gained over one million media impressions through press coverage in Media Post and The Drum, which highlighted the campaign’s unique approach to driving awareness of Conflict Free. During the three weeks of our campaign, traffic to our website increased by 100%, as it became a hub for stories of miners whose lives have actually changed because of Intel’s efforts.

In early 2016, Intel pioneered a social impact movement to employ a responsible supply chain that ends the practice of the dangerous mining of “conflict minerals” and the human suffering it creates.

To spread the word, we discovered that much of our audience—tech-savvy millennials—consume Unboxing videos, a trend where social influencers literally unbox new technology products. Our audience already believes in making socially conscious choices and purchasing from brands that in turn “do good.” By simply making them aware of the issue, choosing conflict-free could become another part of their already socially conscious lives.

This would be the perfect platform to educate, raise awareness, and effect change.

Tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold are essential minerals to the products and devices we use every day. However, these minerals are mined in places like the Democratic Republic of Congo, where warlords have threatened and killed millions of people in the bloodiest conflict since World War II. Many modern-day consumers are unaware that the materials in the devices they purchase are tied to this conflict. Intel’s goal was to raise awareness on this issue and create a movement to encourage people to purchase devices made from conflict-free materials.