We partnered with three YouTube Unboxers. Rather than send them yet another product, our box surprised them with an experience they didn’t expect: an interactive journey that explained where the minerals and materials in their devices came from, the conflict associated with them, and what Intel was doing to help.

We partnered with 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, and examples of conflict minerals and messaging about where the materials in our devices come from. The box also contained a laptop, which played a video that explained the conflict in the Congo and the importance of purchasing devices made from conflict-free materials. 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 the issue and Intel’s mission to create a conflict-free supply chain. We brought the message to arts and music festival Bonnaroo

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 1 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.

YouTube Unboxers review new devices on their shows every day. However, many of these influencers and their millions of tech-savvy fans are unaware of where the materials in these devices come from. Tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold are often mined in places like the Democratic Republic of Congo, where warlords have threatened and killed millions of people. Unboxers, viewers, and consumers are directly connected to this conflict by the devices they purchase. 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.