The idea was that courageous refugees stand up against the online hate preachers: right before their racist videos on YouTube which were identified through YouTube/Google Data. The specific Google Ad and YouTube keyword targeting left right-wing extremists with no choice. They had to watch it prior to accessing the content they originally requested. The arguments of the refugees are strong and made people rethink.

The idea as well as the campaign itself would not have been possible without the technology and data used. To place the pre-roll ads of the refugees right where we wanted them, we had to go a new way. First, we selected specific YouTube channels that carry the right-wing content, then we looked at each video to identify the messages to shape our pre-roll ads. With the support of Google and YouTube we worked on a never seen before solution to target single videos only. So each video has a different pre-roll message. Furthermore we collected over 1500 right-wing keywords. Through Google Ad words we identified for each the number of search entries per month. By combining the best of YouTube and Google Ad words we were able to make the most targeted campaign ever.

The news of courageous refugees trolling nazi content?went viral – already on the second day they were published. But not only the idea itself but also the technology we used. People all over the world were impressed by the creative use of existing channels and Google Ad words. In only one week the campaign got 160.358.977* views on different news platforms and blogs. Furthermore 1.213.059* social shares could be reached. We also achieved 12.2 million in earned media. But even better: “Refugees welcome” received an unbelievable boost of 723%* in donations that will be used to integrate many more refugees into the German communities and culture. And viewers that got led in the arms of the right-wing extremists started to rethink as they have seen and heard the perspective of “the others” for the first time.

(*status end of April 2016)

The campaign-mechanism of „Search racism. Find truth.“ is based on in-depth research of over 1500 right-wing keywords used through Google search. The top 100 ones had been combined to cover all possible search results. The Google Ads linked the user directly to a specific YouTube pre-roll that pretended to be what he was looking for, but wasn’t. The 10 different unskippable ads had to be watched, prior seeing the content originally requested. In addition we not only targeted relevant right-wing YouTube channels, we identified single videos to target with a single pre-roll message that related to the later content.

The strongest weapon of the far right is the internet, where hate can be spread easily. To address the right people we went where racists are and beat them with their own weapons. Thanks to a complex combination of channel (YouTube) and keyword targeting (Google) complemented by the placement before very specifically selected videos we achieved maximum attention. Unskippable pre roll ads allowed us to confront the right-wing extremists on their personal digital device. The booking of the worst Ad words like “refugees out”, “fuck merkel” or “muslim infiltration” normally leads users to the right-wing extremist material. But thanks to our campaign those who looked up xenophobic terms were lured to the disarming clips of the refugees. The videos themselves led to a campaign page where people could learn more about the refugees, their stories and the truth.

Because of the long-lasting war in Syria thousands of people escape to Europe. Whilst in the beginning they were welcomed, today the refugees increasingly encounter rejection and hate. Especially in Germany right-wing radicalism is getting stronger and stronger. Their greatest weapon is the internet, where lies and false reports are consciously spread, to increase the hate and to incite the population against the fleeing people. The organization «Refugees Welcome», that helps refugees to integrate in Germany, intends to put a stop to the spreading of digital hate. They want to demonstrate that no one has to be afraid of the refugees and further make the Germans rethink. With a previously unseen idea which confronts the consumers of racist material directly.