Together in...Boulogne Billancourt

Boulogne Billancourt was for 24 hours the European Responsible Communication capital.

Sidièse welcomed, on the 14th of October, its close friends from Creative Concern (Manchester, UK), Fairkehr (Bonn, DE) and Yuluka (Brussels, BE) for an exchange of experiences, ideas, and projects.

There was good food and fresh drinks too.

The wealth in knowledge and ambition from each agency created genuine dynamism and extra motivation.

These too few moments together reinforced our belief that Do Not Smile has a real future.

Sidièse wants to thank Do Not Smile for coming. C’était un véritable plaisir.

Et...ce n’est que le commencement.

Bringing people power to Wrexham, Wales

Wrexham County Borough Council wants to reduce its carbon emissions by 50% by 2016. It’s an ambitious target but one Creative Concern is more than happy to help them achieve.

The People Power campaign has been developed to get everyone in Wrexham to start thinking about their own energy use and how they can reduce it. It’s about tackling climate change together and saving some money at the same time... a win-win situation. Creative Concern developed a full campaign, including an online ‘pledge’ site to let people sign up to making energy saving changes and find out how to reduce their energy use. To date, over 300 people have made a pledge, in fact the vast majority have signed up to more than one.

A second phase of the campaign has seen the Council putting solar panels on 3000 homes across Wrexham. Creative Concern developed the Solar Power Wrexham campaign to let people know what was happening and why. It’s a big change for many people and we have worked on a whole suite of materials including posters, leaflets, a website, media relations and even a film to explain what is involved and how switching to solar power can reduce electricity bills. You can see more on the campaign at www.peoplepowerwrexham.org

You Can Foster

The lack of foster carers in the North West of England is a real issue. There are many children who need a home, but the number of foster carers is on the decline. Creative Concern developed the You Can Foster campaign for an alliance of North West Local Authorities’ foster care providers to tackle this shortfall and inspire potential foster carers to come forward.

The campaign aimed to dispel many of the myths around foster caring and to showcase the diversity among foster carers and how they make a real difference to a child’s life. It has a warm and friendly tone, using real people and their own words to convey why others should foster. You Can Foster launched with TV, radio and outdoor advertising and featured foster carers from a diverse range of backgrounds and lifestyles. It was backed up by a website, social media and traditional media relations.

Since its launch in 2010, over 3000 people in the North West have enquired about becoming local authority foster carers through the You Can Foster campaign – far exceeding the targets set for the regional campaign. The campaign has been so successful that it has already become a model of best practice nationally. You can find out more about the campaign at www.youcanfoster.org.uk

Manchester gets toasty

Manchester winters are pretty chilly and there are lots of homes across the city that are lacking in insulation. Creative Concern devised the Get Me Toasty campaign for the ten Greater Manchester councils to encourage residents to apply for free and discounted loft and cavity wall insulation. The campaign is also supported by the Energy Saving Trust and the National Health Service.
The Mr. Toast character is at the centre of the campaign. He’s instantly recognisable and just a little bit cheeky – making him the perfect mascot. The copy is direct, conveying the offer in an accessible way. We wanted people to find the important messages without using overcomplicated technical language. Mr. Toast has been used online, in street teams, advertising, PR, branded materials, social media and even a giant Mr. Toast outfit!
The first phase of the campaign saw over 8000 people visiting the website for advice and insulation. Creative Concern has recently launched the second phase with a PR drive and new marketing materials to support the campaign, including posters, banners and leaflets. You can see Mr. Toast in action at www.getmetoasty.com