February brought in a whole new round of campaigns that really tugged at our heartstrings. Between big advertising opportunities at the Super Bowl and Valentine’s Day love, brands and nonprofit organizations really brought their campaigning A-game this month.
Here are some of our favorite campaigns in February 2016:
#StartAStoryAdopt
The Shelter Pet Project (a collaborative effort between Maddie’s Fund, The Humane Society of the United States and The Ad Council) teamed up with Toast Meets World, Keyboard Cat and Hamilton Pug in their new PSA campaign, #StartAStoryAdopt. These famous pets get plenty of attention on the web, but what many people might not know is that they were actually adopted! This campaign points out that these pets’ unique stories all started in a shelter or rescue group, and by adopting your own pet you can start your own story. Prospective pet owners are encouraged to visit the landing page and learn more about adopting pets in their area, while advocates are urged to share their own adoption stories on social media using the hashtag #StartAStoryAdopt.
#ThisIsWholesome
Honey Maid took a different approach to a Valentine’s Day advertisement as a continuation to their #ThisIsWholesome campaign. In the extremely touching Love Day video they prompt the viewer to think of love differently. The video features young people coming out to their family members, children discussing adoption, a mother expressing her support for her transgender child and an adult thanking his birth parents for the difficult decision they made. Needless to say, this video is a tearjerker and definitely makes an emotional impact. The campaign focuses on the changing definition of the modern family, but pointing out that the foundation is still the same: love!
#NoLostGeneration
With the Syrian refugee crisis there’s an entire generation of Syrian children and youth at risk. This is where UNICEF comes in with their #NoLostGeneration campaign. What really caught our eye was a video they released, framing a real child refugee’s experience almost as if it were a children’s story, animation and all. 7-year-old Malak’s story takes a dark turn, explaining, “some stories were never meant for children.” UNICEF wants to use this campaign to support these children in their dreams and aspirations, providing them with opportunities to heal, learn and thrive once again. This is a generation of children being shaped by violence and displacement, putting them at risk of being “lost” forever.
#StrongIsBeautiful
A Super Bowl campaign that we absolutely loved was Pantene’s #StrongIsBeautiful – featuring NFL stars DeAngelow Williams, Jason Witten and Benjamin Watson, alongside their adorable young daughters. The campaign is comprised of a series of videos where the players attempt to do their daughters’ hair, making for some seriously sweet and touching father-daughter moments. The campaign explains that young girls who spend quality time with their dads grow up to be stronger women, advocating for fathers to be present in the lives of their children. The takeaway: If these NFL players can make time in their busy lives to hang out with their kids, why can’t you?
Which campaign was your favorite this month? Let us know in the comments below and check out our previous campaign roundups over the last couple of months: Campaigns That Brought Joy in December 2015 and January 2016 Campaigns To Start The New Year.
Chelsea Broughton
Content Strategist, Liqui-Site
Chelsea joined the team in 2014 and was promoted to Content Strategist in 2015. She is responsible for research, developing compelling content to engage audiences, drafting press releases as well as curating content and discovering potential new business relationships via social media.
