A new UNICEF campaign hits a six for gender equality

Appeals are among the most fun parts of a cricket match. For those not familiar with the game, they are when the bowling team creates a ruckus—usually yelling "howzzat!" aloud—to indicate their belief that the batsman from the opposing team has been dismissed. Whether motivated by genuine feelings or just an attempt to destabilise the opponent, the appeal is integral to all formats of cricket.

The Appeal Appeal, a recent campaign from Howatson+Company, derived more mileage out of appeals than temporary thrills for audience members. Created to celebrate the partnership between Unicef Australia and Cricket Australia, the campaign transformed this moment into another kind of appeal entirely—the one made to support a social cause—in this case, donations to advance gender equality. 

The campaign hinged on a media strategy, where appeals made during the Women's Ashes matches at the legendary Melbourne Cricket Ground instantly triggered a simultaneous appeal for donations across all stadium media, including big screens, and extended to live broadcasts, radio, outdoor advertising, and social platforms. Fans could donate instantly via a QR code and thus make a tangible difference to gender inequality.

Making the campaign even more appealing were prizes on offer from partners like Qantas which gave donors a chance to win 500,000 frequent flyer points. The campaign was further amplified by Are Media, a leading omnichannel content company for women in Australia, with editorial content featuring prominent female cricketers and their stories. Showcased across WHO, Woman’s Day, New Idea, That’s Life, and Take 5, the campaign reached 4.2 million print readers per month, a total cross-platform audience of 4.8 million per month, and 4.6 million via social media touchpoints. 

The Appeal Appeal has reached over 6.8 million Australians, with a total pro-bono media value of +$1.49 million, provided by several key media partners, including Seven, JCDecaux, Ooh!, QMS, Cartology, Revolution360, NewsCorp, ARN, SCA and Are Media. The campaign is set to be scaled to make a difference to the lives of children around the world.

Speaking about the campaign, Libby Hodgson, deputy director of UNICEF Australia, said, "The Appeal Appeal brilliantly harnesses the energy of the game to drive real action for gender equality. By leveraging the excitement of the Women’s Ashes, we were able to shine a light on the barriers still faced by millions of girls globally and rally support to change their futures."

Megan Barne-Smith, head of social impact and sustainability at Cricket Australia, said, “This partnership with UNICEF Australia allows us to contribute to meaningful change both on and off the field, using the platform of women’s cricket to champion equality."

Gavin Chimes, CCO of Howatson+Company, added "This campaign transforms the game of cricket into a game-changer for gender equality. By syncing in-game appeals with live media takeovers, we created an unmissable moment for fans to act."

Campaign’s Take: Like many great ideas, The Appeal Appeal has a deceptive simplicity. Tying a moment that grabs every cricket fan's attention and then leveraging technology not just to deliver a quick, pointed message but also a canvas for a donation with minimum disruption to the viewing experience is a great example of the creative use of media. We are eager to see where The Appeal Appeal goes next.

Credits

UNICEF Australia 
CEO: Tony Stuart
Deputy director: Libby Hodgson
Head of brand: Lisa van der Westhuizen/Gemma Hill 
Head of corporate partnerships: Allison Bennett
Brand & content manager: Maryanne Seabra
Senior media & public affairs manager: Richard Parlett
Strategic partnerships manager: David Reis
Partnerships manager: Sarah Dawson
Paid media manager: Maria Melicor

Cricket Australia
CEO: Nick Hockley
Head of social impact & sustainability: Megan Barnett-Smith
Senior player and partnerships lead: Simone Roberts
Senior manager commercial communications: Sarah Carpinteri

Howatson+Company
Chief creative officer: Gavin Chimes
Chief media officer: Sasha Smith
Creative director: Scott Zuliani
Senior art director: Jack Close
Senior copywriter: Zak Hawkins
Design director: Reece Lawson
Studio lead: Simon Merrifield
Finished artist: Patrick Rivera
Senior producer: Caitlin Perz
Producer: Charlotte Breene
Videographer: Mark Broome
Senior editor: Fraser Kelton
Group business director: Belle Simmonds
Senior business manager: Eddie Moult
Planning director: Georgia Pritchard
Head of strategy and planning: James Turner
Investment lead: Liz Lonsdale
Media director: Sophie Jablonski
Senior media manager: Chris McMahon
Digital manager: Jeffy Thomas