Naked Communications Australia’s ‘The Act Button’ idea makes the cut in $1million Cannes Chimera global fight against poverty challenge

EIGHT PROJECTS SELECTED TO RECEIVE UP TO $100,000 FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ATTEND CANNES CHIMERA WORKSHOP IN MARCH

The selection process of the third Cannes Chimera global communications challenge, set by the Cannes Chimera Initiative, has now concluded with eight different projects from diverse countries around the world being chosen to each receive a prize of up to US$100,000.

‘The Act Button’ concept by Naked Communications, Australia is one of the eight.  In partnership with a major online news provider, the Act Button can be activated after an extreme poverty news story, allowing the user to share positive solutions that could play a role in changing the outcome of a particular news story.

The creative brief was launched during the 60th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June 2013, with a bid for new communication concepts that can incite the public to support an emerging international agenda to ensure that extreme poverty is virtually eliminated by 2030. The Cannes Chimera initiative is a partnership and a competition focused on finding innovative communication approaches that can help address critical global development problems.

Nine-hundred ideas from 79 countries were received answering to the ‘Help Lead the Fight Against Extreme Poverty’ brief. Facilitated by Cannes Lions, the entries have gone through a vigorous judging process by the Cannes Chimera, comprised of the Cannes Lions 2013 Grand Prix winners, including Australia’s John Mescall (left), ECD at McCann Australia.

Each winner will now take part in a unique mentoring workshop next month with the Cannes Chimera, who will help take the ideas to a new level. Each winner is invited to come back to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with a proposal for further funding of up to US$1 million to implement the idea.

The winning projects are:

• The Share Exchange by Young & Rubicam, Singapore

Facebook users become media owners by allowing brands to buy their personal Facebook space. Money paid by brands is then contributed to funds set up to eradicate extreme poverty.  Additionally, each time an online activist opts to share a brands’ message, they will also share the latest facts on the fight against extreme poverty. Facebook users are therefore empowered to take action whilst their shares create awareness and generate funds. 

• Good Cents by Joe Public, South Africa

Devising a ‘Good Cents’ button at the bottom of all online bank statements would allow users to round their bank balance and donate their surplus of cents to a dedicated fund with just one click.

• The GAP index by venturethree, United Kingdom

Develop the Global Anti Poverty index (GAP), the first global measure of extreme poverty to be carried on all major media outlets around the world. Based on the total number of people living in extreme poverty, the frequently updated GAP number will decrease in response to development programmes, economic progress and other positive factors, or will increase in response to war, crop failure or other catastrophic events.

• The Act Button by Naked Communications, Australia

In partnership with a major online news provider, the Act Button can be activated after an extreme poverty news story, allowing the user to share positive solutions that could play a role in changing the outcome of a particular news story. 

• $1.25 cube experience by JWT, Israel

Create a pay-to-enter multi-sensory experience cube to get people in the Western World involved in the life struggle of people living in extreme poverty.

• Gamers VS Poverty by DFCB Digital, The Philippines

The Gamers for Poverty will provide users with in-game content information based on extreme poverty – new storylines, item upgrades, information linked to game and poverty – so by changing their view of the world, gamers can be heroes inside and outside the game world. Additionally the project aims to change the perception of gamers from being negative to positive.

• One Two Five by PHD International, United Kingdom

Create an internationally recognisable code to signal extreme poverty, which has the ability to transcend language and borders. As the numbers 911 or 999 signal emergency, #125 will be recognised as representing extreme poverty around the world. This simple, powerful, global campaign will be used to spring board a number of global awareness initiatives.

• We See Women by Vital Voices Global Partnership, USA

70% of extreme poverty sufferers are women and girls and there is an underlying pervasive cultural bias that relegates women and girls to secondary status or worse. As such, deeply ingrained beliefs about women first need to change. By harnessing strategic information available through Big Data, this project aims to distribute perception changing stories about women into places where women are marginalised and where existing mass communication channels don’t reach.

“It’s fantastic to see how our industry has risen to the latest Cannes Chimera challenge. We have such talented people in the business and to see how they are applying their creative abilities to really help others less fortunate but on a very ambitious and global scale is truly inspiring,” says Philip Thomas, CEO of Lions Festivals. “These eight ideas will now go on to benefit from the forthcoming workshop with the Cannes Chimera with everybody working to the common goal of helping eradicate extreme poverty.”

“Building greater public awareness and understanding of tough problems like extreme poverty is an important part of global progress–and ultimately, saving lives,” said Tom Scott, director of Global Brand & Innovation at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “We believe that tapping into the best creative minds can help us develop communications ideas that can change the world.”

Says Carl Ratcliff, Naked Communications Australia CEO: “We are incredibly honoured to have been awarded a Cannes Chimera, and to have the opportunity to make a real difference to a global issue with our creative thinking. We thank the Jury and look forward to developing this idea further with some of the best creative minds in the world.”

Says Tristan Graham, Naked Communications Australia creative: “Cannes Chimera perfectly reflects the role modern creative agencies can now play; not just as creators of advertising but as creators of ideas. Tools, initiatives, products, businesses and innovations that work to create positive change for the community.”

The Cannes Chimera Initiative was launched by the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which brings together the global advertising and communications industry, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the world’s largest philanthropic foundation, in an effort to generate communications ideas that motivate global audiences to support change and take actions that address critical development issues. The initiative issues a competitive brief to the creative community each year, with the next brief being launched at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June.

More info
at CannesChimera.com.