The Opportunity

With modern medical advancements, AIDS is no longer a top-of-mind issue globally. This leads to reduced attention in Africa and India, however, where over a million people continue to succumb to the disease yearly.

Keep A Child Alive, an organisation dedicated to supporting these communities with their struggle with the disease, wanted to raise awareness of this issue on World AIDS Day.

The Solution

Keep A Child Alive devised the "Digital Death / Buy Life" campaign. The idea? Have celebrities Kim Kardashian, Alicia Keys, Usher, Lady Gaga (and others) pledging to "end" their digital lives on social media platforms. To bring them back, fans were asked to help them “buy life”, donating to Keep A Child through the Buy Life Website (or by texting a donation hotline) with the goal of $1 million. Fans were also encouraged to join the cause by sacrificing their own digital presence, joining celebrities as fundraisers for the charity.

The Impact

The campaign exceeded expectations, raising over $3.5 million in less than five days. The effort garnered 1.5 billion impressions without any expenditure on paid media. This winning idea swept awards, including 3 Gold Lions and 2 Bronze Lions at the Cannes Festival of Creativity. It proved to be a masterclass in PR, featuring in major global media outlets and accounting for one-third of all HIV/AIDS media coverage on World AIDS Day. Additionally, it was named one of Forbes' Top 10 most creative advertising ideas of 2010, solidifying its impact and innovation in the industry.