Challenge
Colombia has the third highest number of landmine victims in the world. There are 9,133 victims each year, of which 870 are children, 3,408 are civilians, and 5,275 are military personnel.
Every minute a landmine goes off in the jungles of Colombia but the problem in relatively unknown in the cities. The challenge for OMD was to inform the public about the problem posed by landmines.
Insight
The Arcángeles Foundation wanted to mobilize Colombia, not with a march or petition, but with something that could occur across the country and appeal to everyone. Using something victims of landmines might not have, a leg, Arcángeles asked the public to lend theirs and came up with Remángate or “Roll up your pant leg”, a day where Colombians could show their solidarity with victims.
Solution
OMD needed to ensure everyone knew about the initiative so that they could get involved on April 4 (the International Day for Sensitizing People Against Landmines).
A group of celebrities were used to deliver the message; a video of them pulling up their pant sleeves was posted on social networks. The video would send viewers to the website www.remangate.org and give more information about the cause.
Important media outlets and private companies also got involved and the campaign was backed by government entities. To make the initiative a reality the plan was promoted on social media and activation activities took place in parks and shopping malls to attract attention and get people to join in.
Overall, OMD were able to get children, professors, soldiers, doctors, women, the elderly, brands, buildings, restaurant straws, and mannequins in shopping malls, cartoon characters, and even the President of Colombia to take part.
Results
The campaign was so well publicized that a law against landmines that was in 38th place in Congress was moved to number one.
Free press worth COP $2.000.000.000 with an investment of only COP $50.000.000.
60,000 people visited the web page
Six of the most important brand logos “rolled up their pant leg,” an unthinkable act prohibited by their brand management manuals. (ÉXITO, EL TIEMPO, ADN, SEMANA, SOHO, ECOPETROL)
The campaign was a trending topic con Twitter, with celebrities such as Pirry, Juanes, and Chris Brogan tweeting about Remángate.
The online pant leg was rolled up to the equivalent of 245 meters and thousands of people changed their Facebook profile pictures to one of with their pant leg rolled up
The President of Colombia pulled up his pant leg on national television