Bronze
Creativity In B2B
Best Use of Earned Media
| Entrant: | VML, Bucharest |
| Brand: | Smartree |
| Title: | "Smartree's 15 Under 15" |
| Corporate Name of Client: | Smartree |
| Client Company: | Smartree, Bucharest |
| Client President: | Alexandra Peligrad |
| Client Marketing Director: | Alina Netea |
| Media Company: | EssenceMediacom, Bucharest |
| Media Planners: | Adriana Lungu/Claudia Gorunescu/Ana Maria Sparlac/Sanda Stanciu |
| Media Buyers: | Daniela Fasie/Mihaela Dumitrescu |
| Agency: | VML, Bucharest |
| Agency Chief Executive Officer: | Mircea Pascu |
| Global Chief Creative Officer: | Debbi Vandeven |
| Chief Creative Officers: | Jaime Mandelbaum/Bas Korsten |
| Executive Creative Director: | Bogdan Teodorescu |
| Group Creative Directors: | Ioana Ichim/Bogdan Dinu |
| Copywriter: | Irina Szelleki |
| Art Director: | Miruna Belgun |
| Agency Designers: | Cristian Nichita/Mihai Gitu/Stefan Matei |
| Agency Strategic Planner: | Sonia Ardelean |
| Agency Strategy Director: | Mihaela Craciunescu |
| Agency Business Director: | Mina Ionescu |
| Agency Account Director: | Raluca Dinu |
| Agency Account Managers: | Irina Matei/Andreea Bucur |
| Agency EMEA Creative Operations Manager: | Jennifer Aston |
| Agency Executive Director Content EMEA: | Carlos Baer |
Description:
Amidst significant labor and skills shortages in Romania, 15 Under 15 emphasizes the importance for companies to support equal education rights and foster a diverse workforce for the future. By mirroring the corporate industry and their passion for the 30 under 30 career rankings, Smartree, a strategic HR partner for Romanian companies, spotlighted the narratives of 15 children who work below the legal age of 15, bringing attention to the alarming school dropout rate in the country. This initiative specifically targeted Romanian companies and reinforced Smartree’s core values and its commitment to the development of the children from vulnerable communities. The impact within the business sector was significant. Fifteen Forbes 30 under 30 alumni endorsed the initiative on their social platforms, whilst top corporate executives and educational managers from local and global companies like Microsoft, Red Bull or Porsche started the conversation online around supporting children in need. In under 4 weeks, 8 companies offered direct financial assistance to the families of the 15 children, and Teach for Romania received numerous donation inquiries, resulting in a 25% increase in the projected 2024 donation budget. Smartree's 15 Under 15 immediately sparked extensive media attention, leading business and main local and regional TV channels to dedicate over 190 minutes of airtime to documenting the issue. Reaching 5.3 million Romanians, the campaign sounded the alarm on the concerning school dropout rate in the country, with journalists, influencers and business leaders spreading awareness about the issue and generating donations to drive tangible change.