"Spotlight of the Week" is a weekly published series that highlights what happens in the world of PR, Comms, Marketing, Advertising, Social. It's about the work that makes you think "Pssttt I wish I had come up with this idea". The work that matters. Or simply the ones (good and bad) that get people talking. The good and the not-so-good. So, what's in the news?
LullaBombs by War Child UK and Mother
When an idea that is so clever it leaves you gagging. On the anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine, LullaBombs, a collaboration between War Child and Mother, hopes to draw attention to the trauma faced by millions of children growing up in areas of conflict.
In stark contrast to the white noise or soothing lullabies associated with a classic nursery sleep aid, LullaBombs uses authentic recordings of war sounds to highlight the experiences of the millions of children living in a war zone. It creates an intentional contrast between what children should listen to at night versus what children in war zones are forced to listen to.
It has recordings of sounds captured in conflict zones – including Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Ukraine – by an Emmy Award-winning cinematographer and documentary director*. The LullaBombs machine has three sound settings, each a real soundscape from modern day warfare.
All funds raised by LullaBombs will go directly towards War Child’s work in helping to protect, educate and stand up for the rights of children affected by conflict.
Wiki Truth by Ukrainian Witness and Publicis Benelux
In Russia, it’s hard to find the truth. The free press is blocked, Google is blocked, and so are most social media channels. However, there’s one route that remains open: Wikipedia. ‘Everyone’ can change a Wikipedia page. That’s the way in for Ukrainian Witness. Every month, 10.9 million Russians visit Russian Wikipedia. So, by simply adding pictures of the devastation on Ukrainian cities to the Russian Wikipedia pages, the truth is revealed.
Ukrainian Witness called for help and collaborated with Wikipedia editors around the world to keep making changes, and to make them last. For the first time in the history of Wikipedia, editors around the world united and joined the cause: editing Russian pages on Ukrainian cities and bringing the truth to Russia.
The number of editors bringing the truth doubled. The total amount of edits they made also doubled. Russian views on the ten biggest Ukrainian city pages on the Russian Wikipedia increased by 242%, turning an online encyclopedia into an uncensored and trustworthy news channel.
Usual Sorespects by Difflam and VMLY&R
Difflam announces a new print and digital campaign to drive brand awareness and product consideration, while celebrating a creative direction change for the brand with VMLY&R.
Difflam also highlights the fact that the OTC product provides relief for mild inflammation, painful throbbing and scratchiness, as opposed to being a ‘serious treatment for when a sore throat worsens’.
The campaign will roll out via social, display, print and out-of-home (OOH) platforms across the UK.
CROWN 2023 Workplace Research Study by Dove and LinkedIn
As a part of Dove’s ongoing commitment to help pass The CROWN Act and end race-based hair discrimination nationwide, the organisations joined forces to conduct a wide-reaching study to analyze race-based hair bias and how that affects the professional advancement of Black women.
The NEW CROWN 2023 Workplace Research Study, found that Black women’s hair is 2.5x more likely to be perceived as unprofessional, and details the systemic social and economic impact of hair bias and discrimination against Black women in the workplace. For example, approximately 2/3 of Black women (66%) change their hair for a job interview. Among them, 41% changed their hair from curly to straight. Black women are 54% more likely (or over 1.5x more likely) to feel like they have to wear their hair straight to a job interview to be successful.
