Engaging supporters with video

To maximize video engagement, focus on engaging content and don't rely on too much dialogue, particularly when targeting a global audience. Make it easy to digest, yet gripping visually.




Campaign Goals

Drive awareness that babies are being born into danger

The campaign goal was to drive awareness with a global audience that 16 million babies were born into conflict zones in 2015. By promoting the campaign’s lead video, UNICEF aimed to reach over 10 million millennials around the world and alter their perception of what it’s like for mothers and babies born into conflict.


Across the globe, millennials were stirred to spread the word and discuss the need for UNICEF’s work in conflict zones.

  1. A paid reach of more than 15 million users and 17.6 million users reached organically, and more than 6 million paid video views and over 5 million organic views
  2. Almost 50 countries engaged with the campaign
  3. Powerful comments were shared from users who had first or secondhand experience of having to flee one’s home due to conflict, which underscored the importance of this video being made. More than 1,500 comments were shared from Facebook users who were moved by the creative


  1. Video: Created quickly-paced video that draws the viewer along to the message that 16 million babies were born into conflict in 2015.
  2. Ads: Promoted the campaign’s lead video to a targeted global millennial audience using the Facebook Ads platform.
  3. Metrics and targeting: Tracked metrics and refined targeting for the video as the campaign went along.

Campaign Creative

The video showcased the extremes parents might experience when their child is being born in a safe place and in a war zone. UNICEF wanted viewers to feel the fear and sadness of the parents, but also feel that the parents’ lives were relatable and that they could be the viewer themselves.

Campaign Lessons

  1. Stay agile: When generating ads, staying agile is important. Be willing to create and change ads quickly when an ad is working or not working.
  2. Find your demographic: Figuring out who’s most engaged from a demographic standpoint is crucial, but even more important is to make the adjustments to your posts and ads with that information.
  3. Use Global testing: Test different country markets. The video resonated highest with Vietnam, Mexico, United States, Philippines, and Turkey, possibly because these countries are all familiar with the refugee experience. Global testing uncovered this insight.
