Thomson Reuters: UNBOXING THE TRUTH
Today there are 40 million slaves worldwide. But slavery is impossible to see, hidden deep within supply chains. Thomson Reuters Foundation is a leader in combating slavery, providing companies a program which identifies slavery in their production processes. We needed to create a groundswell among consumers who aren’t talking about the issue (there's <400k posts about Forced Labor).
So we created products in slavery-prevalent industries—shoes (fashion), makeup (beauty), headphones (technology)—each with hidden facts about slavery disguised in the design, symbolic of the hidden issue. Then we went where consumers get informed. Unboxing has grown into a phenomenon which one in five people on YouTube is watching right now. We sent the products to top influencers with 2.5 million combined subscribers to unbox the truth.
Results
By releasing the sneaker during NBA finals, headphones during Cyber Monday, and makeup during holiday shopping, we ignited a global conversation. Without spending on media, we garnered 16 million+ impressions, increased Forced Labor conversation 56%, and increased site traffic 142%.
SNEAKERS
Jacques Slade (1M subscribers) unboxed the sneakers made by top shoe creator, The Shoe Surgeon. The sneaker received so much press it was invited by Phillips Gallery NYC to be featured in an exclusive art exhibit alongside 24 of the most iconic sneakers ever created by artists like Damien Hirst, Takashi Murakami, and Shepard Fairey.
TECHNOLOGY
David “The Unlckr” is regarded as a tech expert (5ook+ YouTube subscribers) who’s been featured on NPR, Bloomberg, CNBC and DigitalTrends. When he put on the working headphones he heard a recording from a former slave on the inhumane conditions in the mines.
MAKEUP
As Shameless Maya (1.1M YouTube subscribers) unboxed the one-of-a-kind custom makeup, it detailed the illegal way most mica – a key mineral in makeup – is mined. The video received hundreds of comments, many vowing to do more research and change their buying habits.
