Choosing the one true goal to stand behind is usually not easy, because there are many topics that deserve attention and support from companies. Nevertheless, Mastercard’s “Set what you care about in the first place” study conducted last year has confirmed that the most pressing initiatives in which citizens see the need for their own greater involvement, as well as greater investment from companies, are the healthcare initiatives, so this determined the choice of the final goal of their campaign.
“Children struggling with cancer are the most vulnerable group and need the greatest possible support. They are real superheroes, and the parent house in Belgrade is a project of national importance, which the whole community can actively support and thus start something priceless,” said Jelena Ristic, director for Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Mastercard.
All of us as consumers and users of Mastercard play a key role in opening another parent house as a place where small children suffering from cancer, during their treatment, can spend time with their parents. That is why it was important, but not so simple, to be explicit in pointing out this topic and sensitive in order to avoid making the message raw and harsh, because it primarily refers to adult people who are naturally a part of the solution, and who are also very sensitive to the subject of children.
“Although this is a most sensitive topic, we started from the human needs, and all we wanted to do is that children don’t feel different from their peers – they still have their own dreams and desires, but currently they are fighting the most important fight, which makes them true superheroes,” Aleksandar Milojević, strategic planner at McCann Beograd, explained their strategic approach to this campaign.
His colleagues from the creative department share that opinion. Art director Miloš Opačić and senior designer Branko Rosić say that by placing child cheerfulness and playfulness in the foreground, we show kids in their true light.
“And they are kids, just as all the others. With the same wishes and fantasies. Only behind them is a tough fight, which they might not even perceive as tragically as adults. This is actually their shield, and the child innocence is a ‘superpower’ that makes them true superheroes,” explained Marko Jovanović, copywriter.
Campaign “Together for a home that every superhero deserves” is not one of those campaigns that only state the situation and dwell on a bare emotional reaction. “We should always keep in mind that we are addressing a delicate, vulnerable group, whether they are children or their families. They need motivation, strength and support – not pathos and triviality,” said Luka Ličina, digital copywriter at McCann Beograd.
“It has been proven that immediately after adequate medical therapy, the positive attitude of the environment and society is vital, as well as the support and the belief in healing. That is why it is important to keep an optimistic tone,” Luka said. Marko adds that because of this fact, everyone in the team has intimately and intuitively sensed that boundary within them, between the pathetic and banal on one side and motivation and inspiration on the other, because “out of the context of advertising, we are all still everyday consumers of different campaigns, so we tried not to do things which we ourselves wouldn’t want to see,” he concludes.
As part of this campaign, each contactless, mobile or online payment with Mastercard cards helps support the fund for the construction of new NURDOR parent house. Cash payments can wait.
CREDITS:
Jana Savić Rastovac – Creative Director
Miloš Opačič – Senior Art Director
Branko Rosić – Senior Designer
Marko Jovanović – Copywriter
Luka Ličina – Digital Copywriter
Aleksandar Milojević – Strategic Planner
Nebojša Ereš – AV Producer
Tamara Vukadin – Account Manager
Emina Azizi – Regional Account Director
Produkcija: Focused Production
