CREATING INCLUSIVE VALUE IN THE FINANCIAL SERVICES SECTOR

Client: Nedbank, South Africa

Brief: As a diversified financial services provider, Nedbank’s newly defined purpose is to use its financial services expertise to do good for individuals, families, businesses and society, facilitating the movement of capital and the flow of money from where it is required for the benefit of clients, other stakeholders and society at large to enable a thriving society, create long-term value and ensure confidence in the banking system.

The brief was to produce a short film to be screened at the 2016 Chairman’s Dinner, to share Nedbank’s newly launched purpose statement.

Idea: The approach was to interview a number of key individuals within different clusters of the bank to get some tangible and contextual insight into what this purpose statement means and how it relates to the activities and commitments of various clusters of the bank, and to develop a visual narrative that would illustrate and complement the content of these interviews.

Impact: The film was shown to a room full of C-suite executives and government officials to communicate this new purpose that Nedbank has committed to. It has subsequently been used extensively by the Nedbank executive team in roadshows and at events across the country to distil an understanding of this new purpose throughout the organisation and to motivate and inspire passion, commitment and pride amongst employees, as well as to communicate to a broader audience of societal stakeholders the role Nedbank seeks to play in growing an inclusive South African economy.

POWERING GHANA AND CREATING JOBS

Client: Karpowership, Turkey

Brief: At the height of the Ghanaian power crisis people would have to endure black outs for up to 24-hours, affecting the whole nation both economically and socially.

A significant partnership between the government of Ghana and Karpowership, a subsidiary of Turkish company Karadeniz Holdings, has solved the energy crisis in a unique and inventive way. A massive floating power plant – a powership – now graces the coast of Tema. Reminiscent of an apartment building, with 12 power-producing engines, it supplies non-stop electricity to Ghana in a cost-effective way.

The 142 metre long powership is delivered as a ready power plant, a “plug-and-play”, that delivers electricity within days of its arrival. The Grid Company of Ghana teamed up with Karpower to construct an eight kilometre transmission line from the port to the nearest substation. The powership delivers base load electricity 24/7, whilst also reducing the average cost of electricity, thereby ensuring that the whole community benefits..

Idea: Using the powership as a character in the story, we visited the Tema port to meet this impressive vessel together with the colourful characters whose lives have been enriched because of it. This series of features, from a 12 minute broadcast story to a 60sec tvc and 3min online feature, all tell the story of how innovative solutions and forward thinking partnerships can provide efficient responses to development challenges with a virtuous circle of positive impacts.

Impact: These films took something quite technical and humanised it, creating some emotionally charged, engaging, and inspiring viewing that has been extensively well received and is currently being extended to capture the importance of this fascinating solution in other parts of Africa and the middle East.

INSPIRING PREVENTATIVE HEALTHCARE IN BRAZIL

Client: Astellas Pharma

Brief: Famous for its infatuation with the body beautiful, Brazil is a country where health, fitness and vitality vie for the same limelight. It is therefore astonishing to find that one in six Brazilian men suffer from prostate cancer. What’s even more alarming is that the rate of men dying from this perfectly preventable disease is almost double that of developed countries. In over 95% of cases, if diagnosed at an early stage, it is possible to fully recover from prostate cancer. Why then these disconcerting statistics?

Delayed diagnosis is the main culprit, fuelled by a fiercely masculine culture and a lack of information. The stigma around rectal exams notwithstanding, many men are too proud to go for routine check-ups, let alone to admit that they’re feeling ill. The belief is that “real men” don’t go for tests, and many find it embarrassing just discussing it. Prostate issues directly relate to sexual performance and urinary control issues – taboo subjects when trying to preserve ideas of masculinity. Sadly the reality is that the cancer is then only discovered when it is too late to do anything about it.

Yet, machismo is not the only thing at fault here. There is a structural problem in the public health system which fails to encourage seemingly healthy men to be examined and tested. Little information is released about the disease and people therefore don’t know that prevention is better than cure, or that a cure is even possible.

Idea: These films explore this landscape of Brazilian attitudes to men’s health through the personal stories of 3 families and the input of a cross spectrum of Brazilian on their experience of the stigma, why it exists, and what if anything they feel can be done to change it.

Impact: Content has been distributed as part of the Novembro Azul Campaign, with the objectives of increasing awareness of disease and prevention by education and to increase “early screening” and health access by advocacy.

FIELD TO FASHION – GROWING A SUSTAINABLE COTTON SUPPLY CHAIN

Plexus Cotton, Uganda

Brief: At the height of the Ghanaian power crisis people would have to endure black outs for up to 24-hours, affecting the whole nation both economically and socially.

A significant partnership between the government of Ghana and Karpowership, a subsidiary of Turkish company Karadeniz Holdings, has solved the energy crisis in a unique and inventive way. A massive floating power plant – a powership – now graces the coast of Tema. Reminiscent of an apartment building, with 12 power-producing engines, it supplies non-stop electricity to Ghana in a cost-effective way.

The 142 metre long powership is delivered as a ready power plant, a “plug-and-play”, that delivers electricity within days of its arrival. The Grid Company of Ghana teamed up with Karpower to construct an eight kilometre transmission line from the port to the nearest substation. The powership delivers base load electricity 24/7, whilst also reducing the average cost of electricity, thereby ensuring that the whole community benefits..

Idea: Using the powership as a character in the story, we visited the Tema port to meet this impressive vessel together with the colourful characters whose lives have been enriched because of it. This series of features, from a 12 minute broadcast story to a 60sec tvc and 3min online feature, all tell the story of how innovative solutions and forward thinking partnerships can provide efficient responses to development challenges with a virtuous circle of positive impacts.

Impact: These films took something quite technical and humanised it, creating some emotionally charged, engaging, and inspiring viewing that has been extensively well received and is currently being extended to capture the importance of this fascinating solution in other parts of Africa and the middle East.

DRIVING FINTECH IN EMEA

CITI BANK, CLIENT PROJECTS

Brief: Famous for its infatuation with the body beautiful, Brazil is a country where health, fitness and vitality vie for the same limelight. It is therefore astonishing to find that one in six Brazilian men suffer from prostate cancer. What’s even more alarming is that the rate of men dying from this perfectly preventable disease is almost double that of developed countries. In over 95% of cases, if diagnosed at an early stage, it is possible to fully recover from prostate cancer. Why then these disconcerting statistics?

Delayed diagnosis is the main culprit, fuelled by a fiercely masculine culture and a lack of information. The stigma around rectal exams notwithstanding, many men are too proud to go for routine check-ups, let alone to admit that they’re feeling ill. The belief is that “real men” don’t go for tests, and many find it embarrassing just discussing it. Prostate issues directly relate to sexual performance and urinary control issues – taboo subjects when trying to preserve ideas of masculinity. Sadly the reality is that the cancer is then only discovered when it is too late to do anything about it.

Yet, machismo is not the only thing at fault here. There is a structural problem in the public health system which fails to encourage seemingly healthy men to be examined and tested. Little information is released about the disease and people therefore don’t know that prevention is better than cure, or that a cure is even possible.

Idea: These films explore this landscape of Brazilian attitudes to men’s health through the personal stories of 3 families and the input of a cross spectrum of Brazilian on their experience of the stigma, why it exists, and what if anything they feel can be done to change it.

Impact: Content has been distributed as part of the Novembro Azul Campaign, with the objectives of increasing awareness of disease and prevention by education and to increase “early screening” and health access by advocacy.

SOCIAL IMPACT INVESTING BREATHES LIFE INTO GAP HOUSING MARKET

Client – Citi Global Brand.

Brief: To use the business owners, whose businesses have been able to grow through Citi’s provision of access to financing, and to share the impact they were able to have on society because of this access – produced under the banner of the Citi Progress Makers.

Idea: In South Africa, historic disadvantage has resulted in extensive poverty, and social and economic transformation is still vastly lacking. Access to affordable housing is a key issue in this landscape, especially for the missing middle who cannot afford current property prices and who should be able to pay for a decent home. Enter IHS, an impact fund developed to convert and construct housing stock in the form of small homes for sale and apartments for rent, enabling thousands to obtain their own piece of home. This story was told in a 12 minute layered narrative for episode programming, as well as in the 60sec Progress Maker spot for commercial broadcast.

Impact: This story did really well in all research as the bank was positioned as an enabler of this significant social change. The piece also created awareness amongst the investment community and serves as a proof of concept regarding the business case for social impact investment.