When Russia’s full-scale invasion started on February 24, 2022, the Ukrainian charity and volunteering community proactively reacted to the new challenge — not only fundraising never-seen-before sums to help the country win but also communicating creatively to help the cause.
Here are five communications cases of inspired & brave Ukrainian charitable and volunteering organisations explained.
Providing a spotlight but making it creatively
Since 2015, the public organisation «Blood Agents» has been promoting blood donations in Ukraine. A large base of volunteers, innovative products, «customer care», and art projects turn the donation into a powerful volunteer movement.
In Ukraine, there were less than 12 blood donations per 1000 people in previous years, while the country needed at least three times more before the full-scale invasion started. Now, when the demands rise with the number of wounded Ukrainian defenders and civilians, the importance of blood donation is higher than ever.
Various myths might make this kind of volunteering harder to explain and promote. For those who have never donated blood, the process might be emotional, and they worry about the negative experience. Moreover, some people don’t realise the regularity of the donation rules as blood centres cant secure a blood supply a year ahead — the expiration time of some blood components is 24 hours.
What the «Blood Agents» organisation can teach us: the team creates a positive experience with donors. Agents follow volunteers on each donation step to make it more comfortable. The team uses new approaches like creating the first in Ukraine app for blood donors or a Telegram bot with instructions to volunteers. Volunteers are usually rewarded with creative pins that depict blood cells — the organisation says this is the first in the world collection. And creative collaborations with media and explainers on social media debunk the myths in a friendly tone of voice.
But the main reason why we are talking about this organisation is their annual poster competition on the topic called ARTDONATION. Talented Ukrainian illustrators use a language of visual metaphors about blood donation to inspire people to join the community. This year, the creators reflected on the experience of war and its connection to blood. Each time, the creative posters become viral and communicate the cause natively.
Reasons to follow: powerful visual component — from surprisingly glad & happy faces of donors to fresh & trendy designs. (By the way, there shouldn’t be any surprise to positive emotion in the blood centre. Usually, after a donation, people feel a warm glow, a sentiment of happiness after you help someone).
Creating viral & authentic ideas
Repair Together is a new Ukrainian volunteer initiative created to restore the communities that suffered from Russia’s full-scale invasion. In spring of 2022, the team visited the liberated Chernihiv region with humanitarian aid. But once, they decided to challenge themselves and put a bigger goal — restore the locals’ houses. The team has a rich creative background, from IT product managers to visual artists. No wonder why their results can be an example of inventive & effective communication.
Before reconstruction, the first stage of each project is dismantling the rubble, which can hardly be called a pleasant thing. Well, at least, you can think so if you haven’t seen the viral video of volunteers raving while cleaning. The Washington Post, BBC, Deutsche Welle, APNews, Zeit, Berliner Zeitung, and many more influential world media have covered this simple but hugely invigorating and aspiring idea. Paraphrasing the famous saying, if life gives you rubbles, make it a stage for a rave & clean-up. And it is all about the unbreakable Ukrainian spirit.
What the «Repair Together» initiative can teach us: humanlike brands win. You have to be brave enough to make your communications truthful, authentic, and honest, but Ukrainian brands have no other choice. For many years, it was proved that organisations that communicate like real people keeping in mind the needs of real people are more likely to build an emotional connection with users.
Reasons to follow: creative production. Check out their artistic photos, 3D visualizations, stylish posters, and dynamic videos. Plus, the thing that always works — human stories.
Proving the effectiveness of the help
The organization «Come Back Alive» is among the stars of the Ukrainian charitable sphere. Since 2014, when Russia’s invasion of our country started, the team of experts began providing competent assistance to the Ukrainian defenders.
The foundation purchases equipment that helps save the lives of the military. The instructor’s train sappers, teach tactical medicine etc.
What the «Come Back Alive» foundation can teach us: the team of the foundation knows well that the content is king. And it must be the reason for their vast success (their Facebook page only has over 3,5 mil followers), apart from the expertise and quick reaction. The media and officials often use the photo and video materials of their production to demonstrate the effectiveness of Ukrainian defenders, their bravery, and their excellence.
Another impressive and beneficial thing is the work of the foundation’s analytics. They create pieces based on foreign analytical research, explain the situation on the frontline. Get motivated by the must-have of this organisation — a weekly report on the help provided and money spent. Considering the tempo and intensity of the work, their statistics visuals are genuinely inspiring.
Reasons to follow: the organisation interviews defenders to show those who stays for world democracy and security.
Showing the unobvious
Since 2016, the animal protection organisation UAnimals has been promoting the humane treatment of animals and their protection from exploitation and abuse. Before the full-scale invasion, the organisation mainly focused on animal rights. UAnimals banned circuses with animals in dozens of Ukrainian cities, helped several designers reject the usage of natural fur, and also achieved the adoption of several important animal protection laws.
When the full-scale war started, they communicated the reality of animal life in Ukraine right now. There is still a ray of light among multiple cases of wounded animals resulting from Russian missile shellings — the organisation also shares the heartfelt stories of Ukrainian defenders who shelter the animals and care about them. The team launches creative campaigns to highlight the needs of those who sometimes can be forgotten because of the intensity of the war.
On World Animal Day, celebrated on October 4, the organisation launched several campaigns. The first one is with the Ukrzaliznytsia, a Ukrainian public railway transport company, to raise the responsibility of animal owners. On that day, indicator boards on the train station showed the call «If adopted an animal, do not leave it away» to motivate people to take care of their pets.
On the same day, the organisation launched its traditional all-Ukrainian march — but this time in an online format — to draw society’s attention to the ecocide committed by the Russian invaders in Ukraine and raise money to save war-affected animals. On the special website, everyone can add a tag with their name in the city they are in now.
What the «UAnimals» organisation can teach us: try unexpected formats and ideas. The organisation teamed with the documentalists to shoot a movie about the animals affected by war called 9 lives. Ukrainian demining superstar Patron the Dog became the director of the UAnimals Communications Department. And Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter universe finally chooses the right side — actor Tom Felton created a video to show his respect to Ukrainians who, even in such a dark time, care about animals.
Reasons to follow: cute and heartfelt TikToks with Ukrainian defenders and their little friends and memes reacting to the recent news.
Finding a powerful ally
United24, the initiative of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, was launched in May 2022 and since then has implemented projects in the spheres of defense and demining, humanitarian and medical aid, and rebuilding.
While the initiative creates epic charitable projects like collecting money for an army of drones, the other impressive thing is the communication approaches. Fresh & clean design makes us focus on the idea of the content. Videos with dramatic music and montage engage and motivate you to watch till the end. Genuinely funny memes make the content viral.
What the «UAnimals»United24«UAnimals» initiative can teach us: get real people to root for your cause. Ukrainian sports stars Elina Svitolina and Andrii Shevchenko, the Creative Director of Balenciaga Demna Gvasalia, music band Imagine Dragons, musicians Ed Sheeran and Barbra Streisand, and actor Mark Hamill joined the effort as ambassadors to raise awareness and fundraise.
Reasons to follow: unique and visionary collaborations. In October, the initiative teamed with the jewellery brand to design the bracelets with the last pieces of metal from Azovstal. 10,000 pieces were sold out within hours.
Summing up
Communicating the cause might be tricky if you don’t let yourself think outside the box or decide to act spontaneously. Ukrainian organisations prove that well-planned, diverse communication campaigns based on research and implemented with a focus on people show significant effect and impact. Let’s conclude:
- Explain why your work is effective in the best possible way.
- Complex topics can be explained with art.
- Be proud of your authenticity.
- Don’t be afraid to use unusual formats.
- Find those who will stand by your side.
