The MMA Smarties campaign was a mobile text campaign run during the 2012 United Methodist Church General Conference to raise awareness and support for the Imagine No Malaria initiative. The campaign encouraged attendees to text "SWAT" to 27722 to sign an online petition in support of Imagine No Malaria's efforts. Through a variety of promotional tactics like print ads, social media, costumed greeters, and a flash mob, the campaign engaged over 5,000 attendees and received 520 petition signatures, helping raise the profile of Imagine No Malaria among church leadership.
2. Project Overview
Imagine No Malaria, an extraordinary effort of the people of The United
Methodist Church, puts faith into action to end preventable deaths by malaria
in Africa. Imagine No Malaria’s comprehensive model fights malaria’s burden
with prevention, education, communication, treatment and advocacy.
Imagine No Malaria (INM) leveraged the opportunity to raise awareness
through a mobile text campaign during the denomination’s General
Conference on April 24 – May 2, 2012. Coincidentally, April 25 is World Malaria
Day. General Conference is the top policy-making body of The United
Methodist Church, which meets once every four years. The conference, made
up of clergy and lay delegates from all over the world, can revise church law, as
well as adopt resolutions on current moral, social, public policy and economic
issues.
The outcome of the text campaign was successful, as evidenced by data—
significantly raising the profile of INM among United Methodist leadership and
U.S. policymakers.
3. Strategic Objective
Secure affirmation and support from General
Conference delegates
Build awareness for Imagine No Malaria by
sharing positive results of the initiative
4. Goals
Inform church leadership that INM is a
successful ministry by illustrating its life-
changing impact in Africa
Deliver simple call-to-action: "Text SWAT to
27722 and sign the petition to save lives"
A 5% conversion rate of signatures on the
petition
5. Mobile Campaign Strategy
By leveraging the impact of this global
conference, Imagine No Malaria can engage
thousands of church leaders to build support in
the common international medium of text
messaging.
With the creation of this mobile campaign,
subscribers can electronically sign a petition to
show widespread support and generate
excitement about INM’s efforts and success. It is
imperative to communicate this life-saving work
to General Conference’s audience of key decision
makers so that the work continues.
7. Target Audience
United Methodist Church leadership consisting
of elected lay and clergy delegates to General
Conference
General Conference visitors
8. Call-to-Action
Mobile Campaign:
Support the fight against malaria. Text “SWAT” to 27722
to sign the petition to save lives.
This petition raises the voice to show church leaders,
malaria partners and elected officials in Congress there
is widespread support for this effort and urge action.
9. Execution
The Imagine No Malaria mobile campaign utilized a multi-tiered
approach for delivering its call-to-action. Target audiences were
engaged through three main channels: print, online and
experiential (guerilla) marketing.
Print:
Paid and earned advertising through United Methodist
publications
Online:
ImagineNoMalaria.org, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook
Experiential:
Tradeshow booth, costumed door greeters and flash mob
10. Use of Mobile
• Due to the global nature of General Conference, we
selected mobile as the call-to-action medium
because it creates a common language for all
delegates—including the 30-40 percent who
traveled internationally to attend. Mobile is the
easiest and most inexpensive way to communicate
with those in developing nations who do not have
access to email.
• INM previously utilized mobile for fundraising. This
was the first time to use it as an advocacy tool.
• Initial conversations with our mobile provider were
greeted with excitement as they worked with us in
an innovative way to engage our audience.
13. Advertising Outcomes
Leading up to General Conference, paid and earned
advertising was placed in United Methodist
publications that targeted to delegates.
Interpreter, New World Outlook, United Methodist
Reporter (special insert)
Total Reach: >600,000
14. Support Tactic: Website
Imagine No Malaria site asks to Text SWAT and sign the petition.
Read full article.
http://www.imaginenomalaria.org/2012/04/19/please-help-swat-malaria/
16. Support Tactic: Skeeter Greeters
World Malaria Day
Goal:
To be the first face delegates encounter on World
Malaria Day (April 25) and present call to action
immediately.
Execution:
10 staff members dressed as giant mosquitoes created a
memorable presence while providing information,
dinner event invitations and mosquito swatters with
“Text SWAT” imprinted on them to delegates and
visitors entering the Tampa Convention Center.
18. Greeters Results
More than 1,500 mosquito swatters were
distributed to conference attendees as they
entered the convention center. Each swatter
was imprinted with the “Text SWAT to 27722”
call-to-action.
19. Support Tactic:
Tradeshow Booth
Goal:
To engage with delegates and visitors, share INM’s impact
and success and raise awareness by providing interactive
elements that encouraged participation in the call-to-action.
Execution:
Visitors were invited to grab a mug from a giant wall of coffee
mugs imprinted with Text SWAT to 27722. Staff encouraged
visitors to participate in the call-to-action. The visually
engaging experience provided opportunity for conversation.
Other booth elements included a bed net display, video
monitors, success examples, campaign case elements and
resources.
21. Booth Results
More than 2,000 campaign-branded coffee
mugs and 2,000 mosquito swatters were
distributed in 10 days. It successfully achieved
thousands of impressions with hundreds of
visitors and renewed relationships with regional
staff as well as newly interested supporters.
22. Support Tactic:
Video & Flash Mob
Goal:
To deliver a memorable message of INM’s success
and its unique ability to revitalize the church while
urging continued support by texting to sign the
petition.
Execution:
Presentation began with an informational video as
the flash mob invaded the main floor of the
conference. At the end of the flash mob, a screen
presented the call-to-action.
24. Flash Mob Results
• The five minute presentation changed the pace and
tone of the morning’s session and generated “buzz”
from delegates. The call-to-action was featured on
participants’ t-shirts and within the accompanying
video.
• The performance received media attention with
coverage on Tampa’s FOX and ABC affiliates during
the April 25 news cycle.
• The easy call-to-action was received positively by the
audience, which increased results.
25. United Methodist News Service
Read Full Article
http://www.imaginenomalaria.org/2012/04/26/gc2012-a-focus-on-world-
malaria-day/
26. Budget
Two hundred dollars a year were invested in
buying the keyword SWAT. United Methodist
Communications, INM’s supporting agency,
utilized its existing mobile platform in an
innovative way and invested dollars to promote
the campaign.
27. Compliance and Best Practices
• United Methodist Communications ensured respectful use
of the mobile medium.
• A two-step process was implemented for subscribers to
complete the signature. Contact information was only
added to INM’s database after they submitted the second
time.
• Subscribers were given the option to provide email
addresses (and many did!), providing another way to
interact post-campaign.
• TxtSTOP to end. Msg & Data Rates May Apply accompany
the message.
• Messaging to subscribers is in compliance with MMA
guidelines. To avoid spamming, post-campaign
communication remains relevant and only used when
necessary.
28. Overall Results
Advocacy (SMS campaign)
Text SWAT: 520 unique completed signatures (20% of target)
Awareness
Booth Traffic – approx. 5,000 different visitors
Point reach – More than 600,000 impressions
Social Media – at least 89,000 posts (Facebook & Twitter)
Website – 8,600 unique visits (4/24-5/4) covering 71 countries
(16 in Africa)
Fundraising (not a stated goal)
Text MALARIA $1,190
General Conference Worship Offering $15,000
29. Imagine No Malaria
Showcases Success
Read Full Article
http://www.imaginenomalaria.org/2012/04/25/imagine-no-malaria-showcases-success/
30. Petition Results
The results of petition support made its way to the
United States Senate. On July 11, 2012 the U.S.
Senate agreed to a new resolution supporting the
goals and ideals of World Malaria Day, including the
target of ending malaria deaths by 2015.
Read the full story here.
http://www.imaginenomalaria.org/2012/07/11/u-
s-senate-passes-malaria-resolution/
