Mosquitoes

Background

EMSI is a medical centre committed to the development of health programmes in third world countries. This year, their main attention is focused on the Burkina Faso Project 2007, whose objective is to get funding to buy mosquito nets and eliminate malaria. The aim of the campaign was to raise awareness of, as well as funds for, EMSI's work at Burkina Faso.

Idea

Tiempo BBDO created an email campaign intended to make recipients aware of the impossible fight against malaria-transmitting mosquitoes. The email is covered in mosquitoes along with the instruction: 'Try to eliminate all the mosquitoes you can'. As the recipient rolls their mouse over them, the mosquitoes vanish, but no sooner are they gone than they reappear - demonstrating how difficult it is to eradicate mosquitoes. The bottom of the email outlines what the project is trying to do, with the help of the recipient, and includes EMSI's contact details. See the email here: http://www.tiempobbdo.com/press/cast/burkina/

Results

The email achieved a 10% response rate as well as a useful viral effect.

Our Thoughts

A simple e-mail with a simple message, yet managing to be utterly compulsive. 99% of computer users would have seen this sort of trick before, but it’s relevance to the cause and lo-fi execution make it all the more memorable.