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Expanding mainstream traction for economic rights.

We partnered with the Center for Economic and Social Rights on a social media experiment to grow support beyond the usual echo chamber.

Client
Center for Economic and Social Rights (CESR)
Timeline
2 months
Outcome
33% more mainstream engagement

Campaign videoThe new video we made for CESR

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The challenge

Good work, stuck in the echo chamber.

  1. 01

    Low brand differentiation

    CESR’s messaging closely resembled that of many other NGOs, so it wasn’t cutting through the noise.

  2. 02

    Algorithmic limitation

    The message wasn’t getting beyond an echo chamber of people who already agreed.

  3. 03

    Minimal social impact

    With engagement mostly confined to existing followers, CESR struggled to shape the wider conversation and drive the change it wants to see.

The process

How we found the mainstream.

01 / 03
01Process

Audience mapping

  • We used open-source polling and trends data to map the largest persuadable audience, not just the audience that was already engaged.
  • We looked at cultural affinity, digital behaviour, values and current interests, not demographics alone.
STEP 01 / 03
01
AUDIENCE MAPPING
02Process

Positioning

  • We analysed the pro-rights landscape: competitors’ messages, current audience perceptions and barriers to engagement.
  • We developed a fresh position and tone to energise a new audience with the idea that CESR is creating the change they need.
STEP 02 / 03
02
POSITIONING
03Process

Targeting innovation

  • We turned off targeting automation and AI optimisation for the new videos, and left them on for the original.
  • We built two new target audiences from our map of the persuadable mainstream: people who could be with us, but are less engaged, so platforms don’t serve them NGO messages.
STEP 03 / 03
03
TARGETING INNOVATION
Strategy

New messages for a disengaged mainstream.

We redesigned the messaging strategy to win interest from people who weren’t paying attention yet.

  • We connected with people’s amazement at the pace of tech change, and contrasted it with the slower pace of social change.
  • We designed the message for digital: shorter, punchier and with a clear hook, without changing the core message.
  • We linked CESR’s mission to everyone’s first priority: their kids.

BeforeCESR’s original video

2:30
CESR’s original video

AfterThe new video we made

0:35
The new campaign video
Driving impact with data

We tested old against new, with both audiences.

  • We tested CESR’s original video against our new videos, with both the existing audience and the new audiences we mapped.
  • We compared the cost per engagement of each video with each audience.
  • We then optimised spend towards the most effective audience and message combinations.
Results

What changed.

  • R-01Mainstream
    33%

    more mainstream engagement

  • R-02Echo chamber
    =

    equal echo chamber engagement

  • R-03Budget
    0%

    increase in media spend

Why it matters

More reach, same base, same budget.

  1. 01

    Reduce polarisation, increase consensus

    The results show it’s possible to expand mainstream engagement with pro-rights content and ideas by up to 33%.

  2. 02

    Keep the base onside

    Equal cost per engagement with the echo chamber shows we can grow into the mainstream without losing existing supporters.

  3. 03

    Better cost effectiveness

    That means more social impact and a bigger potential donor pool, with no extra spend on distribution.

Next case study42% more mainstream engagement for UN Human Rights.Read the case study →

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