Ronald McDonald House's interactive outdoor advertising multiplied donations
Ronald McDonald House's interactive outdoor advertising multiplied donations
During Children’s Rights Week, Ronald McDonald House ran a moving outdoor advertising campaign highlighting the importance of family presence in the life of a hospitalized child. The campaign was a successful example of how technology, visual simplicity, and an emotional message can be combined to create a powerful impact.
Client: Ronald McDonald House
Main message of the campaign: To highlight the importance of parental presence for the child, especially in hospital
Target group: Parents
Advertising space: Shopping Digital
Campaign date: November 2024
"Nowhere else does a child need their family as much as in a hospital," says Johanna Huhtariihi of the Ronald McDonald Children’s House Foundation.
The creative concept was developed by Dentsu Creative for Ronald McDonald House, a home-like accommodation for families with seriously ill children receiving treatment at the New Children’s Hospital in Helsinki.
Interactive special production stopped viewers in their tracks – activation rates more than doubled
Digital outdoor advertising provided the ideal platform to achieve the campaign’s objectives. The interactive screen first showed a sad child, inviting passersby to come closer. As they approached, the child’s expression turned into a smile, accompanied by the message: “Being close makes a big difference.”
"The interactive display reacted as naturally as possible to the approaching viewer, which made the experience even more powerful," says Jarmo Juhala, Project Director at Dentsu.
The results proved the effectiveness of interactive advertising: the interactive display was activated 2.17 times more often during the campaign week compared to the weekly average.
Donations were 3.7 times higher than average during the campaign week
The QR code in the ad allowed viewers to donate directly to support Ronald McDonald House. The strong emotional appeal, paired with a simple call to action, encouraged the public to contribute.
"The attention value increases when the ad literally stops the viewer in their tracks and provokes a reaction," explains Johanna Huhtariihi.
The campaign’s technical and visual execution was made possible with partners such as Inuits, responsible for the interactive technology, and Tonto Helsinki, responsible for the image production. The campaign was presented in Kamppi Shopping Centre and Mall of Tripla, where it reached a larger audience than expected.
Positive feedback and meaningful debate
The campaign generated a wave of positive attention, both on social media and through direct feedback to the Foundation.
"The feedback has carried the message of the ad further and highlighted the creative idea’s relevance to our work," says Johanna Huhtariihi.
"We have received a lot of attention and feedback. It has been a great success in terms of both conveying an important message and providing a memorable user experience," adds Jarmo Juhala.
The campaign clearly demonstrated the important role outdoor advertising can play — not only in attracting attention, but also in sparking emotions, stimulating debate, and advancing meaningful causes.