LONDON, UK — Unbelievable statistics about maternal death rates and poor outcomes for pregnant women of color in the UK are highlighted in a new campaign for the women’s health charity Sister Circle, created by creative agency Droga5 London.
In fact, the statistics are so outlandish that Droga5 decided to release the campaign on April Fool’s Day, traditionally devoted to bogus news.
In a series of OOH executions running across London, #NotAprilFools highlights that:
- UK maternal death rates are the highest they’ve been in 20 years
- One in four mothers develop a mental health problem after pregnancy or childbirth – but they can wait up to 19 months to receive professional support
- Black women are four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women
- Women living in deprived areas are twice as likely to die in childbirth
Ocean Media and Jack London have donated space for the campaign at sites including Canary Wharf, Westfield, and Leicester Square. The campaign will also appear on social media thanks to Sister Circle’s network of influencers.
Sister Circle is led by women and is based in the London borough of Tower Hamlets. It supports women in challenging circumstances, offering a range of services, including support for new mothers, survivors of female genital cutting, and those who are escaping domestic abuse or trafficking.
Droga5 London, part of Accenture Song, was also behind Sister Circle’s rebrand last year. It had previously been known as Women’s Health & Family Services.
Karen Wint, CEO of Sister Circle, said, “We are so very grateful to the incredible Droga5 team for creating this important campaign #NotAprilFools. Women’s health has been hugely underfunded for so many years, and the impact of this on women’s lives can be seen through the creative approach. Our partnership is vital in helping us to increase awareness of the issues facing ethnic minority women and to advance our work by encouraging women to volunteer with us and raise those ever-important pounds to fund our work.”
Shelley Smoler, Chief Creative Officer at Droga5 London, commented, “As huge advocates of our charity client, Sister Circle, our mission is to help them make these hard-hitting facts about women in the UK as bogus as the others that we’re confronted with on April Fools.”
CREDITS
Client: Sister Circle
Karen Wint, CEO of Sister Circle
Agency: Droga5 London
Chief Creative Officer: Shelley Smoler
Creative: Florence Russell, Alex Robson
Chief Strategy Officer: Damien le Castrec
Senior Strategist: Eloise Sykes
Strategist: Liv Cornibert
Head of Design: Stephanie McArdle
Designer: Hannah Stewart, Paul Callaby
New Business Director: Georgie Deering
Account Director: Kirsty Duncanson
