Industry-backed campaign ‘Right the Story’ raises $273,096 for Whitelion Youth

Whitelion Youth has released its first ever long-term platform ‘Right the Story’ as it ramps up efforts to address youth disadvantages. The campaign was coordinated by social purpose organisation UnLtd, with campaign creative and strategy developed by Ogilvy and supported with media inventory by Wavemaker, research by Kantar and fundraising platform support from My Cause.

 

The platform aims to distinguish Whitelion within a cluttered and struggling category. The lack of public support stems from misconceptions that continue to plague the sector, namely disadvantaged youth, who are often seen as victims of their own volition. In reality, most at-risk youth are survivors of familial abuse and neglect.

‘Right the Story’ looks to tackle this misconception head on, showcasing why they are worthy of community support, by utilising Australian’s much valued “underdog” trope.

Says Magdalena Tomislav, senior strategist, Ogilvy: “No matter the size of the challenge, no matter the precedence, Australians have always adamantly believed that everyone deserves a fair go. Unbeknownst to most, nobody personifies the fighter spirit more than disadvantaged youth. Tapping into this cultural affinity for the underdog was integral to breaking through the futile portrayal that currently dominates the category. And more importantly, reminding Australians that they have the power to shape the story of our youth.”

The launch coincides with the “double donations” initiative, No Home Address. Everyday Aussies were invited to join Whitelion in the fight to end homelessness simply by donating when prompted across participating brand homepages. Donations by the public were matched by corporate sponsors, allowing double the impact.

In the first week alone, the campaign raised over $270,000. With the money raised, Whitelion will launch initiatives such as ‘The Breakthrough Mentoring Program’, an 18-week scheme to link young individuals with mentors for vocational training, career development and employment opportunities.

Says Hang Vo, CEO, Whitelion: “Youth disadvantage stems from many avenues including homelessness, abuse survivors and those entangled in the judicial system. Mentoring programs such as ours are crucial to ending this vicious cycle and this financial support and brand awareness really makes a difference.

“It’s wonderful to see so many join us in the fight against homelessness and bring down barriers for youth at risk. I’d like to extend a huge thank you to the industry’s generosity. Thank you to the industry for supporting the campaign.”

Media partners include: ARN, CarSales, Daily Mail, Domain, InMobi, JCDecaux, Junkee, LadBible, NOVA, Network 10, Nine, News Corp, Nova, oOh! Media, Pedestrian, QMS, REA, SCA, Seven West Media, Snapchat, TLA, The Brag, TimeOut, Twitch, Val Morgan Digital, Yahoo, 10 Digital, 7 Digital and 9 Digital.