Why is this work relevant for Entertainment?

In August 2020, the United Nations told an animated tale with a tragic ending to all Chinese students to shed light upon the 2030 global agenda facing us all. Leveraging the one-billion-user WeChat platform for promotion, the short film called for Chinese youth to engage in dialogue on the future. Thanks to Tencent’s efforts in maximizing the PR resources, the initiative was elevated to state media. The support and acknowledgement from the government brought it further into the limelight and sparked hot discussion among youth.

Background

In 2020, as the global pandemic held the world firmly in its grip, international relations came under mounting pressure. In the midst of such crisis, the United Nations called for collective actions worldwide, in particular among youth, to focus on the world’s development issues facing us all. In this context, the UN has entered into a strategic partnership with Tencent. Throughout Tencent’s online platforms with over a billion connected users, the UN aimed to reach out to Chinese youth, raising their awareness and sparking discussion on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the coming decade.

Describe the creative idea

Through means of creative communication, we aim to speak to the public using sweet and touching storytelling to illustrate the importance of environmental protection, a task widely seen by many as one of the priorities under SDGs. The story unfolds with the trusting friendship between the Whale and the Penguin, a character inspired by Tencent’s brand mascot. As the unexpected turn comes at the end, however, it invites viewers to give environmental issues a rethink, while expertly embedding the brand image of Tencent. Though at a loss, viewers would also find it a thought-provoking story. We then launched the subsequent youth dialogue event across various platforms, where young minds were encouraged to join for discussion. These activities called for youth to think creatively to make a difference in future. “How to deliver SDGs with better actions in the next decade?”

Describe the strategy

Through means of creative communication, we aim to speak to the public using sweet and touching storytelling to illustrate the importance of environmental protection, a task widely seen by many as one of the priorities under SDGs. The story unfolds with the trusting friendship between the Whale and the Penguin, a character inspired by Tencent’s brand mascot. As the unexpected turn comes at the end, however, it invites viewers to give environmental issues a rethink, while expertly embedding the brand image of Tencent. Though at a loss, viewers would also find it a thought-provoking story. We then launched the subsequent youth dialogue event across various platforms, where young minds were encouraged to join for discussion. These activities called for youth to think creatively to make a difference in future. “How to deliver SDGs with better actions in the next decade?

Describe the execution

The short film generated much attention and discussion following its release on WeChat. During this time, we initiated the dialogue event through our online meeting platform to encourage young participants to make their own proposals. The event, also known as “Chinese Youth Dialogue on the Future”, culminated when Youth Representatives engaged with 11 UN Representatives in live dialogue sessions. In order to reach out for wider audiences, the event was also live-streamed and had in total 13 million viewers following. It successfully added the voices of Chinese youth to the 2030 Agenda for SGDs during the pandemic.

Describe the outcome

The short film totaled 40 million+ online views, and was recommended by the UN on the front page of its official site. Thanks to its promotion, over 700,000 young participants signed up for the “Chinese Youth Dialogue on the Future”. The film was also chosen as one of September’s global top 5 by Adforum, a leading site in the creative industry.