Mumbai: Gozoop, one of India’s leading digital-first integrated communications companies, through its do-good ecosystem, 1SmallStep Foundation, launched D to urge Indians to not let their guard down when India reopened after the COVID-19 lockdown.
The campaign that started in the slums of Dharavi and Banganga in Mumbai, took nationwide scale when it launched the multilingual “#DontBeACarelessKhajur Rap Song” featuring multiple rap artists. The song cautioned people against letting their guard down in lieu of the rising COVID cases in 6 languages – Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Malayalam, English&Hrangkhawl.
To drive the message further, Gozoop& 1SmallStep worked at the grass-root level in collaboration with the State Police, the Slum Task Force, local slum authorities, and various non-profits. Having understood on-ground behavior, the campaign entrusted children and women of the slums to become advocates of the #DontBeACarelessKhajur drive.
More than 1,000 children participated in the campaign and created artworks on the theme of #DontBeACarelessKhajur to convey the message in their local communities. These artworks were showcased in various key areas of their localities and were also leveraged by various police and local authorities. Featured in Godrej’s Corona Quilt Project, these artworks will also be gifted to various COVID volunteers.
As part of the campaign, the women of the slums were employed to manufacture masks. This not only provided the families with financial support but also subliminally furthered awareness of the need for hygiene and caution. More than 35,000 reusable double-ply cotton masks have been manufactured so far under the brand “DoGood” Masks. These masks were distributed to various other slums and villages with the message of #DontBeACarelssKhajur. The initiative is ongoing, and the message is still prevalent considering the chances of the second wave in select states.
Commenting on the campaign Amyn Ghadiali, VP – Business & Strategy, Gozoop said, “Our approach for this entire campaign was to ensure that there is breakaway from the usual message of precaution as we realized that there is caution fatigue that has set in. To ensure that the campaign is effective in delivering the message across touchpoints, women and children acted as local influencers in slums as reaching them via other mediums was tough. Our 1SmallStep created 1BigImpact, and it is heartening to see that as a marketer and Indian”
Dimple Shah from 1SmallStep Foundation said, “The women and the children were the perfect advocates for the message in the slums considering the prevailing socio-economic issues. As a woman and as a mother, it is also heartening for me to see them get a voice for such an important issue and such an important campaign”.
The campaign has organically generated over 3 million views, an estimated impression of over 12 million, 12000+ shares, and personalities such as Boman Irani, RJ Malishka, Atul Suri, Kajal Aggarwal, and Johnny Lever naturally joined the movement and spread the message by sharing the rap song on their social profiles.
The Most important impact however has been that it has helped the slums of Mumbai, which were considered COVID hotspots, be more resilient.
