Moiz Khan
Associate Creative Director at Impact BBDO
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Title#Changetheclap
Agency
Campaign #Changetheclap
Advertiser Asia Pacific Transgender Network
Brand Asia Pacific Transgender Network
Date of First Broadcast/Publication 2017 / 9
Business Sector Racial/Ethnic/Minority/Disability Awareness
Philosophy The campaign is backed by a powerful local insight associated with transgender people specifically in the subcontinent: the clap. This unique form of clapping, in which one spread-out hand is struck against the other palm to palm, is used frequently to degrade, mock and insult the transgender community.
The idea was to challenge a transphobic mind-set in the country by using the same hands – and transform the clapping action from one of ridicule to one of applause, respect and inclusion.
Transgender people in accomplished roles such as Pakistan’s first transgender model Kami Sid, asked people to #ChangeTheClap. From clapping AT transgender people to clapping FOR them, the campaign depicted how a simple shift in a gesture was powerful enough to transform entire mindsets. A change that is instrumental to empowering the community and giving them an equal standing in society.
An online film was launched on International Human Rights Day highlighting the need for a shift in mind-set. For the first time ever, instead of being reduced to lesser humans, accomplished transgender persons like Kami Sid and Neeli Rana were featured in high-achieving roles. The film concluded with a simple call to action: #ChangeTheClap.
People from 26 countries joined the movement, changing their clap from one of ridicule to one of applause. The world’s first transgender bot was also launched to clear misconceptions about transgender persons.
On-ground, posters were put up in public spaces and universities inviting people to #ChangeTheClap and a children’s book was distributed to create a shift in mind-set at an early age. The message was so powerful that it resulted into a movement as people across Pakistan raised their ‘claps’ on the issue leading up to the first of its kind, the world’s first clapping protest.
The campaign was an instant success as the film went viral in the subcontinent, spreading rapidly out to 26 different countries worldwide. With a $0 media budget, the campaign generated an organic reach of 15.5 million and over 20K shares. Total campaign views amounted to 3 million organically, while impressions were clocked at over half a billion.
Audiences participated in the movement by sharing videos of the change in their clap, as they celebrated transgender communities worldwide. The campaign became the catalyst for a societal movement in Pakistan which led a senate committee to approve the Transgender person (protection of rights) bill, giving transgender people full legal protection.
Most astonishingly, for the first time in Pakistan, the Centre for Islamic Ideology claimed ridicule against transgender people as un-Islamic.
In a first-of-its-kind, an integrated campaign for transgender rights changed ridicule into applause for transgender people with a simple shift in gesture.
Starting with an online film delivering a powerful message to #ChangeTheClap of mockery to a clap of applause using the same hands, set in motion a movement that became the catalyst for societal change.
User generated content from different countries poured in with people posting videos in support of the campaign. Aside from press, posters, and social media, the world's first trans-bot was also launched to directly interact with people and discuss popular misconceptions about transgender persons.
The strategy was to target the masses who only perceived transgender people in reduced roles, such as beggars or prostitutes or lesser humans and fight transphobia at every level.
Inspired by a simple change in gesture which highlighted and celebrated transgender persons in accomplished roles, the campaign involved the community, created an uproar around the issue, and started a conversation that reached policymakers in government.
Successfully leveraging the power of social media to drive social change, from online media, to offline channels, the campaign started a movement across multiple platforms.
This was the first time in Pakistan that real transgender people were shown in prominent-high achieving capacities instead of being restricted by how the society views them in weaker roles.
Media Type Web Film
Length
Media
PR
Production
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