Digital Launch of UNITLIFE

A. Background

The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. Created in February 2020, UNITLIFE is a new initiative of UNCDF exclusively dedicated to fighting chronic malnutrition.

The first 1,000 days of a child’s life (through a women’s pregnancy and until the child’s second birthday) represent a critical period of growth and development. The rapid growth of their bodies and brains requires essential nutrients including protein, vitamins, and minerals. Children who do not receive the nutrients they need during this key development stage suffer from chronic malnutrition. The consequences of chronic malnutrition – a stunted growth, impaired brain development, and a weakened immune system - are largely irreversible, preventing children from reaching their full potential.

Today, 1 in 5 children worldwide are chronically malnourished. Compared with their peers, they will battle to do well in school and will on average earn 20% less income as adults. In addition to the human tragedy, chronic malnutrition is an enormous obstacle to countries’ economic development. In Africa, where chronic malnutrition affects 1 in every 3 children, the cost of undernutrition is estimated at up to 16% of GDP in some countries.

Despite affecting 144 million children worldwide, chronic malnutrition remains little known, and underfinanced. As part of its mandate, UNITLIFE aims to raise awareness about this disease and initiate a global citizen solidarity. UNITLIFE ambitions to launch a digital campaign, with an emphasis on the following geographical areas: France and Western Europe.

Consequently, UNITLIFE is looking for a creative agency that will not only create a tailored and innovative concept, but also develop various elements of the campaign (images, videos, graphics, etc.) and deploy them.

With a well-created and implemented digital campaign, UNITLIFE can fulfill its ambition to create a buzz and get a media coverage worldwide. As a result, both UNITLIFE and chronic malnutrition will gain in visibility, understanding and interest.

B. Objectives of the digital campaign

1. Create awareness about chronic malnutrition and its consequences

2. Position UNITLIFE as an avantgarde startup UN initiative dedicated to fighting chronic malnutrition

C. Scope of work

1. Concept Development: Create an innovative and unique campaign concept that carries one central construct/slogan to ensure that the campaign can cut through the many messages in the marketplace and make the messaging itself more effective. The concept shall differentiate UNITLIFE from the other UN entities as it is an avantgarde startup UN initiative.

2. Campaign Messaging: Conduct quantitative and/or qualitative testing in markets to use the learning and your expertise to craft both top line and localized messages that can’t be ignored and that will convene people.

3. Visual Content Development: Based on UNITLIFE’s brand, create visuals for the campaign and develop PSAs, including conceptualizing and then creating content that will help raise awareness about chronic malnutrition and UNITLIFE.

4. Campaign Implementation: Develop a campaign’s calendar and support UNITLIFE in the implementation and reach of the campaign, through developing a press and social media strategies.

The campaign is expected to be digital only, unique and energizing that inspires and engages as many people as possible and that can be deployed in both English and French.

Despite the gravity of chronic malnutrition and its consequences, the campaign should not be all about miserabilism and poverty but rather the campaign should show the opportunities / importance of investing in / financing chronic malnutrition programs.

For UNITLIFE, it’s about saving the next generation, ensuring a more prosperous and healthier future can be reached for children. It’s also about empowering women and mothers, creating them an income so that they can lift their families and communities out of poverty. Finally, it’s about developing climate- smart and nutrition-sensitive agriculture.

The ideal campaign will be 2- to 3-month long and will build a sustainable constituency that UNITLIFE will be able to engage when needed for advocacy and fund-raising purposes.

In a nutshell, the campaign should be inspiring, unexpected, relevant, unifying, empowering and create an urge of global solidarity to fight chronic malnutrition.

To conclude, this campaign would be the first campaign launched by UNITLIFE in this market and it will shape communications actions in the way forward. Therefore, it will be created in very close collaboration with UNITLIFE’s Secretariat.