BATORY FOUNDATION AND INICJATYWA GŁOS KOBIET (WOMEN'S VOICE)

A few months before the parliamentary elections on October 15, 2023, less than half of young Polish women declared that they would participate in the vote. Most, although knowing the kind of Poland they want for themselves and their loved ones, had no intention of exercising their voting rights because they didn't believe their voices counted. This was the result of More in Common research conducted by the Make a Difference Research Institute during the pre-campaign period. The "It's Your choice" voter turnout campaign, initiated by the Batory Foundation and the Women's Voice Initiative—a group of social organizations working to protect and promote women's rights—was designed to convince women to actively participate in the upcoming elections, emphasizing the potency of their voices on issues fundamental to them. The campaign was conducted with the support of independent specialists working pro bono. OneMulti Agency was invited to the project to implement communication and PR activities. Our main goal was to promote the campaign in the media and indirectly lead young Polish women to polling stations. 

OBJECTIVES 

• Present the campaign to a wide audience, emphasizing its key elements 
• Identify media that will convey the message to women in the target group and ensure broad coverage 
• Diversify the audience—national newspapers, opinion magazines, so-called women's media, local, marketing, etc. 
• Increase awareness of the importance of parliamentary elections among women and underscore the significance of women's activism 
• Build credibility—the campaign is backed by a group of social organizations working for the protection and promotion of women's rights and the Batory Foundation, a longtime guardian of democracy 
• Appreciate the role of women in society and their power 
• Emphasize positive campaign messages aimed at activating and encouraging women to vote 
• Indirectly - achieve a high voter turnout 

ACTIONS   

• Develop, in collaboration with the client, a compelling press release based on insights from research and reports 
• Strategically use research from the pre-campaign period (May 2023) by the Make a Difference Research Institute (research on concepts and slogans) to develop fact-based and expert-driven communication 
• Position the organizers of the campaign as experts in media appearances 
• Support the organizers in creating Q&A 
• Develop Dos and Don'ts recommendations for speaking experts 
• Send a creative package to a selected group of opinion leaders 

In the course of project implementation, several challenges arose. Primarily, it was challenging to stand out among other voter turnout campaigns, especially those directed at women. PSMM Monitoring & More, in collaboration with Rocket Science Communications, prepared a report summarizing the media coverage of voter turnout campaigns aimed at women: "Women/Girls for Elections," "We Were Quiet Already," "I Support Women's Success," "It's Your Choice," "Women/Girls Have a Voice," and "I Vote. I Decide." During the analyzed period, from August 1 to October 4, 2023, there were nearly 20,000 pieces of information in the media on this topic.   

Despite the large number of coexisting campaigns and messages in the media space, we managed to gain recognition in the awareness of both key media and the general Polish public. This goal was achieved through a strategy focused on an educational aspect. We highlighted the Unique Selling Proposition (USP) of the "It's Your Choice" campaign against the backdrop of coexisting actions. We portrayed our campaign as:   

• A grassroots initiative by social organizations and a team of experienced specialists in consumer research, creative development, and media planning 
• A non-political but social action, conducted pro bono 
• We created a poignant and persuasive message capable of reaching young women, even those not planning to vote, and changing their attitudes 

Thanks to the undertaken actions, the PR campaign conducted by the OneMulti team achieved remarkable media results.   

RESULTS   

• 527 organically generated publications, with a total reach exceeding 18 million 
• National media outlets, major TV and radio stations, as well as regional media, covered the campaign 
• Verified AVE estimated at nearly PLN 5 million 
• Campaign experts, thanks to effective positioning, regularly appeared in key media, including major news programs on television 

The most significant outcome of the campaign is the voter turnout, which exceeded societal expectations. Over 74% of Poles at the polls is the best result in years, a record-breaking achievement. The previous record was set in the first round of parliamentary elections in 1989. Women played a significant role in this success, turning out in large numbers to cast their votes. Nearly 74% of women participated in the elections.   

During the gala summarizing the results of the "It's Your choice" voter turnout campaign, organized at the Batory Foundation, OneMulti Agency received thanks from the organizers and was honored with a diploma. Shortly after the conclusion of our activities, the project received the industry-respected "Game Changer" Special Award in the Event of the Year / Innovation 2023 category.