MILLION FOR DRONES

Yaroslav Vedmid - Strategist Olga Mykhalets - Creative Producer Igor Bondarenko - Composer Ilya Rieznikov - Videographer Yegor Kadomtsev - Editor Iryna Pavlova - Art Director Postmen Kids - Performers

BACKGROUND For the second consecutive year, Ukraine marked Christmas amidst ongoing war. This war deprives children of a normal Christmas experience, as constant missile attacks disrupt festivities and instill fear. Instead of joyous celebrations, children find themselves seeking refuge in shelters, surrounded by the grim reality of violence.  The Ukrainian Armed Forces continue to sacrifice lives in defense of their people and territories, highlighting the critical need for ongoing support, particularly in terms of equipment. INSIGHT Donating has become a common practice among Ukrainians, driven by the shared desire to aid the army and bring victory. Recognizing that Christmas is a time for presents and carolling, we saw an opportunity to channel the festive spirit into something more meaningful.  IDEA We came up with an ambitious idea to raise one million UAH during the Christmas period to buy drones for the Armed Forces. To achieve this we created a new carol “Million for Drones” that urges people to donate money instead of spending on gifts.  EXECUTION The carol is performed by children as they symbolize hope and the future of Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of supporting the Armed Forces for their safety. Famous Ukrainian musicians Oleksandr Polozhynskyi, now also a serviceman, and singer Ivan Marunych, volunteered to help. The song was written and performed by kids with a main message that the best Christmas present is a donation. The lyrics included kids saying “we don’t need a new toy, donate this money to the Armed Forces, because we need a victory”. It was released on main music platforms, such as Apple Music, Youtube Music, Spotify etc and on the radio. Kids also drew illustrations for the song cover and for a sticker pack. The music video was promoted on national TV and online. We put a QR-code into the video and all visual materials. We organised a flash mob, where Ukrainian kids went carolling with a traditional Christmas Star, but this year instead of accepting money as a reward they asked to donate to the Million for Drones fundraiser, using a QR-code located on the Christmas Star. RESULTS  The carol became viral in social media and on the radio, with music video streaming on TV and helped to raise a million UAH in 10 days. 50 FPV drones were purchased and sent to the frontline.  Moreover, the donations kept coming and by April the second million of UAH was raised, allowing to buy 50 more drones for the Armed Forces.