The most important call

Not Perfect Vilnius - concept 15 min group - concept

THE MOST IMPORTANT CALL Call Russia has been recognized as a model for countering disinformation. Its success was recognized by the European Council and representatives of various governments and NGOs who have consulted Call Russia on countering disinformation and implementing similar communications principles in their own work. In just 4 weeks, Call Russia became one of the largest and most impactful civic movements against the war. With very little budget and no pre-existing platform or infrastructure, it united volunteers from around the globe to cut through Putin’s information blockades to tell millions of Russians the truth and empower them to stand against the war. Background As much as 80% of the Russian population supports war in Ukraine. Anyone who may be against the war in Russia despite the propaganda faces the threat of draconian punishment for any criticism of the regime. People are afraid of their fellow citizens and feel disempowered to protest. Creating a safe space for discussion and informing Russians that they can break through this fear campaign are critical in any attempt to stop Putin. Knowing that Putin would accelerate his efforts to cut off all potential sources of truth, including independent news on social media, Call Russia turned to one channel Putin would be hard-pressed to remove: telephone calls. The initiative’s success depended on a massive global media launch, in multiple markets and languages, with the aim of earning widespread coverage that could connect on an emotional level strong enough to motivate Russian speakers to make important calls of their lives. Creative idea The creative idea was simple: one phone call won’t end the war, but 40 million might. The Russian people themselves, armed with the truth, had the power to stand against Putin. Execution, however, was immensely complicated. For Call Russia to work, Russian-speaking volunteers need to invest significant time and emotional effort into a seemingly impossible task. Early volunteers said it would be much easier to donate money than to make these draining calls. Our compelling assets and authentic voice rallied volunteers and supporters around the word to make “the most important call of your life,” and we set an ambitious goal with the 40 million phone numbers in our database, even though it is difficult to reach. Call Russia volunteers and supporters know that, like the war, the scope of the challenge is immense, but every conversation matters. The execution Preparation began with Call Russia’s cutting-edge, bilingual web platform and moving video anthem, complemented by an attention-grabbing press release to be distributed via PR Newswire and personally tailored pitches for top media targets. From the beginning, we put together a team of psychologists to develop conversation guidelines, which were constantly tested and updated to reflect best practice. The official magazine of the American Psychological Association Monitor on Psychology has cited Call Russia as the best example of how to speak with Russians. High-priority media had access to organizers and volunteers while the release and website were embargoed, followed by a globally coordinated launch. Top-tier coverage appeared nearly at once in global media and markets with the large Russian diaspora (e.g., U.S., UK, Lithuania, and Poland). A 24/7 virtual press room triaged inquiries and secured additional print, broadcast, and audio coverage (e.g., the popular BBC Ukrainecast and NPR’s This American Life). Outcome / results Call Russia has been recognized as a model for countering disinformation, featured in 800+ top tier articles from CNN, BBC, CBS News, Reuters, Agence France-Presse, and others, reaching an audience of 1.7+ billion. The initiative’s entirely organic Twitter presence reinforced earned media and far exceeded results of massively funded campaigns. Influential figures who shared Call Russia’s moving video anthem and call to action include Richard Branson and former International Space Station commander Scott Kelly. Call Russia’s most important contribution is the more than 130,000 calls made from more than 130 countries in just four weeks. Nearly half these conversations have been positive, showing significant progress in advancing the one thing Putin fears most - putting the truth in the hands of the Russian people.