Frankfurt - For an extraordinary ‘Help the Oma’ recruiting campaign for charitable body Diakonie, Saatchi & Saatchi sent three old ladies out on to Frankfurt's streets. These very special "Promotion Girls" are granny Maria*, 82 years, granny Charlotte* aged 86 and granny Klara*, who is 89 years old.
This initiative tested how helpful Frankfurt's citizens are and raised awareness for voluntary work done by Frankfurt's Diakonie. A special website (www.help-the-oma.de) was also set up to introduce the grannies, as well as salute the people who helped them, and further explain the campaign.
"We are recruiting in places where older people often need help: in everyday life. People who offer a hand here are perfectly suitable for voluntary work at the Diakonie," Burkhart von Scheven, Chief Creative Officer Saatchi & Saatchi Germany, explains the idea behind the campaign. "The 'help for the Oma' depicts only a small part of the Diakonie's work, but it illustrates what all volunteers have in common: the love for people and their desire to help others."
The Diakonie-grannies walked through the centre of Frankfurt, just as in their everyday lives, and got into situations in which they needed help because of their age: crossing a street, carrying a shopping bag or using a ticket machine. If people helped the grannies, they were thanked with a flyer that said "We are looking for people just like you!" and which referred them to the website www.help-the-oma.de
On the website, there is not only detailed information on voluntary work at the Diakonie, but also more about the protagonists and their stories, as well as photos and video footage of the campaign.
The head of the Diakonie Frankfurt, pastor Dr. Michael Frase, points out that voluntary work is priceless and an integral part of some the institutions' work. "The Diakonie Frankfurt offers voluntary workers of all age groups interesting possibilities. In some fields, with the work comes education and qualification that widens one's horizon, and strengthens and develops personal abilities. Voluntary commitment at the Diakonie Frankfurt gives people the chance to experience encounters and to get in touch with people, whom they wouldn't have met otherwise."
At the "Diakonisches Werk für Frankfurt am Main" more than 300 regular staff, as well as 400 volunteers work for more than 50 institutions. Voluntary work is an indispensable addition to the full-time work and has a long tradition at the Diakonie. As part of the "Evangelical Regional Association" the Diakonie provides versatile social work and also offers counselling.
Saatchi & Saatchi Germany has worked for the Diakonie Frankfurt since 2007. This commitment is part of the strategic focus of the Lovemarks Company. As a part of this cooperation, different projects have already been realized. Among others the TV-Spot "Santa" was produced for the "Centre for homeless" (Christmas 2008), as well as the film project "Woman in the mirror" (Fall 2009) and the provocative campaign "Do you see me now?", which got a Social EFFIE Shortlist nomination and several creative awards.
*Granny Maria, played by Susanne Staussberg, was climbing three thousand meter peaks but today she has problems getting up a small embankment
*Granny Charlotte, played by Hildergard Schuster, was a passionate piano player but has problems opening a marmalade jar today.
*Granny Klara, played by Elisabeth Pieper, was a dancer at the Metropolitan opera and has problems keeping up with the speed and hecticness of modern life