Get Safe Online Increases Cybersecurity Awareness in The Caribbean

 

Get Safe Online, a UK-based non-profit organization, commissioned ODEM Group of Companies Limited to launch a multi-level PR campaign in 12 Caribbean countries. The campaign's main aim was to create awareness for internet safety and drive traffic to 12 Cybersecurity websites created by Get Safe Online.

 

TARGET AUDIENCE:

- Children - 8 to 16

- Young People – 18 to 29

- Adults - 30 to 59

- The Elderly - over age 60

 

OBJECTIVES:

- CREATE awareness for Get Safe Online in Commonwealth countries

- ATTRACT attention so the target market can become more sensitive to scams online

- PROMOTE "scam literacy" programmes across target segment

- IMPROVE consumer knowledge and consumer behaviour concerning Cybersecurity

- PRESENT Cybersecurity as a nationwide concern

- POSITION Get Safe Online as a resource in target countries

 

Throughout April 2019 – March 2020, ODEM provided support in marketing development, and two (2) primary campaigns were produced, along with a third mini-campaign for February:

1. "hello_POTENTIAL VICTIM" – positioned to create awareness and attract attention as the first campaign

2. "GET SMART, GET SAFE" - positioned to educate and present tips

3. "DON'T FALL FOR A SCAMMER – positioned to present a romance fraud scenario and curtail an action

 

ODEM Creative Media spent the budget on billboards/out-of-home (OOH) advertising, radio, print, digital media, and direct marketing throughout the campaign. Newspaper print was used mainly at the campaign's launch, with free press releases and paid teaser Ads used to build awareness. 

Magazine Ads through Caribbean Beat were very effective in targeting over 80% of the campaign countries through one medium. Direct Marketing through outreach and flyer/poster placements in schools, churches, and other public spaces, including flyer distribution at workshops, contributed to direct traffic to the website.  

 

Digital Marketing was a crucial aspect of communication and relationship building with the target market and provided an opportunity for interaction and measurement of the success of the promotional messages. Digital Media platforms included Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. 

Strategies employed were Facebook post boosts, Email Marketing, Google Display, Search Ads, SEO/SEM, video advertising, tagging, and sharing content with interest groups. Efforts were primarily focused on Facebook as the platform that gave digital synergy to the overall campaign and countries and spearheaded the "traffic push" to the websites. Next efforts were focused on online advertising, primarily SEO and SEM, through a combination of organic traffic and paid advertising on networks including Google display and Search Ads.

 

PROJECT OUTCOME AND RESULTS: 2019 – 2020 

At the end of the project, the campaign reached 1.4 million total page views on the websites with 579,000 users. The campaign's video views of animations were over 35,000 on social media, with content likes over 9,000. These results demonstrate that the campaign was impactful in spreading the importance of internet safety among the target market. 

Based on the campaign work in the Caribbean

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YEAR 2

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Based on the success of the 2019 - 2020 Campaign, the company was able to secure funding for 2020-2021. The campaign ran for ten months in 12 countries, i.e., Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Jamaica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, St. Lucia, Trinidad & Tobago. ODEM Creative Media Limited used Digital Media strategies to accomplish campaign goals as part of the campaign plans.  The theme for the campaign was Live Safe Online, along with the tagline, It's Your Space, Protect It!

 

Rationale For The campaign:

1. The recent global pandemic (COVID-19) has made it even more critical for people to be vigilant online.  

2. The pandemic has influenced the way people interact offline. It has created alternate lifestyles and activities centered around new digital habits and, in some sense, creating new virtual living spaces that can make individuals more vulnerable to fraudsters. 

3. "Online" is becoming a way of life, and safety on the internet should be given the same level of attention as physical spaces, i.e., homes and workplaces.

4. Since "Online" is now a "shared" living space, the idea behind the campaign is to create scenarios that answer how to "Live Safe Online" while at home, school, workplaces when doing everyday activities online. It's a play on words since so much time is spent online.

 

DYNAMICS OF CAMPAIGN:  The campaign was heavily focused on digital media and partnering with companies online to share content.

 

ODEM Creative Media used Facebook to accomplish goals in four (4) broad areas

1. Brand Ambassador/Trainer Campaign:  A specific campaign to attract Brand Ambassadors for Get Safe Online in all Caribbean Countries. Support for Cyber Heroes competition and Global 24 Event

2. Advertising and Boosted Posts:  Targeted advertising to the 12 country websites to drive traffic to each one while growing the Get Safe Online Facebook page. ODEM also used boosted posts and geotargeting Ads.

3. Live and Recorded Clips:  For the duration of the campaign, videos were uploaded from select countries with a feature on ambassadors and influencers  

4. Pre-recorded Videos (Online Webinars and Offline Workshops)/Animated Videos: Edited videos from training sessions were re-shared, and ODEM Creative Media also developed seven animated videos. Videos were boosted to increase viewership. 

 

Instagram was used for networking. Re-sharing Facebook posts and enhancing overall the digital media campaign. Stories from regional partners aligned to Get Safe Online goals were reposted and highlighted. Webinars and other offline events were promoted.

 

Youtube was used for sharing animated videos. It also worked in combination with Facebook campaigns in conjunction with Google advertising.

 

It was an unprecedented time for the Get Safe Online campaign. The COVID pandemic demonstrated the importance of internet safety, and ODEM Creative Media found new ways to reach the target markets. The webinars were an effective means of communication and were adapted online to replace in-person workshops. Webinars also offered the opportunity to directly educate the target audience, making it one of the mediums that aligned best with Get Safe Online's relevance and goals.  

 

PROJECT OUTCOME AND RESULTS 2020 - 2021

Radio reached 746,234 listeners across the Caribbean. ODEM utilized News Source in Guyana to share the campaign messages with their 180,000 subscribers. News Source collaborated with HJTV 72 to get the campaign message to 400,000 Homes and 30,000 viewership daily, with a rebroadcast via Youtube/Facebook. In Jamaica, the use of TVJ exposed 901,600 viewers to the campaign. Three webinars were held as part of the campaign, "Phishing In The Caribbean," "Safe Online Learning," and "Risk-Free Remittances," and 261 persons attended. Odem Supported Get Safe Online's 24 hours Cybersecurity activity. Facebook on October 14th – October 15th, 2020. The aim was to feature Cybersecurity training, teaching, or webinar events. The results were 24,579 video impressions and 19,024 post reach. Traffic to the Get Safe Online Caribbean websites was 488,000 in 10 months, and Video Views on social media amounted to 83,162. A very successful strategy used was leveraging partners and stakeholders to share Get safe Online content on Facebook, Newsletters, or Websites. ODEM Creative Media partnered with 21 Radio and TV Stations Online to reach 438,136 persons through re-shares. Sixty companies, a combination of High Commissions, Government Ministries, and Educational Institutions assisted in reaching 310,438, and 36 Credit Unions and Banks in the Caribbean succeeded in getting Get Safe Online's message to 217,415 of their members.