Burps Are the Sound of Success in Playful Ad for Charity World Vision Canada

For many people burps are gross, but not for kids. And not for World Vision Canada where a burp is the sound of a successful food delivery and one less child going hungry.

More than 45 million people are experiencing food insecurity, just shy of starvation. In partnership with the UN World Food Programme, World Vision Canada has been making a palpable difference in its efforts to eradicate childhood hunger, feeding 2.8 million people every year. Due to its efforts, a growing number of kids now know the joy of letting loose a satisfied post-meal burp.

That is the creative inspiration for 'Burp,' a wholly different and more human awareness and fundraising effort for the global relief, development and advocacy organisation, created by Toronto agency Broken Heart Love Affair (BHLA).

'Burp' is an attempt to differentiate World Vision Canada from its counterparts during a busy time of year for charities. Instead of taking the sombre approach to hunger that we’ve all become so used to in charity advertising, 'Burp' adopts a playful tone to show that when kids get the food they need, they can be kids again.

The spot opens on two children sitting together on a bed and finishing a bowl of food, when one lets out a contented belch. A symphony of burping ensues with a series of shots of empty plates and children all letting out a burp - to the delight of their peers, and the chagrin of parents and teachers. The spot ends with the tagline, 'Feed a child, feed a childhood.' All of the burps in 'Burp' are real.

The creative approach is based on the insight that kids can’t be kids when they’re hungry, and World Vision’s efforts are letting them recapture a small - but ultimately life-affirming - part of childhood.

“The focus of the campaign is to show Canadians the tangible impact that World Vision’s efforts make in children’s lives and encourage them to help join in our meaningful efforts…a burp is music to our ears,” said Martin Campbell, vice president, marketing, World Vision Canada.

“The burp is a universal language, and we liked taking something that can sometimes be frowned upon and turning it into a moment of triumph,” adds BHLA creative director Marty Hoefkes. “The burp is inherently funny to kids, and World Vision Canada is helping children around the world to be childish in a way many of us take for granted." 

'Burp', directed by the duo of Aaron and Winston Tao (AKA: TAO/S), launched on Oct. 4th and will be followed later this month by a series of supporting giving season spots that run until the end of the year. The campaign is anchored by the 30 second OLV. The media buy includes cut downs in :15s and :06 across OLV, programmatic and display ads, as well as social.

The campaign is supported by key communications partners, including Broken Heart Love Affair (Strategy/Creative), Starcom Canada (Media), Aardvark Inc. (XM & Event Marketing), and North Strategic (Public Relations).