# Concern digital campaign features animated cowpea

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2013/10/04/concern-digital-campaign-features-animated-cowpea/
- Published: 2013-10-04T10:15:02+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Concern Worldwide is using an animated Malama Cowpea as the face of its digital 
campaign to persuade the Prime Minister to spend pledged funds on tackling undernutrition.
The ‘Counting Cowpeas’ campaign will run over the next six months.

The Malala Cowpea is a nutritious bean that grows well in harsh conditions and whose
leaves, roots and pods can also be eaten. Cowpea cultivation plays a part in Concern’s
work.

## Nutrition for Growth

The campaign follows the June 2013 pre-G8 Nutrition for Growth conference at which
governments, developing countries, NGOs and the private sector committed £2.7 billion
to tackle undernutrition amongst the most vulnerable people in the world between
now and 2020.

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Concern says that it is committed to spending £38.3 million by 2016 on projects 
to tackle undernutrition and so is calling on the UK Government to start spending
the £375 million they have pledged too.

## Digital campaign

The animated Malama Cowpea is communicating these messages with Concern’s supporters
in a **video** and via **email**. Her message is that small things, like cowpeas
and letters to the goverment, can make a big difference to people’s lives.

As well as developing a **custom tab on its Facebook page**, Concern will also feature
the campaign on the **Care2.com** and **Change.org** platforms.

Malama Cowpea will be the **voice of Concern’s Twitter account** throughout October.

Supporters will be **encouraged to share** Malama’s message and video via Facebook
and Twitter.

Supporters will also be asked to email or **tweet their local MP** with the video
featuring Malama Cowpea.

An **infographic** dedicated to the campaign will also be used to generate interest
in print and online media outlets.

Whenever a supporter takes one of these actions, 10 cowpeas will be added to Concern’s
virtual cooking pot. When 200,000 cowpeas are collected, a real-life version of 
the pot will be presented by Concern supporters to Mr Cameron at 10 Downing Street,
to demonstrate the level of public support for this campaign.

The campaign has a direct fundraising element too. Through Malama Cowpea, Concern
is aiming to sign up 12,000 new supporters and to raise £22,000.

## Digital agency Nonsense

Concern worked with digital marketing agency Nonsense to create the ‘Counting Cowpeas’
campaign.

Creative Director at Nonsense, Rob Mosley said: “Global hunger is such a massive
issue people think there’s nothing they can do about it. When we read about the 
power of the tiny little cowpea, we knew we’d found a ‘spokesbean’ that would make
people feel they could actually make a difference. Go Malama Cowpea!”

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