Child Focus and These Days Y&R join forces

Child Focus has selected a new communication partner: These Days Y&R. The Antwerp communication agency has committed to supporting Child Focus’s strategic objectives on a pro bono basis for the next three years: the fight against child disappearances and the sexual exploitation of children and young people under 18.

Sylvie Versteylen (Managing Director These Days Y&R): “Strictly from a professional viewpoint, Child Focus is the ideal client. The brand has a rock solid image in Belgium and communication on Child Focus is ‘untainted’: instead of the brand itself, it is the organisation’s noble cause that is the focal point. Of course, several other factors come into play as well. The main reason for our commitment is emotional. Social responsibility is ingrained in our agency’s DNA. Also, our agency includes a great many young parents: the protection of children is perfectly in keeping with our everyday reality.”

Child Focus Communication Manager Dirk Depover explains why Child Focus opted for These Days Y&R: “We were founded in 1998 and we can look back on many years of seamless collaboration with Grey. But the world has changed. Today’s young people are tomorrow’s parents and to them something like the Dutroux case is just a distant memory. We need contemporary communication to keep our minds sharp. Back in 1998 there were no social media. We are relying on These Days Y&R to teach us how to use this innovative channel of communication in a creative manner. After all, we have to broach even the most disturbing and disquieting themes in a hopeful and positive way.”

More concretely, the agency’s communication strategy will be based on three pillars:

• Two major cross-media campaigns per year
• Social media support (location & prevention)

Boosting the Child Focus brand (using parent agency Young & Rubicam’s annual, international BrandAsset® Valuator).

About Child Focus:

Child Focus was founded 18 years ago as the Stichting voor Vermiste en Seksueel Uitgebuite Kinderen (Foundation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children). The organisation consists of some 50 employees and 800 volunteers and can be reached 24/7 on the free emergency number 116000. Close to 2,000 cases are treated each year. Prevention and raising awareness are also central to our mission. Every day, Child Focus works closely with police, the justice department and countless welfare organisations.