Last week, Viacom and our brands took to the Cynopsis stage again and again to accept our numerous Cynopsis Social Good Awards. The awards, presented by Cynopsis Media, recognize excellence in the area of social good in the TV and entertainment industry. Here’s the rundown of Viacom’s award-winning social good campaigns:
Best Spot (30 seconds or under) – Viacom and WITNESS
The “WITNESS The Power of Story” spot was born from our partnership with international human rights organization WITNESS, which equips people to use video to create change. The eight Viacom spots, created around our brands’ distinct initiatives, encourage viewers to share their stories to make an impact.
Kids Public Service Announcement – Viacom and Get Schooled – The Road to College PSA
Viacom partnered with The Get Schooled Foundation and The Ad Council on this spot encouraging young people to find the resources they need to prepare for college at GetSchooled.com.
Best Spot (Over 30 seconds) – Viacom Velocity and Comedy Central – The Real Cost
Viacom Velocity teamed up with the FDA to target millennials for its “The Real Cost” anti-smoking campaign. Velocity created faux PSAs featuring Viacom comedic talent to air on all platforms across Comedy Central. Just one 30-second spot that premiered in the October 28 episode of South Park garnered 1.02 million impressions for adults aged 18 to 34.
The premiere episode of Rebel Music, MTV’s first long-form Facebook premiere, focused on the lives of the indigenous people of the U.S. as they face challenges including a suicide rate four times the national average. The story of Native youth trying to rewrite their own narrative went viral, breaking records with 4.8 million Facebook views.
Philanthropic Campaign – Nickelodeon Get Dirty
Nick’s environmental awareness campaign encourages kids and families to take action in their communities. Launching with an interstitial during the 2015 Kids Choice Awards, the partnership with the National Environmental Education Foundation centers on The Get Dirty Challenge and a website with tips from Nick characters and a forum for kids to share videos.
Diversity Campaign or Initiative: – MTV Decoded
Comedian Franchesca Ramsey breaks down racism and race issues in MTV’s web series Decoded. Her stereotype-busting insights and humor shine through episodes including the popular “Are Fried Chicken and Watermelon Racist?”
Congratulations to all the winners for weaving social impact into all the stories we tell.