Amnesty International used the disbanded FM radio system in Norway to broadcast an international distress signal.
In early 2017 Norway became the first country to shut down their FM radio broadcast in a move towards digital. No signals had been broadcast over their airwaves until December 4th, when Amnesty International hacked in and began broadcasting the first distress signal since World War II.
The message is one asking the world to support Teodora del Carmen Vasquez, a women currently serving a 30 year prison sentence in El Salvador for having a miscarriage. In her country, abortions are illegal and her stillbirth was treated as a crime. Now, 10 years into her sentence, Teodora’s case is up for review and Amnesty International is asking for the public’s help in freeing her.
The organization is asking listeners to go to the site iamlistening.org to hear their message and spread the signal. The site gives visitors the option to turn their social media pages into an antenna by linking the broadcast to their Facebook and Twitter pages. In one day the message has been heard by 350,000 people, shared almost 3,000 times on social media, and generated 4,000 reactions in 24 countries.
Amnesty International is well known for using public stunts and seemingly outrageous ideas to spread awareness for various causes across the globe. Although this is part of their overall brand strategy, it is a very effective tactic, especially for millennials. With millennials beginning to hold the purchasing (and donating) power it is important that brands and organizations align with a cause to reach the new age of global citizens.