UNICEF Canada reclaims Halloween with initiative to empower kids to defend the right to childhood across the globe

GFORCE powering campaign as UNICEF Canada’s newest and youngest Ambassadors

Toronto, 23 September 2019 – For generations of Canadians, collecting coins for UNICEF was as much a part of Halloween as pumpkins and candy, and their first chance to support a charity. After a 13-year absence, UNICEF Canada is back, and with a fully digital fundraising campaign designed for kids today.

Tapping into the legacy of the original campaign, which raised more than $100 million for UNICEF Canada, the four characters from the Orange Box are the faces of the campaign. They represent the pillars of UNICEF – providing safe water, nutrition, education and health to the world’s most vulnerable children.

UNICEF Canada is also excited to announce its newest and youngest Ambassadors, GFORCE, a musical group of five girls from the Toronto area who most recently made it all the way to the quarter finals on America’s Got Talent. The girls, aged 10 to 13, believe that kids need to Dream Big because they can do anything they set their minds to, making them ideal representatives for Halloween Heroes.

Halloween Heroes is calling on Canadian kids and their families to defend the rights of children to have a safe and happy childhood no matter where they are growing up. By giving kids the power to make big decisions – like deciding what the money they raise will be used for – the campaign aims create a new generation of empathetic and engaged Canadians who embrace their ability to make the world a better place.

“Halloween Heroes is built on a very powerful idea ­­– kids defending the rights of other kids to grow up happy and healthy,” said David Morley, President and CEO of UNICEF Canada. “By giving kids the ability to choose what they are fundraising for, it also allows UNICEF to educate them about global challenges and show them that they have the power to do something about it.”

How can Canadians become Halloween Heroes? First, children, families and adults can set up a personal fundraising page at unicef.ca/Halloweenhero. It is packed with tools and tips to get started. Participants choose the Halloween Hero they want to be – water, education, nutrition, health, or all four – and get family, friends and neighbours to sponsor them. When they hit their fundraising target, participants are inducted into the Hall of Heroes and receive a crest they can proudly wear or hang on their door on Halloween night.

Schools can also get involved by becoming Halloween Hero schools. To recognize the vital role that schools play in raising global citizens, UNICEF is pleased to announce that participating schools are automatically entered into a draw to win a concert by GFORCE. For every $250 a school raises, the school gets an additional entry into the contest.

“Kids have power. They can make things happen, but they have to DREAM BIG,” said the members of GFORCE. “We dreamed about auditioning on America’s Got Talent and we did it! We also dreamed about working with a big children’s charity and guess what? We are helping UNICEF Canada give kids everywhere the ability to also DREAM BIG and make a difference all over the world!”

Schools can visit unicef.ca/halloweenheroschools to find out all the details* and download a toolkit filled with fun fundraising activities to do throughout October.

Creative agency Juniper Park\TBWA partnered with UNICEF Canada to develop and launch the new Halloween Heroes campaign. PHD Canada, a communications planning and media buying agency, is providing marketing support.

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* Schools in Quebec are not eligible for the Halloween Hero contest due to provincial regulations.

About Juniper Park\TBWA

Juniper Park\TBWA (www.juniperparktbwa.com) is The Disruption® Company: the cultural engine for 21st century business. A global, award-winning agency located in downtown Toronto, Juniper Park\TBWA uses Disruption® methodologies to develop business-changing ideas for brands. The 140+ team of world-class creators and thinkers serves clients across North America, including Nissan, PepsiCo, GoDaddy, Pfizer, Intuit, among others. It is part of TBWA Worldwide (www.tbwa.com), named Adweek’s 2018 Global Agency of the Year, and one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company. Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, or like us on Facebook for the latest updates from the Park.