In October 2016, UNICEF and H&M Foundation launched the UNI_FORM campaign, to highlight the importance of early childhood development by creating a digital and interactive jacket. The jacket aims to be a symbol for every child’s right to get the best start in life and as a tool for parents to engage in early learning activities with their children, according to the press release.
It provides innovative ideas that help stimulate brain development during early childhood and has tailored games for each age based on UNICEF’s research on Early Childhood Development.
“During the earliest moments of life, children’s experiences have the power to shape the development of their brains as much as their DNA, as neural connections take place at a once-in-a lifetime speed of up to 1,000 per second, forming their cognitive, social and emotional development,” explained the release. “This is why it is so important to focus at the early years, as this will shape the rest of a child’s life.”
DIVERGE talked to Andreas Eriksson, the Communication Director of UNICEF Sweden:
Where did the idea of this of UNI Form come from?
The idea came from our PR agency EdelmanDeportivo and it was a follow up of last year’s successful campaign UNI COIN, the first currency dedicated to do good.
Why was it so important to be a part of this project?
We created this initiative with support from our agency and together with the H&M Foundation. The UNI_FORM is a symbol and it gives us the means to start a conversation about the importance of Early Childhood Development.
How important is diversity in this campaign?
Parents and caregivers are the target group of this initiative and hope is that the campaign will resonate in different groups within the overall target group. UNICEF is a global organization and children’s rights is for all children, thus diversity is an important issue.
Can you tell me more about about your work with UNI FORM, UNI COIN?
The purpose of the UNI_FORM is to bring focus on children’s early development and to highlight the fact that nearly 250 million children are at risk of missing out on their development potential. It is important to raise the awareness about how important it is that children get access to early stimulation. Parents need the knowledge to interact better with their children and governments need to prioritize investments in the field of Early Childhood development. Last year’s UNI_COIN campaign had the same goal.
How does this help children?
The UNI_FORM is part of the Global Program for Education – a partnership between H&M Foundation and UNICEF. In 2014 the H&M Foundation announced a grant to UNICEF of USD 9,3 million over a three year period. This grant enables UNICEF to reach 73 600 children with Early Childhood Development programs and influence governments to place Early Childhood Development on the national agenda and commit budgetary resources.
Those visiting the UNI_FORM site can also support this program.
What is the best part of the campaign?
That we have found an innovative and playful way to come out with a rather complex issue and made use of both UNICEEF’s own digital channels and the H&M channels through our partner the H&M Foundation.
