Web Series from Big Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters presents the Start Something Web Series, a multiple-episode social media reality documentary. The series, developed pro bono by Publicis Modem New York in partnership with The Advertising Council, will reveal how the nation’s largest mentoring network carefully partners with families, volunteers and communities to help children and teens overcome adversity to drive achievement in school and succeed in life.
“By observing our successful mentoring program unfiltered, current and prospective donors, volunteers and partners can see exactly how their investment in Big Brothers Big Sisters helps children overcome adversity to beat the odds,” said Big Brothers Big Sisters president and CEO Karen J. Mathis.
“The Start Something Web Series will show how and why we boldly hold ourselves accountable for helping children who face adversity achieve measurable, positive outcomes.”
The Start Something Web Series, which began on October 13 and runs through the end of the year on the national mentoring network’s Facebook page ( www.facebook.com/BigBrothersBigSisters ), follows mentors, mentees, families and professional staffers – the people who make the program work.
Independent studies find when enrolled in Big Brothers Big Sisters, children who face adversity are more likely to improve in school, avoid risky/delinquent behaviors and have higher self-esteem and aspirations.
The reality series, featuring “Bigs” and “Littles” enrolled in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson and Union Counties, New Jersey, is part of the nationwide mentoring network’s Start Something campaign.
Introduced in January through a website redesign and national TV, radio and online public service advertising, Start Something is a call to action for donations, story sharing, volunteers, celebrity ambassador engagement and advocacy to strengthen Big Brothers Big Sisters’ capacity to help children overcome adversity and achieve lifelong success.
Big Brothers Big Sisters national corporate partner American Eagle Outfitters Foundation provided funding to support the development of the documentary.
The Start Something Web Series will be promoted online with ads developed by Publicis Modem. The Advertising Council has also secured significant commitments from sites such as AOL, Facebook, Mojiva and MSN to support the campaign with donated impressions.
The documentary series will be followed by user-generated stories from mentor-mentee matches around the country who documented their shared experiences using digital video cameras donated by Orion Trading. It was announced today, Oct. 21.
As the nation’s (U.S.) largest donor and volunteer supported mentoring network, Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever.
