The new organisation acts as a portal through which young people will access hundreds of opportunities to make real changes in their communities and elsewhere in Scotland. The Union''s campaign spans web, direct marketing, sales promotion, exhibitions, and television, cinema and radio advertising.
This launch marks the realisation of the vision of the Working Group led last year by Julia Ogilvy (now Chair of Project Scotland) after research showed that young Scots want to volunteer but have until now lacked an access point and the financial support to do it. Backed by the Scottish Executive and private finance the organisation has been heralded by the First Minister Jack McConnell, as a first for Scotland and the UK, "ProjectScotland will give our young people more choices, more opportunities to succeed. It will mean that Scotland will lead the UK in youth volunteering. It will mean that taking time out to help others can become a choice for all of our young people - not just those who can afford to. I am determined to make it a permanent option".
The Union's campaign harnesses young peopleÌs inherent desire to change things, both in their own communities and beyond. The campaign message is that you can change your own life and the lives of others through volunteering, "This changes everything" is central to the brand message. Using the track ''Miracle Year'' by Scottish indie band, Luxury Car, the campaign features young people from a range of backgrounds, none of whom are actors.
The website plays a key part in the communications strategy and features innovative media rich content. The campaign will appear on STV, Grampian, Channel 4 Scotland and Channel 5 Scotland, commercial radio and cinema and the initial launch will run for a period of 6 weeks. Media buying has been handled by MediaCom.
