An equal start for every child. M&C Saatchi approached Kerve with a unique concept for the charity Gavi, an international alliance that’s helped to vaccinate over 1 billion children in lower income countries.
To highlight global gaps in child immunisation rates, M&C Saatchi and Gavi wanted to create an engaging, animated web application. In high-income countries 94.2% of children are immunised, compared to only 74.8% in West and Central Africa.
To bring this to life, the client wanted to build an animated running track depicting the differences in rates of vaccination as a race. Using personalised data collected from the player, the experience would show users how they compared with other regions. In addition, there was a 3 week turnaround, with Kerve establishing creative direction across the solution.
A race worth taking part in
We started out by mapping out the narrative and creating the user journey, collaborating with the M&C Saatchi team and Gavi, who gave feedback at multiple points. Using the existing logo and base idea supplied by the client, we transformed the idea of ‘Starting Lines’ into a fully formed solution.
The interface allows the user to add their name, which they see appearing on the track. At the end of the race, the user can share their result, ‘I Start ahead against X countries.’
The project was rewarding and technically challenging. Kerve’s development team worked to ensure smooth transitions, a seamless experience and a perfect appearance across multiple devices. We built the app using Java on the front end, all coded, designed and hosted in house. The end application also had to fit with Apple animation requirements, and meet a tight deadline.
The result.
‘Our expectations, plus more’
Working on Starting Lines with M&C Saatchi, Gavi, alongside clients and partners such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and UNICEF was a real pleasure for us. The clients were delighted with the final product. When the solution launched at an event in Paris, the feedback was extremely positive.
Following the launch, Starting Lines was also shared by high profile names across sport on social media. User numbers spiked during the campaign, getting the message out to the public as planned.
When we get the chance to work on something so meaningful, we love hitting a tough timescale on a complex project. Creating a beautiful, responsive animation was just part of the joy of the build, and we look forward to working on more projects like this in years to come.