Description

«Lighthouse Charity Foundation» is a Russian hospice that provides palliative and social care to children and young adults with terminal illnesses. Through a combination of home and in-patient services, emotional support, and innovative fundraising, they strive to ensure patients and families live with dignity and warmth — even in the toughest times*.

For sustainable development, the Hospice relies on communication with the general public — individual benefactors who fund approximately 85% of its budget**.

However, charitable organizations faced several obstacles that complicated communication with donors.
1. Non-profit organizations in Russia encountered a trust barrier: research shows that 32% of people trust only government NGOs***.
2. Another challenge was limited advertising budgets, making it difficult for private NGOs to maintain consistent visibility and media support. As a result, charitable organizations began creating bold, memorable campaigns with viral potential – it was crucial for the Hospice not to get lost among them.

The "Lighthouse Charity Foundation" needed a striking and emotionally powerful PR concept that would break down perception barriers, build trust, raise awareness about the lives of seriously ill children and young adults, and encourage donations.

To create such a concept, we first needed to deeply understand why the public remained distant and disengaged. While working on the idea, we uncovered the main communication barrier: the audience lacked a true understanding of the reality faced by people with incurable illnesses.

We needed a narrative that could deeply resonate with anyone — a clear and emotionally universal metaphor was chosen: “A Planet Unfit for Life” — symbolizing the physical reality Hospice patients live in.

It was decided to launch a comprehensive PR special project, using multiple channels and formats to address all of the Hospice’s goals. The creative approach aimed not only to achieve wide reach but also to build trust and inspire real action — donations.

1. An animated stop-motion film featuring felt dolls illustrated how uninhabitable our planet is for Hospice patients: breathing, moving, and even eating can feel impossible. The fairytale-like visual language engaged viewers and encouraged them to watch until the very end.
2. An interactive website allowed users to read the real personal stories of seriously ill children and young adults. With every donation, a personalized star would light up in the virtual sky.
3. Multichannel PR promotion spread the story everywhere: on social media and advertising platforms, across outdoor billboards in Moscow, on TV, and in online media. Influencers and public figures shared the project with their audiences, adding authenticity and reach.

This PR-led approach ensured the project didn’t just gain visibility but also built an emotional connection, strengthened public trust in the Foundation, and motivated tangible support.

Results:
Communication impact:
- The project helped the public see the reality faced by seriously ill children and young adults, breaking down perception barriers and sparking empathy.

Media & PR impact:
- The project reached over 4.8 million people;
- Advertising promotion generated 1.3 million impressions and brought 32,000 users to the website;
- 84 unpaid media and social publications were initiated, including:
- 23 posts with over 237,000 views in Telegram channels;
- 11 unique publications in major media outlets;
- 50 influencer posts generating 3.31 million views from well-known bloggers and artists.

Social impact:
- In the first month alone, 529,136 rubles (6 504,32$) were raised — an important milestone for the further development of the Lighthouse Charity Foundation.

This project demonstrated the power of PR and creative storytelling for a non-profit cause. Through a compelling metaphor, multi-format storytelling, and innovative digital engagement, the campaign not only reached millions but also inspired empathy, built trust in a private NGO, and converted awareness into real donations.

* Lighthouse Charity Foundation official website, 2025
** Blueprint, 2024
*** Incrussia, 2023
**** Sostav, 2024, Lenta.ru, 2024

Credits

«Lighthouse Charity Foundation»
Executive Director: Marina Vlasova
PR Director: Evgeny Martynov
Media Relations Manager: Alexey Krapukhin
IT Director: Pavel Belyaev
Advertising Manager: Ekaterina Matsneva
Voiceover: Alexander Petrov, actor, member of the board of trustees of the foundation

Realweb
Creative Director: Ilya Lopukhov
Creative Lead: Anastasia Surgucheva
Creator: Ksenia Sadovskaya
Art Director: Yulia Pechenkina
Designers: Maria Izergina, Anna Sevastyanova
Production Lead: Taisiya Maximova
Head of Blogger Relations Group: Veronika Fomkina
PR Manager: Gleb Raitses

Zebra Hero
Creative Team: Bulat Karipov, Artyom Tsaregorodtsev, Elnara Yalaltdinova
Producers: Masha Penkova, Anna Dityakina, Andrey Paukov, Lena Samoylova
Art Director: Darya Dadonova
Motion Designer: Anna Oleynik
Technical Editor: Sergey Smirnov
Colorist: Ilya Zavyalov

DIDENOK TEAM
Head of Blogger Development Department: Ksenia Dimova
PR Director: Katerina Peven
Senior PR Manager: Valeria Starpovich

NooSoft
Front-end Developer: Sergey Maximov
Back-end Developers: Egor Paleev, Andrey Torubarov
Project Managers: Pranov Pavel, Sergey Kondratenko

«Sad Agency»
Strategy Director: Dasha Kravtsova
Senior Strategist: Lyuda Zhiltzova