Baltic PR Awards 2012 Category: PUBLIC SECTOR & NGOs Organization: Deep White & !MOOZ Client: Biedrība par Latviešu valodu (NGO) Country: Latvia Project name: Campaign for the Latvian language Celies un Ej (Get Up and Go) Place:1st

1. Category: PUBLIC SECTOR &NGOs
Deep White & !MOOZ
Campaign for the Latvian language Celies un Ej (Get Up and Go)
Biedrība par latviešu valodu (NGO)
Summary
During 2011, most active section of Latvia’s Russian-speaking community collected the necessary
number of signatures for a referendum, on Russian as the second State language, to be held on
18.02.2012.
NGO Par Latviešu valodu were outraged when, three weeks before referendum, polls increasingly
leaned towards a vote for two languages:
• Supporters of Russian language were using strident and targeted communication to mobilise
fellow thinkers;
• In contrast, inertia and indifference ruled with the defenders of Latvian. Polls showed weak
voter activity – 43.3% of those eligible were not even going to vote.
Numerous activists organised campaigns supporting Latvian, but these were invisible, fragmented. The
Celies un Ej campaign, which addressed those ignoring the referendum and urged everyone to vote in
referendum – was created for the Society For Latvian Language. A powerful visual identity and
campaign materials were created appealing everyone to use them and express support. A kick-off event
was organised to unite and mobilise all supporters and loudly announce the campaign in the public
space.
Campaign idea unified hundreds of organisations and opinion leaders, thousands of people involved, it
was widely reflected in media. But importantly – 71.12% of eligible voters voted in referendum
confirming Latvian as the only State language
Situation
The referendum, on Russian as the second State language, was be held on 18.02.2012.
Polls increasingly leaned towards a vote for two languages:
• Supporters of the Russian language were using strident and targeted communication to
mobilise fellow thinkers;
• In contrast, inertia and indifference ruled with the defenders of Latvian.
• The activities of the few defenders of Latvian as the only State language were fragmented and
invisible.
• Latvian citizens have never been active in elections and referendums, but polls showed
unprecedented passivity. 43.3% of those eligible were not even going to vote. Thus, this
promised to be one of the lowest-participation referendums in the country’s history.
Objectives
We understood: language is a deeply personal issue decision. And the majority view is that Latvian
must be the only State language.
But what was important was that those who were committed and had already decided, leave their
comfortable sofas on referendum day: get up and vote.
Thus, the primary objective of the campaign became:
THAT AS MANY AS POSSIBLE OF LATVIAN RESIDENTS WHO SUPPORT LATVIAN AS
THE ONLY STATE LANGUAGE VOTE IN THE REFERENDUM.
To prevent further attempts to question Latvian as the only State language, a secondary objective was
set: to achieve as high a majority of Latvian-language supporters as possible.

2. Category: PUBLIC SECTOR &NGOs
Strategy
Firstly, the main campaign message was developed: a simple and clear slogan, an explicit call to
action:
CELIES UN EJ!
Secondly, it was decided
TO UNITE THE DIFFERENT LATVIAN-LANGUAGE SUPPORTING INITIATIVES
under this same slogan many NGO’s, students coporations, theater team and musucions etc, joined the
campaign
Thirdly, to ensure that the campaign's message spread quickly and widely, A PLATFORM FOR
SOCIAL ACTION WHICH ANYONE COULD JOIN was created.
Fourthly, to ensure that this social movement was sustainable,
TO CREATE A CRITICAL MASS BY ASSOCIATING STRATEGICALY SELECTED
CAMPAIGN AMBASSADORS.
They were well-known, popular and respected people, each of them speaking to and involving a
particular section of the Latvian public.
Execution
Powerful visual identity and solutions were created for the campaign enabling anyone to
distribute the main idea.
• Online platform, social network accounts, Twittbon logo, stickers, badges, posters, postcards
and video speeches branded with the campaign logo
A kick-off event loudly announced Celies un Ej in the public.
• Hundreds of organisations, opinion leaders and celebrities expressed their support by
symbolically voting in the Celies un Ej box.
• The campaign main message focusing on the call to action –get up and vote – were
announced, while inviting supporters to become campaign ambassadors in their local
community
Intense media relations and a social networking campaign spread and reinforced the campaign
message
• Broad media support and publicity for the ambassadors nationally and regionally, as well as
viral campaign materials flooding the internet and social networks, campaign supporters’
websites and the traditional media space set the ball rolling and ensured that more and more
new supporters joined campaign.
Documented Results
• Within few weeks, several hundred organisations and opinion leaders joined the campaign.
• Thousands of people used the Celies un Ej logo in their social networking profiles and shared
it.
• Campaign website attendance grew by the hour, more then 15 000 visitors attendened it within
two weeks.
• Campaign organisers' phones and e-mails were running hot: people, including well-known
ones, wanted to know how to get involved and participate in the campaign.
• The words Celies un Ej even appeared on the Daugava river, later revealed as created by
students expressing their support for the campaign message.
• Hundreds of items on TV, radio, in the national and regional press supported the Celies un Ej
movement and idea.
• 71.12% OF ELIGIBLE VOTERS PARTICIPATED AND EXPRESSED THEIR VIEWS IN
THE 18 FEBRUARY REFERENDUM. AN OVERWHELMING MAJORITY, 74.8%,
EXPRESSED SUPPORT FOR LATVIAN AS THE ONLY STATE LANGUAGE.

3. Category: PUBLIC SECTOR &NGOs
• Furthermore, this referendum had the highest participation since Latvian regained
independence.