DFES: Rhyme4Respect

Capturing everything Livity set out to do in one, measurably successful campaign, R4R allowed us to tackle the perennially challenging issue of teenage pregnancy head on. Based in Lambeth, we’re surrounded by the highest rates of teen pregnancy in Europe. And we knew we had to look to the young people we knew for ways of grabbing their attention. We chose lyrics as the best way of discussing issues around safe sex and parenthood: challenging the audience to come up with song lyrics to engage them and their friends and pull the issues into their world. A nationwide campaign was launched through a free CD distributed widely at street level. The prize: studio time with artists including Rhymefest, Estelle, Terri Walker, Lyracis and a collaboration from London’s hottest independent artists – Bearman, Sincere, Bigz, Ny and JME. A celebrity panel voted on the best entries and the resulting tracks were then released on a second CD: the messages deeply embedded in the songs and packaging, straight into the target audience’s hearts and minds. Adding key partners including Galaxy FM, MTV Base, Foot Locker and Deal Real records to the mix, we were delighted that the campaign was heralded by the DFES as a resounding success.