The EVS is a non-profit, public organisation that secures and deploys the necessary resources, skills and equipment to help train and supply a dedicated group of everyday Capetonians who volunteer world-class services (they are often called out to support the likes of the South African Police Service and Cape Medical Response units) to the communities of Cape Town. As a strictly voluntary organisation with limited funds, the EVS is in constant need of financial help and volunteers to provide these services to the people of Cape Town.
"The EVS's brief to ninety9cents was short and simple, 'help!' As with any pro bono work, the challenge is to get people to donate their time. You don't get to work with any budget so you have to ask people to believe in the cause and that's exactly what the ninety9cents team did," says Marius van Rensburg, creative director at ninety9cents; the whole agency got involved to help this worthwhile cause, with some of the team members even signing up as volunteers.
"Our strategic thinking is to tell Cape Town that there are ordinary people among us who also have families to feed and bills to pay but still find the time to volunteer for emergency rescue work. These people can certainly use a little help themselves and this message needs to spread like wildfire - so to speak," concludes van Rensburg.
To raise public awareness of the EVS, ninety9cents created a decal out of stretch PVC that spanned two garage doors of a residential property on Kloof Nek Road - a busy thoroughfare that would get a lot of exposure. The decal shows a fire truck parked in a residential garage, an unconventional sight that would make people look twice. The garage door brings home the message of the everyday hero and that the viewer too can make a difference by supporting the EVS.
"It's the classic line from Jerry Maguire, 'Help me, help you', brought to life and these guys desperately need help," continues van Rensburg.
The 'fire truck parked in the garage' decal is just the beginning of a creative strategic plan that will include a myriad of fun and creative elements to make Capetonians aware of the EVS cause and appeal to them to get involved.
To become a volunteer or make a donation call 021 783 5814 or visit the EVS website at http://savelives.co.za/ for more information.
