SPRINGSTER GLOBAL
CONNECTING THE UNCONNECTED THROUGH STORYTELLING AND MOBILE TECHNOLOGY
Springster case study video. © Girl Effect (girleffect.org)
CASE STUDY SUMMARY:
Context:
Adolescent girls are one of the most vulnerable and marginalised groups in low-income countries. They face many threats from ostracism, forced marriage, gender-based violence, all those reasons often contribute to curtailing their opportunities in life. But as the world gets more and more connected * even the most isolated groups are getting their hands on their phones.
Opportunity:
To harness this opportunity, Girl Effect (Nike Foundation) created a digital mobile brand to empower girls to fulfill their potential. As Strategy Brand Director, I led the design of the brand strategy, media ecosystem and operational model to enable Springster to attain its ambitious reach and impact objectives.
In terms of brand positioning, Springster provided highly practical content on health, education and economic empowerment — but it lacked an emotional narrative that resonated with the complex realities girls were facing. To stand out in competitive media markets like Indonesia and South Africa, and to reframe the perceived value of girls, we needed to lead with an emotional brand story that reflected their lives and aspirations.
Strategy:
Grounded in deep audience insights, we evolved Springster’s brand platform — from a mobile platform focused on facts & information to an emotive youth brand celebrating girls’ convention-defying spirit.
Creative work:
We evolved Springster from a single-site platform into a multi-product ecosystem — delivering low to high-fi, rich and interactive content across Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. We embedded its convention-defying spirit into every content pillar, championing girls’ voices, self-worth and connection on the issues - health, education, relationships, money etc - that mattered most to them.
Results:
Globally:
Achieved our highest reach with 17.2m girls reached on Facebook, and an average monthly reach of 2.1m on our website, from June 2018 to May 2019.
Generated 2.8m unique clicks (individuals that engaged with our posts).
Girls generated 80k conversations from 2014 to 2019 showing their eagerness to engage on Springster’s platforms.
Content about girls’ confidence concerning puberty and social relationships got the most traction, positioning Springster as a relevant youth brand on critical topics.
Girls’ feedback has been incredibly positive. “Springster has influenced how I see myself as a girl, how I present myself to people and how I deal with my troubles. Now I know I’ve got tips on my phone.” Girl, Nigeria.
Indonesia:
Reached 8m girls (75% of the adolescent girl population) in Q1 2019.
Generated 1.5m reactions.
Triggered deep conversations around girls’ confidence and nutrition.
South Africa:
Increased Springster’s brand footprint by 60x in 6 months in 2019
Recognition & Awards:
Hailed as an example of digital development best practice by DIAL (Digital Impact Alliance) (2017).
Recognised by the Medical journal The Lancet for its role in advancing girls’ sexual health rights (2018).
Shortlisted for the Kindness Award (2020) - Springster empowering girls to make positive choices that change their lives.