Bridging Mission and Marketing? Here's How We Did It.A Behind-the-Scenes Look at the "Vote Anyway" Campaign
- Roland
- Apr 9
- 3 min read
Introduction
Democracy isn't a marketing case. Or is it?
When Civocracy pivoted to the private sector in early 2024—after eight years of working with public institutions—we faced a fundamental question: How do you win over clients when you don’t have any yet, and still stay true to your values?
Our answer: with a campaign that advanced our mission and doubled as a real-life case study for our offering. "Vote Anyway" wasn’t just a political statement. It was a campaign rooted in values, with a clear participatory mechanism—and backed by 250 companies. What does this have to do with cooperative marketing, engagement strategies and generating qualified leads? Let’s dive in.
1. Why we launched a democracy campaign—instead of just running paid ads
Civocracy comes from digital participation. Civic tech is in our DNA. But in 2024, we wanted to prove something: that civic engagement isn't just for politics—it belongs in marketing, too. And that businesses are more than stakeholders—they’re social actors.
Our goal? Take a stand. And test if that could also be a go-to-market strategy. Spoiler: yes, but it takes more than a week.
We started with:
No agency network
No existing clients
No marketing budget
But we had:
A strong point of view
Years of experience in participation design
And real expertise in cross-sector collaboration
2. The idea: A campaign for democracy—and for trust
We wanted to build a cooperative marketing campaign around the 2024 European elections. Not one with moral pressure, but with energy, wit and the simple question: What if you voted anyway?
"Vote Anyway" was born. A phrase that felt both inviting and provocative. The concept was simple:
Companies joined by completing one quest: customizing the Vote Anyway visual and using it to activate their own community
All contributions became visible across social media and the campaign network
The initiative was open to all—startups to corporates—as long as they stood for democracy
3. What made "Vote Anyway" different
The campaign blended low-barrier participation, a bold creative angle and an open, cooperative structure. Three elements made it work:
1. Clear values, no party politics
We kept the message intentionally nonpartisan. Pro-democracy, but not political. That lowered the barrier and made participation safe and accessible.
2. Real involvement, not symbolic gestures
Participation was intentionally simple: the core quest was to adapt and post the Vote Anyway visual with your own branding. Anyone who wanted to go further could expand on the idea—through internal initiatives or external events. But there was no rigid toolkit. Just an open invitation to join the movement.
3. Collaboration, not self-promotion
"Vote Anyway" wasn’t a Civocracy monologue. It was a collective effort. We partnered with agencies, NGOs, creatives, and public organizations. We brought the concept. Others brought execution. That’s how we reached audiences we’d never reach alone.
4. What it delivered—for democracy and for us
250 companies participated. Over 20 million people were reached. And we built a sales pipeline worth €350,000.
More importantly: we became visible. Not as a software provider. But as a partner with purpose.
Media coverage
A growing community
Inbound leads from companies that were previously out of reach
5. What others can take away
1. Participation doesn’t convert instantly—but it builds trust
Vote Anyway didn’t deliver leads on Day One. But it opened doors that paid ads never could.
2. Collaboration works—if it’s genuinely meant
The campaign wouldn’t have existed without our partners. And that was the difference: no one just wanted logo placement. Everyone wanted impact.
3. Quests work—when they’re well-designed
Participation isn’t a technique. It’s a mindset. And it works when you know your audience and create tasks that motivate without overwhelming.
6. What happened next: the ripple effects
Vote Anyway wasn’t a one-off. It inspired follow-ups across Europe:
In France, we co-created a sister campaign called On Vote, also tied to the EU elections
In Austria, our mechanics were used in the Wähl trotzdem campaign for the national elections—this time without us, but clearly inspired by our work
We compiled our learnings in the Corporate Civic Responsibility Report, where Vote Anyway took center stage
Conclusion: Taking a stand isn’t risky—it accelerates trust
Vote Anyway was a test. Today, we see it as our launchpad.
Not for more democracy campaigns—but for cooperative marketing that does more than sell: it builds connection, opens networks and signals what your brand stands for.
Curious to collaborate? Let’s talk. Maybe your brand is ready for the next campaign that’s bigger than just your logo.
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