The Rain Collection

The "Air for Health" Association is a Bulgarian public health non-profit organization dedicated to protecting health from the harmful effects of air pollution. They aim to improve public health and reduce healthcare costs by advocating for better air quality measures. They possess expertise in healthcare, air pollution, data analysis, and policy development, advocating for national policies to reduce emissions based on successful European practices and engaging with governmental institutions. "Air for Health" also implements regional, national, and international projects and campaigns, such as "The Rain Collection" and the "AirLief" mobile app, to raise awareness and provide information. They collaborate with academic institutions and other NGOs, highlighting the severe impact of air pollution in Bulgaria and emphasizing its particular threat to vulnerable groups.

Sofia, Bulgaria, faces high levels of air pollution, especially during the autumn and winter months. This problem is primarily caused by traffic emissions and domestic heating with solid fuels, and is intensified by the city's valley location, which can trap pollutants. High concentrations of particulate matter are a major problem that poses various health risks to the population. 

In response to this ongoing issue and the often limited public engagement with it, we launched "The Rain Collection" campaign. The primary goal of this initiative was to transform abstract data about poor air quality into a tangible, personal, and emotionally impactful experience -  stimulating greater public awareness and sparking debate on the issue.

"The Rain Collection" is based on an innovative and artistic approach to raising awareness about air pollution. The campaign centers around a limited-edition series of t-shirts, featuring unique designs made using actual pollutants collected from rainwater across different areas of Sofia. 

The process involves collecting rainwater, filtering it, and concentrating the particulate matter and other impurities it contains. In addition, specialized technology was used to extract pigment from key pollution sources such as exhaust pipes, chimney soot, and dust gathered from the glass surfaces of wood-burning stoves.These concentrated pollutants were then used as a form of "ink" to create prints on the t-shirts. 
In this way, each t-shirt literally "wears" the physical evidence of Sofia’s air pollution — turning invisible harm into a visible, thought-provoking message.

We conducted an awareness PR campaign to reach as many people as possible, enocouriging them to pay attention to Sofia’s air pollution problem - not just during moments when the media focuses on the topic.

Teaser phase: 
In this phase, our goal was to grab attention through a shocking and unexpected appearance that would provoke surprise and curiosity among the audience while also generating media interest and coverage.

We arranged for a well-known figure, Georgi Blazhev, to appear on a popular morning show on one of Bulgaria’s largest national TV channels wearing the "dirty" t-shirt. His sudden and unusual outfit sparked genuine surprise from the viewers and his colleagues on set who were eager to find out the reason behind his choice — though Georgi himself revealed no further details at the time.

Simultaneously, Georgi Blazhev’s surprising appearance sparked media coverage and was complemented by sensational articles published in some Bulgarian online media outlets. These materials hinted at the intriguing reason behind his outfit, generating buzz and anticipation.

Reveal phase:
In this phase, we boldly lifted the curtains on the campaign and introduced its concept to the public. We harnessed the power of influencers who explained in detail what the campaign stands for and what its purpose is. Some of Bulgaria’s most popular content creators - such as Mona Gotchev, Stefan Popov - Chefo, actress Lili Geleva, singer and artist Preyah, as well as well-known advocates for sustainable living and EU Climate Pact Ambassadors, such as Simona Stylianova, Rada Boneva and Elena Brusarska, shared posts and personal messages that reached their key audiences.

To elevate the conversation to a decision-making level, we organized a meeting with the Mayor of Sofia — one of the key figures responsible for implementing effective measures to improve air quality in the city. During the meeting, representatives of the Air for Health Association presented the Mayor with a limited-edition t-shirt, along with a set of recommendations for tackling Sofia's air pollution problem. Rada Boneva and Elena Brusarska—advocates for sustainable living—also took part in the meeting and shared their perspectives on the issue.

The media platform DevStyler recognized the importance of the campaign’s message and expressed a strong interest in partnering with us pro bono. Through this collaboration, we were able to reach an even wider audience. They launched a special mini game inviting participants to share their thoughts on the “dirty” problem affecting cities across Bulgaria. Everyone who took part had a chance to win a limited-edition campaign t-shirt.

In addition, we arranged an in-depth interview with Denitsa Ivanova, co-founder of Air for Health, in which she shared key insights and compelling details about the campaign and its mission.

The "Rain Collection" campaign turned the invisible problem of air pollution into a tangible, personal experience for Sofia’s residents. Using innovative t-shirts made from actual air pollutants and a targeted two-phase PR strategy, the initiative raised sustained public awareness.

Traditional media:

Total coverage: over 50 publications, with 9 social media posts by these outlets

Devstyler Partnership: Included an article, an interview, a social media giveaway, and publications in their newsletter.
  
These efforts generated a total of 24,134 reads and 876,032 impressions in traditional media,

While social media achieved a reach of 53,115 and 317,900 impressions.

Influencer marketing:

Participation of 8 influencers, who contributed pro bono, creating 19 pieces of content that generated 79,910 reach, 102,843 impressions, and 104,480 interactions.