One of the problems with malaria is that it shouldn't be a problem.

It's actually not that hard to protect yourself from getting infected.

The real problem is that those who are affected by malaria can’t do

much about it because they can’t afford it while those who could do

something about it are not affected.

Which is why they don't really care.

Now, how do you make someone care for something that they quite likely know a

lot about, but still don't care about.

He was facing an audience of people who you’d imagine could potentially

do something about malaria although they were not affected.

I mean, a ticket to the conference costs at least 5,000 bucks.

A couple of minutes into his speech, Gates walked over to a table that had

an empty glass of jar standing on it.

He stopped.

“You know, there's no reason only poor people should

have the experience.” And lifted the glass to let the mosquitoes fly.

Only to add that the mosquitoes were, of course, not infectious.

This short moment was stronger than any professionally designed

Excel chart could have been.

It was stronger than any photo of a suffering patient or a

mourning family would have been.

Because it brought the experience close.

Gates didn't just speak about the severity of malaria.

He didn't just show it.

He let his audience experience the feelings.

Suddenly, they were affected, at least the kind of, at least for a very brief moment.

And so he made them care.

Doing something against malaria wasn't just the generous thing to do

anymore but the human thing to do.

The best part is this.

It didn't cost him a fortune.

It was not an expensive wow effect.

It just cost him an idea.

That's the crucial part here.

How can you make your audience not only see the destination, but how can you bring

them closer to the feeling of being there?