Roma uses transfer news videos to help missing children

ROME (AP) — Soccer club Roma is using its reputation for innovative social media to help the search for missing children in the United States and Italy.

Roma says a video clip of each player signing announcement this offseason will include photos and details of children who are missing.

It has begun with defender Leonardo Spinazzola’s signing from Juventus.

The American-owned club has built a Twitter following of 1.78 million users in Italian and 445,000 for its English account, helped by funny and creative ways to introduce new players .

The new campaign was inspired by the band Soul Asylum’s “Runaway Train” video which has been viewed nearly 120 million times on YouTube.

Roma says it is working with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in the United States and Telefono Azzurro in Italy. They are part of the Global Missing Children’s Network.