Steve and World Vision show the unseeable in striking call for donations campaign

Posted on 2023 Jan,11 | By ArabAd's staff

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Steve and World Vision show the unseeable in striking call for donations campaign

All over the world today, millions of children are constantly surrounded by violence, death, and suffering. These tragedies have been further exacerbated this year, with the acceleration of global warming (which in Africa has led to an unprecedented drought, causing a dramatic decrease in water and food resources), as well as the intensity of devastating conflicts for civilian populations, such as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

This is why, NGO World Vision, who works to help children, families, and their communities overcome poverty and injustice, wanted to sound the alarm on these crucial issues and started collaborating with Paris agency Steve to develop a campaign to call for donations.

However, the creative team faced a challenge: how can you show the unseeable? How can you show the unimaginable? How can you show what could be beyond anyone’s belief—the rape of a child bride, the genital mutilation of a young girl (often carried out in appalling hygienic conditions); or the daily horrors witnessed by children in a war-torn country where even schools are bombed?

Realizing that there really is no way to show the extent of the atrocities whether for legal reasons or basic decency, so World Vision and Steve's creative force decided to produce a campaign that shows nothing.

The answer to this may seem paradoxical at first - and even ironic given the name of this organization; but to show nothing seemed the best solution, so the viewer’s imagination is automatically put to work.

The agency created billboards of horrific scenes where viewers only see the backs of children's heads, leaving us to wonder what is blocked from our view and what they are forced to witness. Similarly, the campaign's three films feature a dark screen with text encouraging viewers to use their imagination as startling noises play in the background.

By presenting the unseeable, the unconceivable and leaving much to the viewer's imagination, each element of the campaign serves as a grim and even more effective reminder that many children around the world need our help.

The campaign calls for donations referring to the website, and alerts public opinion to what no child in the world should have to endure.

For this 4th year of collaboration between World Vision and Steve, the agency renewed its trust in the multi-awarded Argentinian photographer Ale Burset, who shot the three key visuals, and tasked sound producers THE with audio production of the four 30-second films.

The films were broadcast on December 20th on the France Télévision Group channels, and were offered pro bono in press and on billboards.