Sara Dunlop of Rattling Stick directed “She’ll Learn,” one of two films in a multimedia campaign from AMV BBDO, London, on behalf of development charity Plan International. The campaign is designed to ignite a global movement of support for young girls’ rights to an education.
Thursday, October 11, is the first-ever UN recognized International Day of the Girl, and the objective of the campaign–“Because I Am A Girl”–is to persuade millions of people worldwide to raise a virtual hand in support of the movement to demonstrate to the UN on that day that the issue deserves to be prioritized.
Plan International believes that there is a very simple solution to complex issue of poverty alleviation in the developing world, and it starts with girls. A girl born into one of the poorest regions of the world is one of the most disadvantaged people on the planet. The challenges start in early childhood and continue through every single step of growing up. A disadvantaged girl is likely to grow into a disadvantaged woman. But if you give girls access to a good education, it has a profound and proven effect.
With education, a girl in the developing world will have higher self-esteem, gain essential life skills, will marry later and have healthier children. Her chances of getting AIDS and HIV will be significantly reduced and it is less likely that she will be affected by sexual harassment or human trafficking. What’s more, she will be able to pass on the benefit of her education to her children and the generation that follows.
Two films, print and a digital campaign drive people to the hub of the campaign–raiseyourhandnow.com–that leads users onto a Facebook app allowing them to click, and raise a virtual hand in support. Users can then see who else has joined the movement, watch and share the films, and invite others to join them in raising their hands.
“She’ll Learn” features Sunshine, a young girl who was living with her family in the street slums of the Philippines’ capital of Manila. (Subsequent to the filming of the ad, Sunshine and her family were rehoused and provided with financial support for food and education by a local government agency.)
TRIO LAUNCHES ALMA MATER Alma Mater, a boutique visual studio specializing in design, live-action and animation, has opened in Los Angeles. Founded by Imaginary Forces alumni Brian Mah, Kathy Kelehan, and James Anderson, the principal trio conceived Alma Mater as a place to pursue selective creative opportunities across all media disciplines and platforms.
The new venture has already rolled out several projects, including a launch spot for the Bauer Re-Akt microsite via branding and interactive agency Mode. The creative brief was two-fold: showcase the innovations in materials, construction and design that Bauer’s new hockey helmet line offers to reduce head injuries; and draw in the hockey consumers by highlighting the aesthetics of the design.
The spot was co-directed by Mah and VFX/animation supervisor Anderson. Exec producer Kelehan produced for Alma Mater.
PEOPLE IN THE NEWS…. Paul Vitolins has joined Bang Music in New York as a sr. recording engineer and sound designer whose principal focus will be in TV programming, film and digital content. He will “commute” between Bang’s audio post studio at Post Factory in SoHo and the company’s main facility on 18th Street in NYC. Vitolins brings a depth of recording, editing and mixing experience.
